GM's Bob Lutz Discusses Early Volt Production and Timelines

Bob Lutz With Initial Volt Concept



Bob Lutz is retiring and incessantly chatting as he heads towards the door. Now he candidly declares Volt production numbers and they are anemic, at best. A mere 4,000 Volts will be produces between November and Summer 2011. First year totals for the car will only number 11,000 yet there are more than 50,000 on the waiting list. Hmm, we see some problems ahead.

"The first manufacturing-validation vehicle ... came down the assembly line on Monday," said GM vice chairman Bob Lutz in an interview today on the sidelines of the New York International Auto Show.

The early run of vehicles is intended to "to ferret out any areas that are difficult to assemble."

"This is eight months before production launch. It shows that the program is in extremely good shape," Lutz said.

GM will build several hundred of these vehicles over the next few months before the official fall launch of the Volt. GM plans to build about 4,000 Volts, which will get up to 40 miles of all-electric range, through the summer of 2011.

Lutz said GM didn't plan to accelerate the Volt's introduction by a few weeks, saying that would be a publicity stunt.

Source: Detroit News