General Motors opened up orders for the Chevrolet Volt to all 50 states today, lowering the base price for the 2012 model by about $1,000 and adding four option packages. The 2012 Volt will start at $39,995, including delivery, and customers may be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit. GM was able to lower the base price because the car has more optional content now that it's available nationally, the automaker said today in a statement. The 2011 Volt had been available in eight states and Washington, D.C., and only had three option packages.
GM is expanding Volt ordering as it prepares to add two shifts worth 2,500 jobs to the Detroit-Hamtramck plant that builds the car. Volt engineers are seeking to cut the car's cost through powertrain and production improvements, which will mostly be used to make the car profitable, rather than slash the price for consumers.
GM plans this year to build 16,000 of the Volt and its European version, the Opel Ampera. That includes about 3,500 for overseas delivery and 2,500 as demos at dealerships. Next year, GM plans to build 60,000 Volts at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant, with 45,000 designated for the U.S.
Detroit-Hamtramck this spring discontinued its other two cars, the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne, leaving it free to build just Volts until the 2013 Malibu starts production next year. The factory will also assemble the next-generation Chevrolet Impala, expected to start production by 2013.
The plant is in a four-week shutdown to update for Volt and Malibu production. After it restarts, the factory will start adding the second shift of workers, with the third to start at an undisclosed future date.
