GM Kills Off A Top-Selling Segment Leader - The Chevy Volt

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
2-28-2019

 

Today marks the official end to General Motors' most successful green vehicle, the Chevy Volt. The Volt went out as the current sales leader in the electric vehicle segment produced by GM. In 2018, the Volt outsold the Bolt, and for the past three sales years had stomped its original nemesis, the Nissan Leaf, into the compost pile, outselling it by 2 to 1 at certain points in that span, and handily outselling the Leaf for each of those years. The only other affordable electric vehicle to consistently outsell the Volt over the past couple of years was the Toyota Prius Prime. 

 

The Chevy Volt wasn't just a success in its own small world. Since its inception, the Volt outsold the EVs made by every German luxury brand, by Ford, by Toyota, by all of the FCA brands, by Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru, and many other important vehicles manufactures - combined. To call the Volt anything other than a smashing success within its segment is an understatement.

 

If you are a political junkie, you may remember that former President Barack Obama once visited the plant that built the Volt and said that once he was done being President he'd buy one. He has not kept that promise.  

The Volt also broke through its green car status by being a Motor Trend Car of the Year, and an award winner in general vehicle categories by Car and Driver and Motorweek. 

 

GM has now discontinued building Volts, a fact that GM-Trucks confirmed with GM's Katie Minter. The 2019 Volt is still on sale until inventory is consumed. That could take a few months, possibly more. If we have any members who own Volts, perhaps they could offer their personal opinions on the vehicle.  

[Colossus]

What a shame.  But no surprise from GM.  They kill off good things and invent.. stupid things now a days. 

[Grumpy Bear]

And what is the rational thought behind this insane move? 

 

Wait, just let the wife read this and she said one word:

 

IDIOTS!

 

 

[j-ten-ner]

Those news from GM are slightly confusing.

Didn't they just close plants all over North America because the products didn't sell well?

Also, I thought that the intention was to save money and re-invest in EV's?

Now they have a running horse and take it out of the race?

What am I missing?

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[Colossus]

Nothing if you are thinking like I am- the slow eventual death of GM if they continue this course. 

[Sierra Dan]

No surprise indeed.

Most Domestic Sedans are being killed off.

Why? Gas prices are low.... SUV's and Trucks are in high demand. This trend will change.

[KARNUT]

Isn’t it funny that some of the remaining popular cars out there are rear drive. And recently the ( foreign car) that are being voted most popular are rear drive large cars. Add to that people prefer large pickups and SUVs that are V-8 rear drive. The car manufacturers that are eliminating front drive cars are so called domestic. I don’t see Dodge- Chrysler in a hurry to eliminate rear drive cars. Maybe Ford- GM needs to get their head out their a$$ and look around.


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[flyingfool]

over priced electric cars are not for the masses, it's all about making money, not wasting it.  the money is in cheap electric cars  like the chinese made Spark from GM

[Sierra Dan]

46 minutes ago, flyingfool said:

over priced electric cars are not for the masses, it's all about making money, not wasting it.  the money is in cheap electric cars  like the chinese made Spark from GM

Which is why Tesla is in trouble.

[rkj__]

GM seems to very much be in transition mode right now. 

 

They are cancelling and closing all kind of stuff, with a promise of an electrified and autonomous future.  Until we see that autonomous electrical tree bear fruit, well, I think we will all be left with more questions than answers. 

[mookdoc6]

Gm never intended the "Volt" to be anything other than a 1-2 model year run?  They were clear on that even before the "Volt" 2.0 was built....

[M1ck3y]

If you ask me, it sounds like the volt was just a test vehicle for greater things to come. Electric vehicles are going to explode. There's the Rivian pickup truck, the f150 will be going electric; anyone notice the ecopo Camaro? I've read that the C8 could have a hybrid version, electric motors in front, 5.5 twinturbo v8 for the rear wheels pushing a 1000hp. Only downside is more green house emissions if everyone goes electric, (vs internal combustion).

[Grumpy Bear]

44 minutes ago, M1ck3y said:

If you ask me, it sounds like the volt was just a test vehicle for greater things to come. Electric vehicles are going to explode. There's the Rivian pickup truck, the f150 will be going electric; anyone notice the ecopo Camaro? I've read that the C8 could have a hybrid version, electric motors in front, 5.5 twinturbo v8 for the rear wheels pushing a 1000hp. Only downside is more green house emissions if everyone goes electric, (vs internal combustion).

I have one word for ya' all thinking this just has to be the future.                                     

 

EDSEL  

[CadillacLuke24]

Electric vehicles will likely grow in popularity....when gas is stupid expensive and electric cars are equally as affordable as an comparable gasoline counterpart. 

[M1ck3y]

13 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I have one word for ya' all thinking this just has to be the future.                                     

 

EDSEL  

Yup, products, technology and businesses fail all of the time. I don't pretend to be a fortune teller, I'm looking at the market and what appears to be happening. But since you have that crystal ball, I would really like to know the next winning lotto #!