General Motors speeds up ‘Project V’ to build ventilators in Indiana

General Motors and medical equipment maker Ventec are accelerating efforts under a partnership code-named “Project V” to construct ventilators at a GM plant located in Kokomo, Indiana, to help fight the coronavirus outbreak.

GM stated that work at its Indiana plant, which makes small electronic components for vehicles, is part of the effort to expand ventilator production. Sources stated the GM-Ventec project is referred internally to as “Project V.”

As part of the effort to increase ventilator output from Ventec, the automaker has arranged for the supply of 95% of the parts required to build the ventilator and is seeking to source the rest of 37 necessary parts, according to an email to providers from Shilpan Amin, GM’s vice president of global purchasing.

The goal of the venture is to build about 200,000 ventilators, said people knowledgeable with the plans who asked not to be identified.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated earlier that U.S. automakers General Motors, Ford Motor, and Tesla Inc show produce ventilators and other items required during the coronavirus outbreak.

First parts need to be delivered by suppliers to GM by April 6, the sources said.

About 68,594 people in the United States have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed about 1,036 people in the country.