The linked story seems to have been updated to remove references to the Volt being cut:
"The company also plans to stop building several models now assembled at those plants, including the Chevrolet Cruze, the Cadillac CT6 and the Buick LaCrosse."
"The company also plans to stop building several models now assembled at those plants, including the Chevrolet Cruze, the Cadillac CT6 and the Buick LaCrosse."
And yes, it's not like they're moving back toward the steam engine, but in the short run it might make sense to kill the Volt and do something else. But the optics of it will look bad. Think Reuters got tripped up by the "increase investment in electric and autonomous vehicles and connected vehicle technology" line because it's broad and potentially conflicting.
Here's a selection of top "Chevy Volt" headlines for the past few years:
2015: "Yes the 2016 Chevy Volt Will be Profitable."
2016: "GM Will Lose Money on the Chevy Bolt to Make Money On Other Models"
2017: "GM trims battery costs, aims to make profitable EVs"
2018: "GM races to build a formula for profitable electric cars."
In the larger sense, GM's leadership has been sending some weird messages talking about a future they don't fully understand. Spouting things like blockchain, autonomous, ride sharing, and future profitability being tied to selling customer information. You know, all the apparently popular contemporary trends.
They're a car company.
When I see that word mentioned in any business I get skeptical, especially one where there's a classical product involved, like bananas. Or cars. In this case I strongly believed it was used for adding feathers to their plume and so I used it in a mocking tone. Radio Bloomberg (broadcasts) mentioned the blockchain line with some skepticism for awhile and so it stuck in my head.
None of these parroting futurisms make sense for GM. Their largest customers are fleets like Enterprise Rent a Car, who buy massive numbers of new models before consumers can get to them, assuring delivery numbers. If they compete with them for rentals or ride-sharing, what if ERAC orders a bunch of Fords next year? They'd be crazy to endanger this relationship. GM should stick to making cars and messaging to that effect.
Anyhow, I stand firmly by how I interpreted this announcement. My overall opinion on GM, however, is probably very ignorant and naive.
"A GM spokesperson told Jalopnik over the phone: “We are ending production of the Volt March 1, 2019.”"