Chevrolet Volt Sales Decrease 28 Percent To 2,520 Units In Q1 2019
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Chevrolet Volt sales increased in the United States and South Korean while remaining stable in Mexico during Q1 2019.
The circumstance is expected given that the model was discontinued earlier this year.
Chevrolet Volt Sales - Q1 2019 - United States
In the United States, Chevrolet Volt deliveries totaled 2,520 units in Q1 2019, a decrease of about 28 percent compared to 3,478 units sold in Q1 2018.| MODEL | Q1 2019 / Q1 2018 | Q1 2019 | Q1 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLT | -27.54% | 2,520 | 3,478 |
Chevrolet Volt Sales - Q1 2019 - Mexico
In Mexico, Chevrolet Volt deliveries totaled 12 units in Q1 2019, flat compared to 12 units sold in Q1 2018.| MODEL | Q1 2019 / Q1 2018 | Q1 2019 | Q1 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLT | 0.00% | 12 | 12 |
Chevrolet Volt Sales - Q1 2019 - South Korea
In South Korea, Chevrolet Volt deliveries totaled 10 units in Q1 2019, a decrease of about 94 percent compared to 160 units sold in Q1 2018.| MODEL | Q1 2019 / Q1 2018 | Q1 2019 | Q1 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLT | -93.75% | 10 | 160 |
Competitive Sales Comparison
Chevy Volt sales performance during Q1 2019 places it into seventh place among its competitive set, falling from fifth place in Q4 2018. The Volt followed the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, its corporate stablemate – the Chevy Bolt EV, Honda Clarity, Hyundai Ionic, and Nissan Leaf. That said, the Volt did manage to outsell the BMW i3, Volkswagen e-Golf, and Toyota Mirai.
It’s important to note that the Prius and Clarity have a notably broader lineup than the Volt, a circumstance that naturally causes higher sales volumes:
- Toyota Prius is offered in two body styles as well as a traditional, non-pluggable hybrid as well as a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV)
- Honda Clarity is offered in one body style but with plug-in hybrid, pure electric and fuel cell powertrains.
As such, some of these models are equipped with lesser powertrains, and therefore have prices that are roughly $10,000 lower than those of the Volt.
Sales Numbers - Mainstream Alternative Energy Vehicles - Q1 2019 - United States
| MODEL | Q1 19 / Q1 18 | Q1 19 | Q1 18 | Q1 19 SHARE | Q1 18 SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA PRIUS | -45.77% | 12,058 | 22,235 | 33% | 52% |
| HONDA INSIGHT | * | 5,500 | * | 15% | 0% |
| CHEVROLET BOLT EV | -1.35% | 4,316 | 4,375 | 12% | 10% |
| HONDA CLARITY | +19.63% | 3,968 | 3,317 | 11% | 8% |
| HYUNDAI IONIQ | -12.85% | 3,310 | 3,798 | 9% | 9% |
| NISSAN LEAF | +5.50% | 2,685 | 2,545 | 7% | 6% |
| CHEVROLET VOLT | -27.54% | 2,520 | 3,478 | 7% | 8% |
| BMW I3 | -51.73% | 964 | 1,997 | 3% | 5% |
| VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF | +59.81% | 863 | 540 | 2% | 1% |
| TOYOTA MIRAI | -24.89% | 347 | 462 | 1% | 1% |
| TOTAL | -14.54% | 36,531 | 42,747 |
The overall sales volume of mainstream alternative energy vehicles decreased 15 percent in Q1 2019. The meager sales volume and adoption rate of new energy vehicles is concerning to many automakers, suppliers and observers – as projections for their sales have not correlated with real-world sales performance.
The GM Authority Take
Chevrolet Volt sales results during the first quarter are not surprising given that the model has officially been discontinued. The circumstance has had many fans and observers puzzled, given just how great the Voltec powertrain is, and how relevant it remains in today’s world of vehicle powertrain electrification.
Here’s to hoping that The General brings back the Voltec powertrain in another body style in the near future. After all, Hyundai somehow managed to bring an entire alternative vehicle range to market with the Ioniq, and it appears to be doing relatively well in the marketplace.
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Volt Q1 2018 sales
- In the United States, there were 76 selling days in Q1 2019 and 76 selling days in Q1 2018
- South Korea sales figures reflect actual vehicle registrations rather than wholesales
- China sales figures represent retail deliveries and not wholesales
- Toyota Prius sales include Prius C, Prius and Prius Prime
- Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell
- Hyundai Ioniq sales include Ioniq Electric, Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid
- Honda Clarity sales include Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, Clarity Electric and Clarity Fuel Cell
- Honda Insight sales Insight Hybrid
- Tesla sales numbers unavailable, since the automaker does not share sales figures
About Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV). The first-generation model was introduced for the 2011 model year. It rode on a variant of the GM Delta II platform shared with the first-generation Chevrolet Cruze and Buick Verano (sold in Europe as the Opel/Vauxhall Astra J) and was powered by the first-generation Voltec propulsion system, consisting of a 5.5-foot, 435-pound (198.1 kg) T-shaped, 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that sends energy to an advanced 111-kW (149-hp) electric drive unit to propel the vehicle.
This delivered a pure electric driving range of between 25 and 50 miles, depending on terrain, driving techniques and temperature. When the battery energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly transitions to extended-range mode. Power is inverted from a 1.4L 63 kW (84 horsepower) gasoline-powered onboard engine to the electric drive unit to provide up to 344 additional miles of range, for a total range of 379 miles. The first-generation model ended production for the 2015 model year, at which point it was replaced by the current, second-generation model starting with the 2016 model year.
Riding on the GM D2 platform, the second-generation Volt is powered by the second-generation Voltec electric drive system that consists of an 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an Ecotec 1.5L gas-powered range extender that delivers 53 miles of EV range and 420 miles total driving range.
The 2018 Chevy Volt represents the third model year of the second-generation Volt. It gets three new colors, the replacement of leather for vinyl on the steering wheel and shift knob cover on the LT model (leather-wrapped versions are optional), and the introduction of a new optional Driver Confidence Package on the LT trim level that consists of Rear Park Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert.
For the 2019 model year, the Volt receives several notable changes, including two new exterior colors, improvements to the interior in the form of new infotainment systems, better power seat adjusters, new patterns for cloth seat fabrics, and - perhaps most notably - a new 7.2 kW high-voltage charger.
Both generation of the Chevrolet Volt have been built exclusively at the GM Detroit-Hamtramck factory operated by GM USA. Starting in 2017, the second-generation model is sold in China as the Buick Velite 5.
Industry rumblings have suggested that the Volt will exit production in 2022 and be replaced by a crossover utility vehicle with the Voltec powertrain. Then, in November 2018, GM announced plans to discontinue the Volt and shutter the Detroit-Hamtramck plant where it is built.
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It’s amazing and somewhat gratifying how much the automotive press, including GMA, has taken note of the Volt’s excellence in engineering design, performance, and customer satisfaction. Thank you for your intellectual honesty. What a shame that all the promise that the Volt represented could be so cavalierly tossed aside by Mary Barra and GM management.
One can only hope that some day, some one can make them see reality and perhaps, before it is too late, have them reconsider their decision to throw away the Voltec technology. GM’s original plan for the EREV Volt and it’s sister EREV CUV in 2022, properly marketed, would have put GM at the top of the EREV segment and perhaps even the entire general PHEV segment.
Again, what a shame.
Tom . I have been a Prius owner of (2) styles and visiting both Berlin and Vancouver, BC they are very popular as taxi cabs and as general transportation. The Volt rides better, has better technology for the drive train, but does not have the distinctive style for identification. The Volt looks too much like a Chevrolet Cruz and not its own style. OI will be turning my Volt in from a lease in about 10 months and I don’t know what I will do. I would like a small SUV that is higher off the ground and I would like the 60 miles of electric and a range extender when needed. The only plug-in vehicle that has gas and electric that qualifies for the $7500.00 tax rebate is the Pacificia from Chrysler getting 33 miles of electric. Ford is coming out with a new Escape that may get 30 miles of electric. Will the Escape qualify for a full $7500.00 rebate, I don’t know.
Where do we go from here?
The answer is simple: Keep your Volt (or buy a new one) for now and pray GM comes to its senses and puts the Voltec power train in a small SUV as part of its “all electric future”. You can still get a $3750 tax rebate, perhaps the full $7500 if DC extends the program for GM and Tesla.
Today I went out and my 2018 Volt was showing 58 estimated miles of electric range (and I often get a couple more than the initial estimate); still the best spec available for a EREV/PHEV! Chevy engineers supposedly studied the statistics and found 50 miles of electric range would cover about 95% of city/suburban travel. We have found by personal experience that they were exactly right. Unless we take a long road trip, we never have to buy gasoline. Our Volt is the best car we have ever owned! Don’t let yours go until you find a truly competitive replacement. (The Honda Clarity PHEV reportedly comes close.)
that is the problem with this entire segment. buyers will not buy without the incentives.
the volt was limping along with the incentives. without the incentives, it is completely dead.
Steve: Give me a break! GM has to put incentives on almost everything it sells, even when it does actually market them (which it didn’t do with the Volt!). Once I learned what the Volt actually was, and drove one and convinced the dealer that he really wanted to sell me one, I would have bought it without any incentives.
I have admitted that this segment was limited, especially when Toyota was so successful in marketing the vastly inferior Prius to the uninformed masses, but to say the Volt is completely dead without them is simply not true. Even with the reduced tax credits and GM announcing its demise, it is still selling, with less of a % decline in 2019Q1 than the much vaunted Prius! So, exactly what axe are you attempting to grind?
w/o the tax incentives, how much would gm have to put on the hood for people to buy?
a few thousand to make up for the decreased tax incentives? there goes their slim profit margin.
what happens when the tax incentives are completely removed later this year? is gm going to put 7500 on the hood? then they’ll be deep in the red.
i don’t understand why you think there is a market for a $37500 fairly generic looking plug-in.
for that much money, i can get a very nice ICE or an EV + the $7500 credit from another manufacturer. or i can get a honda insight that gets 50+mpg for $25K and put $10K in the bank.
anyway, i’m glad you love your volt. i like the volt too but not at that price.
I assume from your comments that you have never really owned or driven a Volt, so I fully understand why you do not understand why some people who appreciate a truly refined, technically superior, automobile love the Volt so much and would pay a substantial premium to get [another] one. And as my mother taught me, looks aren’t everything, even though I think the Volt is quite attractive.
Unfortunately, due to GM’s pathetically bad marketing of the Volt (and most of their other products) most potential customers never even got the chance to try one.
You are right about one thing: now that the foreign manufacturers are finally catching up with the Voltec technology, they will pick up the future sales that GM has thrown away.
yes dear. you are right and i’m wrong. please forgive me.
I may keep my 2017 Volt until something comes out better. There is nothing out that is better. I get about 63 miles indicated that the battery can go. It hasn’t changed. It is very quiet inside and the change from electric to engine is seamless. I cannot tell which mode it is in. It might be good to program the vehicle to save some battery for long trips to run in a hybrid mode.
I don’t think GM felt that the general public is ready for electric. In El Paso, TX, there are few electrics. The Prius is picking up a little but not yet with the taxi. Gas is too cheap to think other than big trucks. When you are at $5.00/ gallon then electric is cost effective. There are more and more electric options for 2020. I have never seen a Bolt and I just came across a Prius Plug-in at our gym with tags from Arizona. I have been driving electrics for about 10 years.
The Volt automatically reserves a small amount of charge for use in the ICE extended range mode which is in fact hybrid operation. I have a 2018 Volt and on long trips, especially out in the mountains, I use “Mountain Mode” which I assume the 2017 has also. That reserves about 10 miles more of battery range for better performance in climbing long hills. You can also use the “Hold Mode” to reserve whatever charge you are at when you initiate it. I wish you could dial the charge level you wanted and have the ICE charge it to that point and hold it there; as I understand the “Hold” mode you cannot increase the charge level over what it was when you initiate it, thus you have to start with significant charge to begin with. If anyone knows a hack around this limitation, please so inform. But, as you point out, the Voltec programming is so flawless and seamless that in 99% of all driving situations all you need to do is put it in drive and step on the gas. I and my husband are retired power conversion/system engineers and are totally impressed with the engineering that went into the Volt, I don’t think either of us has seen a consumer product so well thought out, what a shame that it seems destined for the scrap heap.
Suzy Q. that is interesting about your 2018 Volt. My 2017 doesn’t have that feature. I am sure the power engineers looked at all kinds of possible settings. I guess they could have let the customer have a say in configuration. I am not ready to throw away the engine, just yet. I did see a Bolt over the weekend. My first look at one. It was the Premier for about $42,000. The only thing missing was the electric seat and lumbar adjustment. I miss comfortable seating. I think there was room to add a spare tire. Those would not have increased sales. They needed a Steve Jobs type design concept person to create desire. I do think the Bolt is moving that way but not enough to send it over the top. Maybe it needs a smiley face for distinction. Maybe they tried that. Toyota look more like mad dog faces from the front. Just a thought.
Tom, We also missed the electric seat option in the 2018 Volt, our 15 year old Buick has it with automatic driver position programming. Disappointed to find I could not get it even as an option on the 2018 Volt Premiere; though I think it was finally offered on the 2019, just as soon as the Volt was discontinued. By the way, Chevrolet did offer a spare tire kit for the 2018 which also included a real jack! Takes a bit of room in the “trunk” but I felt, since we were planning a 5000 mile road trip, including the Western deserts, I really did not want to be without a jack and a spare tire. We had plenty of room for our luggage and we (two of us) don’t travel light. Check at the parts desk, I bet they still sell the spare tire kit for the 2017.