A lot of us feal some level of pride in Volt ownership, for various reasons.

I have met several workers that have expressed pride in building parts for the Volt, a few have gone out of there way to mention what part they helped make and how it is special.

When a parts supplier is making a limited production parts, the people on the production line are generaly awear
of where that special part is going to be used.

In the case of Volt parts, at least American workers seem to realize what this car means to the American car industry as a whole, not just GM.

Made by Americans!
Fueled by Americans!

Well, I wish that was entirely true, but the % american content has to be more than the average car sold in the US.

Well, I wish that was entirely true, but the % american content has to be more than the average car sold in the US.At ramp up no but soon.

From a webchat:


1:21
Comment From Patrick
When do you expect to see the battery and engine being made in Michigan instead of overseas?

1:22
Andrew Farah: Patrick: The battery pack is already made in Michigan at GM's Brownstown, Mich., battery manufacturing plant. Additionally, LG Chem, the company that supplies our battery cells will begin manufacturing cells in Holland, Mich., next year. Also, the 1.4L engine used in the Volt is now manufactured in Flint, Mich.

Other American support from a GM document:

For release: Oct. 10, 2010, 12:01 a.m. ET


CHEVROLET VOLT: BORN AND BUILT IN THE U.S.

• GM invested more than $700 million in eight Michigan plants for Volt production
• Battery research, development, testing and validation conducted at GM’s Battery Lab in Warren, Mich.
• Vehicle testing and validation at the GM Milford Proving Ground and across the U.S.
• Battery assembly, vehicle assembly, engine production, camshaft and connecting rod manufacture, die engineering, sheet metal stampings and development of robotic weld tool cells are, or will be, conducted in Michigan
• Suppliers, partners and utility companies across the U.S. are investing in facilities and research to support the growing electric vehicle market


DETROIT – When the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range rolls off the assembly line at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant, it will represent American engineering innovation as well as a significant investment in U.S. facilities and its workers.

GM has invested more than $700 million in the U.S., primarily the state of Michigan, to retool, upgrade or build the manufacturing, research and development infrastructure responsible for the Volt.

“While the advanced technologies in vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt have the potential to address global transportation challenges, they have deep roots in the U.S., particularly in the state of Michigan, the birthplace of the American automotive industry,” said Tony Posawatz, Volt vehicle line director. “In addition to GM’s investments, suppliers and other partners are making major manufacturing and R&D investments in the U.S. and in Michigan to commercialize electrically driven transportation.”

Key U.S.-based GM facilities responsible for the Volt include:
Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly: GM invested $336 million to prepare this plant for future products, including the Volt. To reduce waste and leverage flexible manufacturing techniques, some production equipment was repurposed from other facilities and installed in the Detroit-Hamtramck body shop.

Brownstown Battery Assembly: The Volt’s 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is assembled at this 160,000 sq.-ft. assembly facility, which consists of three primary assembly areas: battery module pre-assembly, final assembly, and the battery pack main line. GM invested $43 million in the plant, which is owned by GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors.

GM Global Battery Systems Lab: This facility houses on-site testing of all current and new battery cell, module and pack technologies. It opened in 2009, with an investment of $25 million. In early 2010, GM invested an additional $8 million to double its size (to 63,000 square feet). The expansion added capability in safety and abuse tolerance, such as crush, penetration, water immersion, overcharge, discharge and short circuit tests, buildup and teardown, manufacturing engineering, charger development, thermal development and battery storage.

Flint Engine South: GM invested $202 million in Flint Engine South in Flint, Mich. for production of the 1.4L, four-cylinder engine for the Volt and a 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the Chevrolet Cruze.

Flint Metal Center: GM invested $30 million to refurbish press lines that will produce sheet metal stampings for the Volt.

Flint Tool and Die: This facility was responsible for the construction and tryout of stamping die sets for the Volt program. About half the dies for the Volt were designed here.

Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center: GM invested $30 million to build the robotic weld tool cells that assemble the Volt body at Detroit-Hamtramck.

Bay City Powertrain: Camshafts and connecting rods for the Volt 1.4L four-cylinder generator will be built at this facility, where $37 million was invested for their production.

In addition to GM facilities, battery cell supplier LG Chem and its subsidiary, Compact Power, recently began construction of a $304-million battery plant in Holland, Mich. This means the Volt not only will use battery packs made in the U.S., but the individual battery cells as well. Several other battery manufacturers also are building facilities in Michigan and the U.S. to meet the expected growth in demand for advanced batteries.

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