Who founded General Motors and when was it established?
William C. Durant formed General Motors as a holding company in 1908. His first acquisition was Buick, which he already owned, followed by Olds Motor Works on the 12th of November 1908.
Questions about General Motors
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Alfred P. Sloan take control of General Motors and what strategies did he implement?
Alfred P. Sloan took the helm of General Motors in 1920. He established annual model changes and implemented a pricing strategy positioning Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac from least expensive to most.
What technological innovations did General Motors develop in the 1920s and what were their consequences?
In 1921, Thomas Midgley Jr. discovered tetraethyllead as an antiknock agent and developed chlorofluorocarbons. These innovations introduced lead into the atmosphere and contributed to ozone depletion.
When did the Flint Sit-Down Strike occur and what was the outcome for General Motors workers?
The Flint Sit-Down Strike ended on the 11th of February 1937 after 44 days. General Motors recognized the United Auto Workers as the exclusive bargaining representative, forcing the unionization of the domestic U.S. automobile industry.
When did General Motors sell its European operations and who bought them?
In 2017, General Motors sold its European operations including Opel and Vauxhall to the French PSA Group for $2.2 billion. This sale ended 16 years of consecutive losses for the company in Europe.
When did Mary Barra announce the end of fossil-fuel vehicle production and when was the plan scaled back?
Mary Barra announced in 2021 that General Motors would end production of fossil-fuel vehicles by 2035. These plans were scaled back in 2025 due to lack of consumer demand.