General Motors confirmed that it is laying off about 1,000 workers.

Most of the workers, which are spread around the world, are in white collar jobs.

The company emailed affected workers early Friday morning. A majority of them are in the Detroit area.

"We need to optimize for speed and excellence," a statement to the Associated Press said. "This includes operating with efficiency, ensuring we have the right team structure and focusing on our top priorities."

The company is trying to cut costs due to unprofitable electric vehicles, the Wall Street Journal reported.

GM had a round of layoffs earlier in the year. Last year, about 5,000 workers took voluntary buyout offers.

The company is reportedly trying to come up with $2 billion in savings by the end of the year.