For Today: Will the Chevy Volt go away, Fisker parting ways with Nanotech on batteries

Will the Volt go away?:  General Motors is evaluating continuation of six cars, including the Chevy Volt, determining which vehicles will be continued or canceled in the coming years, Reuters reported Friday. The other five would be the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Impala, and Chevrolet Sonic. GM declined to comment. Pressure from shareholders to increase sales may have GM tipping more to pickups, crossovers, and SUVs. It would be a shame to see, with the redesigned Volt doing well in sales – No. 3, close behind the Tesla Model S in the first six months of U.S. sales.

Toyota rolling out new energy vehicle:  Toyota may launch an electric vehicle in China by 2019, to comply with the government’s “new energy vehicle” policy with its strict mandates coming into effect. Toyota said it will introduce EVs in China in a few years, but wouldn’t confirm whether it would start in 2019. Reuters also citied Japanese newspaper Asahi on a story that it the first EV will be built on Toyota’s C-HR sport utility vehicle. The newspaper expects annual output to start at more than several thousand units.

Fisker parting ways with Nanotech:  Fisker, Inc., is ending its joint venture alliance with Nanotech Energy Inc., called Fisker Nanotech, which would have manufactured battery packs for the upcoming EMotion sporty, luxury sedan. The company would have had to focus entirely on Fisker and let other client projects slip away, which won’t work for the company to do, said Jack Kavanaugh, chairman and acting CEO of Nanotech Energy. That JV had started with the Henrik Fisker starting his new electric car company in October. The automaker will continue to “work with Nanotech on the applications of graphene,” but it will use battery cells provided by LG Chem for the EMotion, Fisker said.

 

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