Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM
Lordstown, Ohio could be the home of the Volt
As General Motors and the United Auto Workers continue their near-round-the-clock negotiations trying to hammer out a new contract, the workers at GM's Lordstown,Ohio assembly plant are also looking at their longer-term future. Currently, Lordstown builds the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 which are both built on GM's Delta platform. The current models are due to be replaced after the 2009 model year and that means that the company will be re-evaluating where to build them.
Lordstown is the obvious front-runner but there are no guarantees. If Lordstown does keep the next generation Delta (GM's Global Compact Car Platform) it could bring an extra bonus with it. The Global Compact Car Platform is also the basis of E-Flex which by now we should all know is the power-train of the Chevy Volt. So, if Lordstown builds the next-gen Cobalt it is very likely to build Volt too, at least initially. In the first year or two Volt volumes will probably be low enough to build it alongside the Cobalt. If it takes off though, GM will probably have to move it to another plant to meet demand.
[Source: Columbus Dispatch]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 11:13AM (9/18/2007)
This would be good news for an area that has seen some tough times.
I grew up near Youngstown (my grandfather worked 30+ years at Youngstown Sheet & Tube), and watched the decline of the steel industry as a child. I went on Boy Scout tours of Lordstown back in the Vega/Van line days, and remember just how big that place is.
It'd be great to see future technology become reality at Lordstown.
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TIMMAH! 12:16PM (9/18/2007)
Git R Done! (...and this time try to pull the head all the way outta the ass when you have these rolling off the assembly line GM!) Maybe, just maybe they'll learn from the mistakes of their past (EV1).
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Tim 12:58PM (9/18/2007)
Greedy unions and related high legacy costs will most likely drive manufacturing of the Volt offshore following of course most of the components.
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Domenick 6:43PM (9/18/2007)
Greedy executives and high profit demand from shareholders will most likely drive manufacturing of the Volt offshore following of course most of the components.
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