The five-week shutdown of the Volt production line is a good thing for plug-in vehicles because it will help align production with demand and keep GM's revenue on the vehicles higher and fund ongoing vehicle development.

Tesla faces challenges as it transitions from the exclusive Roadster to the wider-appeal Model S sedan (with maybe 320 miles of range). But Musk says building drivetrains for other companies will carry it through.

When comparing a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) to the venerable gasoline car, most of the talk surrounds the “well to wheels” comparison, which gauges the environmental impact of the vehicle and its fuel usage. But what of the differences in job creation, or the “wheels to workers” value of shifting the fuel from largely imported fossil fuel to nearly entirely domestically supplied electricity?

This time last year, there was a lot of anticipation about the electric car market, particularly given the imminent release of two bellwether products--the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt. In the intervening year, a lot has happened in the economy in general, and the automotive and electric vehicle market in particular. Volatility in this nascent market should not be surprising. Short-term hiccups, particularly given the factors listed above, do not mean the market segment will fail.

General Motors announced today it will jointly develop an electric vehicle for the China market with its Chinese partner, SAIC. The EV will be developed at the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) , a 50/50 research and engineering venture in Shanghai between GM and SAIC.
Wait a minute! What about all those recent stories blasting China for requiring GM to share the Volt’s technology in order to qualify for the purchase subsidies the Chinese government offers for electric cars?