Chevrolet Volt sales have declined 4.3% in May to 1,607 compared to a year ago. Meanwhile, EV sales industry-wide have increased 8.2%. And for the first five months of this year, the Volt trails both the more expensive, larger Tesla Model S and the smaller, cheaper Nissan Leaf in sales. Both of which are pure electric cars.
Coincidentally or not, Chevrolet is sweetening the deal on the Chevy Volt, cutting the MSRP of the 2013 model by $4,000, and $5,000 for leftover 2012 models. Meanwhile, the leasing deal has been revised to be a $269 monthly payment for a 36-month lease, but with $2,399 due at signing.
It’s widely known that GM is losing money on the Volt. But currently, Chevrolet dealers have mustered a 140-day supply of Volts in total, and they have to make room for the upcoming 2014 model-year Volt, as well. Regardless, the next-generation model is expected to arrive at a much more attractive MSRP, while offering far greater electric range, as GM stays committed to the Volt program.
Comments
just like any other high-tech electronic gadget (TV’s, DVD’s, PC’s) – the new models come out with more features and a lower price, making the old ones tough to sell.
That is why they need to reduce the price now on those models up to 2014 to transition into the gen 2 nicely. Otherwise why should I buy gen 1 now which I am thinking of doing but waiting for 2014 model and pricing. Yes a loss initially for up through 2014 but at least your keeping the people interested. Its risky to have me wait to gen2 for that price drop because something else might come out that steals me away from GM.
Do not buy a Volt. I didn’t say don’t get one, i said don’t buy one. Lease is the only way to go on this car at this time. Protects you from the certain depreciation that will occur when the next generation rolls out more capable and at thousands less. And if you lease one now in three years you can be driving (buying or leasing) the next generation while enjoying the benefits of the amazing technology and low cost per mile NOW. And if you are leasing what do you care if it’s a 2014 or a 2013? Not going to be any major changes.
I completely agree – the best part about leasing is knowing the future value of your car, no concern about the risk of a technology breakthrough making the value of your car less than a 8-track player.
If you’re one of those with a lot of money to spare, then you might be more likely to be the first ones to have new technology (remember the $1000 dvd players – somebody bought them, but the rest of us waited until they were $100). The bragging rights of being the first of your friends to have one means more than future value of what you bought. So targeting a higher end market, like the upcoming Cadillac e-rev might be a good strategy. Seems to be working somewhat with Tesla, but if a major carmaker made the exact same car it would probably sell better due to confidence of future service/support. My only concern is that the new electric Caddy might be to small to have that “look at me” status (remember Hummer?). I would have leased a Volt – couldn’t wait for the bragging rights, but the chopped roof made the cabin a little claustrophobic for me, so I went with a Cruze.
Still is $45k in Canada and $1000/month on 36-month term. If I had those lease options I likely would get on as a daily driver.
I actually see a lot of them around and only a couple Leafs… though, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen more Tesla Model S’ around than Volts and Leafs combined. I guess that is to be expected when I live in such a technology rich city full of wealthy ‘nerds’ from those companies. One of my friends is CEO of a start up tech company and just bought a Zero Motorcycle that has a range of 200km and gets something in the neighbourhood of 400MPGe combined and 4second 0-60mph. Looks good too.
Here in France we have the Volt with a crazy price! from 43500 euro!! in 2012 just 9 VOLT was sold in France and 56 OPEL AMPERA (more expensive then volt!)
Well the plug-in Prius is 43100 euro is it not? So the Volt in comparison is a pretty great deal.
yes 43.100, but for people here TOYOTA=reliability, chevrolet volt is very poorly marketed by GM here in France, Opel had for many here many reliability issue and one of the bad after sale customer service so people dont trust anymore, Chevrolet in France start to sell car from 1997, they start to sell daewoo cars with chevy logo, even now chevrolet is condidered like cheap ex daewoo cars made in korea
Exactly. Daewoo was a cheap car that most Koreans avoided like the plague. I live in South America and can tell you Chevy (daewoo) cars are junk compared to similar models from Hyundai, kia, Nissan, VW and about everyone else. GM still hasn’t got it right yet.
They are selling like crazy here in N Ohio. It is not uncommon to see more then 2-3 on one trip any more.
I suspect they may be trying to get these cars and parts used up as they may have the new second gen not too far out. This rebate may be testing the waters for the new lower priced second gen.
Do you remembre the year evrybody crying for the electrics car,because the fuel price was expensive ,now they have one on the market ,why people don’t get more volt,,remember some media crucified gm to destroy the v car,maybe they need a fuel crises to wakup people.dont forget the media like to crucified gm and politician you have some share in oil compagnie ….
In May there were just 3 Volts sold by the 17 area Rochester, NY Chevrolet dealers, and there have been just 14 sold here year to date. This makes those dealers that refused to buy the unnecessary $5000 battery depowering tool and instead dropped the program for 2013 look very smart. Great car, too expensive, and again, very poorly marketed by GM. Here’s hoping the next generation (if there is one) is more attractive, bigger, and comes in under $30k well equipped BEFORE any tax credits.
This car is a total failure, the price should be slashed in half, not by measly four grand to keep the sales going. Apparently GM did not learn the lesson from EV1 and continues to create these overpriced and underperforming technologically flawed vehicles.
Kind of like how the first cell phone, laptop, and MP3 players were all total failures?
Cellular phones were around since 1960’s. Try Beta video recorders if you want to make a smart azz remark. There is nothing new about technologies in Volt, these technologies are a band aid and when GM packages them, they are overpriced and overweight. If Volt was using a fuel cell, then you could talk. As usual, GM is late to lunch. Feel free to brag how much of success EV1 was.
Never been a fan of this car, yet recently I’ve had a change of opinion on it. Still wouldn’t buy one though, however with almost every manufacture producing some kind of hybrid for the niche audience it’s clear a few want such a model. In my opinion GM should cut their losses on this and chop it from the range replacing it with Malibu / Regal & / Insignia hybrids using the Volt technology. This would be a vast improvement & would sell for a simlar price whilst also due to the extra length GM would accommodate 5 seats into the package.
Giving it a lower price to get more out there, and give GM the “Green” automaker label would go a long way for image – the loss on each sale can be come from the marketing department budget. Based on owner loyalty and satisfaction ratings of the Volt (probably the highest of any car), it seems like those loss dollars will create more future sales than a couple of super bowl ads. No one knows for sure how much Toyota lost on each first gen Prius, but in the long run it definitely paid off in creating a green-car automaker image. Instead of thinking of it as a loss, it’s really an investment in future sales. I’ve even heard of people trading in their Tahoe’s for Sequoia’s thinking that just because it’s a Toyota it will be better on gas than the EPA ratings, even though the Toyota ratings are less. The Toyota salesmen use that line too, because they know a lot of people will fall for it – just because of the image. Ford has been advertising that they have better mpg’s in each class that their vehicles compete with Toyota, but few people care because they don’t have that green image.
Axing the volt and having a hybrid version of Malibu/Regal/Insignia would be a better option because it would be sold in the same package as the excellent diesels, great petrols, performance models, 4×4, V6, estate & LPG models it would add a extra desirability to the already desirable models mentioned. The market is still catered for, yet improved by a 5 seater product.
Sure axe the Volt, if your only thinking of the company 1 year down the road. But anybody knows that isn’t how you operate a company, especially a global power house. They are looking 5, 10 years down the road. GM has plans and goals for 2020, and you can sure as hell bet the Volt along with more Voltec mates are in that plan.
Yes but why have differing models in the range it’s costly & GM like others are in the business to make money. Replacing Volt with a better & upto date model that is established in the range & making money for GM would be better all round (not least it would quash the loss making rumours) of which it will continue to make a loss because of its limited potential in that the cost to build such a car is outweighing its profit because the car is built with just a hybrid in mind rather than hybrid, petrol, diesel & LPG & in a package such as saloon, hatch & estate (Malibu, Regal, Insignia), that to me is the future & not purpose built expensive model/s with limited appeal.
Very nice to get the French perspective – it sounds as if GM has lots of work to do there.
Market trust doesn’t just appear overnight. Overcoming those bad reputations can be
done ( see what Hyundai has done here ) but it takes years to do so.
Volt / Ampera is a completely new animal. It’s very “non-Chevy” or unlike any other car,
really. Nothing does what it does. Even V8 Jon cannot criticize it anymore – but just for
it’s seating of 4 rather than 5. Why? You have to drive it. Anybody – and I truly mean
anyone who criticizes the car without first taking it for a drive on local roads, rough
roads and highway is just foolish. I have a Prius and Volt in the garage, and the Prius
is just junk next to the Volt. Volt is solid and handles well – it’s ability to drive full electric
from 0 mph to 100 mph is unmatched. When drive batteries have charge – the car
does not switch back-and-forth from gas to electric constantly like normal hybrids do.
People with commutes less than 40 miles round trip can do so FULL ELECTRIC. When you
drive the car, other dynamics stick out – such as …even when the drive battery is fully
discharged ( except the rather large buffer ) it still drives silky silent electrically at parking
lot speeds. This is something every Prius driver – be it Plug-In, or standard hybrid – would die for!
When driving, the Volt feels planted, like a quality automobile, and it’s very futuristic
in every way. The ingenious transfer from electric to gas-assist is seamless, unlike Prius
Plug-In, and gliding down the road silently is such luxury! Your music from the Bose
stereo is so much more enjoyable. So nobody knock the Volt until you drive one.
People in the USA who will use these rebates will get a VERY NICE CAR that will save them
tons of money on gasoline – at a very good price, indeed.
Also – One who loves cars – ANY CARS – Must drive a Tesla Model S. This is undoubtedly
the finest auto ever made. It is hard to describe the experience, because there is no other
experience like it to compare it to. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen videos of dried-in-the-wool
V-8, V-12 gearheads-for-life driving the Model S and squeeling like a little boy’s first ride on
a bicycle! It’s just that cool. The rush of speed, the way it puts your back into the seat
while not hearing any noise, but a tad bit of tire noise is astonishing. No shifting – just brue
torque from 0 rpm. Once the supercharger networks are filled out in USA and Europe –
I think you will see Mercedes, BMW, Porsche and Audi ( and all the other high-end brands )
truly scared. The Model S is just so much better than the current vehicles they sell.
hi James,for the people here are, the real chevrolet are camaro and corvette, a large part of the problem comes from the automotive newpapers, each chevrolet test they say = chevrolet is made ​​in korea, so people think chevrolet are cheap cars.
I’ve a 2010 chevrolet cruze with vm motori ra 420 soch 2.0 diesel engine,i like my car (just the diesel engine is so noisy), never had problems , in the engine u can see the daewoo logo , the car is made ​​in korea with the Most of parts made ​​in china , india, indonesia, korea. The GM stategy in Europe is clear, opel must be the premium brand and the Chevrolet brand an entry level brand.
Still even two years in – we have to give applause to GM. Even as Tesla’s Model S is
so fantastic – it does have that one tiny flaw – OK… maybe 2. That is the waiting list
and price + it’s need to have Quick Charging stations where we need them and
in abundance. This will come but you will need patience.
On the other hand, Volt needs no charging – you can drive it like any other car. If
you have a long commute, but a standard outlet where you park at work – this
is a huge bonus to save a lot more money and flip the bird to the Arabs and
Venezuelans who hate our free ways of life. Today 63% of our fuel comes from
sources outside the USA.
To all here who keep saying “this price rebate is due to the 2nd gen coming out
in 2014″… You need to do more homework. 2014 Volt remains unchanged except
for two new color choices – a deeper grey and a dark brown. It’ll be the 2015
model year for Volt gen 2.
Everyone likes to compare Volt or electric cars to consumer electronics. This is not
so good of a comparison. Consumer electronics are relatively easy to upgrade and
improve year-to-year. Small and large improvements are not such a big deal
because the expense of the parts isn’t huge, and the parts are not many as in an
automobile. Cars take 4 – 8 years to show any serious major improvements. If a
person buys a Volt today – it’s not going to be obsolete like a 2 year old mobile phone
is. Creating a whole new car on a new platform – especially one with 2 power systems
like Volt – takes many years. The current Volt still will be a more efficient and high-tech
ride than anything we can see on the horizon from any other manufacturer – years out.
BMW will show us i3 and i8. Both overpriced and neither one will do what Volt does.
It’s food for thought.
James the fact Audi, BMW, Mercedes & Porsche omongst others are building hybrids convinced me. The market seems to be at the higher end & I feel a Insignia (Regal) / Malibu hybrid would be ideal & it would move the game on. The Ampera’s interior is very nice however I don’t feel the Volt/Ampera is the future, it’s too costly. It’s technology needs to go into GM’s bread & butter models & sold alongside other petrols & diesels in Malibu’s, Regal’s & Insignia’s etc. Volt is expensive to make because the car has been designed for one purpose, it should be axed & replaced by a more cost effective way of building hybrids.
Perhaps you haven’t heard of the Cadillac ELR? The current Volt is the first generation, in the second the price, weight and efficiency of the Volt will be addressed, as it should. Volt technologies are multi-decade platform that can easily incorporate improvements not just in battery and electric motor advancements, but as well as Fuel Cell and other alternative sources. That’s the brilliant part about the Volt
Export them, I say.
GM already does export the Volt. It looks better when it’s an Ampera.