Chevy Delivers First Bolts - Guess What Owners Have In Common?

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
12-12-2016

Chevy delivered the first three Bolts today. This means that Chevy beats Tesla by at least a calendar year, likely much more than that. Tesla has only just started to expand its Freemont facility for the upcoming Model 3. Chevy did a little spotlight on the "first-three" new owners and they all have one thing in common. Each was already driving a green car. Two were already driving EVs.

Why should that matter? Primarily because it helps to dispell the myth that those few owners that have chosen to buy EVs are trading in gas guzzlers. Though that is certainly the case in some instances, a poll conducted at the BMW i3 club when it was introduced showed that most i3 EV buyers were already in the greenest vehicles available.

 

The good news for GM fans and Bolt buyers alike is that if GM succeeds in selling the Bolt in high volume, which was the whole point of the project, the company won't need to buy Zero Emission Vehicle Credits (ZEV Credits) from other automakers. In order to sell cars and trucks in the state of California and 10 other U.S. states automakers have to meet mandates on the number of ZEVs it sells. Buying ZEV credits from another automaker effectively transfers not just profit from one automaker to another, but also helps fund the winners' R&D for future products.

 

According to Chevy, the first three new owners traded in a Prius, a Spark EV, and a BMW i3.

 

Related: Chevy Bolt Production Starts

[Driver72]

Yawn!

[RubiconJoey]

Yawn!

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this. From my understanding of the MPG regulations from the EPA, they are averaged across the entire fleet of vehicles sold by the manufacturer. This means that the super fuel efficient vehicles like the cruze, bolt, etc offset the less fuel efficient vehicles like trucks and SUVs. So while you may not care for the Bolt, it means GM can continue to make out beloved trucks with big gas guzzling V8s a little longer.

Personally I'll never want a bolt but, I do hope the program is successful and allows them to later develop a sedan to compete with the likes of TESLA Model S. EV's at that level are pretty sweet. Instant torque, low maintenance, quiet, low center of gravity and electric is a lot cheaper than dinosaur remains. Don't get me wrong; a big powerful V8 will always have a place in my heart but, EVs make a lot sense.

[Black02Silverado]

I hope it does well. But with fuel prices low not many will be running out to purchase one. It's 250 mile range isn't to bad either.

 

I like my Cruze diesel. and with the diesel coming back out in 2017 in the Cruze to be even more efficient that will help GM to continue making larger less efficient vehicles.

 

My Cruze has been averaging 47mpg since the day I purchased it back in May of 2015. Love driving 700 mile to a tank.

[Driver72]

I was yawning at the story of the first three people getting the Bolt coming from other hybrid's or EV's.

[[email protected]]

Electric vehicles are only as clean as the electricity they use.

[Colossus]

Chevy doesn't have the cool factor that Tesla does though. That's why Tesla is going to blow em away in sales of the EVs.

[crafferty]

Chevy doesn't have the cool factor that Tesla does though. That's why Tesla is going to blow em away in sales of the EVs.

I agree, Tesla is the Apple of electric cars. Look at the resale numbers. Every electric tanks in value except for Tesla.

 

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[Cap'n Hook]

Chevy doesn't have the cool factor that Tesla does though. That's why Tesla is going to blow em away in sales of the EVs.

 

I think you better wait until pricing comes out! What I hear is tesla won't be able to make the current $35k sale price mark. If they're price some 1.5-2 times more than the bolt that will change. Then there's the company that stands behind the warranty. I've heard some really bad reviews of tesla not standing behind their cars. Of course GM has issues too. I not bias either way, I just wouldn't go all in on tesla until they've proved themselves for a century or so like the other guys.

[Colossus]

$35,000 is nothing in today's market,folks. Maybe 20-30 years ago, yes. But not anymore. That $60,000 truck we pay for and think needs to be perfect because we paid so much, that's a $30,000 truck 20 years ago.

[truckofwinandawesome]

I was yawning at the story of the first three people getting the Bolt coming from other hybrid's or EV's.

 

actually, one of the EV drivers traded in a Last Gen Spark EV; so Technically, they Graduated from City car to Subcompact.

[Colossus]

Didn't even know Chevy made a Spark EV. huh.

[MikeNH]

Chevy doesn't have the cool factor that Tesla does though. That's why Tesla is going to blow em away in sales of the EVs.

 

 

That only works at the current level Tesla plays at though. The people who buy the Model S and X are generally going to be wealthy people who probably have another vehicle and also want to be at the leading edge of tech/green weenie-ism. The Model 3 is supposed to be a mainstream player and it probably will never be this. Look at history: The Roadster, S and X were all waaaaaaaaaaaaay behind schedule, had (and in some cases still have) teething problems and their build quality is not where is should be given the price they sell for. But the people I mention above put up with all this because they want to be hip or whatever shallow people want to be.

 

 

$35k isn't much above what the average new car sells for today and that buyer isn't going to put up with any of the BS that the early buyers of the first three models did. Do you think someone who bought Civics or Camrys in the past is going to put up with a delivery date being pushed out over and over and over? Of course not. A huge amount of those pre orders will evaporate when all these meatheads realize that Tesla will never be able to deliver the 400,000 or whatever absurd number of orders they supposedly have.

 

 

Chevy won this round because the Bolt actually exists. The 3 is vaporware still.

[SnakeEyeSS]

Double

[SnakeEyeSS]

Okay, I'm going to get ahead of the curve.

 

All are middle aged white guys.

 

The BOLT is RACIST!

 

 

(Disclaimer, roughly 50% or more of people in the US will not get this joke, or will legitimately agree)