[Buzzz]

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/17/gm-extends-shutdown-at-chevy-bolt-plant-as-inventories-swell.html

From June 1 to July 1, supplies of the Bolt rose to 111 days from 104 days. GM launched the Bolt in California, but has said the car will be available in all 50 states by August.

Despite the plan to go 50 states within the next month, they've shutdown the plant... not a good sign.

 

[SharkVolt]

They may be switching over to the 2018 models early.

 

[viking79]

I hope so, they really need some features to compete with Model 3 and upcoming Nissan Leaf. Hopefully 2018 model has Super Cruise and ACC. They will have an interesting time selling the nearly 6000 or so Bolt EVs on lots though. I imagine we will see some incredible deals before year end on those.

 

[DonC]

The car business is slowing down for the first time in many years, with car sales being particularly hard hit. As a result we're seeing extended factory closings where GM builds the Cruze and Malibu.

The Bolt EV is actually in better shape than most models. The "days on hand" inventory is slightly higher than the GM average, but the "cars demanded per day" is based on sales in a limited number of states. Add sales from new states and the number of cars demanded per day would increase, thereby dropping the "days on hand" by a significant number.

Sonic sales on the other hand ....

 

[Upper5Percent]

The car business is slowing down for the first time in many years, with car sales being particularly hard hit. As a result we're seeing extended factory closings where GM builds the Cruze and Malibu.

The Bolt EV is actually in better shape than most models. The "days on hand" inventory is slightly higher than the GM average, but the "cars demanded per day" is based on sales in a limited number of states. Add sales from new states and the number of cars demanded per day would increase, thereby dropping the "days on hand" by a significant number.

Sonic sales on the other hand ....

U.S. auto sales plunged by 4.7 percent in April, a significantly greater decline than industry analysts had expected, and the fourth consecutive month that demand has fallen for new cars, trucks and autos.

General Motors ended 2016 by announcing it would temporarily idle five plants and drop an entire shift at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant, a factory in Lansing, Michigan and another in Lordstown, Ohio, costing 3,300 hourly jobs.

 

[Breezy]

Can't get one here. People are on waiting lists.

 

[llninja]

They may be switching over to the 2018 models early.

Why change anything except add a new color and some easy add-ons? Any engineering effort should be focused on a new EV AWD CUV, not an older model that has barely been released.

 

[don shaw]

i would guess the shut down is due to Sonic sales off 37% per quote below from the Reuters article. Still, it is very disappoointing to me that the sales of the Bolt aren't a lot higher in view of Tesla's orders for more than 400,000,

"GM also builds the Chevrolet Sonic small car at the Orion plant, and sales of that car are down nearly 37 percent for the year to date."

 

[Ladogaboy]

I'm curious to see how GM reacts when inventory is reduced by more than half in a little over a month. I agree that for the Bolt EV, this is most likely a chance to refresh for the MY 2018. They have several issues that *must* be addressed in my opinion:

• ACC
• A new interior/seat option
• DCFC standard on all vehicles

It is strange that they are doing this while the demand in other countries is so high, but maybe they knew they would be retooling at this point. Personally, I think they should drop the Sonic completely and focus solely on building the Bolt EV at that facility.

 

[Qinsp]

It's not just Orion. 3 or 4 other plants are shut down temporarily.

 

[Upper5Percent]

This is GM's current take on sales...
http://www.gm.com/investors/sales/us-sales-production.html

 

[Steverino]

"GM’s mid crossovers, compact crossovers and utilities were up a combined 22 percent on a U.S. retail sales basis compared to the same period last year. This strong performance was carried throughout the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac lineups."

This may help explain why they released the Bolt as a CUV.

 

[viking79]

Although they call it a CUV, they need an actual CUV in styling and features. I bet they have one soon (an EV CUV).

 

[Sean Nelson]

The car business is slowing down for the first time in many years, with car sales being particularly hard hit. As a result we're seeing extended factory closings where GM builds the Cruze and Malibu.

...and despite this each month of Bolt EV sales have set a record for the model.

i would guess the shut down is due to Sonic sales off 37% per quote below from the Reuters article.

Yes, it's very likely that the factory has closed because without Sonic production it's not economically feasible to staff it with workers to build the much lower volume Bolt.

GM's allocation strategy completely mystifies me. California is awash in Bolts at the same time that there are 8 month waiting lists elsewhere. And now that we're on the cusp of Bolts being available across the US it seems that production has dried up. It really feels like a botched rollout plan to me.

We'll have to hope that when they reopen the Orion plant for Sonic production they re-balance their production schedule to produce a larger percentage of Bolts so that they can satisfy all the people who are waiting.

 

[Qinsp]

...and despite this each month of Bolt EV sales have set a record for the model.


Yes, it's very likely that the factory has closed because without Sonic production it's not economically feasible to staff it with workers to build the much lower volume Bolt.

GM's allocation strategy completely mystifies me. California is awash in Bolts at the same time that there are 8 month waiting lists elsewhere. And now that we're on the cusp of Bolts being available across the US it seems that production has dried up. It really feels like a botched rollout plan to me.

We'll have to hope that when they reopen the Orion plant for Sonic production they re-balance their production schedule to produce a larger percentage of Bolts so that they can satisfy all the people who are waiting.

Usually only government jobs know exactly what their customers will be doing 12 months in the future. Sadly GM can't force their customers to behave like the government can.

 

[timoshev]

Not seeing Bolts in carpool lanes here in CA. Lots of old and new Volts, however. Chevy, it's time for a Bolt price cut. (like Volt had to do)

 

[Bluesideup]

I'm curious to see how GM reacts when inventory is reduced by more than half in a little over a month. I agree that for the Bolt EV, this is most likely a chance to refresh for the MY 2018. They have several issues that *must* be addressed in my opinion:

• ACC
• A new interior/seat option
• DCFC standard on all vehicles

It is strange that they are doing this while the demand in other countries is so high, but maybe they knew they would be retooling at this point. Personally, I think they should drop the Sonic completely and focus solely on building the Bolt EV at that facility.

The inventory is building and will not be halved in a month as it went from 104 days worth of inventory to 111 days worth of inventory from June 1 to July 1.

If demand in other countries were high and they could make money doing it they would be selling them there. So, they either can't make money on the bolt without incentives or the demand isn't as high as you might think.

As for focusing solely on the Bolt do you want the factory to be closed for a longer period of time?

It is closed due in large part to the bolt not selling.

GM extends shutdown at Chevy Bolt plant as inventories swell https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-generalmotors-production-idUSKBN1A227I

GM Extends Plant Shutdown to Rein In Chevy Bolt Supply http://fortune.com/2017/07/17/gm-shutdown-chevy-bolt-supply/

 

[llninja]

Not seeing Bolts in carpool lanes here in CA. Lots of old and new Volts, however. Chevy, it's time for a Bolt price cut. (like Volt had to do)

Agreed, I wanted a volt when it was first released, but it was too pricy until the great $5k price cut of aug 2013. The bolt beat the model 3 to market, but it doesn't seem to be selling like hot cakes. Why GM decided on a limited rollout instead of a full onslaught is beyond me.

Although they call it a CUV, they need an actual CUV in styling and features. I bet they have one soon (an EV CUV).

All they need is new sheet metal and an extra motor in the back for AWD, as long as the sheet metal looks nothing like the Aztek.

 

[jeff_h]

GM's allocation strategy completely mystifies me. California is awash in Bolts at the same time that there are 8 month waiting lists elsewhere. And now that we're on the cusp of Bolts being available across the US it seems that production has dried up. It really feels like a botched rollout plan to me.

Maybe it makes more sense when ZEV credits are taking into consideration? I only know the layman's view of those, but isn't the basic premise of that program that the manufacturer only gets credits for units sold in a CARB state? If that's the case then the concentrated rollout makes more sense, but if the credits apply no matter where sold then well there goes that theory...

 

[Lewis9]

I wonder how many potential buyers test drove one like I did and decided like I did that the seats simply were too terrible to endure?

Ended up in 17 Volt loaded premier so it wasn't based on price.

I wanted the Bolt. The seats were a poison pill for me.

GM please put decent seats in there so I can get a Bolt when my 17 Volt lease is done.

BTW I am average height and weight.