General Motors Corporation (Better 2000s)

General Motors Corporation (GM) is a Detroit based Automotive Manufacturer that experienced an impressive growth in the 1980s and hit a bit of a bump in the 90s due to the Gulf war but as of the year 2000 has regained market share with stock valued at over $80 a share.

Leadership

 * President: George Richard "Rick" Wagoner Jr. (since 1998)
 * CEO: John F. Smith Jr. (since 1992)
 * Chariman of the Board: John F. Smith Jr. (since 1996)
 * Vice Chairman: Harry J. Paerce (since 1996)

Funding Crisis (1999 to 2003 or '05)
(OPEB - Other Post Employment Benefits and the Retiree Healthcare benefits)

EV1's Near Cancellation (2003)
The EV1's assembly line had already been shutdown by 1999 with a total of 1,117 cars being produced. In 2002 leasies recieved letters from GM stating that the cars would be repossessed despite the company having made earlier statements that it would not be taking the cars off the road. The drivers feared that the cars would be destroyed and at least 60 of them sent letters, along with checks stating that they'd pay for repairs and maintenance as such where what GM stated to be the reason behind cancelling the program (that GM wouldn't be able to provide the 15 year maintenance required by California state law). This caught media attention with coverage on just how much these owners cared about the cars and about how much they saw the cars as the future of the automotive industry. In light of this coverage the company issued a new lease which leasies at the time could agree to in order to keep their EV1s. While a number of the cars where sent back the line survived. [1]

Change Notes

 * 1) In OTL the company famously turned a deaf ear to the pleas and cancelled the lease, while repossessing the cars. One of it's competitors, Honda, famously renewed it's lease on the EV+ program (the Honda EV Plus Electric Car) which also operated in California causing media to be skeptical that cost was really the issue that fueled the line's cancellation. This prompted GM to state that while the line wasn't a failure the company believed the EV1 to be doomed as the advancements in battery technology foreseen in the early 90s had not come to pass. Little did GM know that such advancments where a mere decade away (only slightly later then the prediction). With the line surviving and Honda also renewing it's leases- along with this coverage a bit of a mild but lively competition will certainly speed things up. (mild note in OTL at least 58 sent letters but in the better 2000s the estimated lowest number is 60 with more people expressing concern.

Developer Notes

 * During the 90s the company saw an increase in the sale of Sudans and SUVs yet in OTL after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 it's stock plumitted as part of a great market scare brought on by the destruction of the World Trade Center. In OTL GM spearheaded a 'Keep America Rolling' Campaign geared at keeping the US Automotive industry strong. A campaign of which other manufacturers soon followed to survive the down turn. It successfully in OTL kept the Automotive Industry active so 'America can keep rolling'. However by 2004 an increase in gas prices caused a nationwide decline in car purchases (new and used) hindering it's sale campaigns and signalling the decline of the Detroit Auto Industry. In 2009 the company filed for Bankrupcy and reformed as the Motor Liquidation Company. It's name (GM) and logos where purchased by another company, the General Motors Company (or new GM)- thus keeping the brand alive. In the Better 2000s where the 9/11 attacks among other events did not happen the history of GM has to be considered as it'll impact the people of detroit which has been in a decline since the 1950s. The 90s seemed like a time of rivival for the city and it planned many projects of beautification to celebrate it's 300th Aniverssary. The fall of the local Auto Industry in Detroit, which employed a good many of the people of that fine city (Metro City as it's also called)- signalled that bad times where still carrying on. Will the lack of 9/11 still mean an ill decade for the city? Will the automotive Industry still fall- perhaps even harder then in OTL? These are the questions I seek to answer by exploring GM during the 2000s.
 * In OTL Rick Wagoner retired as CEO of GM at the White House's request under the Obama Administration in 2009. Under his leadership the company experienced 85 million dollars in loses. In reflection Rick Wagoner stated in interviews with CNN and Newsweek in 2007 and 2008 Wagoner stated his regrets regarding leadership of GM. He stated his worse decision was axing the EV1 electric car program and not putting resources into hybrids. In 2005 he assumed personal control of GM's North American devisions and announced the closing of several plants by 2008 with the production of those facilities moving to other countries. This mass closure resulted in 17% of GM's US employees being terminated (25,000). In 2009 he attempted to negotiate a government bailout from the Obama administration but instead the government requested that he resign and give into the board's request for filed bankrupcy. In the Better 2000s we'll see Rick Wagoner make decisions he wished he'd made in OTL.
 * Elon Musk stated in 2017 that Tesla Motors was started in part because GM terminated the EV1 Program. [Times of India "Here's why Elon Musk Started Tesla Motors" 2017 Shipra Bihani]. In that regard Rick not axing the EV1 program may have an impact on latter decades.
 * GM not having a mass closure of facilities in North America could negatively impact the market of China and thus must be examined closely considering why it happened. As Rick notes about these things (in paraphrase) they don't impact profit but they do impact image. Which eventually if a negative image leads to a lose in profit.