It turns out that General Motors may have underestimated how popular the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV would become in Canada. According to a new report from Green Car Reports on Tuesday, buyers face lengthy delays.
Toronto-area dealerships are reportedly telling Bolt EV customers that it may be 8 to 12 months before the battery-electric car is back in stock. GM Canada confirmed the delays with the publication.
“There is currently a waiting list for the Bolt EV in Canada. This is not uncommon with launch products, particularly such unique game changers like the Bolt EV. We have also seen an increase in demand for the popular Volt,” Amanda Michalik said in a statement.
Last year, GM sold 2,100 Bolt EVs in Canada. However, Chevrolet Volt sales remain strong up north, too. GM sold around 4,300 Volts in Canada last year, too.
Although GM Canada confirmed the delay, the spokesperson did not provide a solid timetable for when Bolt EVs will reach Canadian dealerships once again.
Comments
Why can’t GM supply the Bolts needed in Canada? What does GM say about it? They are missing out on lots of sales?
Thanks
Battery shortage is these problem for both sides Canada and these us.
Or with all the cancellations, you could buy a Tesla. Lol The take rate on reservations is only about 30%.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-03/why-most-electric-cars-are-leased-not-owned
Bloomberg states 80% all of EV buyers lease; unless something changed in the past few weeks, you cannot lease the Model 3, you’re limited to the larger battery, RWD only, the least powerful motor and are forced to buy $5000 luxury package…Many including myself have been very vocal critics to this limited offering, in particular, the forced luxury package and the inability to lease when 80% of your market wants to…
Put it all together and it would be like pre-ordering the XT4 and when your number is called, you can only get the 2WD hybrid which is slower and more expensive but it gets better mpg/range than the base along with forcing you to buy $5000 some premium package…
However, a rejection of the current offering is not necessarily a cancellation with refund…If you reject when your number is called you’re still in the queue…Supposedly the AWD model and performance version will come out soon…
Leasing isn’t going to happen when Tesla is being financed with high rate junk bonds. They are simply not competitive.
Everybody wants to lease electrics because residuals are so poor due to battery cost and evolving tech.
Model Ss/Xs can both be leased and typically have highest resale values compared to other EVs; most vehicles including ICE at the $75K typically do not hold their values well anyways…
Your second sentence of “residuals are so poor” is the prevailing theory to why the early release Model 3s do not have a leasing product…Offer would be too high, too few would lease therefore why bother offering it…
The primary reason to why people lease EVs are half of all EVs are sold in California a ZEV credit state, so you hear these crazy low lease offers if you can qualify for several incentives…Secondary reason is FOMO, lease a Bolt EV today and hopefully lease a Buick Enspire with supercruise in three years…
Tesla has been subsidizing super low lease rates all over, especially in the later part of last year and they have been controlling the resale of those vehicles. With their last junk bond issue late last year at 6.75% + fees, it becomes much harder to continue that practice. Subsidies were exceeding 20K in late 2017.
I’m not talking about California but in other areas, hybrids and full electrics like the Leaf depreciate like crazy mainly because people are terrified of replacement battery cost.
Teardown analysis:
This is the bottom line on Tesla’s Model 3:
“Munro compared the Model 3 build quality to a KIA from the 90s.
In view of the Model 3’s highly advanced electronics and battery, and its excellent suspension, Munro sees the car as a terrible missed opportunity for Tesla.”
The full interview can be seen here: (It’s AAH # 417)
http://www.autoline.tv/journal/?cat=1513&mc_cid=d842e3ab04&mc_eid=f82f544565
Despite Tesla already responding to the “door handles requires two hands” and its “very heavy”, its already outdated, the early vehicles weren’t perfect yet were sound as the crash rating of “Superior” was just released today…Here’s the follow-up with them driving it and being very impressed…
“In Autoline’s prior video with Sandy Munro, he pointed out build-quality problems with the Tesla Model 3. But when it comes to driving the car he has a very different opinion.”
I’ve seen it all. It wasn’t all negative but in terms of assembly quality, he clearly stated that he hadn’t seen anything like it since the Kias of the 90’s. And the second car he tore down, he stated, was no different.
I saw my first 3, 2 weeks ago. It was a recent build and not a single gap on the car was the same. On the hood, I could fit my index on one side and could barely fit a key on the other. Musk should be ashamed of releasing beta quality cars and it puzzles me how anybody could defend such mediocrity. They are not doing Tesla any favour by accepting this.
Being in L.A. I see them daily and I do see gaps from time to time, the consensus is its continually improving…If there are gaps, those customers could happily reject the vehicle at delivery, I personally would not…They don’t care…
As Munroe pointed out in the teardown, the gaps are indicative of other more significant assembly issues. I’m a fan of their designs and of electric cars but personally I would wait until they have everything figured out. Like you said, they have the big stuff right such as handling and electronics. A friend of mine is getting a Model 3 in June. He knows the issues but he wants it right now. He’s on his 3rd heart attack, so his patience is limited.
In Canada, gasoline is more than expensive in the US and many cities offer subsidized free/low cost charging stations…There can be some very generous incentives, up to $14,000…That’s a large part of the demand…
Well wait if Doug Ford gets in…
Why wait.. just cross the border into the United States then buy a Chevrolet Bolt then drive home and given that the Chevrolet Bolt is an EV means that there’s no emission concerns as a Chevrolet Bolt designed for Canadian sale shouldn’t be any different than buying from the United States.
If you do that you won’t be able to claim the Electric Car rebate ($14K in Ontario, $8K in Québec).
And there are significant costs involved…