GM to Produce Cadillac Converj Electric Vehicle

General Motors Co. plans to manufacture the Cadillac Converj extended-range electric vehicle, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

The automaker plans to manufacture the luxury electric coupe sometime after 2012, Lutz told the Society of Automotive Analysts on the eve of the Detroit auto show.

“The Cadillac Converj is cleared for production,” Lutz said. He wouldn’t commit to a production date. “You’ll see it when you see it. It won’t be next year or the year after that.”

Converj is the second plug-in extended-range electric vehicle GM plans to produce with its Voltec electric system, he said. The first is the Chevrolet Volt, due out in November. GM says the cars will be able to drive about 40 miles on an electric charge before tapping into a gasoline generator for power. The automaker expects the Volt to earn a fuel-economy rating of 230 miles per gallon.

Lutz also said the company expects to be profitable when “industry demand” returns to a normal level and said he has no knowledge of any plans to ship tooling for Saab vehicles to China as part of the brand’s wind-down.

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