The credit, which buyers must claim when filing their tax return, begins to phase out after the manufacturer produces 200,000 qualifying vehicles.
In the case of leases, the leasing company is eligible to claim the credit. Nissan plans to lease the base model of the Leaf for $349 a month for three years with $1,999 because of delivery. The Volt’s $350-a-month lease is also for three years, with $2,500 due at delivery.
At those rates, lessees would pay $14,563 over three years for the Leaf and $15,100 for the Volt.
G.M. plans to build 10,000 Volts by the end of 2011 and 30,000 in 2012. The company has said it does not expect to earn a profit from early generations of the vehicle.
Lessee, a car built by a government owned car company that gets ~40 miles on a charge selling for $41K!!
I’ll pass!!
MY question is, “If hybrids are so effective and can give the person that owns it hundreds of miles per tank of gas, why do we need ALL ELECTRIC? There are no passenger sized cars that are not now using a hybrid - why not let the car guys get out of electric - it will solve the CAFE problem and have no need for more electic power structure to recharge the those Volts and Leafs.
Refuse to buy any vehicle from Government Motors
LOL It goes 40 miles in how much time and then has to sit for how long?
I would never buy a 1st year vehicle, especially a 1st year Domestic vehicle, and most especially one with unproven technology. That, and $34,000 with the tax credit is still too high a price to pay for a low-performance 4-seat commuter.
Other than that, I really like the Volt and would not mind owning one. Electric car technology is really enticing. The cars are quiet. Maintenance costs are next to nothing. I mean, how many moving parts does the car have? People talk about the cost to replace batteries but never compare this to the cost of an engine and tranny rebuild.
Does the transmission have more than one moving part? I don’t think so. I don’t believe the car shifts. It is just linear power delivery from 0 to redline.
I am interested in a quiet car that has fewer moving parts and very low maintenance costs. But I would wait years for this technology to work itself out and see how it goes.
I would want a sportier car than the Volt. Electric motors generate a lot of torque and can be very very quick off the line and in 0-60 mph.
I hope to own an electric car sooner than later, but not until the technology is proven and somebody makes a sports car or sports coupe for under $30,000 (Tesla price is insane).
We definitely need another 50-100 nuclear power plants if electric cars are to be more than just a niche vehicle. Other than that, I would love to have an electric powered car for the short commute. Electric cars are wonderful in stop and go traffic because you don’t use any electricity when you are stopped, unlike gasoline cars which are getting 0 mpg when stopped and the engine temps are soaring on a hot day in that traffic jam.
The Volt is interesting and I like it but I won’t buy an electric car until someone makes one that is fast and fun and still affordable. I say bring it on. Gas is going to $6/gallon at some point and I would just as soon be able to avoid gas linesa and charge up at home each night than be at the mercy of volatile gas prices.
We are definitely going to need a lot of nuclear power plants and places to recharge cars.
The key here is that the technology is not mature. As electric cars become more and more common, they will increase in practicality. Charging times will decrease and battery capacities will increase. Technology marches on!
If somebody gave me a free Volt to commute in, I sure wouldn’t turn it down.
I won’t buy a Volt or a Leaf endorsed by that Fag. GM will never see a nickel of my money. Never!
These idiots really think that we are going to buy a car for double???? I hope they choke on every one.
Hey, all you ball-less dudes who bought a Smart Car, go run out and get one of these!! Save the Earth!!!!
The guy is wrong. Not only can the competition do it, but they do it better. Nissan has the Leaf for short driving in the city. The Leaf is an all-electric, while the Volt is a hybrid.
Nissan also has the Altima Hybrid, which has the range of 700 miles per tank of gas, far exceeding the puny 340 miles of the Volt. Two months ago my daughter drove her Altima Hybrid from Kansas to Denver, almost 500 miles for her, and only used half a tank of gas. She has a heavy foot meaning she drives fast. The car cost her about $24,000 new. There is no advantage of buying the overpriced, puny Volt. Too little too late to the game!