GM is planning to build up to 36,000 Chevrolet Volts and other plug-in hybrids for worldwide delivery this year, 20 percent more than in 2012, “two people familiar with the effort” told Bloomberg.
GM sold about 30,000 Volt and similar Opel Ampera cars globally in 2012, GM spokesman Jim Cain told the business wire. He did not want to confirm the 36,000 target.
Bloomberg could not help but remark:
“Chief Executive Officer Dan Akerson has struggled to compete against more successful alternative-power vehicles such as Toyota Motor Corp’s Prius. The CEO originally touted the Volt’s gasoline-and-electric system as the technology of the future and forecast global Volt sales of 60,000 in 2012, before settling for half that amount.”
Cristi Landy, GM’s marketing director for small cars, put her own spin on the matter:
“We had some on and off starts with the assembly plant. California, which is our strongest market, was selling great then they would have no products. They’ve run out of products probably three or four times in the last 12 months, it’s been very frustrating.”
Wow! The Volt can’t keep up with demand!
Maybe they’ll build a few thousand Amperas and include them in the Opel sale.
As with any car, building does not equate with selling at a good price.
The production shortage quote is laughable.
The production shortage would be laughable if it wasn’t pathetic.
GM must have known for many months that California is their strongest market and there’s good reasons for that (extra tax credit plus highly desireable HOV access). What possible excuse is there for a shutdown and a consequent shortage in their strongest market when Volts are going begging in other markets?
“What possible excuse is there for a shutdown and a consequent shortage in their strongest market when Volts are going begging in other markets?”
Ineptitude, disorganization, unclear objectives, lack of understanding the market, conflicts with dealers, lack of communication with dealers, etc, etc, etc.
Single passenger HOV lane access stickers are one of the “incentives” that keep the plug-ins selling in CA. Take that away and most would see a much reduced sales volume.
Rewind back a few years, to when buying a new Prius could no longer get you HOV access stickers. The premium on a used one with the HOV stickers was $3000-$5000 more than book value.
Akerson is no better than Girsky. just another corporate banker type without any more clue, happy to tap dance for the Rothschilds and their puppet fronts Goldman, Morgan, etc. GM is nothing like what it was under Sloan…and the slide into irrelevance continues.
Love or hate the Volt, it (and other plug-in hybrids) make a heckuva lot more sense in light of all the Tesla Model S tomfoolery. Not financial sense (it still costs too much), but practical sense (i.e., you’re far less likely to end up on a flatbed due to a lack of juice or failure to follow intricate instructions).
+1
The Volt may be an expensive vehicle, but the Tesla is an expensive TOY.
I once had a 6 month work assignment in South California. Everything was really great, with the exception of traffic and the long driving distances. A vehicle can become as important as the place one lives.
I can fully understand how people are willing to pay a hefty bonus for a HOV sticker.
Or we could utilize the roads we have to the fullest potential. Seems silly to have underutuilzed lanes while the masses sit in traffic.
wow, sales of 36,000 cars – that’s a 20% increase in 1 year – i bet toyota is starting to sweat
I bet they aren’t.
If the Volt was a better car, I bet they would be worried. But it’s not.
GM production issues on California spec versions for single occupant HOV tags was well documented, even here on TTAC. Why GM doesn’t build them all the same is a mystery, would solve a couple of issues.
So hats off to twisting the statement on inventory issues.
The Volt remains the best selling pure electric, series hybrid, and/or plug-in hybrid in the market. Agreed its akin to calling the winner of a cripple fight.
The person twisting the inventory issue works for GM.
GM screwed up by failing to make an HOV-legal Volt right from the get-go. They further screw up, on an on-going basis, by somehow managing not to build enough to feed strong California demand on an on-going basis. The difference is on the order of an extra air pump and a hose. How difficult can that be?
Of course, we can question the exact strength of California demand and wonder if Cristi Landi’s statement is complete BS. There’s a lease offer at Culver City Chevy for Volts $179/mo with $2950 down. That strikes me as an awfully good deal for a car that’s in high demand.
Didn’t I questions that in my post???
…Why GM doesn’t build them all the same is a mystery, would solve a couple of issues…
It was unclear you were criticizing Landi. I am more accustomed to seeing similar sentences directed at the TTAC author.
I wonder if one can get that deal in Kentucky. I need to do some Math but living in Military housing and having my electricity included in the lease combined having a very short drive to work this may make more sense than maintaining my 23 year old Miata and filling it up. Actually I think a Leaf would work except for having to move every few years but I could ship it and probably come out OK.
A bicycle works too and I have a gas powered vehicle in my Land Cruiser and my wife’s Hyundai but I can’t take the bike to the hardware store or load my kids in it. I would usually take my Land Cruiser but at 4 bucks a gallon it is getting impractical to do anything with outside of its lone purpose of going camping.
Actually, worldwide, the Leaf is the best-selling pure EV, having just sold its 50,000th vehicle. But in the US, the Volt is doing way better.
Nice Nixon pose.
He is totally doing a Nixon pose. Considering Nixon is the one that essentially laid the groundwork for all of GM’s success in China, maybe it’s a weird way of doing a belated Thank You?
“I am not a crook…just a humble corporate servant selling Volts.” Nixon sarcasm set aside, in what countries would that hand gesture get me in trouble? Yes, completely off topic, but sometimes the B&B shine best in the segues (no, not Segways).