The Chevrolet Volt has been subtly tweaked and massaged for the 2019 model year, resulting in a $300-to-$550 price bump over the 2018 model. The biggest change is the addition of a 7.2-kW charging system – standard on the Premier trim, and available as a $750 option on LT – that allows the gas-range-extended PHEV to recharge in just 2.3 hours on a 240-volt home charger. The LT’s standard 3.6-kW charging system is the same as the 2018 model’s, resulting in 240-volt charge times that are about twice as long.
The Chevrolet Volt LT gets the smaller of the two price increases for 2019, rising $300 from a $34,095 base price to $34,395 including destination, according to CarsDirect. The Volt Premier’s base MSRP, meanwhile, increases $550 over 2018’s price tag, from $38,445 to $38,995 before options.
In addition to the Chevrolet Volt Premier’s standard 7.2-kW charging system, 2019’s price increases also help cover a new digital rearview camera, and a revamped infotainment system with a new Energy app. The Premier trim also gets a standard power drivers seat, and both trim levels boast an updated brake regeneration system and a feature that allows users to set a lower temperature for engine activation for cabin heating purposes.
In addition to the base MSRP increases for the 2019 Volt, there’s the matter of federal tax incentives. Plug-in buyers stand to receive a $7,500 federal tax credit for their purchase, but that’s only guaranteed for the first 200k plug-ins an automaker sells. After an automaker hits that threshold, the federal tax credit begins to phase out over the following one-and-a-half years. By the end of 2017, GM had built and sold some 165k plug-in vehicles, meaning the $7,500 credit is still in effect, but it could begin to phase out in the not-too-distant future.
Comments
This might be the best car that no one wants.
what’s going to happen when the $7500 credit gets dropped? does anybody want a $35K or $40K volt?
Although GM doesn’t advertise the car, I see more on my local roads lately. Likely, these smart car buyers compared the Toyota Prime and realized the Volt goes 60 miles on electricity alone vs. approx. 25 EV miles for the Prius with the plug.
I would say some of those sales are coming from Tesla Model 3 line standers (of whom I am one) who just wearied of waiting 2 years+ for their cars.
Model 3 proves people DO want electric cars. Its a shame GM has taken it’s course of building electrified vehicles into such a tight niche.
Honda Clarity PHEV is one ugly car that also has seen an uptick in sales.
The Clarity has the increased passenger space GM shorted from Volt so it wouldn’t steal sales from Cruze.
Legacy gas car companies seek narrow niches to introduce very limited production EVs. This way, they do not compete toe to toe with their high profit margin gas models. Even though Volt shares it’s platform with Cruze and Equinox, they made sure it was more 4 door sports coupe than 4 door sedan. Who wants a 4 door you Can’t comfortably seat 5 people in? This was by design, not mistake. Don’t let sly GM tell you it’s because the battery pack runs down the center. If this were true, they’d have made the headroom and legroom the same as the
Cruze.
You see, EVs just need less replacement parts and service than gas models do. Brake pads last well over 100,000 miles. No muffler. No cat converters, filters or hundreds of other oily friction parts to fix. That is a huge loss of revenue. Think about it next time you wait in line for your state mandated emissions test.
Bolt EV again proved this inane strategy of making a very few EVs to comply with mandates like CARB and those from THE EPA. Sure it’s a nice little commuter subcompact, but who needs that at $45,000? You need to build EVs in large quantities to bring costs down.
GM does not advertise these orphans and wishes they didn’t have to build them at all.
I contend with the idea nobody wants electric or electrified cars.
470,000 handraisers who put $1000 deposit on a Tesla Model 3 prove people DO want electric cars.
Volt is GM’s orphan 4 door sports coupe. It finally has some compliance car competition, yet I see more Volts than ever on my local streets. Its great looking, faster than a Corvette to 30 mph (look it up), smooth, quiet, clean and will save it’s owner tons in parts and maintenance costs. Many Volt owners never visit a gas station, but it’s not chained to a charging station either.
Prius Prime is another limited run compliance play by Toyota and it is outselling Volt each month. It has the Prius familiarity and MPG recognition laid down for years by it’s hybrid brethren. Prime buyers must not care that the car has looks only a mother could love, or EV range less than half that of the Volt. Volt even has 1/2 more seats than Prime, which only seats 4.
Honda’s Clarity PHEV would likely outsell Volt year over year had Honda decided to make more than a few thousand per year. While uglier than sin, it is Accord sized and comfortably seats 5 adults. To Honda’s credit, they have spent money advertising the Clarity Plug In on mass media such as TV, something GM refuses to do with Bolt and Volt.
GM could easily sell more Volts each year than it sells Malibus, had they not relegated it to the no back seat, no rear headroom, no advertising dollars dark corner they’ve committed it to. GM joined the Auto Alliance to petition Congress to lower EPA regulations or just plain remove the agency altogether. GM speaks more loudly with it’s lawyers and lobbyists than it does with it’s wonderful engineers and it’s gigantic marketing department- They don’t want to build these cars.
Is it any wonder they tell us, “nobody wants them”? You seriously do not buy that hogwash, do you?