GM Adds Powertrain Jobs in Michigan

General Motors Co. says it will add about 220 new jobs in Michigan over the next year to boost output of a fuel-efficient 10-speed transmission.

The new jobs will be added at the carmaker’s powertrain plant in Romulus. GM, which co-developed the transmission with Ford Motor Co., launched the gearbox in the 2017 Camaro ZL1 sport coupe.

GM made the hiring announcement ahead of President Trump’s scheduled visit to Michigan today, in which he is expected to reopen a review of the stringent 2025 fuel economy standards set by the Obama administration. Trump has been pressuring the auto industry to boost domestic employment, but GM says today’s announcement is unrelated.

In November, GM said it would lay off about 2,000 jobs when it ended the third shift at its Lordstown, Ohio, and Lansing Grand River plants in January. The carmaker also is scheduled to cut the second shift at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant this month, eliminating some 1,300 jobs.

All three facilities produce cars, whose popularity has waned as consumers flock to SUVs, crossover vehicles and pickup trucks. Cars account for less than 38% of new-car sales in the U.S. so far this year, down 12 points from the same period in 2016, according to Autodata Corp.