use smaller amounts of rare earth metals. GM engineers explained that the second generation Volt was developed using extensive input from Volt owners. These improvements allow the 2016 Volt to deliver better EPA ratings than the first generation model. The all-electric range was officially rated at , up from attained by the 2015 Volt. The gains in efficiency allow the second generation Volt to improve its combined fuel economy in gasoline-only (charge-sustaining) mode to , up from for the previous model. The official second generation Volt's rating for combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode is 106 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe; 2.2Le/100km), up from 98MPGe (2.4Le/100km) for the 2015 first generation model. The combined gasoline-electricity fuel economy rating of the 2016 model year Volt is equivalent, 82MPGe (2.9Le/100km) in city driving and 72MPGe (3.3Le/100km) in highway. Both the all-electric range and fuel economy ratings are the same for the 2017 model year Volt. In April 2013, CEO Daniel Akerson announced that GM expects the second generation Volt to be priced on the order of to lower than the 2013 model year with the same features. The 2016 Volt pricing started at before any government incentives, plus for destination. The starting price was lower than the 2015 Volt. In California, order books for the second generation Volt were opened on May 28, 2015. In July 2014, Opel announced that due to the slowdown in sales, they would discontinue the Ampera after the launch of the second generation Volt—and that between 2014 and 2018, Opel planned to introduce a successor electric vehicle in Europe. General Motors announced in February 2016 that the all-electric Opel Ampera-e hatchback would go into production in 2017. This is the European version of the Chevrolet Bolt EV. In April 2015, General Motors confirmed that it would not build the second-generation Volt in right-hand-drive configuration. Due to low sales, only 246 units had been sold in Australia by mid-April 2015, and they discontinued the Holden Volt once they sold the remaining stock. Notes: 1. The EPA run tests used a reproducible methodology to produce results that can be compared between vehicles and test sites. Production, price and sales North America Assembly of the Volt was assigned to Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant following the UAWGM conclusion of the 2007 contract talks. For initial production the gasoline engine is being imported from the Opel engine plant in Aspern, Austria.