He also announced that GM has approved production of the Chevrolet Volt, a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle that can run about 40 miles without any use of gasoline. The Volt will be built in GM's Hamtramck, Mich., plant and is due in showrooms by the end of 2010.
"We believe it's the biggest step yet in our industry's move away from its historic, nearly complete reliance upon petroleum to power vehicles," he said. "We believe the Volt is an important investment for the future of our company and our shareholders."
Ahead of the rollout of that new model, GM plans to increase production of some more fuel-efficient car models. It's adding a third shift at its Orion, Mich., plant to build more of the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 models, as well as a third shift at a Lordstown, Ohio, plant that builds the compact Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 models.
It also plans a more fuel efficient gasoline engine for its small car models that will get about 9 miles per gallon more than current GM engines in the segment.
from this article:
GM to close truck plants, shift to fuel-efficient cars - Jun. 3, 2008
I was reading this and just thinking DUH.........No **** sherlock. Shame it takes a "crisis" like the one we are in now to start to make a transition. Plently of people would have bought the smaller cars or the volt and plently woulf have still bought the volt and such in the past couple of years. They could have made a huge turnaround in terms of sales had they been more forward thinking......
The fiance will be needing a new car sometime in the future and she will be getting another smaller sedan like a civic or such since she has the longer commute. I will continue to have a larger vehicle most likely. Perhaps another Xterra depending on gas prices.....