GM to Idle Volt Plant for Four Weeks

General Motors Co. has confirmed a report in Automotive News that the company will suspend production of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid sedan at its Hamtramck, Mich., assembly plant from Sept. 17 to Oct. 12.

GM says it wants to shrink excess Volt inventory. AN estimates GM had an 84-day supply of Volts in the U.S. on Aug. 1. A 60- to 65-day supply is considered ideal.

The company previously idled Volt production from mid-March to mid-April after inventories swelled to a 154-day supply.

GM has been disappointed by sales volume of the $41,000 hybrid since its launch in December 2010. American demand for the Volt last year totaled about 7,700 vehicles short of the company's 10,000-unit goal.

CEO Dan Akerson initially predicted American sales of 45,000 Volts in 2012. In June he said the total might be as low as 35,000. GM sold 10,700 Volts from January through July.

The Hamtramck factory, which employs about 1,400 hourly workers, also will suspend production of the European version of the hybrid, the Opel Ampera, and the Chevy Malibu midsize sedan. A GM facility in Kansas City, Kan., is the main source of Malibu output.

The company says the Hamtramck plant will use the downtime to prepare to begin making the 2014 Chevy Impala fullsize sedan early next year.