Chevy Volt for $30,000? Fans swoon at the thought
Speculation on how much the Chevy Volt will cost when it debuts has slid up and down from $30,000 to $48,000 but now GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner is saying exactly what fans want to hear.
In an odd public relations move, Wagoner told German Newspaper FAZ in an interview that “GM has a clear goal: We want to put the Volt on the market in 2010, at a price of less than $30,000.”
Wagner also mentioned that “our two challenges are lowering the cost of batteries and convincing consumers of the advantages of the Volt.”
The news has sent a fresh wave of buzz through the Internet as fans swoon at the thought of actually being able to afford a Chevy Volt.
Battery costs have been a significant driver pushing the cost of the Volt up, and maybe this is an indication that GM has negotiated a better deal with one of its suppliers.
But there could be another goal here. The Volt’s shifting price creates buzz every time it changes and casts GM in a green light every time. The free press is doing all of the advertising for them.
Interestingly, the Chevy Volt may actually generate a larger carbon footprint than traditional cars and SUVs during the production process. But, energy efficiencies gained during vehicle use and improvements in manufacturing the new technology hopefully will close that gap quickly.
$30,000 seems to touch a sweet spot for many potential Volt customers, who view the vehicle as very affordable at that price.
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May 23rd, 2008
Consumers who follow the issue are keenly aware of the advantages of a Chevy Volt, Prius PHEV, and any number of other vehicles car makers are promising, but have yet to deliver. Rick Wagoner doesn’t need to do ANYTHING to convince me except deliver the vehicle as promised. A price differential of $30K to $48K is a significant consideration, for me and for others. If I could afford $48K for a new vehicle today, I’d probably buy a Prius and take a chance with a PHEV conversion by Hybrids Plus. If I can afford the $48K in 30 months, and my choices are Chevy Volt or Prius PHEV, I’m going to test drive them both and carefully consider the choices. If my budget is closer to $30K to $35K, and the Volt is closer to $48K, I’m probably going to go with the PHEV Prius.