Chevrolet's electric Bolt EV to be built at Orion Assembly in Michigan

Automaker will invest $200 million into 2 plants for Bolt's production

DETROIT – General Motors says it will build an electric car with a 200-mile range at a factory north of Detroit.

The small hatchback will be based on the Chevrolet Bolt concept car shown at the Detroit auto show last month. GM has said it will be built in 2017 at the Orion Assembly plant.

It will cost around $37,500 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The car is designed to compete with Silicon Valley automaker Tesla Motors, which plans to start selling a 200-mile, $30,000 car about the same time.

GM says it hasn't determined how many jobs the new car will bring to the factory, which has about 1,700 hourly workers.

$200-million investment

GM's Orion Assembly, home of the Chevrolet Sonic sub-compact and Buick Verano luxury compact, and Pontiac Metal Center facilities are receiving a $200-million investment to support production of the next-generation electric vehicle. Orion will receive $160 million for tooling and equipment, and Pontiac will receive $40 million for new dies.

Located approximately 30 miles north of Detroit, Orion Assembly is powered by gas from two nearby landfills, which saves more than 6,300 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually. It is also home to a 350-kilowatt solar array that produces the energy equivalent to power 165 homes and sends enough energy back to the grid to power about 45 homes.