Report: Chevrolet Volt production resumes, output rate triples

Jul 19th 2011 at 2:02PM

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has, once again, fired up the production lines for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly facility. GM spokesman Rob Peterson told the Detroit News that, after nearly a month-long shutdown, the folks at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly are back in action and producing Volts at three times the previous rate.

With production ramped up, GM may have a shot at regaining the lead in plug-in vehicle sales in the U.S. for 2011. As of the end of June, Nissan sold 3,875 Leaf, compared to the Volt's 2011 tally of 2,745 units. In Nissan's 2012 Leaf pricing announcement, the automaker stated that sales of the electric hatchback in the U.S. surpassed 4,000. Meanwhile, the Detroit News reports that 4,400 units sold is the actual mark. With more Volts coming soon and the Leaf about to cost more, will the sales trends soon reverse?