Now that GM has discontinued the Chevrolet Volt, we keep wondering about the automaker’s plans to integrate the excellent Voltec powertrain into another crossover SUV. But the fact of the matter is that GM almost brought such a vehicle to market years ago as the Chevrolet Volt MPV5.
Sometimes referred to as the CrossVolt, the Volt MPV5 was announced at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show. It was a pseudo-crossover, appearing more like an MPV-style minivan rather than a full-fledged crossover SUV. The vehicle bears a strong resemblance to the first-generation Chevrolet Orlando that was being launched at the time as well as the first-generation Chevrolet Volt, with an exterior design that’s a mix of Volt and Orlando, and a cockpit lifted straight from the Volt.
A few years later, it was evident that GM had no intention to bring Chevrolet Volt MPV5 to market, a move we questioned, since the vehicle would have made a solid rival to the Ford C-MAX Energi. Even now, with the growing demand for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids as well as red-hot demand for crossover SUVs, we’re scratching our heads as to why GM didn’t scale its Voltec powertrain by expanding its use to other models.
The strategy of spreading development costs of an electrified powertrain across a bevy of models isn’t new. Toyota was the first to do so with its hybrid technology by introducing it in the Prius dedicated hybrid, then hybridizing regular models like the Camry and Highlander, and then creating a family of Prius models. Meanwhile, Volvo currently sells a variety of plug-in hybrid cars and SUVs based on the same platform it calls SPA and the Hyundai Group is maximizing the scale of a single EV architecture with vehicles like the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Soul EV and Kia Niro EV. Each of these vehicles is essentially the same car with different bodies and aimed at entirely different segments.
It’s worth underlining the superiority of the Chevrolet Volt when compared with other plug-in hybrid cars and SUVs currently on sale. In its second iteration, the Voltec powertrain could travel up to 53 miles before its gasoline range-extender generation (engine) fired up. The only competitor that comes close to this is the plug-in hybrid variant of the Honda Clarity, which can do 47 electric miles on a full charge.
Better still, the (arguably) best plug-in hybrid crossover on the market right now is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, with a claimed 20 miles of all-electric range. Imagine what kind of a head start GM could have had in this space had it brought the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concept to market almost a decade ago with twice the range, along with an exponentially greater retail sales and distribution network.
Today, GM is charting an electric future with battery electric cars like the Chevrolet Bolt EV. In due time, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV will join the Bolt as a crossover. It will ride on the same GM BEV2 platform as the Bolt and is scheduled to hit the market within the next two to three quarters.
In addition, GM CEO Mary Barra also promised that an all-new electric vehicle architecture as well as a new battery system would give birth to at least nine new separate electric vehicles by the 2021 model-year. Until then, GM’s electrified offerings will be lacking. But hey, at least the Bolt EV is the best-selling mainstream electric car in the U.S. Still, we can’t help but wonder what could have been had the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concept been brought to market.
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Comments
One has to think that the concept showing didn’t go well at China’s Shanghai auto show because it feedback to the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 was as good as the FNR which became the Chevrolet Blazer, the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 would have been built.
If they had brought the MPV5 to market almost a decade ago, marketed it properly, and sold a ton of them, how much money would they have lost? I think that’s the ultimate reason they held off. They didn’t want to take away sales from profitable vehicles by selling something that would lose them money for at least a decade.
It’s neither here nor there—they’ve announced their focus is on pure EVs going forward. Hopefully everything they’ve learned from the Volt/ELR/Spark EV/CT6 Plug-In/Bolt EV and the partnerships they’ve formed will allow them to quickly build *profitable* EVs going forward.
I seem to recall Marchione telling customers not to buy their EV; saying: “It is costing us money every time people buy one.”
now they pay 2 billion dollars to tesla. wow, what if they used that money to build r&d knowledge in ev instead? what if they actually profited of that investment or at least captured part of the market instead of directly subsidizing a competitor. wow… sergio might’ve had a better investment to sell to investors… oh well he didn’t have long anyways.
i still can’t fathom how 35k or more goes into dealership for a volt … a gas equivalent 15k car and somehow you’re telling me gm is loosing money. no friends, that’s gm’s marketing line so that they delay the transition to electrics and can depreciate their combustion engine plant a little longer. it’s all ceo marketing speak that you take face value. now gm pays tesla like fiat did. could’ve captured that investment with electric market share instead pay tesla.
You are assuming they make a profit on the $15k gas equivalent car? Cancellation of Cruze would say otherwise.
I agree at first maybe when batteries were higher in cost they probably broke even but in recent years I dont believe they did not at least break even or make a little off of each bolt/volt sold.
Tesla says thanks suckers, that money will go a long way with their new factories.
Here is the problem. It would have suffered the same issue as the Volt. While it may have had some better numbers it would not have made any money at the price it needed to be at.
At this point people are just jumping more to the full EV models and they cost even more. The move to electrify Cadillac will maintain volume and actually make money while doing it till cost come down more.
Why do you guys keep touting the refrain that, no matter what the sales volume that the Voltec technology might have achieved if properly marketed, GM could not make a profit on this market leading product line? Are you trolls acting as apologists covering up another one of Mary’s many mistakes, or do you have revealed Truth that, despite GM storied engineering and manufacturing prowess, it is ordained that the Volt could not be profitable? Where is it written?
Many Volt owners will tell you that once they discovered the true worth of the product, they would happily have paid whatever reasonable premium the GM bean counters demanded. The ELR, at its over inflated “Cadillac” price, may not have sold well, perhaps because Volt customers were smart enough to look for real value in a car, not ego gratification.
The car was a good car. Yes it has a loyal but small following. I loved the ones I have driven.
But in your post you present the problem. The folks that loved it and would pay the price were those who drove it and were loyal fans. The problem comes in there were too few fans and most people tend to not want to pay higher prices on small Hybrid cars. We are seeing the same on EV models too.
Once the price gets much closer things will change and people will be more open minded enough.
The bottom line is you have to be able to sell this car to the average buyer not just those who have a love for technology.
The problem for the ELR was it was a Chevy in Cadillac clothing. It also had no back seat. It looked great but it really was a show car that made production. Poorly planned and executed.
Today even the Prius sales are in decline as most people are skipping to EV models if that is what they are looking for. But the segment is still small.
The Volt could have been profitable if it were not discount as much as it was over the years.
The other problem was the dealers had little love for it and GM did not help to get them to accept it better.
It was like a car built for media coverage but no love to actually find buyers.
I think the greatest issue was once Lutz left the biggest supporter GM moved on to the Bolt.
Scott3: Yes, good analysis, I agree for the most part. It remains amazing to me that the “save the planet” buyers were so easily tricked into buying a Prius; while cheaper (in every sense of the word), it could not hold a candle to the advantages the Volt offered. A lot of those sales could have been GM’s if they had really “sold” the Volt at all levels of their operation; my personal experience was, as you pointed out, the dealers had little love (or was it incentive?) for it. The key, as you mentioned, is “selling” it to the average buyer who had no understanding of it’s technology or true value; GM apparently had no interest in doing that. Why?
The main goal of the Volt to develop and create a market for a vehicle that was Electric at least most of the time.
By creating this market it started investment by suppliers into technology we have today.
Think of the Volt as the Mercury project with expectations of eventually getting to the moon. NASA took it in steps to develop the technology to accomplish this.
That is what GM has done as much learned in the Volt made it to the Bolt and will be expanded in future products.
Unlike NASA GM needs to make money by doing this or at least minimize the losses.
In today’s market the save the planet people will pay a higher price but the average buyer will not pay more.
If these cars were cheaper to build and develop they would be selling it now.
Tesla thrived when the S was selling strong at high profitable prices. The 3 while it is higher volume there is little profit at $50k or less.
The reality is these are just not cars for everyone. In fact cars are on the decline period.
I believe the place to develop EV products like a CUV and SUV at Cadillac that could support a higher profitable price to help drive development for lower priced models later.
This is how we got air bags, anti lock brakes, stability control etc. the higher priced help to drive the market at a profit till these features moved to cheaper models.
The biggest challenge to the EV car is to find ways to bring the cost down and make a critical profit.
Scott3: OK I get your point, as I have for a while. But you seem to ignore mine. As you state above: “The main goal of the Volt to develop and create a market for a vehicle that was Electric at least most of the time…By creating this market it started investment by suppliers into technology we have today.”
The key is “By creating this market…” This is precisely what GM failed to do. They never “created a market for a vehicle that was Electric at least most of the time”, ie: with a range extender ICE perfectly integrated into what would be a fully usable automobile. This concept was what made the Volt so unique.
But if you do not explain to the potential customer base WHY this is significant and important to them, how can you expect them to pay more for what they saw as an expensive Prius? Why invest so much money creating an outstanding product then not even try to sell it?
The typical BEV product (like the Bolt) could have been developed with much less engineering expense while still developing the electric vehicle supplier base, etc.
I don’t think you can really fully rationalize GM’s repeated failures in product planning, marketing, advertising, and sales; culminating in abandoning a market leading product with nothing remotely equivalent to take its place. The entire history of this product speaks to failures in every department except engineering; but in the final analysis, poor corporate management.
I should explain by market I mean MFGs that are building cars creating markets for suppliers.
This has to be created to advance products and lower cost. If no one builds a vehicle suppliers will not spend development money.
As for the automakers they are working at a loss fo4 now to oil the machine. But companies like GM can sell limited numbers of these advanced products at a loss and continue to make money and fund them with ICE sales.
If there was a tone of money in EV sales everyone would be making as many as they could.
There is little to no money in affordable EV models at this point.
Right now if you sell 75k Volts a year you can off set the loss or lack off profits. Now if you could find 150k units you begin to start losing money you can not cover with other products.
Case in point again Tesla is trying to sell the 3 at nearly $50k for a compact car just to make money. The $35k model just does not really happen because it loses money.
Actually I see what GM is doing is a careful balancing act to build EV cars and min losses as they try to reduce cost and lower prices over time.
This is just not build them and the customers will come.
I like these models but say given a choice of a gas truck or a similar SV version for $15k or $20 k more I will take the gas. Nothing against the EV but even the Gas trucks are at the limit of what I am willing to pay.
Spot on again Suzy, but you should go easy on the paid disinformationist trolls or they might send big brother after you. I would have replaced my Volt with one of these in a heartbeat – especially if it had AWD. I think the money problem with the Voltec system wasn’t a lack of profit for Government motors but rather the threat to state and fed fuel taxes that it and EVs in general represent. I have heard that these taxes are higher than the oil company profits, so when you have such a cabal run entity as GM why does everyone, William Clavey included, still have their heads in the sand about why the big companies make such irrational (to us) decisions. It’s always follow the money, and with nearly half the cost of fuel being some form of taxation, governments of the world are in no hurry to give that up – planet be damned!
Ronjo, Very interesting theory, especially in these times of touting the USA as the world’s leading petroleum producer.
In a perfect world, yes, the MPV5 would have been produced, and could have been reasonably compelling if it looked and was configured JUST like the concept. However…
– as mentioned, it would have lost money…a LOT of money. As good as it was, the Volt was a tough enough sell at the price point it was at, and IIRC, GM lost on every copy. In the context of the times, circa ’09-’11, consider the additional development costs (no-go for GM) and the price premium GM would surely add (no-go for shoppers) vs. Volt. An MPV5-style vehicle would have been more compelling and maybe sold more than the Volt, had they been offer it at the same price point…but then there would have been no need for the Volt.
– GM was too nervous to offer the Orlando in the US, and it was a disaster in Canada. That situation would have surely fueled an internal GM sentiment that ‘there’s no North American market’ for an MPV5-shaped GM car – gas or electric.
– the carefully-engineered T-shaped battery pack at the heart of the Volt would have to have been completely redesigned to allow seating for 5. It wouldn’t have been as simple as making the Volt into a wagonesque hatchback. Can you imagine the reaction to a 4-seat ‘Volt MPV’ with an MSRP starting at close to $50,000 USD? There were high expectations that Voltec would find it’s way into the Equinox/Terrain, but maybe the battery packaging challenges sunk that idea as well.
– the added weight/aerodynamics would have hindered the electric-only range, which GM had a hard enough time promoting as ‘all the range most people need in a day’ for the Volt.
Considering it was a concept in 2010, after the Volt was finalized, the reality was that the MPV5 wasn’t so much a Volt MPV as an Orlando-E, and there wasn’t enough motivation to make that happen on a number of fronts.
Sorry, nice speech, but it lost credibility at “which GM had a hard enough time promoting as ‘all the range most people need in a day”.
My experience is that GM made NO attempt to really advertise that fact, in fact I did not really appreciate it until I bought one and discovered that, in my normal driving routine, I no longer had to buy gasoline at all. I bought the Volt solely because I discovered, based on my personal research, that it had the best electric only “numbers” in the class, NOT because GM marketing made me aware of the product’s absolute superiority in real everyday use.
And superior in not just the fuel savings, but in the pure joy of electric only driving while still having absolutely perfect “hybrid” operation in range extender mode. None of this (except the electric only performance) was obvious even on my short test drive and if the salesman understood these advantages, he did not share them; I had to discover them on my own!
So don’t tell me what a hard time GM had selling the best product on the market, they didn’t even try!
As a former GM sales consultant and Volt ‘champion’, I’m genuinely sorry that you didn’t get the presentation that a Volt deserved – but glad that you bought one! The scenario you experienced only after you bought a Volt, was the exact narrative that I used to explain the beauty of living with a Volt to prospective buyers, and I’ve never met a dissatisfied Volt-owner. 🙂
In the lead-up to launching the Volt, when discussing the pure electric range, one of the stats that GM regularly brought up was, “According to a U.S. Department of Transportation survey, the average driver in America commutes less than 40 miles per day, meaning Chevrolet Volt owners may never use gasoline or produce tailpipe emissions in everyday driving.” (https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2010/July/0701_volt_retail.html) I’d agree that GM could have done a better job of leveraging that scenario, but they really did use it.
A lot of people heard GM market the Volt as an EV, latched on to the advertised electric range of 35-38 mi. (justified by the DOT statistic), and suffered instant range-anxiety. They stopped asking any more questions and wrote the Volt off as an overpriced GM experiment. My point regarding the potential for the MPV5 was, that if the Volt had to fight an uphill perception battle with a 35-40 mi. electric range, it would have been that much harder for a larger, more expensive car with a (likely) lower stated electric range. Additionally, the supremacy & cost-effectiveness of the Volt’s powertrain vs. Prius hybrid was hotly contested, so the market’s enthusiasm for a second Volt-based option would have been questionable…despite the superiority of the engineering that went into the Volt.
I believe if the Volt did not sell for $80,000 in Japan, UK, China etc… and sold at even the list price … GM could not build enough of them.
We give GM competition $7,500 and more for each electric car while they price us out of their markets.
And no one talks about this ?
Where is the “media”?
Eric Nast: Thanks for your informative and kind response to my comments on the Volt’s sales and marketing efforts. On reflection, perhaps I was too hard on GM’s marketing; representing the full satisfaction of Volt ownership to the public in 30 second spot ads would have been quite a challenge.
I did not fully understand the engineering excellence of the second generation Volt until I owned one, and I consider myself a reasonably savvy automotive consumer. I simply did not immediately grasp that the 50 mile range would in fact meet almost all of my day to day driving needs.
I bought mine because it had the best advertised range “numbers” of the available PHEVs, but was pleased to find that I would have the “joy of electric driving” for almost all my usage. The 30 or 50 mile range goal while still having the seamless ICE range extender was an excellent design compromise, which I took full advantage of on a couple of road trips, too bad that it is a hard thing to explain in a few words.
It’s sad that such an outstanding product had to die such an early and undeserved death. Thanks for what you did to support the Voltec product.
didn’t hear about the bolt $10000 off sale until i read it on an ev website. i’ve seen vw and audi commercials for electrics but can’t remember the last time i saw a volt commercial on tv if ever.
how the heck is gm loosing money on the volt? it’s a $15k car they sell for $30k. people lease these things for 20k or so then gm sells it used again for another 15-20. lost money … please. is what they say to the press for fun for marketing. giant gm factory can do the accounting any way it wants among its models. is the giant fee they are paying to tesla included in this accounting??
I agree I dont believe it either. And more so as an all EV swapping out motor stuff for elecftric stuff, yes adding in electronics maybe a little more, mass production….its hard to believe the cost is that much more in the end. But hey we will never really know unless an accountant from GM chimes in! (-;
I already owen a 2017 Bolt, and love the vehicle, my problem is I also have a 2018 Volt also love, the third one I have had, I have two more years in the 2018 Volt, and need the 70 miles I get in distance with it, I would love to see GM come out with the same Voltec system in a SUV 5 seater with the same range, and, for my trips that are long distance where gas is needed. It will be years before fast charges for all electric vehicles will be all over the place. And for long distance trips would want gas, other wise for in town the electric part of Volt is the distance I need , not the 20-30 miles electric other companys have. GM needs to wake up. The SUV Volt would sell. Its not just all electric yet.
For me to go full electric I must have 300+ miles and a quick charge of 80% in at most 20 minutes for those rare longer trips. I don’t mind stopping a few times for 20 minutes but not for 30 or 45 minutes as it all adds up as one folk stated. And yet 95% or more of my driving would be well within the 300 mile range. I don’t think we really ever need monster size batteries to produce 400 or 500 mile ranges. If one thinks typically of say 240 mile points of recharge that could be up to every 4hrs a stop if you assume say 60mph typical speed and a little sooner if driving faster…I think that is about the majorities limit to go without stopping even if for just a stand up break! So no 300miles+, no fast charging ability oh and no ongoing over the air updates to avoid your car becoming obsolete for a new model…no purchase to GM especially when there will be other options. Things like power seats, alerts on front, back, lane switching all that is of lesser importace for me at least at first.
This is exactly the vehicle I was waiting for. I thought Cadillac was going to come out with one but they are too busy making “v models” that everyone wants but few buy.
my family just bought the electric version of this car. b-class electric drive. look it up. probably a nicer interior than what chevy builds anyways. might’ve been a strong contender if available … just sayin’
Bananapeal: I did look it up, while everyone praised its MB quality and interior appointments, 87 mile range with no range extender does not put in the same class as the Voltec technology. Which car is the b-class electric drive a version of?
ha, i meant the body style, you’d have to contort your lifestyle to the electric limitation. it’s a bigger nicer spark ev. we tried to look at a volt too, salesman texted back “are you still interested in the silverado?” … :/
They should have made it. I feel it would have sold better than the Volt, Bolt and Cadillac ELR combined. For those above saying how much money it would lose, remember that the more vehicles this would have been offered in would have spread the costs out. Like all cars/powertrains/tech, over time it will (or would have) spread the costs and eventually would show profits.
“…it would have sold better than the Volt, Bolt and Cadillac ELR combined.”
Strong chance of that, and you have to wonder how many more Volts would have sold if only there had been just a 5th seat available. Adding one seat and more cargo room in something designed like the MPV5 would have trumped at least the practicality that the Prius offered at the time, helped justify the higher price, and intrigued a much broader demographic.
If we didn’t give the competition $7500 and if a Volt didn’t cost $80,000 because of unfair trade in all other major markets like Japan, China etc…
GM could not build enough and would have built this car!
Suzy Q,
I think you are right on. Currently there is more interest in $90,000 trucks and Corvettes. I am in the market for a Volt MPV5.
The Bolt I looked at had no lumbar support or electric seat. I am also leery of all electric. Gm has not announced anything for 2020. Where gas is $5.00 /gal. The Prius is the main taxi in Berlin and Vancouver. It’s a business, it makes business sense. We are slowly entering the electric age. The driver-less vehicles will mostly be pure electric. They are here but in a small way.
Ford is to come out with a Plug-in Escape. The Mitsubishi has no digital speedometer, doesn’t go very far on electric, and is all wheel drive. My wife didn’t like the looks of it. She was impressed with the Bolt. We have never been in a Ford dealership and there are thoughts that we will be disappointed. I hope that GM does surprise us for 2020 with a Plug-in something.
I think if they forgot the Cruz concept and went with the Volt MPV5 concept with small efficient gas engine with a hybrid option, a Plug-in Option and later all electric. The Bolt is mostly that except all electric. The Prius is sort of that concept. Now we are stuck with electric or diesel. I have had diesel and I don’t want to go there. Maybe what is coming out is really the Volt MPV5 with a Buick or Cadillac nameplate. I hope so.
Is there really a market for electric vehicles? To own one, you give up a lot of motoring freedom with their short range. With a gas engine, range isn’t a consideration. If you want to go, no matter where, you get in it and go. And then there’s the electric. My electric bill is already the biggest utility bill that I receive and it seems to go up every 6 months even though I’m adding the most energy efficient items every time I make a purchase, something that I have no control over. Why would I want to add a 240 volt charger to it every night? Electric does make some sense for those with short urban commutes, I admit, and certainly for those whose utilities are included in their rent, but for most people like me, it’s a product that we are aren’t asking for, regardless of what body style it come in.
Lets talk cost. Simple math. Even though I have solar so mine is free…even if I paid to charge my volt for its 38 mile range 11kwh charge required at most x 16cents is what? $1.78. I will never again pay for that in GAS in NYS. The motoring freedom. One has to look at how much motoring they do out of range and as many are saying once they all are at minimal 300miles per charge and able to quick charge to 80% say in 15 minutes….who would not want to stop on the highway for a pee break every 4hrs! I digress…but it is slightly a little different way of thinking about driving but to give up major motoring freedoms? yes if your a person who only wants to put gas in the car and turn the key like my big sister!….(-; Now cost…that is more of an issue in purchasing one for most folks.
Here is the problem if you have ever driven a Bolt our Volt you would never have a gas vehicle again, the bottom line is a gal of gas cost about $2.70 But if you live in the rip off state of Calfornia where gas is over $4.00 a gallon And electricity is .45 cents a kwh Then move to a real state. with that out of the way. Most gas cars ave 20-23 MPG it cost me ,44 cents in electric charge to go that same distance 20-22 miles, with no noise from a gas engine, the only time I use brakes is backing out of my driveway, use the electric motor to stop the vehicle, which means never replace brake pads, the next plus no oil changes. next up 18 moving parts verses over 2200 parts in gas engines, It cost me $15.00-$16.00 a month to pay electricity to run a 2017 Bolt and 2018 Volt 200-250 miles a week. I have three, 240 volt chargers in my garage to hook to vehicles in different areas and faster charges, the bottom line is the price for electric cars are coming down, and the future is and will be EV. Next I never go to a gas station, only on long trip vacation.faster exceleration then most gas cars with no noise and feel no gear changing. Their are to many plus for electric vehicles, by the way electric motors will last over 1 million miles. my adding it up and having electric cars for the pass 10 years. I will never owen a total gas vehicle again.
My Volt commuting is about 50 miles a day for around $1.25. Must be a third or fourth of what you spend on gas. Couldn’t care less where the money goes….no wait, do care, much rather pay PGE than OPEC!
I don’t need an electric vehicle but since the Volt is reasonable in price and I have solar, it is the next step past the Prius. Very good for commuting 10 – 20 miles. I rarely use gas except to go out of town. I am an engineer and I enjoy the new technology without spending a lot of money.
If McDonalds becomes a charging point, all electric would be viable. With induction charging, you don’t need to plug the vehicle in. You park over the special pad and your vehicle will charge. The driverless vehicles, seem to be electric only and won’t need to be plugged in.
I live in Canada in the province of QUEBEC. the provincial gouverment give a subvention of $8000 an federal gouvenment give
$5000 I think serously to by one may be Hyundy kona or a bolt (About the same price in Canada)
I think I would try the Volt first. Better performance in cold weather. Then I would go for the Bolt. Lots of experience in the technology and a very good looking vehicle. The Volt usually starts in gas if it is cold because it is more energy efficient in the cold. When it warms up it seems to go back to electric. Make sure whatever you purchase gets all the subsidies.
Volt and all other EVS can precondition while still plugged in – warm it up using the fob or app, 5 or 10 minutes usually does it nicely, can’t be stolen either. Awesome.
Thinking what would sell for GMC is a gas engine with hybrid. All companies except Tesla have hybrid experience. The Volt could have been configured as a common hybrid that could be upgraded to a plug-in, like the Prius. GM was a ” me-too ” when the Mustang came out and they are still making money from it. As sales grew, the SUV model could haver been released. We are not ready for plug-in technology yet, as a country. The Bolt is correct for the driverless applications. The hybrid truck instead of diesel would have been my preference. A semi hybrid would have been my choice. Technical people love the new technology but they are still a minority. The vehicle that works on gas is still King.
Tom: I assume that by “common hybrid” you are proposing a Voltec drive train with a smaller and cheaper battery at base level with a larger battery and thus larger electric range as an upgrade. A very interesting idea. Wouldn’t it be nice if the battery upgrade could be added as perhaps a dealer or after sale option? Once people tried the Voltec technology in real suburban life they would probably love to extend the electric range to 50-60 miles and enjoy electric driving for 95+% of their needs.
Suzy Q,
That’s the concept. A left side panel could be changed out to provide plug-in capability. The normal driver can’t handle the plug-in part in the first step. My wife still doesn’t feel comfortable about plugging in. I do it every day. I was apprehensive about getting a Prius, but when I got in and my wife liked the inside, apprehensions went away. The gas savings became a goal ever since. I wanted a plug-in Prius but I had to order, sight unseen. I went over to the Cadillac/ Chevy dealer to see if they had a plug-in Cadillac, no, but there was a Volt. I got in that vehicle and never looked back. With choices, buyers become more acceptable to change. I was even thinking that they should have kept Cruze – H instead of Volt and then Cruze- PHV and Cruze MPV1 for the SUV. Cruze is a softer, Chevy name than VOLT.
Now with the Volt and Bolt; they both sound the same. Should have the Volte or Voltierre Not such a abrupt sounding name. Now GM is thinking about the Hummer PHEV.
Tom: Good comment, I agree with you on the name, Volt was an awful choice. They could at least used Volta, his real name, but I guess they might of had to fight Cirque du Soleil for the rights? The Bolt name is almost as bad and is often confused with the Volt. The Volt has suffered greatly from many poor marketing choices by GM. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if it was intentional by an anti-EV cabal within GM? It’s such a shame, it was a great car and could have been an even greater product line as you suggest.
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