Cadillac To Start Production On A Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle By 2013

Oct 17, 2012 11:40 AM EDT | Matt Mercuro

General Motors announced that by late 2013 the company will begin production of the Cadillac ELR, which will be the first plug-in hybrid Cadillac ever released.

The ELR is set to be manufactured at their Detroit-Hamtramck plant which also makes the Chevrolet Volt for GM according to Reuters.

"The ELR will be in a class by itself, further proof of our commitment to electric vehicles and advanced technology," said Mark Reuss, General Motors North America Present in a keynote address at the SAE Convergence Conference in Detroit. "People will instantly recognize it as a Cadillac by its distinctive, signature look and true-to-concept exterior design."

Expect the new Cadillac to be extremely similar to the Chevrolet Volt, which runs completely on electric battery power until the charge runs out.

If the car does lose power, a gasoline-powered electric generator will pick up the slack to prevent motorists from breaking down on the road according to the GM press release. The current Volt model can go 38 miles on a full charge.

The vehicle is expected to feature an updated electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium-ion battery, and a four-cylinder engine-generator according to the press release.

"This investment reflects the corporation's confidence that the highly skilled members of UAW Local 22 can successfully build one of the most technologically advanced vehicles in the world," said UAW Vice President Joe Ashton in the press release.

The car will be the first two-door car built at the Detroit plant since the 1999 Cadillac Eldorado according to the press release. The plant exports vehicles to over 20 different countries around the world.

Cadillac also announced they are pushing to double their 147,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2010 by 2015 according to The Chicago Tribue. They believe the new Cadillac will play a big part in that goal.

GM has yet to announce how much the vehicle will cost. 

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