California Rep visits Ultium plant as ranking member on China trade

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]News at 6.

[00:00:01]>> When I look at this plan, I think, you know, this could help revitalize this area and we should be doubling down on electric vehicle tax credits, production tax credits, and charging infrastructure.

[00:00:12]>> A California representative in the Mahoning Valley touting technology that could power the future if given the right help. Good evening, I'm Lindseay Watson. Hundreds of workers are still laid off at the Altium Cells battery plant in Lordstown as electric vehicle sales stall across the country. Today, a California congressman tooured the facility and laid out what he believes needs to happen to get production and workers back at full speed. First News reporter John Ruer has our top story tonight at 6.

[00:00:47]For decades, the Mahoning Valley has searched for the industry that could redefine its future. Today, leaders say that industry, the Ultium sales battery plant, is already here. It just needs a little nudge.

[00:00:58]>> We aren't doing enough in supporting uh this plant. I mean, this plant could help transform and revitalize Mahoning Valley.

[00:01:08]>> California Representative Ro Kana tooured the facility Friday, meeting with workers and Ultium executives. Kana serves on the committee on strategic competition with China and says facilities like Ultium are critical to keeping battery innovation and manufacturing in the United States.

[00:01:24]>> In other areas, you have CL which is a Chinese company just licensing the technology to the big three. But that means that China gets to keep the innovation here. The innovation GM gets the innovation and they can continually innovate and that lowers the the battery cost and makes the battery better. And it's American technology.

[00:01:43]>> Production at Ultium is currently running at about 50% compared to 2024 after federal EV tax credits expired in September and electric vehicle sales cooled nationwide. Since then, as many as 1,300 workers have been laid off, about 600 indefinitely. Roughly 650 employees are still working inside the plant, focusing mainly on maintenance and equipment upgrades. Our production demand remains down.

[00:02:09]>> We're poised and ready to resume supplying when GM has demand for our for ourselves.

[00:02:15]>> Connor says getting the plant back to full production comes down to three major changes. Blocking Chinese battery companies from receiving US production incentives, restoring the federal electric vehicle tax credit, and expanding charging infrastructure nationwide to address what he calls range anxiety. But more work is needed, especially in the center of the country as consumers consider where they want to travel and how they want to use their vehicle. Expanding that remains an important priority.

[00:02:43]>> Company officials say they hope production demand improves by the third quarter, but there's still no exact timeline for laid-off workers to return to work. This is about the renewal of places that have been facing uh economic devastation since Black Monday in 1977 in Youngstown uh when 5,000 steel factory workers were shut down. They finally have something about the future here and we got to double down and invest on that future >> in Lordstown. John Ruer, WKBN27 First News.

[00:03:12]>> Hi everyone, I'm Lindseay Watson. Thanks for watching the WKBN27 First News YouTube channel. If you want more video news, subscribe to our channel and don't forget to download the WKBN27 First News app for breaking news alerts.