Chevrolet remains keen to learn from its mistakes after a sluggish launch of the first-generation Chevrolet Volt. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t the prettiest, either.
Autoblog had a chance to catch up with General Motors new product and public policy communications chief, Shad Balch, during the 2015 AltCar Expo, and the attitude towards the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV rings extremely optimistic.
Specifically, Balch made sure the Chevrolet Bolt EV made the trek to California for the event, as California remains one of the largest markets for electric vehicles.
The most encouraging part for us out here, being in the market … to be able to explain that we are committed to marketing this car the right way. … We’re trying to make that known as much as possible, because that is the number one criticism that we hear. That’s why events like these are so important, because we can’t wrap up into a 30-second spot what these cars are capable of. I can’t even explain it to you in 10 minutes what it’s like. But the thing is, driving an EV is, in every proof point, better than a gas-powered car, except for charging.
He also touched on the one major problem looming for the 2017 Bolt EV: federal tax incentives. GM has a fair shot at hitting the 250,000 vehicle mark by the time the 2017 Bolt EV rolls out of the Orion Assembly, and Balch said GM is working with the government to show them the data, and possibly extend and expand incentives for the vehicle.
It’s very difficult to keep everybody up to speed and for dealers to even know what the incentives currently are. It ebbs and flows. I mean here in California, we’ve had to have our dealers get up to speed on IOUs from the state, to all of the sudden, the cash is back so we can give you a rebate check here. We need continuity. We need a consistent policy to incentivize these cars to be purchased, at the volume and at the level that will help us sell and meet [the efficiency] standards.
Recently, GM product chief, Mark Reuss, commented the 2017 Bolt EV may come to market under $30,000 after tax credits, making the 200-mile range EV a very competitive offering within the market.
Balch further commented, saying GM has basically fast-tracked the car to production after an overwhelmingly positive response at the 2015 North American International Auto Show last January. The 2017 Bolt EV is expected to be introduced as a 2017 model-year vehicle.
Comments
With the ever increasing CAFE requirements, GM needs to sell lots of Volts and Bolts to be able to sustain those wildly profitable full size truck and SUV sales.
They need to tap their employee base with some great two or three year subsidized leases. Not only does this get them CAFE credits, it might help give the vehicles a kick start in a cost competitive way.
I would like to see Chevrolet expand its Bolt platform in two ways:
—Create a “sports” model by increasing the Bolt’s power and improve its steering, handling and brakes to at least the level of the BMW i3, and better if possible;
—Take the improved Bolt above, modify its styling and interior to appear more upmarket and sell it as a Buick for around $45,000.
I think both of these “modified” Bolts should be great sellers for Chevrolet and initiate a new era of electric car acceptance among American car buyers.
Frank J. Landers
Encore Bolt would work for me. Saves MUCHO designing costs.
Really — BOLT and VOLT could be branding for various GM cars that already exist. ENCORE BOLT, TERRAIN VOLT — that sort of thing.
One real issue with the SUV/CUV going electric. Too much frontal area. You would see a noticeable cut in range. That is why you have not seen many do much here yet.
Even the Tesla is more car like and lower.
Well electric will continue to be a slow growth segment that will continue to gain ground. For GM they will relay on all things from ICE, Diesels and possible a Hydrogen model to go with the EV.
Much of the EV items will be used in building Hybrids too that will continue to improve and grow in sales as they become better and cheaper.
Also you need to factor in that GM and all other automakers can earn credits for the CO improvement of a car to the CAFE. This means new heater systems, More LED lights and even smaller engines that all cut Co emissions.
This is going to take a full hand to win this game and not just EV alone unless they get a battery that has over 200 Miles and can charge in the time of a fill of a tank and cost the same as a gas powered car. Also the infrastructure needs to continue to improve as most of the country still has no place to charge.
Don’t get me wrong I love the Bolt and Volt but they are only part of the solution here and will grow to be a bigger part in time but there is still much to overcome.
Might GM’s optimism about marketing the Bolt be yet another case of drinking corporate Kool-Aid? It’s astounding that they are proceeding with the Chevy “Bolt” name, which obviously will create brand confusion with the Chevy Volt. However, apparently no one at GM has the courage to speak up internally and remove this unnecessary obstacle to the launch of what looks like a great car. The Chevy Volt (not Bolt) is a terrific vehicle, whose sales have suffered due to ineffectual marketing; is GM going to fumble it again with the Bolt (not Volt)?
I’m not sold that it builds brand confusion.
At the same time does it create sub-brand unity?
Bolt or Volt – two variations of the same thing to a customer, one is a small electric only, one is larger with gas support?
Especially if the game plan is to decrease the role of the gas motor in Volt 3.0, which I fully anticipate to more of “range extender” status like the BMW i3.
So while I hear the concern about concern about brand confusion when in fact they may not WANT you to discern the difference. Show up at a dealer and decide- you want small battery only or larger with gas range extension? Kind of like the difference between a 1500 and a 2500. Sounds pretty similar…
I Like this and the volt, Too bad they are government forced pipe dreams. Electric cars WILL NOT be a viable solution for reducing pollution. They simply move the emissions from the tail pipe to the electric plant. Never mind the cost and pollution of mining, making and transporting the batteries.
I do see it as a expensive yet marketable niche. Just like with super cars, or hard core off-roaders; there IS a small but well-heeled group who will pay for the “image” of environmental friendliness.
“Balch said GM is working with the government to show them the data, and possibly extend and expand incentives for the vehicle.” There is a solution. Have the government give incentives only to North American brands (Ford, GM, and TM), and take it away from the importers from Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, and France. Those nations all take money from the buyers, so why give them Federal money, too?
So. It is now 2018, and I have yet to see a single BOLT advertised on TV. Is this a result of GM’s “committment” to aggressive marketing of their One and only all-electric vehicle? GM does not care about EVs and it is obvious. Well, good luck with your continuing “dinosaur mentality”. You derserve to reap what you sow!