Report: Cadillac to Get Version of Chevy Volt?
General Motors is making the Chevrolet Volt its top priority at this point, but there are now rumors circulating that Cadillac may be the next GM brand to get its own vehicle using the Volt's technology. Motor Authority reports that a Cadillac Volt would make great economic sense because the luxury appeal of a Cadillac means consumers would be more willing to pay out for the expensive technology found in the Volt.
GM's Bob Lutz has stated that an electric-powered Cadillac was definitely a possibility and that the brand would unveil "some kind of dramatic environmental statement" soon. This aligns with reports from GM insiders who say that a plug-in hybrid Cadillac is currently in development along with other plug-in models for the Opel brand and possibly a plug-in SUV for Chevrolet. Looking at GM's timeline, 2011 or 2012 seems like a reasonable possibility for an electric Cadillac to hit the market.
+ Motor Authority: Bob Lutz hints at Cadillac plug-in hybrid
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Comments
chartguy
This is "Lutz-code" for "It's going to cost more than we thought."
TheStig
Who really believes that they will get the Volt out on time, much less the Caddy version? Maybe they can call the Caddy version the Cimmaron.
Ducati Minor
This isn't 1980 (thankfully).
Anonymous
Who will buy a car which performs at 20 cents per mile "well to wheel" or "dust to dust" ?
The plig-in and extended-range is hype and junk science.
Scratch
@Anonymous: I will. And would you care to expand on why you consider it to be junk science, or should we just take your anonymous word for it?
Anonymous
Good, maybe they'll fix the styling.
Russ Bellinis
The way the expected price point keeps moving up, it would appear that the volt may be much closer to a Cadillac price than a Chevy.
Edward A.
This makes sense as the price of the Volt will be more in the range of Cadillac than Chevrolet. As a Chevy, the Volt would probably not be a sales success. As a Caddy, sales could be much less and still be 'considered' a success. Also, it appears the Volt will be beat, a year or more, by an all electric plug-in from one or more of the Asian car companies.
JeffP
A Chevy with a crest and wreath badge does not a Cadillac make.
Power
For sure the prices for the plug-in hybrids will be high and getting more into Cadillac territory. Cadillac always desires marketing pizzazz and not have Chevy stealing the thunder so Cadillac always wants in on it all. Plus GM has no margin for error anymore in getting their marketing and positioning right and getting sales.
Stuart
I agree, skip the Chevrolet version as it will be outside the Chevrolet price point. Call it something like the CTS-Volt or CT-V...Can't use CTS-V ;o) It can come out the same time as the CTS Coupe. Can't wait to see that car in person!... It will be on my 'buy-it' list.
Subzeroed
Does anyone remember the EV? It was the first plug-in electric car. GM had the technology in the late eighties to early nineties, and leased the vehicles. They developed the technology because CAFE mandated that a certan percentage of vehicles obtained greater MPG ratings, and emitted less pollution. GM killed the technology after court rulings released it from the obligation. It didn't want to pay the high cost for the technology. By all rights, GM should be more than a decade ahead of everyone in the electric car category.
chartguy
I'm not so sure that "GM should be more than a decade ahead".
First, the CAFE standards only apply to US carmakers, which is essentially a tax on US carmakers. GM lost money on every EV that they leased (CA only, as I recall). That burden put them at a competitive disadvantage.
Second, the were doing this almost twenty years ago. Twenty years is a long time in technology like this. What was state of the art then, is not even usable today.
oiiio
Oil price going down
the price of the Volt will be more than what expected
Leadfoot
GM should offer the volt package in most of their vehicles. I thought they should do this some time ago especially after I saw what they did to the styling of the Chevy Volt. It really looked cool at first and then they went and made it as ugly as the Toyota Prius. I like the idea of the Volt Cadillac but a Volt Camaro would be cool too, especially if the price is the same. GM should bring the cost down and make a sporty Chevy Volt that catches the eye and they will sell. Tesla has a good looking car but the cost is not for the average person. Get the cost down on the volt and sell more cars not a few high dollar cars for only the privledged. That's is what Henry Ford did and we all know how well he did. Wake up GM or your going to go broke.
chartguy
Leadfoot,
The Volt does not make economic sense. That's why they're moving it upmarket to the Cadillac. They're hoping to justify the high price tag.
There is no "volt package". The hybrid powertrain of the Volt would not work in most vehicles that GM makes, and it would add a lot to the cost of any vehicle.
What you're suggesting has no basis in economic reality. Sure, it'd be great if GM could sell the Volt for less than $20K and still make a profit. It sounds like they're going to struggle to get it down to $40K.
The costs of their defined benefit pensions, health care, and other UAW goodies is what's driving GM out of business. It's hard to compete, when your labor costs are $2,500/vehicle more than the competition.
underground_hypnosis
I second chartguy's words.
Round 1: LABOR COSTS:
Search Google for "labor cost per hour gm toyota" and open any page, or save the googling and go here:
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/12/more-on-70-total-labor-cost-per-hour...
Due to the UAW deals, pension plans etc, GM's average labor cost in 2008 was $69/hour.
Toyota's labor cost, FOR ITS US PLANTS ONLY, was $48/hour.
Some of GM's cars are excellent, but even if they made the best cars in the world, how can they be remotely competitive when the pay 43% more per hour than Toyota?
Round 2: DEALERS:
Using 2005 numbers, from http://seekingalpha.com/article/7283-dealer-math-rubber-room-gm-making-i..., GM sold 4.4m autos using 7,500 dealers equaling 587 sales per dealer.
Toyota's numbers were 2.3m sold using 1,422 dealers for 1,617 sales per dealer. Pretty simple math, not pretty results for GM.
Final round: IMHO
IMHO GM has excellent engineering capabilities.
IMHO GM is now making the best, most competitive cars it has made in the last 60 years.
I'm a GM guy. It's killing me that now that they finally got their act together, they might go belly-up due to bad UAW and dealer deals made years ago.
Maybe they SHOULD declare bankruptcy - only this will enable them to change their pay structure and shed dealers. I truly hope they'll survive it.
Hope you all have a wonderful 2009.
voxstr
Come on people nothing makes economic sense anymore, oil went up, driving gas to record highs, this in turn drove the price of everything else up. Well oil has gone down by a division of nearly 4 gas however did not go down by a division of 4 only by 2, and have you checked your local foodmarket lately these prices have not dropped one bit. This planet is f**ked because everyone wants everything yesterday for next to nothing, this is about to change. Anyone who has heard of the "Walmart effect" know what I'm talking about.
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