After Record Sales, Chevy Volt Production Will Resume One Week Early

[SunSeeker]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Buoyed by record monthly sales of its Chevy Volt hybrid electric plug-in car in March, General Motors will resume production of the Volt at the Detroit Hamtramck plant one week early, the United Auto Workers told TPM on Tuesday night. “They’re adding a week of production back in,” said Don LaForest, the chairman of the UAW’s bargaining committee at the Detroit Hamtramck plant, where the Volt is manufactured, in a phone interview.

GM in early March startled observers by announcing a temporary hold on Volt production scheduled for five weeks, from March 19 to April 23, during which time employees would be temporarily laid-off but receive SUB pay. At the time, GM and the UAW told TPM that hold was “totally normal,” and put in place to “re-align” supply of the Volt with demand, following sluggish sales in January at just 603 units. But now, thanks to the GM’s news on Monday that the Volt sold a record 2,289 units in March, employees will be coming back to work a week early.

More to the point, LaForest said UAW workers remained confident in the Volt’s propensity for success, and that many at the plant were bewildered and angered by the verbal attacks on the American-made car by Republican Presidential candidates Mitt Romney on Tuesday and earlier, Newt Gingrich.

“Anybody who’s been in a Volt knows it’s not a boondoggle, they know it’s for real,” LaForest told TPM. “I don’t think Newt or Mitt have said a single negative thing about the Nissan Leaf,” (the Volt’s Japanese competitor).

“They’re attacking our car to get at the President,” LaForest told TPM. “But our car is going to change the way America does business. It’s a breath of fresh air.”



Read more: http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/gm-will-restart-chevy-volt-production-one-week-early-uaw-reveals.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

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The Republicans having been working so hard at trying to make America fail, this news must hurt.

[ejpoeta]

1. it's amazing what $4 gas will do.

i figured as soon as gas prices went up enough there would be people flocking to vehicles like the volt. and it stands to reason that one because it has gas after the electric goes it's 50 miles.

[ashling]

6. “They’re attacking our car to get at the President,”

“They’re attacking our car to get at the President,” LaForest told TPM. “But our car is going to change the way America does business. It’s a breath of fresh air."

[LynneSin]

2. Wait, I thought the Volt was a big failure

I'm so glad to see these plants are putting out great American made cars that help battle high gas costs!

[DCBob]

4. That was the Republican talking point a few weeks ago.

I suppose they wont be happy to hear this news.

[Skittles]

7. I know two people who have them

Volts are awesome!!!

[OverDone]

21. Thanks

Thanks for the humor

[Skittles]

24. what is your fucking problem?

GET OVER YOURSELF

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. Yes people like them

A couple of my neighbors have them and I am jealous!

[veganlush]

3. that's so weird

I just saw a volt fansite facebook posting today that said they were PROLONGING the shut-down through the summer. I hope your post is the accurate one..I'll try to find the piece i saw and post it here.

[veganlush]

5. here's the link to the story mentioned above, which I saw on facebook

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/04/gm-to-extend-summer-shut-down-at-volt-plant.html

[jeff47]

9. They start and stop production regularly

The "summer break" has to be at least two weeks for maintenance on the equipment. The "extension" is to break for 3 weeks instead of 2. They were going to be making cars up until then.

Today's news may indicate the extended break isn't necessary.

[veganlush]

29. thank

you

[Ian David]

8. As soon as three year-old Chevy Volts hit the market, I'm gonna get one used. n/t

[tabasco]

26. The battery will have about 4 years left on it then.

You need to replace the $8,000 battery every seven years.

Hopefully the price comes down.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

33. I don't know why they would charge that much just for a battery?

[tabasco]

36. Because they're really big and made of expensive materials?

Here's a picture:
http://www.hybridcarblog.com/when-chevy-volt-battery-costs-are-cut-in-half-what-happens/

More:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10426331-54.html

[Rosa Luxemburg]

37. just because it is big

I doubt that the materials are that expensive. People are trying to make money.

[tabasco]

50. I'm sure you're right.

Really kills the resale value of these cars, though.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

51. The manufacturers need to think this through

we need to have non gas cars so why do they make it difficult for us to buy them

[Kolesar]

41. Bollocks...eom

[tinrobot]

54. The Volt battery has an 8 year warranty.

If the battery has to be replaced in seven, then GM will be replacing a lot of batteries still under warranty. I'm guessing they made sure the batteries will last for the 8 year warranty period and beyond.

We also don't know the price of the replacement battery, so your number is pure speculation. How much that battery will cost in seven years is even more speculative.

[n2doc]

10. Wonder how many of those sales were in California?

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/gm-starts-deliveries-of-2012-hov-lane-eligible-chevy-volts-in-ca/


An update at least a year-and-a-half in the making, General Motors has just started delivering 2012 Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in models that are eligible for California customers to drive alone in that state's high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes, as the automaker looks to spur sales from the most populous U.S. state.

In addition to HOV-lane access thanks to enhAT-PZEV designation, 2012 Chevrolet Volt buyers can be eligible for a $1,500 California rebate in addition to the $7,500 federal tax credit. About 140 California Chevrolet dealers will be carrying the vehicle by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the state is producing 40,000 Clean Air stickers that will give 2012 Volt drivers solo HOV lane access. Volt buyers in Georgia, Florida and New York can also get solo HOV-lane access in those states.


That's a big deal if you live in a city....

[K8-EEE]

11. HUGE DEAL! CARPOOL LANE ACCESS! HUGE DEAL HERE IN L.A.

Man! If I had a garage I would buy one.

[Tx4obama]

12. K & R n/t

[wordpix]

13. fed rebate is $7500 for a MRSP of $31,600

Not bad, plus you get HOV lane use in some states.

[Swede Atlanta]

14. Consumer choices rise and fall with the price of gas.....

We remember how high gasoline prices in late 2007 and early 2008 led to a scramble for smaller, gas-efficient vehicles. Then came the Great Recession with a nearly 50% reduction in gasoline prices. Consumers gravitated back toward SUVs, Pick-up trucks and gas-guzzling mini-vans.

Now with the price of gas rising along with increased demand, consumers are back to thinking about smaller, more efficient vehicles. And so it goes......

[Odin2005]

15. I saw one here in Fargo just the other day.

Nice car!

[thesquanderer]

16. See? Obama's strategy of higher gas prices is working!

(yes, sarcasm...)

[The Wizard]

17. But will this news cause

Republicans to go Jonestown?

[Zax2me]

18. 2,289 sold in March is a JOKE

1.4 million light vehicles were sold in March making this news about the Volt's 2300 a joke -

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577321370478348822.html

[farmbo]

19. A "joke"? You don't understand the challenges of selling EVs.

You can't compare them with IC vehicles... That's meaningless.
GM only planned to sell between 30k and 40k this year and this gets them back on track.

No, it isn't a cheap entry level box on wheels. It's a lifestyle choice vehicle that is EPA rated at 92 mpg-- and that's no joke.

[tinrobot]

20. With $4 gas, the joke's on those not buying one.

If you can get Volt or a Leaf, you'll save $200-300/month on gas.

[SmellyFeet]

23. More like $100-$200/month compared to gas car that gets 40 mpg.

And doesn't come close to making up the difference in cost (+$13,200 difference in cost).

2012 Ford Focus - $18,300
2012 Chevy Volt - $31,500

Difference - $13,200

It would take 5.5 years to make up the difference if you spent $200 MORE a month on gas. Realistically it would take over 8 years to make up the difference.

I'm not sure that's enough to get anyone excited.

[dmallind]

25. 40 mpg? Why do Ev bashers always use max for ICE economy

A car that gets 40mpg constant highway doesn't get 40mpg unless that's ALL you drive. Might as well say the Leaf gets 138 miles per charge - which it does in similarly ideal circumstances.

Cars incidentally last longer than 5 or even 8 years, and I'll bet you 10:1 that gas goes up more than electricity (wehich can be provided by home based sources like solar panels - nobody has a home oil well and refinery).

[tinrobot]

53. Don't forget to factor in resale value

Your math assumes that both cars depreciate to zero. They don't. The Volt will resell for a lot more than the Focus. So when you're done with the car, you recoup that difference.

In fact, a lease does just that - it assumes a future depreciated value for the car. The lease payment is basically that depreciation plus interest over the term of the lease.

Right now, a Volt can be leased for about $350-400 per month, a Focus would be around $200-250/month. When you factor in the additional cost of gas for the Focus, the two come out about even.

[Zax2me]

52. FYI I'm buying one.

In about 4 months. The second in my family to do so.
BUT, the record sales etc. is a bunch of hooey.
The numbers are ridiculously low.

[dmallind]

22. More joke cars then:

•Chevy Avalanche
•Chevy Corvette
•Chevy Aveo
•Chevy Cobalt
•Chevy HHR
•GMC Canyon
•GMC Savana
•GMC Yukon
•Cadillac Escalade
•Cadillac STS


All sold less than the Volt. And that's just from 3/4 of one company.

[high density]

28. Aveo, Cobalt, HHR, STS are no longer in production

So it's natural that those aren't selling a lot. Savana is a bare bones fleet vehicle passenger van. Escalade is a huge luxury SUV starting at around $65,000. Corvette is a $50,000+ sports car. Avalanch is a $40,000 "sport utility truck."

It would be nice to kind of compare apples to apples, though I admit that's tough when you're talking about an economy car starting at $40,000.

[dmallind]

30. Or you could have had the sense to look at most recent sales

None of them get 230mpg either so hard to compare apples to apples there.

I see plenty of brand new Aveos and HHRs just to name two still for sale by the way.

[high density]

27. If they're selling so great let's stop subsidizing them to the tune of $7500 or $10000 a pop

Subsidizing a $40,000+ car purchase is ridiculous, especially when the average household income of a Volt buyer is 170k.

[dmallind]

31. Sure - when we stop subsiding ICEs and oil a thousand times more heavily.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

34. I would buy one if they were $15000

I don't know why they have to be double the price?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. I wish they would reduce the price

maybe they could reduce the price for a while so people (me) can afford to buy them.

[Liber-AL]

38. I agree, Rosa

I always wondered what sense it made to buy a $40.000 car to save money spent on gas. If I keep my 9 year old PT cruiser ( it's paid for) I will come out ahead by saving on insurance ( liability only) and car payments. As long as I change the oil regularly and drive "liberally" it ought to last another 10 years. With only 73,000 mi. It has a lot of life left in it.

But if the price of Volts comes down to around $15,000 I might consider buying one... although, I still like the idea of no payments and liability only insurance! Hmmmm! Tuff decisions!

[Kolesar]

42. It makes sense for people who value reducing carbon emissions and the impact of habit destruction...

...due to oil production and the inherent diversion of water resources.

[Liber-AL]

43. Well, if the environment is of such a concern...

the price of the car shouldn't be so prohibitive. Personal debt is more of a concern for me. If I can't pay cash for it I can't afford it!
I do sympathize with you though!

[Kolesar]

45. Generating electricity with photovoltaics probably gets more CO2 reductions per dollar spent

And it is almost a lifetime investment. Those panels can last thirty years, although the panels have degradation in the later years. I think at about the forty year point, the panels are at half power.

[Liber-AL]

49. The Volt doesn't use photovoltaics does it?

I've seen some prototypes using that technology ( solar panels) and indeed that approach does look promising. There would be no need for an extensive array of national "hook-ups" for recharge if the vehicle were to be also equipped with a small secondary gasoline engine for extended driving.

BTW I saw something on TV about a new discovery in the field that revolutionizes the flexibility of photovoltaics...
Do you have any info on that? I wasn't able to grasp everything being said due to a neighbor mowing his lawn and drowning the sound out.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

46. Maybe they should do a Spring Sale for a week

If they did a Spring sale for $15,000 I would buy one.

[Liber-AL]

39. One other question:

When Idling in traffic I assume the batteries are being charged or in use. Where are those toxic fumes from battery activity going?
Thanks for the answer in advance!

[Angleae]

40. Its a lithium-ion battery.

The same kind of battery that powers your cell phone/laptop/iPad/etc. Therefore, no fumes due to recharging/discharging.

[Liber-AL]

44. Ohhhh, I see... It has the same kind of battery that burns your jaw if

you talk too long on your cell phone! I guess there is some kind of heat shield to to ward off the radiation so I feel safer already.
I will have to look at the crash test results on this car before I am thoroughly convinced it is worth 40,000 big ones. But , then again nothing is worth what the consumer pays for it... we seem to always get the shaft! Sorry to sound so pessimistic but that has been my experience with few exceptions!

[Angleae]

47. That's the one.

You might also look into the reports of the battery catching on fire to see if they are true, and if so, if they've fixed it.

[Liber-AL]

48. Huh? "gasp"... thanks a lot... Now I am even more pessimistic!