In hindsight, perhaps it should have been.Īs longtime electric-car advocate Chelsea Sexton notes, the Volt’s withdrawal “exacerbates the degree to which lack of model variety remains the biggest issue facing EVs today.” The Volt was never going to be a crossover under any stretch of the imagination. The Volt, however, was the opposite of the upright Bolt EV hatchback, which GM has laughably attempted to market as a “crossover.” The plug-in hybrid was low and sleek, and its bulky T-shaped battery compromised interior room. What is clear, though, is that over the Volt’s nine years, consumer preferences turned decisively away from the passenger-car segment (sedans and hatchbacks) and toward crossover utilities of every size and shape-including a few that are only front-wheel-drive hatchbacks in disguise. Would the Volt have done better if the second-generation 2016 version had been a small crossover utility vehicle? We’ll never know.ĭespite rumors that the second-generation Volt would be replaced by a crossover, it’s entirely unclear if the Voltec powertrain (nee E-Flex) will live on anywhere in the GM lineup. In 2011, that chorus was much louder-and GM wanted recognition for its EV expertise, and perhaps absolution for what were perceived to be its sins. Lindland, founder of, also notes, “Toyota buyers are very different than Chevy buyers.”įinally, for electric-car fans, GM was the company that destroyed the EV1 fleet, as chronicled in “Who Killed the Electric Car?” Even today, this site occasionally hears from people who claim they will never buy a GM car because of that action (despite the subsequent Bolt EV and Volt). While Prius owners did that too, Toyota soon expanded its hybrid technology across its model lineup, washing the whole brand with the Prius halo for those who wanted it. That was GM’s first and very, very critical error.” Innovators and early adopters are financially secure and risk-oriented: They want luxury, and will put up with inconveniences to be seen in the first of something. “It’s critical to understand the technology adoption curve, and the people who live there. The problem, suggests auto analyst Rebecca Lindland, was that “Chevrolet is not an aspirational brand for innovators and early adopters.” Often you’d hear owners saying they drove a “Volt,” entirely ignoring the Chevrolet part. The first Bolt EV was delivered in December 2016.Īll of a sudden, the Volt plug-in hybrid had sibling rivalry: a car priced about the same, but a “pure” electric vehicle with usable range.Ĭhevrolet Bolt EV electric car and Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid The answer was almost surely yes, because in January 2015, the Chevy Bolt concept was announced, with 200 miles of range and a price of just $37,500. GM convened a task force to ascertain whether Tesla posed a competitive threat. When the first Volt was sold in December 2010, Tesla was struggling to recover from production delays for its Roadster, including a two-speed gearbox that had to be replaced entirely, plus the general effects of the economic recession.īy 2013, however, it was clear that the Tesla Model S-however slowly it entered production-was an entirely different kettle of fish. Volt is holding up flawlessly! No noticeable battery capacity loss.The Chevrolet Volt concept was revealed at the Detroit auto show in January 2007, only a few months after a crazy California startup called Tesla announced it would build battery-electric cars with 200 miles of range or more. As such, Belmer spends much of his day in his Volt. How does Belmer manage to rack up so many miles? His commute is 110 miles each way, or 220 miles per day. Belmer reports that he's yet to experience any noticeable battery degradation, despite the fact that the car is now 5-plus years old with nearly 150,000 electric miles driven. This latest one of 400,000 miles driven is impressive indeed. Chevy Volt Owner Zips Past 120,000 Miles 2 Year Old Chevy Volt – 146,000 Miles and Counting Exclusive: World’s First Chevy Volt To 200,000 Miles World’s Highest Mileage Volt: 250,000-Mile 2012 Chevrolet Volt World’s First 300,000-Mile Chevrolet Volt Erick Belmer Becomes World’s First Chevrolet Volt Owner To Rack Up 100,000 Electric Miles
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