Lindsay VanHulle

The initial 17 EV fast-charging locations began to open in 13 states in a soft launch starting in September. At least 25 locations are expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

Barra did not disclose additional details Monday in remarks to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.

Ford pegged the cost of its four-and-a-half-year deal with the UAW at $8.8 billion — double its expectation — while GM said its two new North American labor contracts would raise expenses by $9.3 billion.

General Motors expects its EVs to bring in more money than they cost to build by late 2024 and have mid-single-digit EV margins in 2025, including the benefit of federal tax credits, CFO Paul Jacobson said.

General Motors leaders said the company has not executed as planned this year on electric vehicle production and will cut its investment into its troubled Cruise robotaxi unit.

The updated full-size SUVs will go into production late next year at GM's assembly plant in Arlington, Texas.

Union workers this month ratified the contract with GM, which extends through April 2028 and won support from 55 percent of the nearly 36,000 UAW members who voted.

The brand said it would share more details, including features and pricing, when the Optiq is revealed in 2024.

The agreement passed by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent, winning by nearly 3,300 votes out of more than 35,000 cast. In contrast to the close voting at GM, the UAW's deals with Ford and Stellantis are easily headed toward ratification.

A vote count published by the union Wednesday morning showed the deal passing 52 percent to 48 percent. Among production workers, it was losing by 19 votes out of nearly 19,000 tallied.

With more than 17,000 votes in out of a possible 46,000, 51 percent of production workers are against the proposed contract. Large plants in Michigan, Texas, Indiana and Missouri have yet to vote.

Niron Magnetics has technology that doesn't use costly rare earth minerals for EV motors. The company has raised $33 million from GM Ventures, Stellantis Ventures and other investors.

All together, the UAW's deals with the Detroit 3, which are being voted on by workers in the coming weeks, call for $40 billion in investment through April 2028.

UAW President Shawn Fain and Mike Booth, the UAW's vice president who leads the union's GM department, will share additional details of the tentative agreement at noon Saturday in a Facebook livestream.

Salaried employees' base pay will increase an average of 3.5 percent in March 2024, according to an employee memo. GM also will raise its company match into employees' 401(k) accounts and enhance some medical and vision benefits.