Chevrolet showed off its vision of a price-conscious $30,000 EV at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, with big hopes to beat rivals to the punch for a true electric vehicle for the masses. Naturally, GM will be gauging public reaction very closely to see how the concept is received, but we already know the car will likely not wear the Bolt name (which is okay by us because it’s mighty confusing to say Bolt and have people think you said Volt).
The Daily Herald caught wind of the concept before the vehicle officially debuted in Detroit, and also spoke to a source off the record on The General’s plans to bring the concept to market. The person briefed said General Motors will move forward on the Bolt concept, and wants to bring the car to dealers in 2017.
Doug Parks, GM’s vice president of global product development, said the company was working on a 200-mile range electric vehicle in 2013 with a price point of $35,000 in mind, confirming the fact GM is indeed racing against other automakers to be number one in the price segment first. Though, it seems Chevrolet already has some very stiff competition from Tesla.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk recently took to the Automotive News world congress stage to reaffirm his company’s Model 3 will beat the Chevrolet Bolt in every manor possible. Specifically, he announced the Model 3’s price point would be $35,000 before any federal tax credit for EVs. That’s a mighty proposition for a brand that many appear to covet. However, Chevrolet, with its army of dealers, could make the Bolt more available than the Tesla Model 3.
Chevrolet still has time to readjust its strategy with the Bolt concept’s pricing, and we know not to take everything Mr. Musk says to heart, so stay tuned as more information unfolds.
Comments
I hope they actually build this thing. I like it.
I believe in GM more than in Tesla Motors. The Model S had more than one year of setbacks before it was sold, and the Model X has the same setbacks, too. Tesla promises but cannot comply until much later, so the GM Bolt will be on sale before the fabled Model 3.
I would be shocked if we see the 3 by 2019 at the rate they are late on the other products. Then will they make enough changes physically to the S to make it more up to date. The styling will age on it and they will have to make a move here.
Right now their stock took a dip, Sales are not what were predicted in China, oil prices are down for now, his rocket crashed and his wife left him.
On another forum after all these things he will start talking about the people moving tubes again to deflect. Right on cue the next day he did.
Musk has done well to this point but there is so much more to do and it is like going faster in a car the First 100 MPH is easier than the next 50 MPH. He will not get free plants like he did in Fremont and he has still to get the battery plant done and then has to worry about capacity. He is relying on car sales to take most of the batteries but if he is late on cars and does not meet projections this could get ugly fast.
Add to this nearly all large MFG will have a Bolt like car in the near future will just make his task even more difficult.
I am not as Musk Zealot but I do hope Tesla makes it as we need all the EV companies to be productive to bring cost down and add more development.