General Motors, Ford and Tesla say they are prepared to help manufacture ventilators as the US faces a critical shortage amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The automakers responded to the call after they, joined by the third of Detroit’s ‘Big Three’, Fiat Chrysler, announced their plants were being closed due to workers concerned about exposure to the deadly, flu-like virus also known as COVID-19.
Fiat Chrysler and its sibling Ferrari are in talks with the nation’s biggest ventilator manufacturer to help to boost production of the life-saving machines that are urgently needed in the coronavirus crisis, company officials said on Thursday.
General Motors, Ford and Tesla say they are prepared to help manufacture ventilators as the US faces a critical shortage amid the coronavirus outbreak. A worker is shown assembling a ventilator amid a an increase in demand due to the deadly infection
The automakers responded to the call after they, joined by the third of Detroit’s ‘Big Three’, Fiat Chrysler, announced their plants were being closed due to workers concerned about exposure to the infection. Fiat-Chrysler also is in talks to boost the production of ventilators (pictured)
The effort was under way to lend support to Italy, the epicenter of the pandemic and where its government has embarked on a big expansion of the number of intensive care beds, many of which will require ventilators to keep patients alive by taking over breathing functions.
It was not clear if Fiat Chrysler would extend its support in the US. A spokesman for Fiat Chrysler was not immediately available when DailyMail.com reached out.
The coroanvirus has been confirmed in 11,325 cases and blamed for 165 deaths in the US.
The coroanvirus has been confirmed in 11,325 cases and blamed for 165 deaths in the US.
GM Chief Executive Mary Barra spoke to White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow about the issue after the Detroit automaker announced it will suspend North American production through March 30.
Kudlow told Fox News on Wednesday that he had spoken to one automaker looking at producing ventilators.
GM Chief Executive Mary Barra (pictured) spoke to White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow about the issue of making ventilators after the Detroit automaker announced it will suspend North American production through March 30
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow (pictured) told Fox News on Wednesday that he had spoken to one automaker looking at producing ventilators
GM spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said the automaker ‘is working to help find solutions for the nation during this difficult time and has offered to help, and we are already studying how we can potentially support production of medical equipment like ventilators.’
Ford said on Wednesday it ‘stands ready to help the administration in any way we can, including the possibility of producing ventilators and other equipment. We have had preliminary discussions with the U.S. government and are looking into the feasibility.’
Kudlow praised the idea of autoworkers producing medical equipment when plans were idled. ‘That’s the kind of can-do spirit that we are hearing and seeing,’ Kudlow said.
GM and Ford could face significant hurdles before it could build a complex piece of medical equipment like a ventilator and it is unclear how long it would take to do so, however.
Countries around the world have raised concerns about potential shortages of the ventilators needed to treat critically ill patients suffering from coronavirus. Running in the thousands of dollars per unit, ventilators are used to help people with respiratory difficulties to breathe.
Earlier this week, Britain asked manufacturers including Ford, Honda and Rolls Royce to help make health equipment including ventilators and said it will look at using hotels as hospitals.
During World War Two, GM, Ford and other automakers retooled auto plants to build tanks, planes and other military equipment and weapons, earning Detroit the nickname the ‘Arsenal of Democracy.’
Tesla’s Elon Musk, meanwhile, has offered to help produce more ventilators if the US runs out.
Tesla’s Elon Musk, meanwhile, has offered to help produce more ventilators if the US runs out
The CEO of SpaceX told his Twitter followers that ‘if there is a shortage’ he would step in to make ventilators so patients in intensive care can breath as their bodies battle against the illness.
‘We will make ventilators if there is a shortage,’ Musk tweeted Thursday in response to a fan’s suggestion the billionaire should repurpose his factory for the task.
This is despite Tesla’s California Fremont factory facing imminent closure as part of an industry-wide shutdown to allow workers into isolation.