Volt

The story of the Chevy Volt is filled with mysterious twists and turns. First off it is very difficult to get accurate figures on total sales unlike any other car where these figures are readily available. Top estimates show sales of about 3,000 cars per year with production facilities capable of producing 750 per week. The price is $40,000 less a $7,500 rebate from the federal government. Over the past two years the US government has doled out 2.5 billion to subsidize the development of batteries for these cars. Recently General Electric has said they will purchase 12,000 Volts for their company use and GE has a part in the production of these cars.
Most experts now conclude that the Volt will not be the winner that GM had predicted but in fact will lose the company a bundle. In order to survive this marketing misjudgment GM has made a deal to produce the Volt in China. China has agreed to offer a $19,000 rebate to GM for each Volt sold but only on the Volts made in China. This large rebate will allow GM to make a handsome profit on the Volt and turn a lemon into lemonade. With this kind of incentive it will not be long before the Volt production in the US will stop and GM will import Volts from China for its American customers.
Another green job financed by the American taxpayers to grow jobs in China. Even the union members at GM see this as a good thing since they realize that the Volt would be a loser for the company and jobs would be hard to justify now that the union is part owner of the company.