GM vows to finish Volt with or without government aid

No matter what, America will get the Chevy Volt. On time. That is the battle cry over at General Motors these days, and it's being echoed once again on the pages of The Wall Street Journal. Still, there is reason to be skeptical as the Feds have yet to agree on a loan package for the struggling Detroit automakers. The General has just announced that it's stopping work on the plant in Flint, Michigan, where the Volt's 1.4L range-extender was to be built alongside the powerplants slated to go under the hood of the new Cruze compact. Regardless, says GM, nothing will stop the Volt project from moving forward, not even Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Engines can be imported from overseas.

Where will the money come from? That's a big question mark, but GM spokespeople suggest that whatever funds there are will be diverted to the Volt program. Some may question if this is a good idea, especially considering that the extended-range electric car isn't going to be a big money-maker for the beleaguered automaker. GM counters those claims by saying it has promised the green car to Americans eager to reduce their use of oil. In other words, it would be a PR disaster not seen since the crushing end of the EV1 if the Volt didn't make it as scheduled.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]