Gm's Volt: Made In China?

[hill]

Free Video - Business and personal finance news from CNNMoney

GM's trying to buy out it's remaining 75,000 member work force, ESPECIALLY the highest paid workers. Is this simply so they can reduce their employee's hourly cost to a meager $15/hr ?? Or does the tag team of Wagner/Lutz have a more sinister purpose. Having become infamous for plant closures, what guarantee is there that if GM ever DOES, make a prototype, much less a production car, that it won't be outsourced like so much of what they are already doing? Not that I care, but it WOULD be nice to think the first production PHEV would at least be partially be made here.

Furthermore, our legislators (at least some of them) are trying to get tax credits for future purchases of the Volt.

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Concept Site » Blog Archive » Congressman Jay Inslee on the Status of Plug-in Vehicle Tax Credits

What a coincidence that while a legislative attempt at making the Volt's cost more palatable (by suggesting a $4K tax credit if you buy one) that GM would suggest that IF it gets built, it just jumped from $30K to $40K (shaking head). Oh well, so much for a tax credit.

[richard schumacher]

Of course. It has to be cheap enough for the Chinese and Indians to buy if it is going to do significant good.

[boulder_bum]

Originally Posted by richard schumacher

Of course. It has to be cheap enough for the Chinese and Indians to buy if it is going to do significant good.

Hey, if GM can reduce the cost to open up the market to those making $1 for a 12 hour workday then woohoo!

The average annual wage for even a project manager in India in 2005 was about $10,000 and in China it was about $24,000.

Don't kid yourself, even the vast minority of less-poor (I hesitate to use the word "rich") in China and India aren't going to buy a Volt since it will cost much more than their annual salary. Offshoring won't bring costs down to the point where a Chinese worker can afford the Volt any more than GM moving plants to Mexico in the 80's brought costs down enough for Mexicans making 70 cents an hour to afford a Hummer.

That said, I think GM announced that they'll build the Volt in an American plant.

[malorn]

Originally Posted by boulder_bum

Hey, if GM can reduce the cost to open up the market to those making $1 for a 12 hour workday then woohoo!

The average annual wage for even a project manager in India in 2005 was about $10,000 and in China it was about $24,000.

Don't kid yourself, even the vast minority of less-poor (I hesitate to use the word "rich") in China and India aren't going to buy a Volt since it will cost much more than their annual salary. Offshoring won't bring costs down to the point where a Chinese worker can afford the Volt any more than GM moving plants to Mexico in the 80's brought costs down enough for Mexicans making 70 cents an hour to afford a Hummer.

That said, I think GM announced that they'll build the Volt in an American plant.

Its already been revealed, it will be built where it should be, in Detroit.
GM-UAW Deal: Volt Built in Detroit - The Car Connection

Maybe Hill will tell us that they will secretly be transported in from China and then just roll of the an empty assembly plant in Detroit.

[hill]

Originally Posted by malorn

Its already been revealed, it will be built where it should be, in Detroit.
GM-UAW Deal: Volt Built in Detroit - The Car Connection

Maybe Hill will tell us that they will secretly be transported in from China and then just roll of the an empty assembly plant in Detroit.

If they ever DO build it ... even the prototype, I'd LOVE to see it built in the U.S.A. Problem is, when GM says, "Built in the U.S.A." that often means the 'final assembly' ie; after the doors, chassis, other systems, etc are assembled elsewhere. After all, just because GM SAYS it, doesn't mean it's true. You DO remember, "We don't have a list of thousands for the EV1 ... no one wanted it ... that's why we had to Lease 'em in stead of selling them" don't you? How about, "We'll build the Volt & sell it for $30K " ... or how about, "the prototype will be ready Easter of 2008" etc. I needn't post the whole laundry list of GM lies. But heck, call me an eternally optomistic fool ... I'm still hoping.

[malorn]

Originally Posted by hill

If they ever DO build it ... even the prototype, I'd LOVE to see it built in the U.S.A. Problem is, when GM says, "Built in the U.S.A." that often means the 'final assembly' ie; after the doors, chassis, other systems, etc are assembled elsewhere. After all, just because GM SAYS it, doesn't mean it's true. You DO remember, "We don't have a list of thousands for the EV ... no one wanted it" don't you? How about, "We'll build the Volt & sell it for $30K " ... or how about, "the prototype will be ready Easter of 2008" etc. I needn't post the whole laundry list of GM lies. But heck, call me an eternally optomistic fool ... I'm still hoping.

Your statement about doors, chassis etc is just not true. Are there some components built in other countries, of course, but to equate that with a decades old automotive trade deficit with Japan is ludicrous and dishonest.

[jammin012]

I can't wait for it to be built in China, then the Hummer lovers can cry about the Volt being a burden on the environment because of all the lead mined for the paint. Oh and GM can bring back all the cool colors that lead paint gives us. CHINA ROCKS.

[hill]

Originally Posted by malorn

Your statement about doors, chassis etc is just not true. Are there some components built in other countries, of course, but to equate that with a decades old automotive trade deficit with Japan is ludicrous and dishonest.

So you're saying it's not true, but it's true. Ok. As for the trade deficit, that's what comes from making components in other countries. And, as for the trade deficit, once we worry about the deficit relating to money going (to terrorist countries) out for oil comming in, we'll be on the right track.

[malorn]

Originally Posted by hill

So you're saying it's not true, but it's true. Ok. As for the trade deficit, that's what comes from making components in other countries. And, as for the trade deficit, once we worry about the deficit relating to money going (to terrorist countries) out for oil comming in, we'll be on the right track.

Did you see my automotive trade numbers from yesterday? Who do you thinnk the US has by far the largest trade deficit with in raw numbers, or a percentage of total trade. I suppose that is GM, Ford, and Chrysler outsourcing parts and cars form Japan?

[hill]

I've seen several OTHER #'s you've posted, and never ceased to be amazed how #'s can be skewed to convey what ever you want them to convey.

For instance, recently, in denial, your attempt to post that GM hadn't really slipped off into 2nd place world wide auto producer. That in itself was quite an admittance actually ... I think your OP stated that Toyota would have to wait another year TO BECOME # 1. In essence, even using your skewed stats to prove a falsehood, you acknowledged that Toyota (even if not yet) WILL inevitably be # 1 ... and that's because of a better / more reliable product (HYBRIDS).

You don't seem to mind trading (even at a deficit) with a neighboring city, or county ... or a neighboring state. Who is your your neighbor. The world. Get over it. You can't hide the fact that you're giving evidence of despising your neighbor ... not necessarily the one next door ... or the next county ... but (saying this with an adopted japanese daughter) it simply sounds like you really despise the little yellow man, eh? Maybe you'd like to control the color of OTHER folks too ... maybe the ones who enter the resteraunt you eat at? Your issue is bigger than the trade deficit, me thinks. On the other hand, many don't mind who their world-wide trading neighbors are ... the fact that ME is not getting ALL the money.