Even sadder: the Bolt is the affordable electric car that the Tesla Model 3 promised to be but isn't. And yet no one is excited about the Bolt. In fact, probably most people are not even aware that the Bolt exists. Sad indeed.
They also just don't seem to want to make enough of them or ship them to markets where people want them. Canada was starved for inventory all last last year. None went to Europe. Asia, where they'd make a lot of sense, got only a smattering. And they don't seem to be improving on this.
The fate of the Volt and Bolt together makes me entirely skeptical of GM's claims to making a transition to EV production. I used to be a big advocate of GM's EV designs -- they're technically excellent -- but I don't think I can get behind the company at all. I'm somewhat tempted to sell my Volt and get a Honda Clarity PHEV.
(I rather like the styling of the Bolt, actually)
The new Prius models look like somebody took a spaceship from an 80's B-movie and decided to model a car from the concept.
The Clarity looks as if they took an Accord but then punched it in the lip. And then they tried to make the back look like a Prius for who-knows-what reason.
The Bolt and the Leaf look like they're just trying to scream "Don't take me on the highway!" at the top of their lungs. But then since that's basically true--they're made to be an efficient commuter car--the styling was probably never going to hide that.
Even the Model 3 has a bizarre look to it, but I'm not sure if it's just because I'm used to expecting the hood to look a certain size which is simply not justifiable if you don't have to fill it up with a gas engine.
Then you get the other end of the spectrum, where they try to retain the styling of the gas equivalent as much as possible, so you've got the Kona EV continuing to have a grill but it's actually closed and painted.
It's probably somewhat lose lose. People are used to styling that makes sense for gas cars and so practical decisions for EVs lead to "abnormal" styling. As they become more popular we'll probably get used to them.
I don't really find the Clarity or Prius or other EV's offensive looking. They look just as boring and uninspired as most other modern cars to me.
Prius like shapes are associated with hybrids (they were one of the first), so there is some part of the market that says I want people to know I'm environmentally conscious. Hatchbacks are pretty convenient however...
For the other automakers, my cynical opinion is that they dont wan't people to like EVs. "Don't make me change my business model, EVs are ugly. See this EV? Ugly. Buy this beautiful car over here instead, which happens to not require retooling of my production line."
They lose several thousand dollars on each car, so the reluctance to expand production is perhaps unsurprising:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107604_gm-loses-9k-on-...
Yes, there's no way it's as profitable as a Silverado or Equinox. But the only really expensive part in them is the battery pack, and volume production of that could bring it down.
GM _did_ sign a deal with LG Chem to open a big new battery plant in Michigan. Not sure what the status of that is. I believe battery supply is the fundamental constraint on Bolt production, not demand.
Couldn't agree more.
To add - my parents were in the market for electric cars and were evaluating the Bolt as a serious option. GM turned them away, including refusing to take a reservation and said "check again in 6 months when the new model year comes out". Seems like the production was very intentionally capped, and there was little effort to retain their business.
The cars exist because various governments have made electric/hybrid/whatever quotas that need to be met. The minimum required number will be sold. In some jurisdictions that number is zero. Each one of these cars is sold at a loss, until you consider that the manufacturer is able to avoid fines or being entirely banned from selling vehicles.
The fate of the Volt and Bolt together makes me entirely skeptical of GM's claims to making a transition to EV production
Supposedly, the shutdowns are expressly so that GM can devote more capital to the Bolt & it's future brethren. If they have Bolt supply problems, cutting production lines to free up capital sounds like a good move.
Personally I am excited about plug-in hybrids, but allegedly a lot of the industry is starting to think PIH's will be but a flash in the pan, being totally eclipsed by all-electric by 2025.
https://drivegreen.greenenergyconsumers.org/form_cars.php
So after subsidies prices end up at something like $22,000 vs. $37,000 -- it's a real gap.
Goes to show how much worse (or, at least, less appealing) the Bolt is, if it’s being so heavily discounted and is still barely selling.
The one feature I was really hoping a legacy car manufacturer would include was a spare tire, and they don't.
Heat will destroy the battery. This is why on the previous generation Leaf the battery temperature gauge was so prominent (I haven't seen the latest one).
From the 2011 keynote:
> .. the package—which includes heated seats, a duct to direct warmth to the back seat, temperature management for the battery pack
the issue is availability, in the US it is expected to be a CARB state car only for awhile.
When I decided to move from my 2017 Volt to a pure EV I really wanted a sedan which led me to the TM3 I did buy but I did try to give the Bolt a chance but simply put, the killer app of the TM3 is the super charging network. That and i have found the spartan dash has made me rethink the need for dozens of buttons most cars have.
Recent Kona review https://youtu.be/LATZ0g-Sz2s
However, AWD / 4WD address different problems than winter tires do. As I understand it, winter tires are useful for traction on ice or packed snow, but won't help significantly in unpacked snow, where 4WD helps immensely.
Around here, it's hilly and there are many streets which won't get plowed immediately. This makes 4WD pretty vital for getting around sometimes. Plus, 4WD helps with vehicle control at speed in slick conditions.
Something fun to read from a few years ago: http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/remembering-snowmageddon-201...
That was from 2 inches (5cm) of snow.
Americans in general don't buy what they need or will use. They buy what they want.
Most of those people, like in the Atlanta story, never drive in more than a 1/2in of snow.
> and don't care to use snow tires.
Snow tires are expensive, and usually not worth the expense beyond all-weather tires, especially for people in the south.
> They want perfect handling and acceleration in any condition and not having to switch tires or use traction aiding devices.
Is that not something you'd like from your car? Seems like a nice feature to me, and my car isn't even close to that.
If you've not been coddled with the "luxury car" interiors, you'll find the Bolt's interior to be perfectly fine. It's not Audi/BMW/Benz/Tesla level, but IMO it's not as "plasticky" as other commenters have mentioned: it's not the 90s Malibu crap that GM pumped out back then. The screen is nice and big (not Tesla-big), and integrates just fine with Apple and Android Auto.
For 90% of the trips made by 90% of the people in the US, the Bolt is a perfectly fine car.
If GM started the Bolt at $25K and offered nicely equipped ones for $28 or $29K, there would be an interesting competition against Tesla. But they don't.
BTW, like some other posts, I think the Volt is a brilliant car: https://jakeseliger.com/2018/11/29/steve-levines-the-powerho... and it's unfortunate that it's not proven popular too.
They seem to be in no rush to make it, but seem to be living with the PR that it somehow exists already. That people can make a statement like "why get a Bolt when I can get a M3 for around the same price" is beyond belief to me, considering there is no available configuration of the Model 3 that is anywhere close to $36k.
The M3 is a luxury class vehicle in all actually-existing configurations. The Bolt is available at the price you state _now_.
It's just GM seems entirely unwilling to market and sell it in volume.
https://www.inverse.com/article/32239-why-gm-loses-money-che...
It makes sense that a huge car company would be able to take a loss on an electric vehicle that they don't advertise much but which, by slowly accumulating in the market, convinces people that "GM can build affordable and good electric cars" so that when they do actually market a car they make money on, people will be less skeptical. However, according to this hypothesis, GM doesn't have a serious technical advantage over Tesla - they just have a fatter stack of cash. But sometimes that's enough.
Spending an extra ~25% for a much, much better product isn’t outrageous.
I don't think GM wants people to like the Bolt, just like they kind of shuffled away their previous EV platform. Not sure why, though—it seems like a pretty nice car, and the few people I know who bought one really like it.
It doesn't have the fandom of the Tesla Model 3, but it's a good little car if you want an EV.
It has an MSRP starting from $44,000 Canadian Dollars. This is affordable?