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Volt Battery Layoffs at GM's battery plant

6K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  Eagleco 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
From green car reports:

Layoffs at GM's battery plant

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...uggests-no-immediate-successor-for-chevy-volt
Will the Chevrolet Volt get an immediate successor, or will any other model soon carry on with the potential of its brilliant Voltec plug-in hybrid system?

Considering what General Motors announced yesterday, both of those possibilities are now looking less likely.

GM said that it will cut 50 jobs at the Brownstown facility that assembled battery packs for the Volt, as well as a few other models, including the Buick LaCrosse and its eAssist system.
 
#2 ·
I had every intention of keeping my 2014 Volt another 4-5 years and then pick up a Gen3.

The discontinuation of the Volt and, it seems, the Voltec powertrain is why I just picked up a low mileage 2017. I figure by the time charging stations are at every gas station &/or battery tech has advanced some more, I'll be ready for a pure BEV.
 
#3 ·
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires US employers with more than 100 employees to provide 60 days notice of a major layoff or plant closing. GM has identified 50 workers who currently assemble the battery pack for the Volt that will be affected. Hopefully these workers will find other jobs within GM.
 
#4 · (Edited)
No surprise as BEV configuration of choice appears to be a flat pan like the Beetle. Gives you lower centre of gravity and flat(er) interior floor. Just read VW's going to be making the next gen batteries (solid) that are lighter, cheaper, higher density, last longer. I expect these might be in the ID which might be one of the reasons the long distance version will be $26,000.

https://ca.yahoo.com/finance/news/dark-horse-battery-tech-could-230000719.html
 
#5 ·
I guess it is not all that surprising that GM is stopping Volt production. Honda now has a car with nearly identical specs, and Honda will soon have a $7,500 per vehicle price advantage due to the expiring tax credit. Plus Honda has been beating GM in the small and midsize car segment for decades, and enjoys a reputation for making cars that are reliable, that people are happy with, and that hold their resale value. I personally would not want to be selling Volts against that kind of competition. GM is smart to focus on the Bolt. The Bolt still has a good market position, at least as long as Tesla keeps the Model 3 prices up where they are. And even if Tesla makes the cheaper version, the two will at least be on a level playing field with tax credits.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Unless and until GM adds adaptive cruise control (ACC) as an option on the Bolt and makes the CCS port a standard feature the Bolt will not be competitive with other small hatchback EVs:

Nissan Leaf w/60kWh battery (whenever the 60kWh version arrives in the US), available in CARB states, availability in other states unknown, available with ACC = Yes
Kia Niro, initial availability of the Niro EV will be CA and the other CARB states, available with ACC = Yes
Hyundai Kona, initial availability in the US will be CA and the other CARB states, available with ACC = Yes

Chevrolet Bolt, 50 state availability, available with ACC = No

I did not include the Model 3 as it is a sedan and a more upscale vehicle than the Bolt.
 
#7 ·
Those changes could easily be made to the Bolt in the future if/when needed for competitive reasons. Those other cars may become strong competitors, but as long as they are merely "announced" or with limited availability, they are not serious competition. Who knows if they will all make it past that stage or how long it will take. For all the various E vehicles that have been announced over the years, most have disappeared or never got past compliance status. The ones that did took longer and cost more than anticipated. You can buy a Bolt today in any state. However long that remains true for only the Bolt, they have that part of the market to themselves. If all the announcements come true, then yes, the Bolt will be fighting for market share in a few years. But meanwhile, they will sell.

The Volt has a very different situation. Their competition is already on dealer lots. Not only the Clarity, but also the Prius Prime, which we all know falls short on performance, but is nevertheless very successful due to the strong Prius name and Toyota brand. And they have the tax rebate advantage as well.
 
#8 ·
You would think that GM could do a better job of this, by getting LG Chem to offer jobs to those already-trained workers. I mean if the focus is to switch from Voltecs to pure BEVs like the Bolt. What are they thinking?
 
#9 ·
Makes sense to stop making Volt packs. They aren't using the 't-shaped' form factor for anything else.

However, laying off workers at a battery plant makes no sense with all these EVs announced.
 
#14 ·
#23 ·
Aren't all the EV battery producers foreign?

Don't think I've seen an American company in the mix.
 
#30 ·
And, I have news for everyone, manufacturing here in the U.S. buys automation from all over the world (GM included).
Especially in areas where they are doing very specialized work.
 
#32 ·
Yes, buying "American made" is a fools game. It doesn't exist. If you start down the "depends on the percentage" game where do you draw the line? 43% but not 42%? 85% but not 84%?
 
#33 · (Edited)
How about just making it one factor among many, with more domestic content being better than less.

So for example, if I have it narrowed down to two vehicles, and it's basically a toss up, I'm going for the one with more domestic content. So no line is being drawn, just everything else being equal, a higher percentage is better.

And for me, as a union member, bonus points for being assembled domestically in a union plant.

Not a litmus test in either case, just points in favor of one vehicle over another.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
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