General Motors Plans To Increase Rate Of Volt Production

General Motors plans to upgrade the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly facility’s capacity to produce Chevrolet Volt vehicles, and will prepare to assemble the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu sedan. It will close for four weeks in June to accommodate the alterations.

According to GM, the retail supply of Volts will be restricted during the next three months before the company resumes production. The restriction comes as dealer inventories are already at a low point, resulting in limited availability and reduced sales in June and July.

As a result of the plant upgrades, planned Volt and Opel Ampera (the European version of the Volt) production capacity this year will increase to 16,000 units, including exports, and a fleet of several hundred demonstration units sent to U.S. dealers. In 2012, global production capacity is expected to be 60,000 vehicles with an estimated 45,000 to be delivered in the United States. GM said it’s taking this action due to high customer demand for the vehicle.

The 2011 Volt was launched in California, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The Volt will be available nationwide and in Europe, China, and Canada by the end of this year.

Production of the all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will begin next year, according to the automaker.