Major U.S. Auto Companies and Total Amounts (March 13, 2005 – March 13, 2025):
- General Motors (GM):
- TARP Bailout (2008-2009): GM received $49.5 billion in direct federal assistance under TARP, starting with $13.4 billion in December 2008, followed by additional funds in 2009 to facilitate a structured bankruptcy. The government took a 60.8% equity stake, which it sold off by December 2013, recovering $39 billion. This resulted in a net loss to taxpayers of $10.5 billion, though the full amount disbursed was $49.5 billion.
- Additional TARP-Related Support: GM’s financing arm, GMAC (later Ally Financial), received $17.2 billion under TARP, with the government recovering $19.6 billion by 2014, yielding a $2.4 billion profit. While tied to GM, this is often accounted separately in bailout tallies.
- Total Direct to GM: $49.5 billion (excluding GMAC/Ally, as it became a distinct entity post-bailout).
- Context: No other direct bailouts to GM occurred within the 20-year window after TARP concluded in 2014.
- Chrysler (later Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, FCA):
- TARP Bailout (2008-2009): Chrysler received $12.5 billion through TARP, beginning with $4 billion in December 2008 and additional funds in 2009 during its bankruptcy restructuring. The company repaid $11.2 billion by June 2011, with the government losing $1.3 billion. Fiat assumed control post-bankruptcy, reducing U.S. ownership.
- Total Direct to Chrysler: $12.5 billion.
- Context: Chrysler’s earlier 1979 bailout ($1.5 billion in loan guarantees, fully repaid by 1983) falls outside the 20-year window and is excluded.
- Ford Motor Company:
- ATVM Loan (2009): Ford received a $5.937 billion loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program in June 2009 to develop fuel-efficient vehicles. Unlike TARP, this was not a bailout but a targeted loan, and Ford has been repaying it (fully repaid by 2022 per historical trends, though exact completion isn’t always specified in 2025 records).
- TARP Bailout: Ford did not receive direct TARP funds, avoiding the 2008-2009 bailout taken by GM and Chrysler, though it benefited indirectly from industry stabilization.
- Total Direct to Ford: $5.937 billion (ATVM loan only).
- Context: Ford’s decision to secure private credit ($23.5 billion) in 2006-2007 helped it weather the crisis without TARP.
- Tesla Motors:
- ATVM Loan (2010): Tesla received a $465 million loan from the DOE’s ATVM program in January 2010 to develop electric vehicles (e.g., Model S). Tesla repaid this loan in full with interest by May 2013, ahead of schedule.
- Total Direct to Tesla: $0.465 billion.
- Context: Tesla received no TARP-style bailout, and its federal assistance is limited to this loan. EV tax credits for buyers (estimated at $1.5 billion+ since 2008) are consumer subsidies, not direct company aid, and are excluded here.
- Fisker Automotive:
- ATVM Loan (2010): Fisker received a $529 million loan commitment from the DOE in 2010, but only $192 million was disbursed before the company defaulted in 2012. Fisker filed for bankruptcy in 2013, and the government recovered about $25 million, losing $139 million net.
- Total Direct to Fisker: $0.192 billion (disbursed amount).
- Context: A minor player, but notable for its failure within the 20-year period.
Total Amounts by Company:
- General Motors (GM): $49.5 billion
- Chrysler (FCA): $12.5 billion
- Ford: $5.937 billion
- Tesla: $0.465 billion
- Fisker: $0.192 billion
Grand Total:
- Combined Total Disbursed: $68.594 billion across these companies from 2005 to 2025.
Notes:
- Scope: The 2008-2009 TARP bailout dominates this period, with GM and Chrysler accounting for $62 billion of the total. Ford and Tesla’s loans were smaller and tied to specific innovation programs, not emergency rescues. Fisker’s inclusion reflects a failed investment within the timeframe.
- Exclusions: Indirect benefits (e.g., EV tax credits, supplier aid, or pre-2005 interventions like Chrysler’s 1979 bailout) are not counted as direct company bailouts. GMAC/Ally’s $17.2 billion is excluded from GM’s total to avoid double-counting, as it’s often reported separately.
- Post-2009: No major auto-specific bailouts occurred after TARP ended in 2014. The 2020 CARES Act provided broad economic relief, but no auto company received direct TARP-like funds; they accessed general programs (e.g., payroll support), which aren’t quantified here as industry-specific bailouts.
This tally reflects direct government financial assistance within the 20-year window, focusing on the most significant U.S. auto companies.