Reuters: GM May Cancel Six Car Models In U.S., Including Chevrolet Volt

(RTTNews) - General Motors Co. (GM) is reviewing whether to cancel at least six passenger cars in the U.S. market after 2020, including the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the plans. The move comes amid falling sales of cars in the U.S. as well as rising demand for SUVs and pickups.

According to the Reuters report, the six slow-selling models at risk of being eliminated are the Chevrolet Volt, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Sonic.

The Chevrolet Volt could be replaced by GM in 2022 with a new gasoline-electric crossover model, the report added.

GM, the largest U.S. automaker, is said to be exploring producing more trucks and SUVs while killing off the six models produced at its underused car plants such as Hamtramck in Michigan and Lordstown in Ohio.

Reuters quoted the President of the United Auto Workers union or UAW, Dennis Williams, as saying that the union is in ongoing talks with GM about the potential threat to plants and jobs from falling car sales.

In late June, GM said it expects U.S. new vehicle sales in 2017 will be in the "low 17 million" units range, down from an earlier expectation in a range of "mid-17 million" units.

GM, Ford Motor Co. (F) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU) reported lower vehicle sales in the U.S. for the month of June.