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Cadillac ELR production has stopped, Chevy Bolt coming in Oct.

It looks like General Motors' Cadillac ELR extended-range plug-in is out as the automaker prepares to go all in on the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle. The Caddy officially stopped production in February, Hybrid Cars says, citing Cadillac Product Communications Manager David Caldwell. There is still a "small quantity" of the coupe at dealerships, but this take on mashing up "luxury coupe" with "green vehicle" has about run its course. Caldwell and Johan de Nysschen, president of General Motors' Cadillac division, had already confirmed earlier this year that the ELR, which was first available as a 2014 model, wouldn't have any further generations, though weren't specific on when production would stop. The ELR uses an upgraded version of the first-generation Volt's powertrain to move the 4,000-pound beast, and while the Volt is now in its second generation (and this year's sales have more than doubled from a year earlier as a result), the ELR never received a similar upgrade. The ELR sold just 357 units through April. As a result, the ELR sold just 357 units through April, down almost nine percent from a year earlier. In all of last year, 1,024 ELRs were sold, compared to more than 15,000 units for the Chevy Volt, and that's after the ELR's price was cut by about $9,000 last April. The car also got about a 25-percent increase in power, but that didn't seem to do the trick when it came to boosting demand, even with the available $7,500 federal tax credit. Meanwhile, Hybrid Cars is reporting that the 2017 Bolt, which will feature a single-charge range of about 200 miles and is expected to retail for about $35,000, is likely to start production at GM's Orion Assembly Plant in October. While you wait, if you're already feeling nostalgic, check out our impressions of the ELR here. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Cadillac ELR Review View 48 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars Green Plants/Manufacturing Cadillac Coupe Hybrid Chevy Bolt cadillac elr elr extended-range plug-in bolt

GM announces 3 new recalls affecting 1.7M vehicles in North America [w/video]

Still embroiled in the ongoing ignition switch recall, General Motors announced today three more discrete recalls, affecting a grand total of 1,546,900 vehicles in the US. The Detroit News reports that some 1.7 million vehicles are affected overall in North America. The first and largest of the trio of new recalls concerns some 1.18-million Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers from the 2008-2013 model years, Chevrolet Traverse from 2009-2013 (pictured above) and Saturn Outlook vehicles from 2008-2010. All of the crossover utilities may have an issue with the wiring harness for their seat-mounted side airbags. Apparently, the vehicles are equipped with a Service Air Bag warning light that, if ignored, "will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints." Those restraints include the side airbags, a front-center airbag if the vehicle is so equipped and seatbelt pretensioners. Dealers of affected vehicles will be instructed to remove driver and passenger side airbag wiring harness connectors, and then "splice and solder the wires together." The second recall affects 303,000 Chevrolet Express (pictured right) and GMC Savana vans from model years 2009-2014, and with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds. Said vehicles do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants, and will need a reworking of the instrument panel material to be sent back on the road. It doesn't sound as though there's a quick fix for this one, as the GM press release states: "Unsold vehicles have been placed on a stop delivery until development of the solution has been completed and parts are available." Finally, the third recall affects 63,900 Cadillac XTS luxury sedans from model years 2013 and 2014. A brake booster pump may be susceptible to corrosion by way of the relay, potentially causing and electrical short, overheating, melting of plastic components and even engine fires. GM says it is aware of two engine fires in unsold XTS models and two cases of melted parts. Repairs for the issues affecting the XTS have not not mentioned by GM in the release. The Detroit News is also reporting that along with news of the triple-recall, GM is taking a $300-million credit to help pay for the repair costs, and to deal with the ongoing costs associated with the ignition switch recall. In an attempt to explain just what GM has been doing in the face of these very serious issues, newly minted CEO Mary Barra has addressed the issues in a new video.

Cadillac will kill the plug-in ELR

Johan de Nysschen, president of General Motors' Cadillac division, says Caddy's ELR extended-range plug-in won't have any future generations, Automotive News (subs. req.) says. The publication previously reported that the car would be around for another couple of years, but even that's questionable, and the model could be yanked even sooner. Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell confirmed that there won't be a second-generation ELR. "Subsequent generations of the car will not be developed," he wrote in an e-mail to Autoblog. "It's available currently as a 2016 model, and there's no change to that status." The model debuted in late 2013 and used a version of the powertrain in the Chevrolet Volt. The main problem, of course, was that the car had a $76,000 price tag that proved too much for most automobile buyers to stomach. Last year, GM sold 1,024 ELRs, down 22 percent from 2014's totals. By comparison, the Chevy Volt moved more than 15,000 units, and that itself was still down 18 percent from year-earlier figures. The merciful end to the ELR shouldn't be much of a surprise, as Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Uwe Ellinghaus went on the record in December of essentially calling the model a dud. It's a far cry from the excitement, though, that the concept model of what was then called the Converj was unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009. For those feeling misty-eyed or nostalgic, though, check here for Autoblog's First Drive impressions of the extended-range plug-in. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Cadillac ELR Review View 48 Photos News Source: Automotive News-sub.req. Green Cadillac GM Hybrid elr extended-range plug-in