General Motors plans to manufacture the Chevrolet Volt electric car in 2010 and will produce a Chevy version of its full-size crossover SUVs in 2011, according to a summary of the automaker's new contract with the United Auto Workers.
It will also add wagon and coupe versions of the newly redesigned Cadillac CTS sports sedan in 2009.
The rare peek at GM's product plans is part of the four-year labor agreement between GM and the UAW.
Automakers almost never discuss models more than a year or two away. They fear that rivals could ruin a new vehicle's launch by offering big discounts on competing vehicles to drain the pool of potential buyers. And they worry that a competitor who knows what's coming could make last-minute changes to a model it is developing to make it a tougher rival.
The UAW summary of the agreement shows, for one thing, that GM is serious about putting the Volt into production. The car, so far only an exhibit at auto shows, is scheduled for the Hamtramck, Mich., plant.
Volt is about the size of a Chevy Cobalt small car, and GM says it could run up to 40 miles on electricity from on-board batteries. They recharge in about 6 hours plugged into a conventional household outlet, or they can be recharged on the go by a small engine in the car. Unlike gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, Volt's engine never runs the car, only recharges the batteries.
Also tantalizing: GM's plan to make the Caddy CTS, a popular sports sedan aimed at Audi and BMW, into a full line of vehicles, adding a wagon and a coupe.
GM promised to continue production in 16 of the automaker's 18 assembly plants in the USA, at least through the duration of the four-year contract, and to assign future products to at least 12 of those factories.
The labor agreement reached Thursday between GM and the UAW ended a 41-hour nationwide strike. The UAW summary of the agreement listed the plants and models GM has pledged to build. Some details:
• A new small car will go into production at Hamtramck in 2009. It isn't clear which GM brand will sell the vehicle.
• Current versions of GM's Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickups are due for redesign in 2012. Full-size SUVs based on the pickups will be redesigned in 2013.
• Pontiac Solstice and the similar Saturn Sky two-seat sports cars could be discontinued in 2012. The Wilmington, Del., factory that builds them has no products scheduled after that.
• Full-size vans are to remain in production until some time after 2012, but won't be replaced with new designs unless GM decides there's enough demand to justify redevelopment costs.
