GM plans to boost Volt investment to $700M

[SpartanDem]

Source: Detroit Free Press

General Motors Co. has begun installing new equipment at the Detroit/Hamtramck assembly plant where prototype production of the long-awaited Chevrolet Volt will begin next March and salable versions of the battery-powered car will come off the line in November 2010

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Jon Lauckner, GM vice president of global product planning, this morning announced a $336-million investment in the assembly plant, that brings the sum of GM and government Volt-related investment in Michigan to $700 million. Lauckner stood in for Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who could not attend due to a scheduling conflict.

“With the additional announcements Friday, it became impossible for Bob’s schedule,” said GM spokesman Pat Morrissey. “I do know he’s in the building (Renaissance Center) today and he’s been in meetings.”

Other GM operations benefiting and the amounts and what they produce are: Bay City (camshafts and connecting rods); Flint South 1.4-liter engine-generator; Grand Blanc (robotic welding cells); GM’s Tech Center in Warren (hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain research); Flint Tool & Die Center (dies); Flint Metal Center (body panels and other parts), Brownstown Township (lithium batteries).





Read more: http://freep.com/article/20091207/BUSINESS01/91207023/1319/GM-plans-to-boost-Volt-investment-to-700M

[jus_the_facts]

1. They're also re-opening our GM Guide plant to make parts for these Volts. n/t

[Toucano]

2. After destroying all the perfectly usable EV1s, the seems...responsible.

From a fiduciary perspective, I mean.

[WriteDown]

8. More of that lie?

http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/2006/06/gms-ev1----who-killed-common-sense.html

Be sure to check out the actual websites of owners of EV-1's.

[Auggie]

3. There's so much to gain from the success of this vehicle

I know -- it's far from perfect -- but it's a great start

[boomerbust]

4. This is exciting

With Ford coming out with the all electric Focus in 2011 this could start a new Chevy-Ford smack down competition of the past.

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Economies of scale

There can be no progress toward making affordable, dependable electric vehicles until the big automakers actually tool up and start making them. This is terrific news!

[AllTooEasy]

6. Will they come down on the price???

If I could afford the base $35K price tag, I buy it. Oh well, a sweet Prius for me :-)

[cutlassmama]

7. that's the thing, if they want to be competivie they'll lower the price

[Auggie]

11. Probably. That 35K could be early adapter pricing.

[WriteDown]

9. Since the Volt was developed under Rick Wagoner....

and is being lauded as the key to saving the company are they going to bring him back? :shrug:

[Uncle Joe]

10. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, SpartanDem.:thumbsup:

[unkachuck]

12. anything....

....that puts our UAW brothers and sisters back to work is a good thing....but I do question the wisdom of the Volt in general....

....it's too big, too expensive, doesn't do enough and since our country is locked in perpetual war, shouldn't GM be building war-guzzlers?....maybe GM could build perpetual war-Hummers for our perpetual-war machine?

....some say, we should do what we do best; greet people at walmart and create ponzi schemes on wall street and let the Asians develop the next generation of high-tech vehicles....