Tesla Considering Moving Into GM's Lordstown Plant

By Khabir Bhatia, WKSU

General Motors' plant in Lordstown, which is slated for closure next year, could have a future with one of the automaker’s competitors. 

Speaking on CBS’ “60 Minutes" on Sunday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked about the plant and four others that are slated for closure.

“It’s possible that we would be interested, if they were going to sell a plant or not use it, that we would take it over," he said.

But Dave Green, president of United Auto Workers Local 11-12 at Lordstown, said decisions about selling the plant are made at the corporate level.

“I don’t think our members are interested in having the building up for sale.  We’ve been a family with General Motors for over 52 years and want to continue to be part of the GM family.”

Green says he’s working to convince the company to allocate a new product to Lordstown next year.

GM is ending production of the compact Chevy Cruze, the only vehicle built at Lordstown.  The company also plans to expand its electric vehicle program. Ohio's U-S Senators, Rob Portman (R) and Sherrod Brown (D), and Youngstown Rep. Tim Ryan (D) have asked GM's CEO, Mary Barra, to consider producing electric cars at Lordstown.