Where Will GM's New V8 Engine Be Made?

There's no telling if the world of personal transportation will ever fully make the switch to electric power, but an all-electric future at GM just got a little bit further away. General Motors announced this week that they'll be spending $888 million on their Tonawanda production plant, where they plan on building the next generation of its V8 engine. The Tonawanda plant, located in Buffalo, New York, will get new equipment and tools, along with renovations to the facilities as a part of the near-billion-dollar investment. In operation since 1938, the plant was originally built for production of inline six-cylinder engines and axles, but the employees there currently produce several GM engines, including the 6.2-liter LT2 V8.

General Motors' Flint, Michigan engine plant will also produce the sixth-generation V8 and received a similarly-large half-billion-dollar investment for improvements back in 2023. This Tonawanda investment will hopefully pay off in a few years, with production of the current fifth-generation V8 continuing until the new V8 supplants it in 2027 — so don't expect to see a new powertrain under the hood of your favorite Chevy or Cadillac sedan just yet. With 2027 slated as the start of production for the engine, it's likely that the sixth-generation V8 will last for several years beyond its initial debut.

So, if this V8 will carry on far into the future, what about electric vehicles? When asked about the future of electric vehicles in the United States, GM CEO Mary Barra said "We still believe in an all-EV future," stating that she believes "EV's are fundamentally better" but battery technology and charging infrastructure are still required for EV success. GM has previously touted their investment in electric vehicles, claiming over $17 billion in EV infrastructure investments.

Barra continued by stating that the sixth-generation V8 will have "more performance as well as more fuel efficiency" compared to the current motor. Both the 5.3-liter V8 and the larger 6.2-liter V8 are considered part of the fifth-generation of the company's small-block V8s, and they currently power a number of GM's trucks and SUVs. General Motors' biggest trucks and SUVs like the Silverado and Suburban currently use the LT2 V8 engine, as does the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Upgrading the V8 in those models with better fuel efficiency will certainly be a welcome addition.