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Some new products are being delayed but others are just too important - or too far along - to hold off on. (http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0811/gallery.gm__product_plans/index.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2011_Chevrolet_Volt_Exterior_News.jpgPeter Valdes-Dapena – CNN/Money – Nov. 8, 2008

Chevrolet Volt schedule: Still on target for late 2010

Interesting Insider’s view with speculation. SUV's are done and thank goodness they did not touch the Volt! -- Ed.

With the economy crumbling and sales way down, GM announced some drastic steps Friday. Among them were delays in the carmaker's product development plans.

In the auto industry, that's a scary move. Delaying new product means delaying the increased sales that come with them. Not all product programs were put off, however. Some are simply too far along to bother delaying. The investments have been made and it's time to reap some of the benefits.

The Chevrolet Volt seems to have made it through unscathed. In fact, GM said it would increase spending on its next-generation auto.

The plug-in Volt is, basically, an electric car with a ride-along gasoline engine. With a fully charged battery, it will be able to drive about 40 miles on electricity alone. As the battery begins to run low, the gasoline engine will fire up and begin producing electricity for longer range… http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0811/gallery.gm__product_plans/index.html

The plug-in Volt is, basically, an electric car with a ride-along gasoline engine. With a fully charged battery, it will be able to drive about 40 miles on electricity alone. As the battery begins to run low, the gasoline engine will fire up and begin producing electricity for longer range.

Wonder what happens if you run the battery down to the point it needs to charge and you don't have any gas? Hopefully it would just turn off and not kill the battery from a hard discharge.

One thing the Volt won't generate is much profit for GM in its first generation. But it has already proven to have enormous public relations value.

Sounds like GM will in this economic situation for awhile if it takes a few years to turn a profit.
Will the public relations translate into sales & $$$$$$?

I don't know how much it's going to help with CAFE standards. They are simply not going to be selling these things by the 10s of thousands. It costs too much and therefore is not going to be very competitive against the new Prius and Insight. I wish the volt could be the car everyone of the future is going to be driving, but it's not. It'll be a Prius or an Insight and not a volt, GM is too far behind. How much is this car doing for their PR really?

Sounds like GM will in this economic situation for awhile if it takes a few years to turn a profit. Will the public relations translate into sales & $$$$$$?

I think it very well could turn into sales, if they stick with it and are able to get the price down in a year or two. At the price right now as noted by Elixer, it is really not in a position to compete with the Prius.