Volt Birth Watch 147: Heavy Lifting
As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama made a campaign promise to have one million plug-in hybrids on America’s roads by 2015. That’s an ambitious plan, considering we didn’t hit the million hybrid milestone until eight years after the Prius was introduced. Back in April, GM’s Volt Man Tony Posawatz admitted to MSNBC that “it certainly is a difficult challenge to achieve that goal.” He went on to say that GM would have “tens of thousands” of Volts on the road by 2015. But, “it’s not readily obvious, based on the product plans that have been communicated, that the 2015 objective aligns with what is currently on the books,” he said. Would someone please tell Tony who pays the bills? Anyway, the tune has changed. “I can tell you we can definitely do the heavy lifting part of that,” GM’s Brita Gross tells Automotive News [sub]. “We definitely will lift up our end of that.” But how?
Even Gross admits it will be “a stretch for the industry” to meet the White House’s goal, but she says that GM was prepared to do its part if key hurdles can be overcome. Increased battery production capacity is a major concern, and Gross estimates the US needs about five more producers to meet the million PHEV goal. Also, lower gas prices and a weak economy raise concerns about meeting the president’s goal. Specifically the part where “tens of thousands” of people spend nearly $40K on a Volt.
But GM isn’t sweating it anymore. “There are larger stimulus opportunities that look very promising. There is a lot of support politically for our advanced technology programs,” explains Gross. And why not? Obama’s million plug-in plan is a political goal, and GM is going to help with the “heavy lifting” through political means. Specifically, another tranche of retooling loans is looking likely, and deeper consumer-end credits could make the Volt a viable product. As long as they are written correctly.
Meanwhile, Francisco Franco is still dead and the Obama administration still has better things to do than run its in-house automakers.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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The Volt isn't the only plug-in possible. Nissan just took fed dollars to build a plug-in, and no doubt Toyota will build a plug in Prius, and Honda a plug-in Insight, **if it's mandated**. The big question is, where will the million buyers come from?
Ok, I just saw pics of the "Integration Prototype " driving around the Tech Center and the exterior design has been significantly changed (for the worse). The creases are not as crisp, the hood opening is altered, the LED taillights don't appear to be in slim strips anymore, the mirrors have grown two sizes.... More false advertising from The General. GM is incapable of producing their concept vehicles.