2014 Cadillac ELR Leases at $699 Per Month

GM’s first luxury plug-in hybrid, the Cadillac ELR, has set a lease price $699 per month, which is a lot more palatable to many pocketbooks than the $75,000 MSRP.

Winner of the 2014 Green Car Technology Award, the Cadillac ELR costs between $75,000 and $82,135. For current owners and lessees of any GM vehicles from 1999 or newer, Cadillac is offering a special deal of $699 per month for 39 months, plus $4,999 due at signing, for a total of $27,261 over the lease period. Tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment will add a bit more upfront, but still not a bad price for a brand new Caddy.

However, there are some things to think about with this offer. Mileage must be less than 32,500 for the 39 months of the lease. Every mile over 32,500 incurs a mileage charge of $0.25/mile. The average American driver covers 13,476 miles per year in a car, so if you’re an average driver (and with a car this luxurious and fun to drive, that would be difficult), that would add another $2,824.25 to the total cost.

Another thing to think about is the balloon payment at the end. It will be well over $50,000, should you choose to buy the Cadillac ELR, though refinancing in three years is an option as well. Trading the car in for a newer model is another option. When I had a balloon payment waiting for me at the end a lease, it always felt like something ominous looming in the distance.

If you might want in on the Cadillac ELR, you better hurry as this deal ends at the end of January.  You have just over a week to think about it.

With a range of 35 miles from electricity stored in the battery and a total range of 340 miles on electricity stored in the battery plus electricity produced by the generator, the Cadillac ELR can get you around town or on a road trip with no problem. The Cadillac ELR makes more horsepower and is slightly faster than its cousin, the Chevy Volt, though numerous outlets have called the Cadillac hybrid overpriced, especially compared with the similarly-priced Tesla Model S.

Maybe this lease offer will convince some would-be Tesla buyers to give the green Caddy a chance instead.

Source: Cadillac

2014 Cadillac ELR Preview - 2013 Detroit Auto Show

Based on the Converj concept first shown in 2009, theCadillac ELR is set to become the very first Extended Range Electric Vehicle launched by a full-line luxury automaker when it hits Cadillac dealers in early 2014.

Like the Chevrolet Volt, the Cadillac ELR will be primarily powered by a 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack feeding an electric motor that generates 295 pound-feet of torque (22 pound-feet more than the Volt). When the batteries are depleted, after an estimated 35 miles of range, a gasoline-powered generator takes over to boost range to roughly 300 miles.

That gives the ELR the best of both worlds; assuming you have a daily commute less than 35 miles (like most Americans), the ELR will only fire up its gasoline engine to keep the fuel in the system from going stale. If you need to travel cross-country, however, range anxiety is a non-issue, since the ELR can keep driving as long as there’s gas in the tank.

Unlike the Volt, however, the ELR is designed to emphasize luxury both inside and out. Cadillac says the ELR’s exterior styling “establishes a new, progressive proportion for the brand,” while retaining certain design themes (like the vertical headlamp and taillamp elements) that date back as far as 1948.

The ELR’s futuristic shape is both stylistic and practical, as it delivers a 0.305 coefficient of drag, further helping to boost range. The genius here is in the details, and the ELR’s designers incorporated features like tapered fascia corners, active grille shutters, sharp rear edges and a carefully designed rear spoiler to optimize airflow.

A dramatic, sweeping body line is an integral part of the car’s design, as are 20-inch wheels pushed as far to the corners as possible. The design elements work together to give the car a stance and presence not normally associated with vehicles built for optimal fuel economy.

Inside, the design theme is meant to emphasize modern elegance, with a nod towards technology. Perhaps the most prominent feature of the ELR’s cabin is the Cadillac CUE with Navigation system, which boasts an eight-inch, full-color, capacitive touch screen display.

While CUE can deliver the expected navigation and infotainment options, it can also deliver feedback on driving efficiency, energy usage and charging optimization. The CUE system also features gesture recognition and proximity sensing to deliver relevant information only when the driver requests it.

As you’d expect from Cadillac, the cabin is an elegant mix of modern and traditional materials, including microfiber, chrome and wood. The 2+2 seats can be wrapped in Opus semi-aniline leather, and carbon fiber trim can be ordered to replace wood trim is the buyer requests it.

On the road, the ELR promises to deliver a composed and capable ride, courtesy of its HiPer strut front suspension and compound-crank with Watts link rear setup. Continuous Damping Control adjusts shock settings every two milliseconds for optimized handling and ride comfort across a wide variety of conditions.

Four driving modes (Sport, Tour, Mountain and Hold) allow the driver to select the best choice for his mood and conditions. While Sport and Tour modes are self explanatory, Mountain mode can be selected  to provide additional power in steep terrain, where performance may otherwise be compromised.

Like the 2013 Chevrolet Volt, the 2014 Cadillac ELR comes with a driver-selectable Hold mode, a feature pioneered on the European Opel Ampera. Unlike the original Volt, which automatically defaulted to generator mode when the batteries were depleted, vehicles equipped with Hold mode allow the driver to manually select generator mode to preserve batteries.

This can prove helpful for trips that blend highway and city driving. Highway driving is better suited to generator mode, while city driving is the domain of the ELR’s battery mode. When you reach your destination, the ELR can be recharged overnight with a 120V outlet, or in approximately 4.5 hours using 240V.

Exclusivity is part of the ELR’s appeal as well. Unlike the mass-market Chevy Volt, Cadillac is calling the ELR a “specialized offering produced in limited numbers.” Precisely what those numbers will be, or even what the ELR will sell for, has yet to be determined.

Source: Green Car Reports

Cadillac ELR caught testing in production form

After announcing its intent to go forward with a production version of the fetching Converj concept more than a year ago, all has been pretty quiet on the Cadillac ELR front – until now. We burn for this kind of drama.

The long lenses have reported in from the field with the first-ever spy shots of the ELR in prototype form. That's right, under a wrapper of black and white triangles and mystery, is the real-deal Voltified version of a new Cadillac coupe.

To recap what we know: the ELR will make use of the same basic Voltec powertrain as the Chevrolet Volt, with a four-cylinder gas engine used as an onboard generator to power the electric motor. In concept form, this Caddy boasted a solar panel bedecked glass room, though the tester here has had its roof obscured, frustrating any further intel about the production worthiness of that solar setup.

From a styling and design standpoint, fans of the Converj should feel encouraged by this prototype. The same basic fastback silhouette has made the jump from concept to reality, and the proportions seem mostly intact, too (slightly smaller wheels and longer front overhang are in evidence, but subtle). The prototype seems to have held on to the very striking beltline of the concept car, running in a sharp crease along the side bodywork from the tip of the taillight to the top of front wheel well. Of course, the exotically small side view mirrors from Converj have been axed in favor of a set that are actually, you know, functional, but that won't ruin our day.

With this prototype being so fully formed we'd expect to see the ELR hit the market in the fall of 2013 or so as a 2014 model.



Source: Autoblog Green

2014 Cadillac ELR Electric Luxury Sedan to Arrive Late 2013

You may remember that last August, we broke the story that what is now called the 2014 Cadillac ELR electric coupe got the green light for production by GM's overlords. An abashed GM confirmed the story a few days later and released the name of the new model, known until then as the Converj concept car. Now, we learn via GMInsideNews that another anonymous source says the ELR will enter production roughly 18 months from now at the same Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant where the Chevrolet Volt is built. Production will begin, GMI's source says, late in the 2013 calendar year--compared to some recent GM models that have gone on sale as early as February of the preceding year. For 2014, the Cadillac ELR range-extended electric car will be sold only in the U.S. Exports to Europe and China could begin the following year. The ELR will launch some significant updates to the Voltec powertrain, though they will be used not only in the 2014 ELR but also in an updated 2014 Volt as well. Most intriguing is the notion that GM engineers will be able to extend the cars' electric range by expanding the portion of the battery pack the Initially, Chevrolet said the Volt would use only 8 kilowatt-hours of its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery By the time the car launched, that number had risen to 10.4 kWh--still leaving one-third of pack in reserve, to provide a buffer for degradation of the cells over the course of the car's life. If Voltec engineers have grown increasingly confident in the LG Chem cells' lifespan, they might be able to reprogram the control software to permit more of the pack to be accessed for power. More kilowatt-hours = more electric range. The question then becomes whether such a software change could be retrofitted into 2011-2013 Volt models. For that--not to mention any substantial details of the 2014 Cadillac ELR--we'll have to wait. Source: Green Car Reports

Cadillac Converj / ELR - VIDEO

Cadillac Converj video:

The Cadillac ELR could be launched as a 2014 model

Do not be surprised if GM announces at what it deems the appropriate time that the Cadillac ELR will be launched as a 2014 model year vehicle.
Since Wednesday, conjecture has been mixed with what little has so far been divulged about the extended-range Cadillac based on an unintended GM OnStar revelation – while in related news, it has been said the ELR will be made available in China.
As for the unintended revelation story, a blogger named Christopher Price reportedly checked the OnStar Web site to see whether his Pontiac G6 was due for service and whether it was compatible with OnStar’s RemoteLink smartphone technology.
On the list of compatible cars he discovered the 2014 Cadillac ELR, and thus far, this is the only possible confirmation that the extended-range Cadillac will be produced for that year.

The 2009 Converj relabeled the “ELR.”
Previous statements made last year by GM of Europe head Nick Reilly had been that no new Voltec models would be spun off before 2015. We now have reason to believe that Reilly’s assertions might have only pertained to Europe, given the 2014 ELR.
The OnStar revelation also listed a “Chevrolet SS Performance” model which could be used as a platform for a NASCAR racer, and that has the GM enthusiasts’ rumor mill also swirling.
As for the plug-in Caddy, so far it’s still being said it will share the same powertrain the Volt has – a 1.4-liter gasoline generator plus electric motor and 16-kwh lithium-ion T-shaped battery.
The 2+2 coupe is to be considerably more upscale, more aesthetically pleasing, and positioned as a global halo vehicle for GM. But the company has been silent as to whether it will boast more power – as some think it should – or whether a new generation Volt would also see more power, range or both.
Yesterday in a phone interview, Cadillac spokesman Brian Corbett said only that “production is not imminent,” and GM will make an announcement with more info on ELR specs, launch date, and more, at a time closer to production.

The ELR is based on the Converj Concept as this 2009 video shows.
In other news this week, GM has revealed – deliberately, not as a rumor – that the global halo Cadillac will indeed be sold in China, the brand’s second-largest market. GM said both the ELR and full-sized XTS gasoline-powered sedan were confirmed as due for launch, although naturally, the date for the ELR introduction remains shrouded until GM decides to let us all know.
Since debuting in China in 2005, Cadillac’s market acceptance there has steadily grown, its fortunes as a prestigious American status symbol rising also with that of what is now the world’s largest auto market – and major market for all manner of trappings necessary to feed a growing trend toward conspicuous consumption.
Don Butler, Cadillac vice president of marketing, said by the end of the decade GM expects China to account for half of all luxury purchases in the world – in all categories, not just cars. But of course it does like its cars too.
“China has quickly become the fastest-growing market for Cadillac. Last year, sales rose by 73 percent,” said GM CEO Dan Akerson. “Introducing the XTS is part of our strategy of adding one new model per year to our Cadillac lineup in China through 2016 to address the needs of luxury car buyers nationwide.
We have seen speculative reports that the ELR could be launched in China as early as 2013, but have no reason to believe this would happen until GM actually confirms that – and, again, it’s more likely the car will be produced by 2014. Corbett also would not confirm whether the U.S. would get the car first, but as that was the case with the Volt, it’s likely with the ELR.

Also awaiting confirmation is whether Cadillac will build the ELR – or Volt, for that matter – in China. Thus far it has not yet said it would build the Volt in China, but it will build Cadillac’s “new definition of luxury,” the 2013 XTS there with joint venture partner Shanghai General Motors (SGM), and is quite unequivocal about the allure of that market.
Presently there are 68 Cadillac dealers in China, and by the end of the year, GM projects this to nearly double to 120.
“Our dealers in China are experiencing strong growth, with some of them quickly becoming among the largest and best we have in the world,” said Butler.
“The average age of a Cadillac buyer in China is 35, signifying the explosive growth of the luxury marketplace and consumer perceptions of Cadillac,” GM said.
“We’re very encouraged by the positive response Chinese luxury consumers have to Cadillac,” said Butler.
“Qualities like innovation and entrepreneurship are admired by many luxury consumers in China, which aligns well with Cadillac. The American spirit of Cadillac creates a distinct and compelling position in the luxury marketplace.”
It sounds like many in the upwardly mobile, electric-vehicle friendly country would be eager to get their hands on the premier Cadillac, the ELR, and no doubt GM will make it so just as soon as it deems the appropriate time has come.
The U.S. is however still Cadillac’s number one market – at least for now – so keep your eyes open for more news as the days count down to a 2014 model-year announcement.


Source: GM-Volt.com

Is this dub-rockin' Chevrolet Volt actually a Cadillac Converj in disguise?

Our spy photographers managed to spot something curious (and decidedly hilarious) recently. General Motors has been busy testing what would appear to be Chevrolet Volt models with massive 20-inch wheels and tires in place of the low-rolling resistance pieces on the stock plug-in.

Why? Guesses are slim at the moment, but one hypothesis is that this is actually our first glimpse at a Cadillac Converj test mule. That vehicle will make use of an altered version of the Voltec drivetrain found in the Chevrolet, albeit bolted to flashier wheels. The luxury hybrid has been an on-again-off-again affair for General Motors since the concept first rolled across the stage at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Last we heard, the Converj is on track for launch in either 2013 or 2014. If true, now would be the time to begin working out any engineering bugs on the rumored Voltec 1.5 system. With luxury buyers more willing to hand over stacks of cash for new technology, the Converj could make quite a bit more sense to buyers than the Volt. Or bolting chrome dubs to a hybrid, for that matter.


Source: Autoblog Green

Electric Cadillac ELR Probably Destined For Front Wheel Drive

We follow plug-in cars pretty closely here, and occasionally we manage to break stories.

One was the production green light for the Cadillac Converj electric car concept, confirmed by GM as the Cadillac ELR coupe just six days later.

So when we see an article that's ... let's say implausible ... it's hard not to write a rebuttal.

Yesterday, in the widely followed trade journal Automotive News, product editor Rick Kranz penned a piece suggesting that the Cadillac ELR would have rear-wheel drive, which he calls a "game changer" for the electric Caddy coupe. (It's subscription only, so you may not be able to read the linked piece--sorry.)

The Cadillac ELR is essentially a higher-margin vehicle using the Voltec extended-range electric vehicle platform that sits under the Chevrolet Volt. The front wheels of the Volt are powered by its 111-kilowatt (149-horsepower) electric traction motor. Always have been.

Kranz believes that to be distinctive and to resonate with the Cadillac brand, the ELR electric coupe should have rear-wheel drive.

He notes that the upcoming Cadillac ATS compact sport sedan will ride on an all-new rear-wheel drive platform, code-named "Alpha." That architecture is designed to be used underneath future Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Camaro models too.

2012 Chevrolet Volt

Now, we're all in favor of rear-wheel drive plug-in and electric vehicles--and they certainly exist. Consider the Tesla Roadster, the 2012 Fisker Karma, and next year's Tesla Model S all-electric sedan, for instance.

But the idea that GM would create an entirely new, rear-wheel drive compact electric-drive platform is highly, highly unlikely. Right now, it has exactly one platform--its "global compact," or Delta architecture--that's been designed to accommodate the 400-pound T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack that stores energy in the Volt.

The crossbar of that T sits essentially between the rear wheels of the Volt--right where a differential and axle shafts would have to be located.

Kranz nods to the packaging issues, but suggests the pack could be raised over the rear axle. And he highlights a Cadillac description of the car as a "2 + 2" rather than a four-seat coupe.

Volt Battery Pack

He suggests that's "a signal that the battery pack will be eating up some of the rear-passenger space so the ELR can be offered as a rear-drive coupe."

We were sufficiently startled by this notion that we contacted our inside source at GM, who laughed out loud at the notion that the company plans to create a variation of the Alpha platform to accommodate a Voltec extended-range electric powertrain.

Then we got into the reasons why that won't happen:

• A rear-wheel drive extended-range electric platform would require far more engineering resources than GM has available right now
• GM wants to keep the pack as low and as central in the car as possible to achieve NHTSA five-star crash ratings for its plug-in vehicles
• Mounting the battery pack above the axle would raise the center of gravity so high that any rear-drive handling advantages would disappear
• The Voltec unit (including drive motor, generator, clutches, planetary gear set, and final drive) would need to be heavily reworked to allow a power takeoff for a driveshaft

All of these hurdles mean you can rest assured that the production version of the 2014 Cadillac ELR will remain a front-wheel drive plug-in coupe. Its mission is simply to boost the sale price on a few of the very pricey Voltec vehicles, to push that project closer to profitability.

We're still eager to drive it ....

Source: Green Car Reports

Official: Cadillac confirms production ELR coupe using Chevy Volt technology

Cadillac has just announced that the production version of its 2009 Detroit Auto Show show star, the Converj Concept, is on the way. Dubbed ELR and borrowing technology from the Chevrolet Volt, the on-again, off-again angular coupe had been rumored anew in the last few days. Now, Cadillac has officially confirmed that development of the extended-range electric coupe is already underway.

While no specs are being given, Cadillac is confirming that the ELR will use a version of the same Voltec drivetrain as the Volt, though probably v1.5, and the on-board generator will again be a gasoline four-cylinder engine.

The Wreath and Crest brand isn't giving much insight as to why the letters E-L-R have been chosen, only saying they want to "indicate the car's electric propulsion technology" and remain consistent with the brand's three-letter naming scheme. Maybe they stand for "Electric Luxury Ride," or maybe someone over at General Motors is a big Everybody Loves Raymond fan. What do you think ELR stands for? Have your say in Comments.



Source: Autoblog Green

Rumormill: Cadillac Converj gets production green light again?

Cadillac Converj Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the Cadillac Converj concept is perhaps General Motors most on-again, off-again vehicle in recent years. Based on the Chevrolet Volt, the Converj is a plug-in hybrid coupe with chiseled lines and a Wreath and Crest badge.

This production/non-production saga continues with Green Car Reports claiming "an inside source at General Motors" has confirmed the Converj is back on, meaning Cadillac is gearing up to launch the plug-in hybrid in 2013 or 2014. GCR's source says the production Converj – likely to end up with a three-letter model designation – will get a "generation 1.5 Voltec" propulsion system. If true, then the extended-range coupe will feature a slightly modified version of the powertrain that currently resides in all Chevy Volts.

We certainly have our doubts on this one, but there are two reasons to keep hope alive that the Converj will indeed make it to production. First, Green Car Reports told AutoblogGreen that the unnamed source, "has been completely on the money in the past." Second, a plug-in Cadillac makes more financial sense than a Chevy Volt. We'll wait for word from GM before we know if we should be waving hello or goodbye to the Converj this time around.



Source: Autoblog Green

GM cancels luxury plug-in hybrid, sources say

General Motors has canceled plans to develop a plug-in hybrid vehicle based on the current Cadillac SRX crossover platform, deciding the project was not financially viable, three people with direct knowledge of the project said.

While two of the sources said the plans could still be revived on a future platform, they and two other people familiar with the matter said engineers involved had been reassigned to other projects.

The Cadillac plug-in shared much of the same technology that GM developed for its battery-powered Chevrolet Volt, which has been the centerpiece of the automaker's effort to convince consumers of its turnaround after its bankruptcy and government bailout in 2009.

Reuters spoke with six people about the GM decision. They could not be named because the project was never made public by the company. GM officials declined to discuss the company's plans.

"I'm not going to comment on specific products or timing for applications, but we still see promise in the technology," GM spokesman Kevin Kelly said.

Reuters reported in December that GM was working on the Cadillac hybrid crossover, citing people with direct knowledge of the work. In January, GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said the introduction of the plug-in hybrid was "likely."

But over the past two to three weeks, engineers and others working on the program were told the program was on hold. As recently as this week, GM sent participants cancellation e-mails and thank-you notes, two sources said.

Since becoming CEO in September, Akerson has driven GM more aggressively toward electric vehicles, a strategic area where he has left a mark, executives have said.

The push has centered on rolling out the plug-in hybrid technology GM developed for the Volt in a broader range of vehicles to recoup the company's investment more quickly.

GM's push into electric vehicles also is aimed at seizing the green mantle Toyota Motor Corp. earned with the roll-out of its popular Prius hybrid vehicle. In the United States alone last year, Toyota sold almost 141,000 Prius hybrids. GM recently boosted its 2012 production plans for the Volt by a third to 60,000 vehicles.

The Cadillac plug-in was drawn from an abandoned project to launch a rechargeable crossover vehicle that GM considered in 2008 and 2009 under the Buick and since-scrapped Saturn brands, three people familiar with the project said.

GM had developed prototypes of the luxury hybrid that were being tested on the company's proving grounds, three sources said.

The plug-in would have been based on the current SRX platform, which is two years old. In the auto industry, the life cycle of a platform, which dictates the size and body construction of a vehicle, is typically about five years.

By the time the Cadillac plug-in was ready for production, the platform would have been nearing the end of its life, adding to the costs of developing the vehicle, two sources said.

The costs of the program were already high, and the vehicle was expected to lose money, two people with direct knowledge of the program said.

GM has made engineering advances since the program was initiated, so it made more sense to focus on the next platform with the improved, more cost-efficient technologies, one source said.

"If you're this far along on a program and you find a better mousetrap through engineering, should you continue on with something that may not be the most benefit for the customer or should you maybe shift your thinking?" the source, who has direct knowledge of the program, told Reuters.

Three people familiar with the plan said parts shortages after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan also plagued the program, but played only a minor role in GM's decision to cancel it.

The earthquake, which triggered disruptions in the flow of key electronics to automakers worldwide, caused a shortage of microprocessors used in the luxury hybrid's internal battery charger, two of the sources said.

But two other people insisted the parts shortages played no role in GM's decision.

GM has said that "extended-range electric vehicle technology" will be more popular with consumers than pure electric vehicles because of the additional range provided by the traditional internal combustion engine.

The Volt has a 400-pound lithium-ion battery to provide an electric-only range of 25 to 50 miles. After the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine can power the car for nearly another 350 miles.

Source: Automotive News

GM Planning to Triple or Quadruple Electric Car Volumes by 2015

General Motors Company Chief Executive Officer Dan Akerson is looking to at least triple the company’s target for electric-car sales by expanding the market for the Chevrolet Volt and adding models that would share similar technology, said three people familiar with his plan.

Akerson, who took over on Sept. 1, told his executive team in early December to find ways to sell three to four times as many electric cars as planned for 2012 by mid-decade, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. GM has said it expects to sell 10,000 Volts in 2011 and 45,000 the following year, when capacity may reach 60,000.

Increasing Volt sales and developing other models with electric drive will spread out the cost of developing the technology across more vehicles. It also carries risk because hybrid and electric cars have tended to sell in low volume and be unprofitable, said Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., a consulting firm in Birmingham, Michigan.

“That makes sense in the long term, but they have to get costs down,” Hall said. “Once the government sales incentives are gone, GM has to mature the cost of the technology to get prices down and make sure they’re not losing money.”

Akerson’s plan for more cars with electric drive underscores his strategy to differentiate GM and make it a technology leader, following an initial public offering that raised more than $20 billion in November, 16 months after the carmaker emerged from bankruptcy. Akerson, 62, has told top executives that he wants Detroit-based GM to seek new markets and prepare for higher fuel prices, according to the people.

Europe, China

The Volt went on sale this month in the U.S. at a price of $41,000. The car, which can travel as much as 50 miles (80 kilometers) using batteries, will be sold in China during the second half of 2011. GM last month began taking reservations for the electric-drive Opel Ampera, which will sell in Europe next year. The models include a gasoline engine that extends the driving range to more than 370 miles.

Dave Darovitz, a GM spokesman, said GM will look at other models for the Volt system. He declined to comment on Akerson’s volume goals for the technology.

Sales to companies and governments that want EVs for their fleets would help support increased production for GM and other carmakers could, Hall said. Last month, General Electric Co. said it would buy 25,000 electric cars by 2015, of which 12,000 will be Chevrolet Volts.

The federal government is offering consumers a $7,500 tax credit to buy the Volt, plug-in hybrids and electric cars. The credit begins to phase out after a manufacturer produces 200,000 eligible plug-in electric vehicles, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website.

GM Stock

Akerson, a former managing director of private-equity firm Carlyle Group, succeeded Ed Whitacre as CEO in September and assumes the role of chairman at the end of the year. Akerson told his executive team to come back to him with a way to meet the higher sales numbers for the Volt and other electric-drive models, or with reasons why it can’t be done, one of the people familiar with the plan said.

GM rose 44 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $34.29 at 12:29 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange trading. The shares have gained 2.6 percent since the IPO before today.

GM is considering adding electric-gasoline Volt technology to several models under multiple brands, most of them larger than the Volt, including SUVs, according to the three people familiar with the plan. In April at the Beijing Motor Show, Chevrolet showed a five-passenger SUV that could drive in all- electric mode for 32 miles using the Volt’s powertrain system. That kind of vehicle is one possibility, the people said.

Larger Cars

Making larger models using the same system is difficult and may be more expensive because adding features and passenger space will make the car heavier and less aerodynamic, according to two of the people. GM stopped work on a plan hatched by now- retired Vice Chairman Bob Lutz to make a two-door Cadillac sports car called the Converj that used the Volt’s drive system, two executives with knowledge of the decision said in March.

The Volt runs using only electric drive for the first 25 miles to 50 miles. After that, a four-cylinder gasoline engine turns on and recharges the lithium-ion battery.

The EPA rated the Volt’s fuel economy at the equivalent of 93 miles per gallon in electric-only mode and 37 mpg if the car runs on gas after the battery is drained.

Source: Bloomberg

GM Decides To Produce Cadillac Converj

The Elegant Cadillac Converj






The Cadillac Converj is the swanky cousin of Chevrolet's Volt. The car will have better performance and more luxurious appointments and oh yeah, a little higher price tag. In the long run, we believe this is a good move for GM and for alternate energy vehicles in general, but what is really needed are affordable cars. Something in the neighborhood of half the price of a Chevy Volt (approximately $40,000), wo do nicely.

From Detroit News:

General Motors Co. has decided to produce the Cadillac Converj, an extended-range electric car using the same technology as the Chevrolet Volt, The Detroit News has learned.

Cadillac included the Converj, a concept car that wowed industry critics and the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, in a presentation made to the automaker's board of directors Nov. 2, according to sources familiar with the production plan.

A production date has not been set, and it likely will be a few years before consumers can buy a Converj.

"Cadillac needs as much excitement in its portfolio as possible, so I think it's a good strategy for them," said Rebecca Lindland, director of auto industry research at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.

Cadillac sales have fallen 39.2 percent this year, the steepest decline among GM's four core brands.

A Cadillac spokesman declined comment.

Before GM emerged from bankruptcy July 10 with about $50 billion in federal aid, company executives said there were no plans to build the angular Converj.

At the auto show, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said if the Converj was approved, the production model would resemble the concept, likening it to the Chevrolet Camaro's evolution from concept to production.

Lutz said it would have been easier financially to produce a Cadillac electric vehicle first because a premium brand would command a higher sticker price, which in turn would help defray the cost of lithium-ion batteries.

The Converj will expand the number of electric vehicles offered by GM and spread the technology's cost. GM is spending more than $1 billion on the Volt program alone and opening a battery pack assembly factory in Brownstown Township. GM's German carmaker Adam Opel GmbH will produce an Ampera model in 2011 that uses the same underpinnings.

The electrification of vehicles is seen as a growth area in the auto industry, and rival automakers have launched electric vehicle plans to cut the dependence on foreign oil.

The Volt, scheduled for production in November/December 2010, will let commuters travel up to 40 miles on electric power. The engine kicks in after its battery is drained by about 70 percent to sustain the battery's remaining charge to keep the car running for several hundred miles.

The decision to build the Converj excited dealers.

Cadillac sells a hybrid version of its Cadillac Escalade, but Scott Allen, a dealer in California, hears from customers who don't normally think of the large SUV as a traditional hybrid.

"A snazzy-looking little car like that would be cool," Allen said.

Cadillac Converj EREV to Get Green Light From GM

This car will not be for the masses, but it will represent just one more alternate energy vehicle. The Cadillac Converj will be an extended range electric vehicle nearly identical to the Chevy Volt. It will utilize the Voltec drivetrain, offering a 40 mile all electric range before the small combustion engine kicks on to provide further electrical power.

Obviously, the Cadillac will provide all the plush amenities as standard and will also offer sportier performance. In an electric vehicle, this comes with a price, namely beefier batteries. There is no other way to provide extra performance other than to provide more juice to the motor. In order to keep the 40 mile range as well as increase performance a bigger battery pack will be needed. Obviously, a bigger price tag will follow.

From motortrend.com:

General Motors has approved production of the stunning Cadillac Converj, its extended-range electric-powered coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt's Voltec architecture, a well-placed source says. GM brass wants the car on the road by 2011, making it a 2012 model. This is all contingent on improved finances for GM, of course, which means it's contingent on the government's reaction to the next version of the automaker's viability plan due June 1. It doesn't hurt that the Obama administration has called for automakers to bring more fuel-efficient cars and trucks to market. A production Converj is potentially profitable and would improve Cadillac's green image at the same time.

Our source says GM will follow up the Cadillac with a people-mover/crossover utility vehicle based on the Voltec architecture.

A GM spokesperson contacted for this report denies the Converj's green-light status and says that nothing has changed regarding the production prospects for the car. However, our source offers a number of details that lend credence to the probability of its approval.

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

First, of course, a 2011 on-sale date for the Converj is a target date, and it's an ambitious one at that. While the Voltec architecture is exclusive, there's a lot of GM's compact Delta architecture in it. A '12 Converj would need all-new sheetmetal and interior, and that's possible given the advanced status of Voltec development. The drivetrain would be similar to the lithium-ion battery pack and 1.4L four-cylinder engine to be used in the Chevy Volt, although GM is likely to add battery mass to make the Cadillac a more powerful car.

Our source says GM brass plans to build the car as a two-door coupe, like the concept, not a four-door with hidden rear door handles, an alternative product chief Bob Lutz floated in Motor Trend's April 2009 feature on the concept. While the concept is a tallish 55 inches, a production Converj would have to use the Volt's taller firewall, which means the car will have to grow upward in more than ground clearance to make production financially feasible while retaining general proportions.

Whether you believe our source, or the spokesperson, a production Converj seems an easier bet with half of the automaker's brands -- Saturn, Saab and Hummer -- on the way out. GM can better concentrate on core new models for Chevy and Cadillac. Having such advanced green technology available for GM's low-priced and premium "core" brands would resonate with the Obama administration and the public.

As for the Voltec people-mover/CUV, our source believes a Buick badge is most likely, though it also could delineate GMC from Chevy truck models and still please Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealers. The Voltec CUV could have two or three rows of seats - the compact Delta platform is related to the midsize Epsilon II platform, so this model could be larger than the Chevy and Cadillac, with more battery mass to handle the extra weight.

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

CLICK TO VIEW GALLER