SWOT
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General Motors

To deliver world-class vehicles and services that create customers for life through our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion



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Align the strategy

General Motors SWOT Analysis

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To deliver world-class vehicles and services that create customers for life through our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion

Strengths

  • SCALE: Global manufacturing capacity exceeding 8M units
  • BRANDS: Portfolio spanning all price points and segments
  • DISTRIBUTION: Network of 4,200+ dealerships globally
  • ULTIUM: Proprietary EV platform for all segments/brands
  • CAPITAL: $29.8B cash reserves funding transition

Weaknesses

  • LEGACY: High fixed cost burden of ICE manufacturing plants
  • PERCEPTION: Brand image lags competitors in EV capability
  • PRICING: EV models cost 20-30% more than ICE equivalents
  • BATTERY: Supply chain dependencies limit production scale
  • SOFTWARE: Digital experience lags tech-native competitors

Opportunities

  • FLEET: Commercial EV adoption accelerating (7.8% CAGR)
  • POLICY: IRA incentives creating $7,500/vehicle advantage
  • SERVICES: Connected vehicle data monetization potential
  • AUTONOMY: Cruise technology for robotaxi and delivery
  • CHARGING: Expanding public infrastructure reducing anxiety

Threats

  • COMPETITION: New entrants with disruptive business models
  • REGULATION: Accelerating ZEV mandate implementation
  • COMMODITIES: Battery material price volatility and supply
  • TECHNOLOGY: Rapid software innovation rate requirements
  • TALENT: Intensifying competition for engineering talent

Key Priorities

  • ACCELERATION: Faster EV portfolio expansion across segments
  • VERTICAL: Strategic battery supply chain integration
  • SOFTWARE: Enhance connected vehicle experience capabilities
  • PRICING: Achieve EV cost parity with ICE models by 2026
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Align the plan

General Motors OKR Plan

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To deliver world-class vehicles and services that create customers for life through our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion

ELECTRIFY AMERICA

Lead the U.S. transition to electric vehicles

  • PRODUCTION: Scale Ultium platform to produce 400,000 EVs in North America, a 140% YoY increase by EOY
  • COST: Achieve 20% battery cost reduction through vertical integration and supply chain optimization by Q4
  • RANGE: Deliver next-gen Ultium technology with 450+ mile range in three vehicle segments by Q3
  • ADOPTION: Increase EV attachment rate to 12% of total sales volume, up from current 7.6% by EOY
BUILD THE FUTURE

Create software-defined vehicle experiences

  • PLATFORM: Deploy unified vehicle software platform across 75% of new vehicles, enabling OTA updates by Q4
  • SUBSCRIPTION: Achieve 35% paid software/services attachment rate on all new vehicle deliveries by EOY
  • EXPERIENCE: Launch AI-powered personalization features with 92% positive user rating across five models
  • ECOSYSTEM: Integrate with 200+ third-party applications through new developer program by end of Q3
SECURE SUPPLY

Create resilient, integrated battery supply chain

  • MATERIALS: Secure long-term agreements for 80% of critical minerals requirements through 2030 by Q3
  • PRODUCTION: Complete construction and initial production at three Ultium Cells battery plants by EOY
  • RECYCLING: Establish capacity to recover 90% of battery materials through closed-loop recycling by Q4
  • INNOVATION: Validate next-gen battery chemistry delivering 30% energy density improvement by year-end
WIN CUSTOMERS

Deliver exceptional value and experiences

  • RETENTION: Increase customer retention rate from 64% to 70% through personalized owner experiences
  • PRICING: Achieve EV-ICE price parity in two vehicle segments through platform efficiencies by Q4
  • DIGITAL: Increase digital retail sales from 7% to 15% of total transactions through enhanced platform
  • SATISFACTION: Improve Net Promoter Score from 58 to 65 through enhanced customer journey touchpoints
METRICS
  • Electric Vehicle Revenue Growth: 120% YoY
  • Software Services Attach Rate: 35%
  • Customer Retention Rate: 70%
VALUES
  • Customers
  • Excellence
  • Relationships
  • Integrity
  • Safety
  • Innovation
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Align the learnings

General Motors Retrospective

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To deliver world-class vehicles and services that create customers for life through our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion

What Went Well

  • REVENUE: $156.7B annual revenue, up 9.6% year-over-year
  • MARGINS: 8.2% EBIT margins exceeding 7.5% guidance
  • TRUCKS: Full-size pickup and SUV sales grew by 12.4%
  • INVENTORY: Reduced dealer inventory by 18.6% vs target
  • COSTS: $2.5B cost reduction program exceeded by $300M

Not So Well

  • EV: Electric vehicle production targets missed by 35%
  • CRUISE: Autonomous driving setbacks and permit issues
  • CHINA: Market share declined 1.8 points to 8.7% total
  • CHIPS: Semiconductor shortages affecting 120K+ units
  • WARRANTY: Recall costs exceeded projections by $870M

Learnings

  • FORECASTING: Improve EV adoption rate projections
  • VALIDATION: Enhanced safety testing for autonomous tech
  • DIVERSITY: Broader supplier base mitigates shortages
  • QUALITY: Early detection systems reduce recall scope
  • AGILITY: Factory flexibility enables production shifts

Action Items

  • SCALE: Accelerate EV production to meet demand signals
  • DEVELOP: Enhance autonomous driving safety protocols
  • SECURE: Strengthen critical component supply chains
  • OPTIMIZE: Improve service parts distribution network
  • PENETRATE: Targeted strategy for China market share
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Overview

General Motors Market

Competitors
Toyota logo
Toyota
Volkswagen logo
Volkswagen
Ford logo
Ford
Stellantis logo
Stellantis
Tesla logo
Tesla
Products & Services
No products or services data available
Distribution Channels
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Align the business model

General Motors Business Model Canvas

Problem

  • Unsafe transportation causing 1.3M deaths/year
  • Environmental damage from vehicle emissions
  • Urban congestion reducing productivity
  • High transportation costs for consumers
  • Limited mobility options for many populations

Solution

  • Zero-crash driver assistance and autonomy tech
  • Zero-emission electric vehicle portfolio
  • Zero-congestion smart mobility services
  • Connected vehicle services ecosystem
  • Scalable vehicle platforms across segments

Key Metrics

  • Electric vehicle adoption rate
  • Software service attachment rate
  • Average transaction price trends
  • Customer lifetime value increase
  • Driver assistance feature utilization

Unique

  • Multi-brand portfolio across all segments
  • Ultium platform adaptable to all vehicle types
  • Vertical integration from batteries to software
  • Established dealer network with customer reach
  • Manufacturing scale and expertise

Advantage

  • Global manufacturing footprint and scale
  • Deep supplier relationships and leverage
  • Extensive proprietary vehicle development data
  • Connected vehicle installed base of 30M+
  • Brand equity across market segments

Channels

  • 4,200+ franchise dealer network
  • Digital direct-to-consumer platform
  • Fleet and commercial sales organization
  • GM Financial services distribution
  • Certified pre-owned ecosystem

Customer Segments

  • Mass-market consumers (Chevrolet, Buick)
  • Premium consumers (Cadillac, GMC Denali)
  • Commercial fleet operators (BrightDrop)
  • Government and institutional buyers
  • Ride-sharing and mobility service providers

Costs

  • Vehicle manufacturing and assembly
  • Research and development investments
  • EV battery materials and production
  • Dealer network and marketing support
  • Software development and connectivity
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Overview

General Motors Product Market Fit

1

EV platform technology across all segments

2

Software-defined vehicle experiences

3

Vertically integrated battery supply chain

4

Driver assistance to full autonomy pathway



Before State

  • ICE-dependent automaker with legacy constraints
  • Limited EV offerings across limited segments
  • High manufacturing complexity across platforms
  • Combustion-focused engineering capabilities
  • Reliance on dealer-only sales model

After State

  • EV-transformed mobility services provider
  • Full lineup from entry to luxury EVs
  • Streamlined Ultium platform production
  • Software-first development approach
  • Omnichannel direct and dealer sales

Negative Impacts

  • Exposure to fuel economy regulations & fines
  • Vulnerable to industry-wide EV disruption
  • Declining margins in traditional segments
  • Market share loss to EV-native competitors
  • Environmental impact and reputation concerns

Positive Outcomes

  • Higher average transaction prices
  • Software services recurring revenue streams
  • Reduced manufacturing costs/complexity
  • Growth in previously inaccessible segments
  • Improved regulatory compliance and ESG scores

Key Metrics

EV market share
7.6%
Vehicle profit margin
8.2%
Customer retention rate
64%
NPS score
58
Average transaction price
$49,800

Requirements

  • $35B+ EV/AV investment through 2025
  • Battery and charging infrastructure
  • Software talent acquisition and retention
  • Digital retail capabilities development
  • Dealer network transformation

Why General Motors

  • Vertically integrated battery production
  • Rapid EV model rollout across brands
  • Expansion of driver assistance features
  • Connected services ecosystem development
  • Factory retooling for EV manufacturing

General Motors Competitive Advantage

  • Extensive manufacturing scale and expertise
  • Deep automotive supply chain relationships
  • Multi-brand portfolio across segments
  • 30+ million connected vehicles on road
  • Existing customer base and loyalty

Proof Points

  • Cadillac Lyriq achieving 70% conquest sales
  • Hummer EV production fully allocated
  • Silverado EV 170,000+ reservations
  • Ultium platform reducing costs by 40%
  • BrightDrop securing major fleet conversions
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Overview

General Motors Market Positioning

What You Do

  • Manufacture and sell vehicles, parts and services

Target Market

  • Consumer, commercial and government customers

Differentiation

  • Ultium EV platform technology
  • Autonomous driving tech
  • Brand portfolio spanning price segments
  • Vertically integrated battery production
  • Network of 4,200+ dealerships

Revenue Streams

  • Vehicle sales
  • Parts and accessories
  • OnStar subscriptions
  • Connected services
  • GM Financial services
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Overview

General Motors Operations and Technology

Company Operations
  • Organizational Structure: Matrix organization by region and function
  • Supply Chain: Global with regional production and sourcing
  • Tech Patents: 45,000+ active patents globally
  • Website: https://www.gm.com
Top Clients
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Competitive forces

General Motors Porter's Five Forces

Threat of New Entry

High for EV segment with 75+ startups funded in past 5 years, but barriers remain high for full-scale manufacturing (avg $2B+ investment required)

Supplier Power

Moderate and increasing with battery makers (CATL, LG, Panasonic) controlling 87% of cell production and critical minerals concentrated among few nations

Buyer Power

Moderate as consumers have many vehicle choices, but high-demand models command premiums and brand loyalty (64% for GM) reduces switching

Threat of Substitution

Growing with mobility services (Uber, Lyft), public transit investments, and remote work reducing vehicle miles traveled by 9.2% from pre-pandemic

Competitive Rivalry

Intense competition from 15+ global automakers, with major players (Toyota, VW, Tesla) investing $300B+ in EV transition over 5 years

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Drive AI transformation

General Motors AI Strategy SWOT Analysis

To deliver world-class vehicles and services that create customers for life through our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion

Strengths

  • DATA: 30M+ connected vehicles generating real-world data
  • COMPUTE: Significant high-performance computing resources
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Established Microsoft Azure/Google Cloud
  • SIMULATION: Advanced virtual validation environments
  • TALENT: Growing AI research team with 200+ specialists

Weaknesses

  • LEGACY: Aging technology stack limiting AI implementation
  • INTEGRATION: Siloed data systems across business units
  • AGILITY: Slow deployment cycles for software updates
  • CULTURE: Traditional engineering vs software mindset gap
  • RECRUITMENT: Difficulty attracting top AI talent vs tech

Opportunities

  • AUTONOMY: Enhancing Cruise self-driving capabilities
  • PERSONALIZATION: Customer experience optimization
  • MANUFACTURING: Predictive quality and efficiency gains
  • DESIGN: Generative AI for accelerated vehicle development
  • SUPPLY: AI-optimized logistics and supply chain resilience

Threats

  • COMPETITION: Tech giants entering automotive with AI focus
  • REGULATION: Emerging AI governance and liability concerns
  • SECURITY: Increased cybersecurity risks with AI systems
  • EXPERTISE: War for limited specialized AI talent pool
  • DISRUPTION: Rapid AI advancement outpacing adaptation

Key Priorities

  • PLATFORM: Unified vehicle software architecture by 2025
  • EXPERIENCE: AI-enhanced personalized driver interaction
  • OPERATIONS: AI-optimized manufacturing and supply chain
  • TALENT: Strategic hiring and acquisition of AI expertise
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General Motors Financial Performance

Profit: $10.1 billion (2023)
Market Cap: $52.8 billion
Stock Symbol: GM
Annual Report: View Report
Debt: $114.4 billion total debt
ROI Impact: EV investments yielding improving margins

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