oyuki

Friday, March 02, 2012

Low Volt-age

Here is some interesting news.  General Motors will be temporarily shutting down the production line that builds their flagship hybrid the Volt.  1,300 workers will be laid off until April 23rd.

What could cause GM to take this drastic action?  What indeed.

Sales are not where all the company paid prognosticators predicted.  Sales total only half of what was forecast for the Volt.  Even with the $7,000 of incentives.  These cars are not moving off the dealer lots fast enough.

So what is causing the reluctance?  Try a very disconcerting design defect.

It seems there has been a rash of Volt battery fires.  Instead of admitting there is a problem and fixing it, GM has hit upon another explanation.  It is the media's fault for reporting those battery fires that is forcing GM to lay these workers off until the excess Volt inventory is reduced.  I wonder if that tactic was tried to save the Corvair when Ralph Nader killed that poor car?

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