General Motors: History, innovation, and legacy
Learn about the rich history and notable innovations of General Motors, from its founding in 1908 to its leadership in electric and autonomous vehicle technology.
- “This wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but it makes sense for me and my family right now,” Clausen said.
- Clausen opened Tesla’s first gigafactory in Nevada and worked at Lego.
- Clausen leaves the manufacturing role vacant at a difficult time for the automotive manufacturing sector.
Former Tesla executive JP Clausen resigned from his position as General Motors’ head of manufacturing operations exactly one year into the job.
Clausen, 53, said in an April 22 LinkedIn post that he is leaving the Detroit automaker after being hired in April 2024 to succeed Gerald Johnson, who retired after 44 years at GM. Clausen will stay on until mid-May.
Clausen described his time at GM as “defining” in his post, and said the departure did not come easily.
“After a year of incredible experiences and growth, I’ve made the difficult decision to leave General Motors. This wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but it makes sense for me and my family right now,” Clausen said. “Working at GM has been a defining chapter — one that challenged me, shaped me, and allowed me to contribute to vehicles that millions of people rely on every day.”
GM said in a statement emailed to the Detroit Free Press that a replacement for Clausen will be named at a later date.
“We are grateful for his contributions and wish him well in his next endeavors,” the statement said.
Prior to his role at GM, Clausen opened Tesla’s first gigafactory in Nevada and worked at Lego. While he served as vice president of engineering at Google Data Centers, he drove technological innovation, product development and process optimization, GM said when he was hired.
Clausen leaves the manufacturing role vacant at a difficult time for carmakers. Tariff threats from the White House on imported vehicles and parts have created an environment of uncertainty.
Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. Reach her at [email protected].
