Thailand Is The Latest Market Confirmed Not To Get 2016 Volt
4
Sponsored Links
A recent post from the Bangkok Post confirms Thailand as the latest market that will certainly not receive the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The news site speculates that it’s the absurdly high cost of the car after import that prevents its sale in Thailand.
The first-generation Chevrolet Volt was tried in limited quantity in the Thai market, more as a trial run than an intended countrywide release. But despite glowing reviews from the automotive press in Thailand, the first-gen Volt’s cost would have been prohibitively high, at a staggering 3 million Thai Baht or more (about $92,000 US).
Conversely, Toyota does produce some quantity of Prius hybrids within Thailand’s borders, which is the only factor allowing the hybrid to sell in high enough volume for Thai consumption. Of course, the plug-in version of that hybrid is only available in select places (Thailand not being among them), and the Bangkok Post reports that even that hybrid hangs in the balance moving forward as sales aren’t as successful as Toyota would have hoped.
Thailand joins Europe and Australia on the list of markets which won’t receive the 2016 Chevrolet Volt EV. The first-generation car had previously sold as the Opel Ampera in Europe, and the Holden Volt in Australia, but the plug-in is being dropped in 2016 due to lackluster sales.
Sponsored Links
The article caption said Aussies were unhappy – correction: we didn’t even bat an eye. Volt was overpriced here. A Caprice-V was cheaper and it was going up against its luxury small to medium rivals.
That and the Volt is just plain shit so it wouldn’t sell, much like most of the Holden range these days!
Somehow it seems possible to export vehicles to the US and for them to be competitive — but not the other way around. The Ampera was horribly overpriced and should have been a runaway hit where gas is $7 or $8 a gallon.
Why?
This directly impacts Cadillac strategy to be a world player if it can’t export any vehicles without them doubling in price.
The Chevy Volt isn’t available for sale at any of the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgen Islands. yet the Volt will fare better in tropical environments (Caribbean and Pacific) than in the cold northern states. This winter, most Volt owners will get less than 30 miles of range, but here in the tropics, the battery can give over 40 miles easily!
Come on, GM! Sell the Volt and Spark EV everywhere! The more the better! Toyota is selling more because they sell anywhere!