About Gerald Johnson
Gerald Johnson, Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing & Sustainability at General Motors, has been a key spokesperson for the company’s dual strategy of investing in both internal combustion engine and electric vehicle (EV) production. In December 2023, he announced a $579 million investment at the Flint engine plant to produce the next-generation small-block V8 engine, stating that while GM is committed to an all-EV future, there are "a lot of internal combustion engine customers that we don't want to lose." Johnson has also emphasized GM's progress in its EV transition, describing the company's $2.2 billion investment to transform the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant into "Factory Zero," GM's first fully dedicated EV assembly plant. He has stated that GM has the engineering capacity to build both ICE and EV vehicles throughout this decade and has set a goal of producing 1 million EV units by 2025.
Johnson has also addressed broader industry and societal issues. During GM's Q4 and FY 2023 earnings call, he credited the Flint Assembly team for playing a "huge role" in the company's strong year, noting GM was number one in full-size trucks and total sales for 2023. In earlier appearances, he discussed GM's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including producing masks and ventilators, and spoke about the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion following the death of George Floyd. Johnson, who has been with GM for over 40 years and is a recipient of the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year award, has described his role as responsible for the safety and performance of over 130,000 employees globally.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Gerald Johnson's recent appearances.
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Transcript (10 segments)
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Gerald Johnson0:00
General Motors is a part of my life. I've been with General Motors for 42 years. They got me right out of high school. I was a co-op student. I've worked most of my life in plants and plant environments like the one we're sitting in right now.
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Laura Harris0:13
That's Gerald Johnson, Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability at General Motors. Good afternoon everyone, I'm Laura Harris. Four decades and counting, Johnson has been an integral part of GM. He's responsible for almost 95,000 employees, representing more than 118 sites on four continents in 13 countries. Automotive News visited GM's General Assembly plant in Flint to talk with Johnson about GM's electric future.
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Gerald Johnson0:47
There's no better time than now to be a part of what General Motors is doing. We believe that we're well positioned for this future, this transformation of EV and this continuation of internal combustion engine production.
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Laura Harris0:59
As General Motors ramps up electric vehicle production, the automaker is working to show employees that they have a role in the EV future. The automaker sees a similar size employee base needed to build EVs as gasoline-powered vehicles.
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Gerald Johnson1:16
It is a fantastic time to be a part of General Motors because we're innovating a new future.
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Laura Harris1:22
At the same time, the company plans to add electric vehicle capacity by repurposing existing plants, including turning some into EV-only factories and adding EVs alongside gasoline vehicle assembly lines at others. With this electric transition, Johnson says GM is focusing on two main things: one, utilizing assets; two, bringing all employees along on the transition.
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Gerald Johnson1:49
What we're doing here is trying to provide a safe environment, trying to keep taking into consideration the well-being, the development, and the performance of all the people who helped make all our vehicles come together and all of our components come together.
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Laura Harris2:04
Johnson says GM has the engineering capacity to build both ICE vehicles and EVs, and will continue to do both throughout this decade. And between now and 2025, Johnson says GM has a goal of producing 1 million EV units. As the auto industry continues to transition, Johnson is ready for the future.
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Gerald Johnson2:26
It's an amazing time to be a part of it. First of all, I love what I do. I love who I do it with, who I do it for, and to be on the cusp of it... yeah, I relish the moment.
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Laura Harris2:37
Thanks so much, Johnson, for taking the time to speak with us. To learn more on Johnson's Q&A and GM's future, visit autonews.com. Well, that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for watching, everyone. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at Auto News TV and online at autonews.com for updates from our reporters all day every day. I'm Laura Harris. Have a great night, and I'll see you all next time.
