The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is a lone wolf in the marketplace. With no direct competitors at its respective price point and a small pool of consumers in the market for a battery electric vehicle, dealers are having difficulty reading the market in general.
In turn, that’s created an interesting pricing situation. While some dealers have reportedly been price gouging the 2017 Bolt EV, other dealers are discounting the car already, with some dipping deeper into the MSRP than others.
Automotive News reports the price gap that has opened up regarding the Bolt EV affects rural areas more than urban. Where dealerships are fewer and far between, the Bolt EV costs consumers more and potentially more than the MSRP. However, in urban areas, some dealers are slashing up to $5,200 from the MSRP, making the Bolt EV a steal.
“We’re here to sell cars, and we’re in a smaller town, so we need to be a little bit more aggressive,” Marty Greenwood, managing partner of Greenwood Chevrolet in Hollister, California, said. “We just watch the market and what’s going on out there. What is the magic number to move the vehicle?”
As the Bolt EV continues to trickle into more states throughout 2017, the gap will likely close as certified Bolt dealers become more commonplace. The Northeast region of the U.S. will receive the Bolt EV next, and nationwide availability is scheduled for September of this year with the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Comments
These things are selling in California. I see them everywhere.
If GM isn’t already working on the Gen 2 Bolt….
I want bigger vision than that. I want the Volt/Bolt thing to spread to other vehicles YESTERDAY.
Dealers wonder why they get the reputation they do by price gouging. Spending $40,000 – $45,000 for a Bolt EV, you’ll never recoup any kind of saving from going electric. Dealers are cutting into the tax incentives that are being offered and they know it. You are better off buying a Sonic or a Spark for fully loaded for around the $17,000 – $21,000 (depending on the vehicle). You are saving $20,000 – $25,000 on a sale. You maybe spend $500-$800 more on gas a year because you 30+ MPG for the vehicles. Surprised GM doesn’t come down hard on the dealers.
400 Bolts sold in 2 hours in S Korea without any National new c overage. Sad if was Tesla they would have jumped all over it.