NEW YORK: The car that arguably re-established General Motors as a genuine player in the electric vehicle set will soon be farewelled.
The Volt – sold in Australia as a Holden – will be no more in its current guise once production ceases next month in the US.
GM needs time to retool its production facilities for the coming of the all-new Volt, with the first examples set to arrive in US showrooms by the end of this year.
The Detroit Free Press reports production downtime will be a considerable six weeks – or around double the ‘average’ time taken to shift production to a new model.
While the effort required by GM to retool for the 2016 Volt is unclear, the carmaker has revealed that the production gap will also be used to clear remaining 2015 Volt stocks ahead of the new model.
Customers have seemingly abandoned the Volt in 2015 in most of the markets where it is sold, but anticipation of the new model (unveiled in January) could be to blame.
The 2016 Volt promises a greater electric-only range than its predecessor, and improved fuel economy once the 1.5 litre range-extending petrol ‘generator’ is called upon.
In Australia, Holden failed to sell a single Volt last month or in February, leaving January’s tally of seven sales as the grand total for the first quarter of 2015.
Holden is yet to announce its plans for the Volt once the current model has gone out of production, and with fewer than 500 sales since the model was introduced in 2012, its future in Australia may be uncertain.
However, if Holden was to delete the Volt from its local line-up the carmaker will be without a recognised ‘green’ model in dealer showrooms.
