GM Puts the Brakes on $370 Million Chevy Volt

No, they have other sources for that engine.

 

I am sorry to say I predicted the Volt's demise in an earlier thread (last Oct?) - It was obvious the economy was going to sink this ship....at least for the next few years. sigh.

I knew it - I just knew it.

 

Hi All,

Do they make that engine in Korea or Europe? Is that the engine from the Aveo? If so, the Volt could still happen.

 

Hey,

I thought they drove the VOLT to capital hilll begging for money?

Oh yeah, the whole thing was a stunt.

 

The primary purpose for the Flint engine plant was to produce 1.4L engines for the Chevy Cruze. The Cruze is the replacement for the Cobalt. The production of the Cruze for sale in the US has been pushed back a year so it is not surprising that the engine plant would also be postponed.

The Cruze is a world car and is currently on sale in Korea. It will go on sale in Europe April 2009. So yes, Chevy has other sources for the small quantity of engines that will be needed for the Volt.

This is a different engine that the one used in the Aveo and much more advanced. The 1.4L engine for the Cruze will be direct injected and turbocharged.

This topic is currently being discussed in an active thread call "Is Volt Plant Vaporware" that was started about a day before this one.

 

Our discussion is more fun.

 

The Volt can't be history because it never existed. I agree that they should be able to get engines elsewhere. Everyone in the industry has excess capacity so it should be no surprise that new plants won't open.

Toyota's new plant was reassigned to US Prius production. Eventually it will go on-line assembling whatever sells.

 

The article says "BYD's already on track to sell a plug-in hybrid in the US in 2010"

We had a thread a few days ago about BYD beginning sales in China, but I don't recall reading that they ALREADY HAVE PLANS to sell it in the U.S. Is this something new?

Panasonic and Sony lose sales to DYNEX and VIZIO,
and now .... GM and Ford lose sales to ... BYD.
One thing I do know for sure is that BMW and Mercedes will not be losing sales to BYD. Too bad GM and Ford aren't in the same boat. (although I have to admit that Lexus is likely losing a few sales to the Hyundai Genesis. I've surprisingly seen quite a good number of Genesis on the road)

 

No it is not new but that doesn't mean it will happen. For about 5 years their have been plans to bring a Chinese made car to the US by small and large companies. None of them have actually made it.

Malcolm Bricklin, the man that brought us Yugo and Subaru, was going to bring us Chery cars in 2005 by fall of 2007 for the 2008 model year. He was going to sell 250,000 cars through 250 dealerships. In 2007 he pulled the plug because Chery couldn't make a car that passed US emissions and safety regulations.

By mid-2007 Chery had found a new partner, they were going to make a B-segment car for Chrysler. Chrysler when around to all the auto shows showing the Dodge Hornet. About a month ago, Chrysler pulled the plug. Again, Chery couldn't make a car that met now even more stringent emission and safety regulations.



Chery is no mom and pop operation. Last I heard they where the #8 auto manufacturer in China and had contracts to assemble western branded cars for the Chinese market.

No, I still think that the Chinese automakers will get into the the US and EU market the same way the electronics and consumer goods companies have. They will buy a established brand with an established distribution network. Then they will learn the market, move manufacturing back to China, absorb the technology, then build their own product to sell under the established brand.

Right now Geely, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and Changan Auto are bidding on Volvo.

Tata Motors (Indian) bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.

If Chrysler folds you can bet that a Chinese company will snap it up the Chrysler or Dodge brand for the dealership network and brand name.

 

Scary but true. Nice post. Thank you.