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GM extends vehicle production cuts into mid-March due to global chip shortage

DETROIT — General Motors said on Tuesday it was extending production cuts at three North American plants until at least mid-March due to the global semiconductor chip shortage, while vehicles at two other factories would only be partially built. GM, whose shares dipped 1% after the announcement, did not disclose the impact volumes or say which supplier and vehicle parts were affected by the chip shortage. But it said it would focus on keeping production running at plants building its highest-profit vehicles, full-size pickup trucks and SUVs. GM said it intended to make up as much lost production as possible once the shortage chip eased. "Semiconductor supply remains an issue that is facing the entire industry. GM's plan is to leverage every available semiconductor to build and ship our most popular and in-demand products," GM spokesman David Barnas said. GM said it was extending downtime at its U.S. plant in Fairfax, Kansas, its Canadian factory in Ingersoll, Ontario, and its Mexican facility in San Luis Petosi until mid-March when it would reassess the situation, he said. In addition, GM would build but leave incomplete for final assembly vehicles at Wentzville, Missouri, and its Mexican plant at Ramos Arizpe. GM vehicles affected by the idled plants include the Chevrolet Malibu sedan, Cadillac XT4 SUV, Chevy Equinox, and GMC Terrain SUVs. Vehicles to be left incomplete for now included the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon pickups and Chevy Blazer SUV. This week, GM had said it was idling the three factories where it has now extended downtime and said it would halve production at a plant in South Korea. The chip shortage has affected many automakers, including Toyota, Volkswagen, Stellantis, Ford, Renault, Subaru, Nissan, Honda and Mazda. Asian chipmakers are rushing to boost production but say the supply gap will take many months to plug. German chipmaker Infineon said the shortage would get worse in the near term. The chip shortage is expected to cut global output in the first quarter by more than 670,000 vehicles and last into the third quarter, IHS Markit said. AutoForecast Solutions estimated total lost production this year could reach 1 million vehicles. Honda and Nissan said on Tuesday they would sell 250,000 fewer cars in total this financial year due.

2021 Cadillac XT6 adds 2.0-liter turbo and new base trim in second year

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 has been announced, and the three-row crossover is going through a few notable changes in its second model year. There’s a new base trim and base engine, and Cadillac has added tech features to improve the experience. Starting with the new engine: ItÂ’s the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that was initially introduced in the XT4 as the base motor. Power output is the same as the compact crossover at 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. ItÂ’s paired with the nine-speed automatic transmission and comes with front-wheel drive as standard — all-wheel drive is a $2,000 option. That engine only comes with the new base trim level: Luxury. Every other trim receives the 3.6-liter V6. The new Luxury trim (pictured above) is being added to the lineup as a base model to compliment the Sport and Premium Luxury trims. This will be the cheapest and most basic of the XT6s, but you can still option all-wheel drive. Features include 18-inch wheels, the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, black leatherette seats (heated and powered in front), brushed aluminum trim, tri-zone climate control and a number of other smaller extras along with a suite of driver assistance technologies. Cadillac is also adding wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto to the lineup as standard equipment — they were standard previously but required the traditional wired connection. ThereÂ’s also a new 20-inch wheel for the Sport model, and three new color options: Dark Moon Blue Metallic, Wilder and Infrared Tintcoat. The XT6 LuxuryÂ’s base price is $48,990, including the destination charge. ThatÂ’s a fair cut below the 2021 Premium Luxury ($53,790) and the Sport ($58,190) trims, but you are losing out on the additional equipment and luxury those trims offer. Cadillac says the updated 2021 XT6 will land in dealerships this fall. Related video:

GM is training more first responders for EV emergencies in the U.S. and Canada

GM is training more first responders to be able to handle emergencies involving electric vehicles. The automaker is "significantly expanding" its EV First Responder Training program in the United States and Canada as electric vehicle sales continue to grow. Its initiative will primarily focus on training firefighters and equipping them with the necessary knowledge about full electric vehicle technologies. GM says it's hoping to dispel misconceptions when it comes to handling EVs in emergency situations. One of those misconceptions is that water is dangerous around EV batteries — turns out the recommended way to put out lithium-ion battery fires is by using copious amounts of water.  Andrew Klock, a senior manager of education and development at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), said: "The best way for the public and private vehicle fleet owners to rapidly adopt EVs is to train firefighters and emergency responders on how to handle incidents involving battery powered vehicles. The fire service has had more than 100 years to gain the knowledge needed to respond to internal combustion engine fires, and it is critical that they are now educated on EV safety." The NFPA held trainings of its own that had benefited 300,000 first responders, but it believes more than 800,000 members of the community still need further training.   GM previously piloted the program in southeast Michigan, but now it's conducting training events across Michigan and in Fort Worth, Texas, as well. Later this summer, it's bringing the program to metro New York City and Southern California. Participants will have to attend four-hour sessions, with up to two per day, held in various venues, such as fire houses and dealerships. Interested first and second responders can register through the program's dedicated website and earn a certificate from the Illinois Fire Service Institute if they score higher than 70 percent on the learning assessment by the end of their training.  The automaker already has a few EV models on the market, including the Chevy Bolts, the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq. It has huge electrification plans for the future, though, and training responders could help make potential customers more receptive to the idea of switching to electric vehicles. GM aims to launch 30 EV models by 2025 and to exclusively sell EVs ten years after that. Related video: Green Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Safety Electric