General Motors executives may not be able to pull sales out of a hat, but top GM brass may have some sleight of hand planned to direct attention away from the automaker’s dire financial situation. Originally slated to debut at this October’s Paris Motor Show, GM has reportedly decided to unveil its all-important Chevrolet Volt at the company’s 100th anniversary celebration in September, according to a Reuters report.
GM is banking that unveiling the production Volt at its centennial event will divert attention from its sagging sales and truck-heavy lineup and highlight the fact that it is developing greener vehicle alternatives. If the Volt program stays on track, GM will be the first automaker to have a plug-in hybrid to market.
However, the cost of the Volt’s lithium-ion batteries could be the deciding factor of its success. GM originally announced a $30,000 price target for the Volt, but added costs have raised that estimate to at least $40,000. Whatever the case, more should be known in just a few short months.
