Automakers Hit the Brakes on EV Ambitions as Layoffs Mount Nationwide

The electric vehicle boom is losing momentum. Over the past several weeks, major automakers and battery manufacturers have announced sweeping job cuts and plant slowdowns as demand cools and federal incentives disappear.

The retrenchment follows passage of the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which repealed key consumer tax credits for electric cars — including a $7,500 federal rebate that expired in September. The end of those incentives, once a cornerstone of the EV market’s growth, has led companies to reassess production targets and future investment.

Major Layoffs Across the Industry

General Motors has emerged as the most visible example of the pullback. The Detroit automaker plans to cut 1,200 jobs at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant and another 550 positions at its Ultium Cells battery facility in Ohio. Additional temporary layoffs include 850 workers in Ohio and 710 in Tennessee as production lines pause to align with reduced demand.

In a letter to investors, GM CEO Mary Barra acknowledged that “with the evolving regulatory framework and the end of federal consumer incentives, it is now clear that near-term EV adoption will be lower than planned.” She added that GM is “reassessing our EV capacity and manufacturing footprint,” warning that additional restructuring charges are likely.

Battery supplier Freudenberg e-Power Systems also announced it will close two Michigan facilities, affecting 324 employees, citing a “decrease in demand for heavy-duty electric and hybrid vehicles in North America.”

Meanwhile, EV startup Rivian confirmed it will lay off roughly 4.5% of its workforce—more than 600 employees—following what CEO RJ Scaringe described as “a rethinking of how we scale our go-to-market functions.”

Policy Shock and Broader Pressures

Analysts point to the policy shift as a key driver of the slowdown. “It’s been significant in slowing EV demand,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive. “Without those credits, many consumers are hesitating, especially as EV prices remain higher than comparable gas vehicles.”

Other headwinds are compounding the pain: tariffs on imported parts, lingering semiconductor shortages, and even production setbacks from supply chain disruptions like a recent aluminum plant fire.

Mike Madowitz, principal economist at the Roosevelt Institute, said the layoffs come amid a fragile period for U.S. manufacturing. “Manufacturing employment has been falling basically ever since tariffs were announced,” he noted. “If you’re making multi-decade commitments in auto and battery plants, you have to think harder about your ability to export from America.”

Labor Pushback

The United Auto Workers union sharply criticized GM’s decision, noting the contrast between layoffs and record profits. “Last week GM raised its expected annual profits to $13 billion. This week, they announce layoffs,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The cutting of federal subsidies for EVs has only made that volatility worse.”

As automakers recalibrate their strategies, the EV industry faces a pivotal test: whether it can sustain momentum without the policy scaffolding that helped build it.