In an important milestone for GM's much-hyped Chevy Volt project, on Wednesday, March 3, the first pre-production Volt rolled off the assembly line at the firm's Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant. The previous examples of the Volt had been built by hand.
These pre-production models will not be sold at GM's dealerships, but will be used to assess and fix any problems in the production system as well as to train the workers in order meet the quality targets set by the engineering team.
"We have a very experienced workforce at this plant and through all of their preparation and training workers here have been given the privilege to take GM into the future with this car," said Detroit-Hamtramck plant manager Teri Quigley.
Expected to go on sale by the end of fall, the Chevy Volt offers up to 40 miles of pure electric
driving before a small-displacement gasoline engine/generator kicks in to charge the car's lithium-ion batteries extending the range to about 300 additional miles.
GM's happy-moment with the first pre-production Volt coincides with Nissan's announcement on the pricing for the all-electric Leaf that will sell for $25,280 ($32,780 minus a $7,500 tax credit).
The General has not released official pricing for the Volt, but unofficially, word has it that the car will be priced somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range with the federal tax credit.
15 Comments:
Will GM be producing Volt tow trucks to go along with the Volt?
i think they`ll start the Volt trucks if this model will be successful.
^ "tow truck" was used for a reason! agreed. second poster missed the pun!
Maybe the second poster understood the pun but sees things differently?
^...Maybe the second poster just ignored the stupid pun.
(From main photo - Volt on assembly line minus wheels)
Man scratches head, looking at plans in his hand...
"So where do the wheels go...?"
nothing like the fairly attractive concept. this is UGLY!
butt ugly! and for the price? crazy gm is at it again!
"Maybe the second poster understood the pun but sees things differently?"
Exactly. The first poster was probably one of those that said the Volt would never reach production and was vapourware.
I've never need to call a tow for any of the gm cars I owned in the past; I don't see why I would need one now or in the future.
i think these cars will be good when they ever bloody release it! Its better of that a company like GM bring them out and not Mercedes or the like with a $60,000 electric car... This car is about bringing it to the masses...
I agree with most of you, but I wonder, who's left making the kind of money to afford it?
I find it hard to believe the dept. that turns their "concept cars" UGLY before they get on the road survived the bankruptcy! There is one thing that GM & the federal government have in common, they don't seem to understand you have to have gainful employment to sell or tax anything.
*Yawn* Old news. Nissan will be selling the Leaf long before the Volt sees the light of day. (if it does!) And Nissan did it with no fanfare or sneak peaks or any of that other crap. How many more automakers will beat GM to the punch with their EV's? The Volt is already approaching insignificance. With petrol and diesel powered vehicles getting better mileage and more power every year (the Camaro and Mustang 300hp V6's with 30mpg highway for example)and the easy availability of these fuels, who would want to constantly be worrying about where the plug is? A vehicle like the Leaf will be a great city vehicle, but will not be an option for the majority of U.S. drivers. Electrics are a great novelty, but they are just a stopgap measure.
..and that's where an electric hybrid comes into play. It is reasoned that the majority of us commute and travel within 40 miles a day, give or take. If the Volt meets its projections tthen the majority of owners will not use a single drop of gas on a daily basis. But should they have the need to travel further there's an engine onboard that can extend range out to about 300 miles before it would need fuel. So it's a one car that handles it all while using very very little fuel and no range anxiety? I hope they succeed and they make a quality product. If we own them then I want them heathy, providing jobs and making money so that one day the gov can set them free. I don't blame the company for some of their past deeds, I blame the jokers who should have been replaced at the top years ago. I think all the Big 3, as it were, needed a big shakeup. They all have to play smarter.
The Leaf can be dismissed in a single phrase:
160Km range and $35K USD (inculding the so-called 'quick charger').
I can name plenty of cars from different manufactures (including Nissan) that have a far greater range and cost thousands less who's range isn't affected by air temprature nor require a constant drain on your electrical supply.
Leaf and Volt...all electric..all failure?..lets see..
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