GM may scrap Chevy Volt, 5 other car models: report

US carmaker General Motors, which recently exited India and sold its plant to the Chinese, has now moved to scrap six of its low-selling cars, including its pioneering Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid model.

GM is now reported to be in talks with the workers unions as part of an evaluation process to decide whether to stop producing them in the coming years.

The Chevrolet Volt, seems to have failed to attract many despite some major updates for 2016, both cosmetic and mechanical.

Besides the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, GM is looking to scrap five other models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Sonic, according to a Reuters report.

The move follows a continuing decline in demand for the sedan models in the US as consumers increasingly turn to SUVs and pickups.

Reports cited president of the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) Dennis Williams as saying that the union is in ongoing discussions with GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler on ways of keeping US automobile plants operating at full capacity amidst falling car sales.

"We are talking to (GM) right now about the products that they currently have" at underused car plants such as Hamtramck in Michigan and Lordstown in Ohio, Williams said, adding, "We are tracking it (and) we are addressing it."

Sales of compact cars in the US have fallen 6.6 per cent over the first six months of this year while sales of full-size cars have dropped 6.6 per cent and those of sub-compact cars by 18.4 per cent.

Earlier this year, GM eliminated a shift at its Lordstown plant where it makes the Chevrolet Cruze.

Besides GM several other automaker are reviewing production plans amidst continuing decline in car sales

Industry sales of full-size sedans such as the LaCrosse, Impala and CT6 only accounted for 1.8 per cent of industry sales in June. Korean automaker Hyundai said earlier this month it would stop making the Azera, its full-size sedan.

Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen, however, ruled out a phasing out of the CT6, which is the flagship for the Cadillac brand.

''There is absolutely, if I could speak all capitals now, they'd be coming out of my mouth,'' de Nysschen, company president since July 2014, told Jalopnik. ''There is absolutely no plan, at all, to cancel the CT6.''

The Reuters report said GM is unlikely to phase out any of the models until 2020, but will put pressure on workers in 2019 when it is set to renegotiate its contract with all three Detroit automakers.

Meanwhile, some reports said, the Bolt - the first mass-market electric vehicle with a 200-mile-plus range - is also being subjected to negative reviews. General Motors said it is suspending production of the hatchback/crossover at its Orion Township (Michigan) production facility, where it makes the Bolt, for longer than usual in July.

This is happening just as Tesla is getting ready to crank up production of the Model 3 - a sporty sedan.