GM boosts Volt production


CSA Z462 Arc Flash Training – Electrical Safety Compliance Course

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$249
Coupon Price:
$199
Reserve Your Seat Today
General Motors will reconfigure the plant that makes the Chevrolet Volt to expand production to up to 60,000 electric cars a year.

The Detroit-area factory, which will be shut next month, now can produce about 16,000 a year.

GM said the electric car will be in short supply for the next three months because of the four-week shutdown that begins in June. But by moving in new machinery and overhead conveyors, the company will be able to boost the plantÂ’s output of the Volt and its European counterpart, the Opel Ampera.

“We will be better able to meet the tremendous consumer demand,” Cristi Landy, the Volt’s marketing director, said in a statement.

The Volt can run on battery power for about 35 miles before a gas-powered motor kicks in to generate electricity. It can be recharged through a home electrical outlet. The car costs just over $40,000 but is eligible for a $7,500 tax credit. The car will be sold later this year in Canada at a price of $41,545 and will be eligible for an $8,200 tax credit in Ontario.

The Volt hit the U.S. market late last year and just over 1,700 have been sold through April. The car is now available in nine states and Washington DC. By the end of this year, Volts will be sold nationwide and in Europe, China and Canada.

The Volt factory straddles the border between Detroit and the small town of Hamtramck.

The company has dealer orders for all the Volts the plant will produce this year, GM spokeswoman Michelle Bunker said.

The shutdown also will let GM add equipment to build the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu mid-size sedan at the plant starting next year. GM will stop producing two other big cars at the factory, the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne, later this year.

Related News

After Quakes, Puerto Rico's Electricity Is Back On For Most, But Uncertainty Remains

Puerto Rico Earthquakes continue as a seismic swarm with aftershocks, landslides near Pef1uelas, damage in…
View more

New Mexico Could Reap $30 Billion Driving on Electricity

New Mexico EV Benefits highlight cheaper fuel, lower maintenance, cleaner air, and smarter charging, cutting…
View more

Tucson Electric Power plans to end use of coal-generated electricity by 2032

Tucson Electric Power Coal Phaseout advances an Integrated Resource Plan to exit Springerville coal by…
View more

Global oil demand to decline in 2020 as Coronavirus weighs heavily on markets

COVID-19 Impact on Global Oil Demand 2020 signals an IEA forecast of declining consumption as…
View more

What's at stake if Davis-Besse and other nuclear plants close early?

FirstEnergy Nuclear Plant Closures threaten Ohio and Pennsylvania jobs, tax revenue, and grid stability, as…
View more

Rising Solar and Wind Curtailments in California

California Renewable Energy Curtailment highlights grid congestion, midday solar peaks, limited battery storage, and market…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified