General Motors (GM)starts Cadillac ELR production at Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant

Part of GM's overall plan to boost production of electrified vehicles, including p hybrids using GM's eAssist system, to nearly 500,000 annually by 2017.

General Motors (GM) has started the production of its 2014 Cadillac ELR electric vehicle (EV) at the company's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan (United States). The initial lot of the new ELR constitutes pre-production vehicles which will be used for trial purposes by engineers. The automaker expects to start manufacturing the plug-in electric luxury coupe for consumers later this year. The new ELR is equipped with a 1.3-liter gasoline (petrol) engine which acts as a generator for an electric motor, delivering power of 207 hp and torque of 295lb-ft. The vehicle could be priced between USD60,000 and USD70,000. It will be introduced in the North American market in 2014, followed by a debut in Europe and China by 2015.