General Motors said Wednesday it expects to sell more than 2,500 Chevrolet Volts in August, the best month ever for the extended-range electric vehicle.
The Volt, which has been dogged by political sniping, won't meet the automaker's original sales projections of 45,000 vehicles in 2012. But the company backed off those projections several months ago -- and the car has outperformed its chief competitors, including the all-electric Nissan Leaf, sales of which have plummeted.
"We're really seeing momentum continuing to build," said GM spokeswoman Michelle Malcho. "As people see their neighbors have one and as they start to understand the technology and are able to drive it, they put it into their consideration."
The news comes after GM said earlier this week that it would idle production at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant -- where the Volt is produced -- from Sept. 17 through Oct. 15 to install equipment needed to produce the 2014 Chevrolet Impala. The company disputed reports that the idling was connected to disappointing sales.