One thing is clear, Volt is or is about to become the world’s most popular plug-in hybrid until competitive vehicles arrive from mass market brands.
General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant will close for four weeks beginning this June for changes needed to increase Chevrolet Volt production at the site, which builds the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne sedans as well. Tooling will also be added for assembly of the new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan, a story AutoInformed broke. (See New 2013 Chevrolet Malibu to be Built in Hamtramck, MI)
This means the number of Volts available for customers will be restricted over the next three months, General Motors said in a statement. Year-to-date through April Chevrolet has delivered 1,700 Volts. The shut down appears to be less of problem for the Buick and Cadillac models, which have limited news media attention, and limited sales.
Potential Volt shortages are occurring at a time when a debate is underway – inside GM and out – about just how large the demand is for the Volt. The Volt starts at $42,000 and has the fuel economy (but less interior space) than numerous compact cars, including Chevrolet’s own Cruze and the upcoming 38 mpg Malibu, which is much larger. (See Chevy Volt has MPGe Rating of 93, 37 MPG Combined)
When Hamtramck production resumes both the Volt and the Opel Ampera will also be exported to Europe and China. This, potentially, boosts sales to 60,000 annually it’s estimated, with roughly 75% of four-seat hybrids delivered in the U.S. For the foreseeable future, though, Volt will be solely produced in Hamtramck. How well that sits with the Chinese government remains to be seen. The Chinese communist party insists that the latest technology from established automakers be built in China as a condition of access to the world’s largest auto market.
Leading the optimists about Volt sales potential is GM. The largest U.S. automaker continues to study Volt’s technology and whether taking it into other car segments or adding it to other brands makes sense. In my personal opinion a Cadillac model would be the most logical addition now that a BMW 3 Series size Cadillac is under development. One thing is clear, Volt is or is about to become the world’s most popular plug-in hybrid until competitive vehicles arrive on the market from mass market brands such as Toyota, which dismissed plug-in hybrids for more than a decade.
The limiting factors in Volt sales predictions include the expense of the 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and the decidedly uncertain future of taxpayer incentives for its purchase – currently $7,500 at the federal level – as the U.S. budget deficit soars to unsustainable levels, requiring taxpayers to borrow 42 cents for every dollar spent.
The reality is that while much consumer research indicates that saving the cost of fuel is overwhelmingly the predominate reason people give for considering a “Green” machine such as the Volt, the initial cost is too high and the payback too long – if there is even one for the original or subsequent owners – to translate that hope into an actual purchase. (See Why “Green” Alternative Vehicle Sales Will Remain Limited)
All a Volt spokesperson would say to AutoInformed is that “GM is looking at the potential here with our eyes wide open, but we remain cautious and have nothing to announce.”
The 2011 Volt was launched in California, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The Volt will be available nationwide and in Europe, China and Canada by the end of this year.
The Volt is a plug-in hybrid that offers a total driving range of 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can be powered by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles.
