Atlanta Electric Vehicle Development Coalition

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Tag Archives: #BOLT


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The 1% Solution – The 99% Reality

The 1% Solution – The 99% Reality

This past August 2017 marked the 5th Anniversary of my transition from “gas to electric” driving, logging about 70,000 miles in either all electric (Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model S) or Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Chevrolet VOLT) vehicles.  In thinking about my life experience as an EV driver, I wanted to share my perspective as the US EV market cracks the 1% mark and the 99% Reality of why I believe that EVs can be the ‘go to’ vehicle for the vast majority of driving circumstances.  [photo: 2013 VOLT on delivery day 8-16-2012]. Continue reading →


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2016 US PHEV Sales Top 110,000

US Plug In Electric Vehicle sales are on a tear in 2016 up +31% vs. sluggish 2015 but also up +20% vs. the record setting 2014.  So what’s going on?  Two words: pricing and innovation.

tesla-p100d

Tesla delivered 34,455 Model S and Model X through September 30th following a very aggressive (for Tesla) sales push which included Model S and X ‘inventory vehicles’ – produced without a buyer and the ramp up of Model X production. Tesla reportedly converted a number of Model 3 buyers to Model S with its newly re-priced $66,000 base price. I visited Tesla stores in Atlanta and Cleveland where the store”cupboards” were bare and exhausted Product Specialists had delivered every vehicle they could get their hands on before September 30th. Tesla began to make deliveries of its 0-60 in 2.5 seconds P100D with its 315 mile driving range as well.

Chevrolet VOLT –  sales for the second 2016-chevrolet-volt-010-2-668x409-668x409-668x409generation model and its 53 mile all EV range are up +76% to 16,326 units, beating full year 2015 (15,393) and on pace to  best 2014 (18,805). Used car buyer are discovering a great value in the VOLT, which sell for less than 40% of the price of its price when new, attracting the next generation of buyers to the versatile 400 mile range VOLT.

bmw-x5-xdrive40e-livepics-29

BMW X5 xDrive 40E at almost 4,600 units helped push BMW “E” sales up by 24% off-setting lower sales for the i3 (2017 model gets a longer range battery pack at 110 EV miles) and i8  both off about 20%. BMW just started shipping the 330E with just 323 units delivered and the 740E arrives in the Fourth Quarter of this year.

Federal Incentives (up to $7,500) are still plentiful and many states also have additional incentives on top of Federal continuing to support EV sales.  US gasoline prices are creeping up but still very low so not likely impacting the sales growth of EVs.

The next chapter:  2017 Chevrolet BOLT- officially rated by the US EPA at 238 miles of all electric driving range and a base price of $37,495.00 before Federal Incentives.  The long-range, mass market EV may be finally here.  That is until the Tesla Model 3 arrives in late 2017.

2017-chevy-bolt-ev-commercial


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2016 VOLT – How close were the predictions?

If I were a professional golfer, I would have been told that my prediction was a ‘gimme’ based on how close I came to being accurate:

Here’s the prediction I made about it at the end of 2014 about VOLT 2.0:

4). Chevrolet VOLT 2.0: a lower cost VOLT 1.0?

With the battery re-engineered to provide more storage with fewer battery cells (192 vs 288) this was expected.  

But look at the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze and you get an idea of what the 2016 VOLT is going to look like: compact.

Frankly, it looks like a Honda Civic not a cutting edge EV – but that’s what GM’s research told the designers to do.

Range may improve modestly (45-50 electric miles) – right on the money!  50 EV miles from 18.4kWh battery.

but this vehicle will not be a game changer; it’s likely the vehicle that should have launched in 2011:  $29,995 base price, Missed this one – looks like it’s going to stay at $34,995 before Federal Tax Credit. 

2017 BOLT was shown to advertise the upcoming $30,000 price point AFTER the $7500 Federal Tax Credit. 

Useable gauges, (yup). But the complaints were so high on VOLT 1.0 this had to be done.  But Chevrolet fell back on its current GM cluster gauges so the WOW factor is now gone. Somewhat cool iPad/app based interface.

3 person “Cruze Sized” rear seat.  

Middle seat is just a back cushion. Third passenger needs to ‘straddle’ the battery pack.  

I hope there are more substantial surprises when the VOLT 2.0 is unveiled at the NAIAS the week of January 12, 2015: like using more than 60% of the 17.1kWh battery!  

This did not happen.  Larger battery but no change in useable capacity. Most disappointing:  on board charger modestly increased from 3.3 to 3.6 kW.  Gonna still be slow going charging VOLT 2.0. 


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2015 Prediction #4: 2016 VOLT 2.0 . . . and Blow Out Deals on Unsold 2014 Cadillac ELRs

Tomorrow the new 2016 VOLT 2.0 will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show.  And it looks like we’ll hear about the 2017 200 mile Lithium Ion BOLT 5 door hatchback as well!

Here’s the prediction I made about it at the end of 2014 about VOLT 2.0:

4). Chevrolet VOLT 2.0: a lower cost VOLT 1.0? Let’s face it, without Bob Lutz there would not have been VOLT 1.0. And without former GM CEO Dan Akerson pushing to get $10,000 of cost out of the VOLT, there would not be a 2.0. GM is working hard to ‘tease’ us with it’s mini reveals.  But look at the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze and you get an idea of what the 2016 VOLT is going to look like: compact.  Range may improve modestly (45-50 electric miles) but this vehiclewill not be a game changer; it’s likely the vehicle that should have launched in 2011:  $29,995 base price, useable gauges, 3 person “Cruze Sized” rear seat.‘  I hope there are more substantial surprises when the VOLT 2.0 is unveiled at the NAIAS the week of January 12, 2015: like using more than 60% of the 17.1kWh battery!

Check back in to see how close I came to predicting the new VOLT and to learn more about the BOLT!

2014 Cadillac ELR Blowout Sale

If you are in the market for a luxury coupe, new and unsold 2014 Cadillac ELRs can be purchased/financed (no leasing on past model year vehicles) for $52,000 or less.  That’s $24,000 below sticker on the base model.  One dealer in Charlotte has a loaded 2014 ELR demo with 4100 miles for $51,614 ($80,125 MSRP). There are over 200 ELRs in the Southeast alone.  So watch for rock bottom prices (I predict $45,000-47,000) by end of February.  But buyer beware:  these vehicles are a year old, and will continue to depreciate rapidly.  They are VOLT Gen 1.0 (17 kWh battery, 3.3 kW on board charger, noisy 1.4L generator).  But at these prices, it might just be worth it if you want an incredibly comfortable, limited range PEV!

2014 Cadillac ELR