Chevy Volt resumes production, low-emission models shipping to California

After putting production on the Chevrolet Volt on hold for what turned out to be an extended Christmas break, General Motors said today that it has resumed production on the Chevy Volt at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant.

General Motors has begun shipping the first low-emission version of the 2012 Chevy Volt to California, where motorists will be able to able to avoid California’s notoriously congested freeways by driving solo in the carpool lane. Even better, buyers will be able to get a $1,500 rebate from the state upon purchasing the Volt.

“The Volts with the low emissions package are certain to be a strong draw for California commuters looking to travel the state’s notoriously congested freeways in the carpool lane,” said Chris Perry, VP of Chevrolet marketing.

General Motors says that, on average, commuters in California should save about 36 minutes per day in their daily commute with the low-emission 2012 Chevy Volt model, which the auto maker says makes up about one third of the average commuter’s daily driving time.

General Motors halted production on the Chevy Volt on December 23 after selling a little over 7,000 Chevy Volts, which was a bit less than the auto maker’s projection of 10,000 sales. The decline in sales was attributed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Highway Administration’s investigation into two battery fires during routine Chevy Volt crash tests. The investigation has since been closed, with the agency saying that it was “satisfied with GM’s modifications”.

Source: USA Today