General Motors Corp. aims to manufacture 10,000 plug-in electric Chevrolet Volts in 2011, the vehicle's first full year of production, and 60,000 the following year, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told the Free Press in an e-mail Thursday.
Lutz called the goals "notional targets" and said the ramp-up may be a bit slower, with production volume expected to increase over the course of the first year to ensure that all vehicles built are safe and high quality.
While 70,000 in the first two years of production is the goal, he said, "the actual number is highly dependent on electrical component supplier capability and battery experience."
Lutz also confirmed that GM is still aiming to have the range-extended electric vehicle ready for sale by November 2010 and hopes to offer it for less than $40,000.
GM has called the Volt its top product priority, as it hopes to use the vehicle to leapfrog rival Toyota Motor Corp. in reputation for automotive technology leadership. Introduced as a concept car in Detroit in January 2007, it is expected to get 40 miles of range from an overnight plug-in charge, followed by more than 400 miles using a gasoline generator to charge the battery.
Contact KATIE MERX at 313-222-8762 or kmerx@freepress.com.
General Motors will in den ersten zwei Jahren bei der Produktion seines Elektroautos „Chevrolet Volt“ 70.000 Exemplare herstellen. Dies teilte der Vize-Konzernchef Bob Lutz der US-Tageszeitung Detroit Free Press per E-Mail mit. Der Verkaufsstart ist nach bisherigen Planungen für den November 2010 vorgesehen.

Die Verantwortlichen hoffen darüber hinaus, dass man das Fahrzeug zu einem Preis von unter 40.000 US-Dollar anbieten kann. Die Produktion soll aus Qualitätsgründen langsam angefahren werden. Für das erste Jahr sind 10.000 Stück geplant, für das zweite Jahre dann 60.000. Der Konzern hat den „Chevrolet Volt“ zu einem Produkt mit hoher Priorität erhoben, auch um gegen die Konkurrenz von Toyota bestehen zu können.