GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz is the father of the Chevy Volt. He is an outspoken colorful, what-you-see is what-you-get kind of guy. A veteran both of the Marines and the automotive industry, he has been the source not only of the Volt itself but many of the most interesting and important quotes along the way of its development.

Today GM announced that the 76 year old Mr. Lutz will be retiring. On April 1st his position will change from GM Vice Chairman – Global Product Development to Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor. Tom Stephens who is GM VP of Powertrain will assume Mr. Lutz’ current role.

Then, at the end of 2009, Mr. Lutz will retire.

On his blog today Mr. Lutz wrote a post entitled “You’re Not Rid of Me Yet.”

With respect to the Volt he said the following:

There has been speculation that I would stay until the debut of the Chevrolet Volt next year. When I do retire at the end of this year, the Volt program will be well on its way to launch and I’ll feel the same sense of pride and accomplishment that the entire Volt team will feel when the first ones are silently rolling off the assembly line.

He also told reporter Jamie LaReau of Automotive News:

We will be driving finished Volts this summer because we’ll have a lot of them through the tail end of this year and next year. So in terms of low-volume production, we’ll be producing them, we just won’t be selling them. As far as I’m concerned, the Volt is done.

This morning GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner made some major announcements about GM’s plans for reacting to $4.00 per gallon gasoline and slumping sales, particularly of trucks indicating that high gas and oil prices are not cyclical but likely permanent.

First the automaker is closing 4 truck and SUV plants in North America, which should result in $1 billion in annual savings.

Second he noted GM is open to selling part or all of the Hummer brand.

Third he confirmed plans to build a new Chevy compact, and a successor to the Aveo.

Last he told reporters GM’s board has officially approved funding for the Chevy Volt’s production. He said, “the Chevy Volt is a go”, and “we intend to show a production version of the Chevy Volt publicly in the very near future, and we remain focused on our target of getting the Volt into Chevrolet showrooms by the end of 2010.”

Well folks, the show is on, and not a minute too soon.

Source (Auto Channel)
Picture from the Detroit News

We wait patiently as GM puts the Volt through the most rapid development cycle any of its vehicles has ever had. Meanwhile, since the original concept was introduced in Jan 2007, the economy has been in trouble. The burdens of the credit crisis and the rapidly rising oil prices have significantly affected the auto industry.

Whereas he’s not sure the economy is in recession, GM President Fritz Henderson has now indicated he believes that the auto industry is. Truck sales, generally quite lucrative for GM have plummeted at the same time smaller money-making small car sales have increased. Overall car sales have sunk further than anyone had predicted. Recent strikes have led GM to $800 million in lost revenue.

Today GM told reporters they would have to resort to borrowing and reduced spending if the recession worsens.

They told reporters that they have $24 billion in cash and $7 billion in undrawn loans, after three straight annual significant losses in a row. In the last quarter alone they lost $3.25 billion. They claim though this cash is an adequate cushion to get them through 2008. But what happens after that?

Of course in 2007, GM sold 9.69 million cars, and sold 2.25 million the first 3 months of this year. That is after all a lot of cars. Furthermore, although the U.S. sales figures are weak, double digit increases are occurring in China, and GM’s gains there are significant.

Its still 2 and 1/2 years until the Volt is slated to arrive. Will GM save the Volt, will the Volt save GM, or is this much ado about nothing, and just the usual gyrations of the economy?

I go with the last option.

Source (Bloomberg) and (CNN Money)

I am trying out a new feature here on GM-Volt.com. Just as the GM execs are meeting every two weeks to discuss progress on the Chevy Volt’s development, I thought it would be a good idea if I posted a video wrap-up of the past two weeks news, information, and events related to the Chevy Volt. Look for it every two weeks on Sundays. Feedback is welcome.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCSygno1830 width=272 height=224 ]

Just now an article appeared on Bloomberg.com. The authors cite “secret sources” (not sauces) as saying that GM expects to have an early working Volt prototype out in 2008 which will get a 10 mile all-electric range. Their secret source goes on to say that a 40-mile version will be out in 2009. Official GM spokesman Scott Fosgard is noted to decline a comment.

The article points out thats GM’s plan is more aggressive than Toyota’s plan for a shorter range PHEV expected to max out with 10 miles, and we suspect to use NiMh batteries. Toyota is described as being unable to produce longer electric ranges within an affordable price range. Bob Lutz, however, is quoted as being confident that GM can overcome these technical and pricing obstacles.

This indeed is very new information. I cannot verify the secret source, but considering it’s been two months since the battery contracts were awarded, and the very aggressive efforts of those battery makers, it wouldn’t surprise me. How does it taste to you?

Yesterday, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally said that hsi company plans to sell plug-in hybrids within the next 5 to 10 years.

He made this comment at an event marking a partnership between Ford and Southern California Edison to explore the feasibility of rechargeable cars and the impact on the electrical grid of their widespread use.

Ford is apparently giving 20 plug-in modified Escape hybrid vehicles to the utility company who will hand them out to some of it’s customers for analysis.

Although lagging behind GM by years, this announcement by the number 2 U.S. automaker proves the importance of this new class of vehicles and clearly indicates that mass production and widepread use and acceptance will certainly be taking place in the near future.

Theres no stopping the plug!