"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
Great informative video! Show this one to all of the unemployed!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Mar 02, 2012 GM stops building slow-selling Chevy Volts for 5 weeks Comments By Fred Meier, USA TODAY Updated 1d 2h ago By Brent Snavely and Fred Meier/USA TODAY and Detroit Free Press
General Motors is stopping production of the Chevy Volt and European sibling Opel Ampera for five weeks due to slow sales.
"Even with sales up in February over January, we are still seeking to align our production with demand," said GM spokesman Chris Lee.
GM told the 1,300 employees building Volts at its Detroit Hamtramck plant that they will be laid off from March 19 to April 23.
Chevrolet sold 1,023 Volts in the U.S. in February and 1,626 so far this year. In 2011, it sold 7,671 -- short of its initial goal of 10,000. And GM had planned to expand production of the $40,000 plug-in, extended-range electric car to 60,000 this year, with 45,000 for sale in the U.S.
"The fact that GM is now facing an oversupply of Volts suggests that consumer demand is just not that strong for these vehicles," comments Dr. Lacey Plache, chief economist for auto research site Edmunds.com. "The price premium on the Volt just doesn't make economic sense for the average consumer when there are so many fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars available, typically for thousands of dollars less."
The Volt is a technological "halo" car for GM, but also has been a political target. Critics have pointed to its price tag and the federal subsidy of $7,500 plus state subsidies for people to buy one. They charge that the average buyer has a $170,000 household income and doesn't need to have a new-car purchase subsidized.
Sales also took a hit last fall when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into why two Volts burst into flames days or weeks after severe NHTSA crash testing. NHTSA later deemed the Volt safe, meanwhile GM on Jan. 5 said it would improve the battery structure and coolant system.
But the NHTSA probe, too, became a political issue when critics in Congress allege that the Obama administration delayed public disclosure of the fires -- the first was in the spring of 2011 -- because of its efforts to promote electric cars and because the government still owns a stake in GM.
The company tried to stay out of the political fight. "We did not design the Volt to become a political punching bag, and that's what it's become," Akerson told a congressional hearing on Jan. 25.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
.M. Again Pauses Production of Chevy Volt By NICK BUNKLEY Published: March 2, 2012
DETROIT — General Motors said on Friday that it planned to halt production of the Chevrolet Volt for five weeks beginning later this month because dealers had more than they needed. Related
The suspension, which will result in temporary layoffs for 1,300 workers at the Detroit plant that builds the Volt, is another troubling sign for the plug-in hybrid, whose sales fell short of G.M.’s targets in 2011. G.M. officials had already backed away from projections that they could sell 45,000 Volts in the United States this year, instead saying that production would match demand.
Production is scheduled to stop March 16 and resume April 23, a G.M. spokesman, Chris Lee, said. It will be the third time that Volt production has been stopped for at least a month since the car first went on sale in December 2010. G.M. tripled the plant’s production capacity during downtime last summer, and the plant was down for all of January in preparation for building a lower-emission version that is eligible for car pool lanes in California.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Even if it were the greatest car ever created, most people can't afford to spend $40k on a car these days. The majority are looking to pay about half that, and for that price there are plenty of nicer, more prestigious cars around. I'm not sure what the long term resale value on those things are going to be considering that the batteries are only guaranteed to 100k miles, and most certainly have to be replaced within 10 years, at a current cost of $8,000, which with 10 years of inflation, will be $10,000.
Also, the cost benefit of charging it a the current electricity rates vs. fossil fuel cost, is negligible, not to mention the fact that it takes 10 hours to charge, making it pretty much useless for long trips. I'm sorry, it has far to many down sides for me consider it at even half the price.
Besides, that extra $20k that you'll save, buys an awful lot of gas.
I know of only 1 in Schenectady, the Volt will be a flop.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
guaranteed to 100k miles, and most certainly have to be replaced within 10 years, at a current cost of $8,000, which with 10 years of inflation, will be $10,000. .
I was about to say that the inflated number would be closer to $16k.
However battery technology advancements seem to be accelerating.
It is possible for the price to drop instead.
Regardless with inflation, any drop would be insignificant. Maybe $6k instead of $8k, but even that is doubtful with inflation.
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