It is the Chevrolet Volt juice? Even the manufacturer begins its long-promised production start-up, a new study shows that potential buyers are quickly losing interest in plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Introduced in December last year, the Volt is one of the first new vehicle for testing the potential market for electric propulsion. It was to go head-to-head with the Nissan pure battery-electric sheet. Sales of the two vehicles was marginal, at best, although the creators say that it has more to do with the limited supply than demand buyers.
By the end of July, Chevrolet has sold about 3200 on a plug-in hybrids in comparison with the 4500 Nissan Leafs. But both filmmakers began to increase production, General Motors’ sales forecasts around 16,000 per year as a whole – including a small number of clones Opel Volt AmpErase aimed at foreign markets.
But a new study, CNW Marketing raises a red flag, finding that potential buyers GM is usually expected to quickly lose interest in the Volt. In March, 21% of so-called early adapters, said they were “very likely” to consider buying the Volt, while 38.1% said they “probably” to do the same. It dropped to 14.6% said “very likely” in July and 31.1% “probably”. EV among enthusiasts, reports CNW study, the number of those likely or very likely that the Volt combined fell from 71% to 51% during the same period of four months.
“It’s too early to tell, but the symptoms are not encouraging, “said principal analyst Art Spinella CNW.
As for ordinary consumers, the Volt has all but slipped off the radar, only about 3% of new car buyers likely to consider the Chevrolet Volt, an analyst said.
A major problem is a plug-in is price, CNW data show. When first introduced, the Volt made $ 41,000 sticker, if you qualify $ 7,500 federal tax credit. For 2012, Chevy will drop to $ 39,995, $ 1,005 cut, although it is still a thousand more than Leaf – and almost twice the price of basic compact Chevrolet Cruze, which has the same foundation Volt.
Chevrolet officials defend the price tag, highlights the complexity of dual gas-electric hybrid drive. Volt is able to reach more than 35 miles on battery power alone. Although it is less than half of the range Nissan’s electric vehicle Chevy can shift to gas plants and keep driving on the battery is discharged.
GM officials continue to believe that the Volt will meet their expectations, noting the vehicles are not forming a broad appeal to still achieve sales targets – which the manufacturer projects will increase to 40,000 in 2012, including the Volt and Ampere.
GM’s commitment to electric drive, if anything, is being charged. How last week, the manufacturer has signed a contract with a supplier of batteries A123, which will be used for a variety of new batteries, electric vehicles, which will begin as soon as possible to achieve in 2014.
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