Launched in late 2010, the Chevrolet Volt got off to a rocky sales start. That’s because the government intervention to save General Motors inadvertently ended up turning the car into a political football. Sales missed targets, despite being a revolutionary product that was expected to have significant pent up demand. Nissan’s LEAF overtook it for a while.
With the political silliness surrounding it having died down and gas prices on the rise, sales are beginning to pick up steam. The Detroit Free Press reports that for August, Chevrolet will report a record amount of sales for the Volt – 2,500 units. The previous record was set in March of this year, when 2,289 were sold. August’s record sales is notable, and 2012’s sales are on track to far surpass 2011’s.
GM had expected to sell 45,000 Volts this year, and it will come under that goal. Rather than experience a lot of pent up demand right out of the gate like expected, the Volt is building momentum . The more people learn about the Volt, the more they like it. It is an attractive proposition for many. California, unsurprisingly, leads in Volt sales – a third of all Volt sales are in the state. GM’s home state of Michigan also is a strong market.
GM spokesman Michelle Malcho says “As people see their neighbors have one and as they start to understand the technology and are able to drive it, they put it into their consideration.” You mean it really isn’t a sinister plot by the Obama Administration, and it doesn’t just randomly start on fire? The 2013 Volt looks to improve the formula even further, with boosts in range. 2013’s tweaks come ahead of a major update rumored for next year. The 2014 mid-cycle enhancement is said to include a heavy restyling, along with a major price cut.
