GM posts 2014 Volt pictures by mistake

The Volt has seen greater or lesser year–over-year improvements to essentially the same product, and 2014 model will be more of the same.

This was shown when GM announced two new colors for 2014 – Ashen Gray Metallic and Brownstone Metallic – on images of what look like the same car as a 2013. Apart from this, some changes here and there are planned for 2014, but the new car is not considered different enough to warrant new photos.

Photo: 2011 Volt. 2012 Volt. 2013 Volt. 2014 Volt. 2013 Volt again.
 

On Thursday night I saw GM’s communications department had posted press photos labeled 2014 Volt, and some of these same photos were used for 2013, 2012 and even 2011model year representations of the Volt.

Fans and enthusiasts for electrified vehicles and the Volt in particular have wondered when generation 2 will come along – or if it will come along even – given there are some speculative voices out there suggesting GM could or should cease production.

 

Most observers correctly do not believe the 2014 Volt will see a substantial reworking, but despite the announcement of new colors, we have seen some random queries and comments – some perhaps based on false speculation from last year – and even among informed regular readers of GM-Volt.com hoping to see significant updates for 2014.

Also, despite speculation, there is no indication that the Volt would be canceled at some point, and gen-2 may be a 2015 or maybe a 2016 model, though GM has not announced this. GM executives in the U.S. and in Europe have spoken of a second-generation Volt as substantially improved, but GM has inadvertently laid to rest some of the outlying speculation for 2014.

On Friday I spoke to Volt communications representative Michelle Malcho and GM media representative Randy Fox and gleaned the car will carry over much like it was, but some changes to content will be made.

Screen shot 5/17/13. Click on to enlarge image.
 

The actual details will not be divulged until mid to late June, Malcho said.

So, this leaves questions whether GM found new improvements of substance to pack into the existing platform like it did last year. Among last year’s improvements, the 2013 Volt did receive a 0.5-kwh increase to its formerly 16.0-kwh battery resulting in more range and improved miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). It also was equipped with the Hold mode that European Volts and Vauxhall/Opel Amperas get that suspends battery use and makes the car run on gas to save electric power for later.

So far, GM has only divulged 2014 colors, so mum is the word even if GM’s CEO did let it slipthat the second-generation Volt will see substantial weight loss, and cost as much as $10,000 less.

GM has not announced pricing or launch date for the 2014 either. Last year the changeover from 2012 to 2013 models was in July coinciding with a planned several-week shutdown at the Detroit-Hamtramck Volt assembly plant for maintenance and tooling work.

This photo was labeled 2012 Volt in 2012, then re-labeled 2013 for now, and for a brief while, it was also labeled “2014-Chevrolet-Volt-003″ by GM.
 

But that was how things worked out last year. This year, Malcho said she did not know off hand whether a scheduled shut down was even in the works, and it will depend on what sort of pending build schedule the plant will have, and whether scheduled maintenance and other factors deem it necessary.

You can look for GM’s media page with the 2014 Volt photos, but we were told this was put up by mistake, and it was already removed within minutes after speaking with Chevroletpersonnel informing them their communications people had posted them.

Source: GM-Volt.com