GM tells NHTSA not to include plug-ins in setting CAFE standards
When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published an initial draft of the new fuel economy rules this spring, they gave automakers and other interested parties until July 1 to comment before finalizing the rules. That comment period is now over and GM and others have responded. Under the energy bill that was passed in December 2007, NHTSA is supposed to factor in what is technically feasible as well as what kinds of vehicles are expected to be on the market in setting the standards. If large numbers of plug-in vehicles are available they can set the standards higher. In GM's comments, the automaker told NHTSA that plug-in hybrids and extended range electrics will be available by the middle of the next decade but the agency shouldn't expect enough of them to be available to make a major impact on fleet average mileage. GM is currently only forecasting production of 10,000 Volts in 2011, rising to 60,000 the following year. Similarly, the plug-in hybrid Saturn Vue will likely only have limited availability at first. Regardless of what automakers and NHTSA want, if gas prices don't subside, the standards may be a moot point as the market may supersede them.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dustin 9:38AM (7/10/2008)
Okay... I thought they were selling this thing in "mid-2009 as a 2010 model," according to all the people who keep sticking up for this thing. Now it's a mere 10,000 units in 2011? And GM is continuing to seemingly warn us all, "Don't get your hopes up over this."
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keatmp 11:12AM (7/10/2008)
Ever since GM started working on the Volt, they have planned for it to come out November 2010. That date was set back in 2006. The first and second year will have limited availability as GM gets everything situated, then they say they will meet whatever the demand is for the 2013 model year.
And they are not saying "don't get your hopes up about this". They are doing just the opposite.
axiom 12:59PM (7/10/2008)
Yep. I've been hearing it was they were supposed to have 10,000 units for 2010. Now its for 2011?? 10K units for a car getting minute-by-minute press releases 2-3 years straight is more than a joke, it an insult.
I now fully doubt GM will exist to 2012.