The words "down to the wire" have been used to describe General Motors' plans for the Chevrolet Volt, which the care manufacturing giant hopes to have ready by the end of 2010. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid car that GM hopes will be able to give Toyota and its Prius and run for their money in the hybrid market. GM is almost ready to select a battery supplier for the new vehicle, but the company CEO admits the deadline is still proving to be a challenge as the company rushes to conduct experimental testing on the battery systems and begin developing other components of the car.

"At this point the focus for us 100 percent is getting the Volt produced in the U.S.," Wagoner told reporters on the sidelines of the Beijing Auto Show. "So far, so good, but it's going to be right down to the wire to meet the production deadline we've set."

The Volt has already been advertised despite the fact that its still two years away from launching. It will feature some of the traditional hybrid technology such as gaining energy from braking, however it will also be one of the first attempts to use lithium-ion batteries to power a car, as the batteries are generally used to power electronics. If GM has their way, the batter pack will last for 10 years, run for a minimum of 150,000 miles and accelerate to 60 miles per hour in nine seconds or less.

GM will introduce 16 new hybrid vehicles during the next few years, including the Buick LaCrosse, which will launch in China this summer prior to the start of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The car is not expected to experience huge sales due to its higher price point, which is why GM is aiming to introduce less expensive hybrid options. Typically the more affordable hybrids are the big success stories, as new buyers entering the market for the first time gravitate toward their more attractive price tag, hence the enormous success of the Prius. However, GM does hope vehicles like the LaCrosse will prove they are committed to the idea of fuel-saving technology.

» Reuters Environment