Chevy stops Volt production (temporarily ...)

It is just for inventory alignment.

 

^^
Yep. More articles on this.
GM Stopping Volt Production for 5 Weeks to Help Reduce Inventory
News Headlines
GM to pull plug on Volt production for 5 weeks | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com
GM stops Volt production for 5 weeks - Mar. 2, 2012

I first learned of this earlier today thanks to a push alert from the CNBC iPhone app.

 

Some 4-6 thousand Volts are in the pipeline, so absent a production shutdown the unsold inventory would have ballooned if sales continue at a rate of 600-1000 a month.

I try to remember that sales are a combination of private citizens, fleet, corporate and government. I suspect that the private sales are the hardest to predict, and over time matter the most.
As an example, GM has a soft commitment from GE to buy a few thousand cars, but a whispered delay in purchase plans could derail GM's already niche-level production plans by a huge percentage.

 

It's all part of Chevy's new "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder" advertising and marketing plan...

Get ready for the new VOLT..."You're going to miss me when I'm gone" commercial.

 

Yea, I'd heard this driving home:

GM stops building slow-selling Chevy Volts for 5 weeks

I know a bunch of Volts went to municipalities / governmental agencies, but I've see no hard numbers as to what ratio of Volt sales are actually private & non-fleet type sales.

Lutz ... wanting the Volt to be his legacy. He's one clueless clown, insisting on more 'cool' than price. He could have learned from how simple the lowley gen 1 prius was - but nope, not Lutz. Big, trendy shiny wheels, before anything else.

 

The sad part is, there are many that see him as an idol.

 

bob clutz?

 

From a GM person:

 

Is it from Peterson? He was the PR guy that said Volt's gas engine will never turn the wheel.

So they are banking on the HOV lane access to sell more Volts? With Prius PHV deliveries starting, what number is being forecast? Why shut down if the demand is expected to be high?

 

Demand spiking isn't what's needed.

Growth to a higher level then remaining there is.
.

 

Um - please don't take this rude ... but no link? ... other than claiming it's from "a GM person" ?? Google search reveals the quote is a facebook comment. Far from an authoritative reassurance.

Substantively, the anonymous facebook member says;

- "we have plenty of Volts built and available".
Well, yea - that's the reason GM shut down the line.

- "we now build to meet demand".
Well, no - that's why there ARE several months of inventory, because inventory is greater than demand .

- "Today we did a full court press to create even more demand!"
Well, no - increasing or decreasing inventory only decreases or increases inventory ... that is not demand.

After scrutinizing GM double speak for years, this seems sub par to GM's usual high quality double speak. I'm thinking it must just be a blogger - otherwise the statement would be way more polished. More than likely, GM is simply trying to purge its inventory of early versions that don't qualify for stickers. Is there something wrong with that? ... holding back the good Volts until dealers get rid of the 'no HOV sticker' Volts? It's gotta be real tough on all the hourly folks getting laid off. It's gotta be tough on the sales guy too, who is now forced to shoulder selling Volts that'll be less than desirable than the ones just a month and a half away.

.

 

SO SORRY "GM PERSON" whomever you are..but....

"Don't fall for the headlines - media LOVE turning this nugget into more than it is." -Well the headline is "GM to halt VOLT production for 5 weeks". So this is either true or untrue. My guess...TRUE.

"We have plenty of Volts built and available (even though some dealers may be empty) ... the last thing you want is a saturated market - that is old school way of running a car company. We now build to meet demand." --Sorry this is hilarious. You have plenty of VOLTS built and available. But don't look too hard at your dealership they might not have any? You're shutting down production for 5 weeks because you don't want to saturate the market? You now build to meet demand. Is this the same "demand" that has you shutting down your production? How about getting a little "New School" and creating some demand? Or creating a product that creates demand? That's REALLY cutting edge.

" I personally did 40 tv and radio interviews announcing the incentives in CA. Demand will spike! And we'll have cars available. Volt is the most important car we've ever done - no way will we back off!"--Back Off? When was GM On? Because since The Volt was released, I think I've seen about two commercials for The VOLT where it was presented more like a Unicorn Horn in a Magic Shop, than a real available product.

But I'm glad "GM Person" is out there spiking up demand with his radio spots and television interviews.

For those of you out of work at the VOLT plant? That should make you feel real good.

 

A big blow, just when a very known competitor is arriving. Does this make sense?
IMPOV, temporarily may become eternally, it's only a matter of time.

 

It probably makes sense because it's not selling. The car is just too pricey. I found it highly interesting last year when GM announced it had found productivity gains in its plant such that a second shift wasn't necessary. Except that told me it means they couldn't sell the product of a second shift, let alone a third. GM has touted for over a year how much in demand this car is and yet the only thing backing that up from day one is that originally when production was very very small there was a super short ~8 day wait on dealer lots. Now they are available and they still aren't selling much product. The facade is finally being peeled back.

EDITED: short-wait changed to ~8 day wait

 

At the price GM wants for the Chevy Volt, I might as well just buy a Toyota Prius PHEV instead, a vehicle on a proven platform, PHEV drivetrain and all!

 

It is exactly that sort of BS spin that I find so contemptible. I doubt GM could give a straightforward answer if company survival was at stake.

 

You would think the increased gas prices along with the government potentially changing to a rebate would move the sales meter. I hope they have increased success in selling them.

 

Ok, but Opel Ampera has been presented in Europe, and we've been reading that the reservations were very well...And it was supposed to be built/assembled in the same plant.
Probably not true, then...