Chevy Volt to cost $41,000 before rebate (ObamaMobile goes on sale)

The Chevrolet Volt, the first mass-market electric vehicle from General Motors Co., will have a sticker price starting at $41,000 when it hits showrooms later this year.

But government tax credits and rebates designed to speed the entry of electric vehicles into the marketplace will make the price more attractive. There's a federal tax credit of $7,500 for electric vehicles. That lowers the Volt price to $33,500. An earlier report factored in an additional $5,000 credit for Californians, which would have brought the price to $28,500, but GM said the Volt will not be included in the state's special rebate program.

The sticker price of the hybrid Toyota Prius, the current favorite of gasoline misers and eco-drivers, ranges from $22,150 to $28,820, depending on the trim level and equipment.

I’ve made two trips and admit to trying to drive as if an egg were between the pedal and foot during the second trip.

I also filled up after returning and figured the milage manually as well as the car’s trip computer. 38.5 the first time and 39.1 mpg on the second trip as I attempted to beat the first trip’s milage. I did not go over 70 mph and eased away from the few lights I hit in Mission Viejo. The trip does take me over higher than sea level elevations ( I think 3,000 feet or in that range) both to and from. Look at a map and you’ll see that there are mountains east and north of Riverside on hwy 60 and rolling hills south of riverside on the way to Orange County.

I’m confident I could duplicate that milage easily on any long trip. At a stop for coffee I ran into another Sonata owner who made the same claim on his first long trip.

I am impressed and certainly have no reason to lie. I’m 70 years old and have had lots of new cars in my life and this is the first one to exceed the claimed highway milage.

VW and Audi have 2.0 liter turbodiesel engines.

In Jettas and A3 sized cars these vehicles get 30 mpg city and 42 highway.

People report getting over 50 mpg highway.

These vehicles are not hybrid, but do cost more than comparable gasoline engine models.

Hybrids like Prius may get a little better mileage than this, but involve hybrid technology and batteries.

The problem I have - and I presume many have - is not anything you posted but is the cost of battery replacement [and the fact that it is ignored in sales pitches] and the cost of electricity compared to gas.

To get most people to even consider it, a reasonably clear explanation of the battery thing has to be up front. Second, a reasonably clear explanation of cost of electricity... we all know the cost of gas in our area - we just need to be able to compare.

Thanks anyway.

To get most people to even consider it, a reasonably clear explanation of the battery thing has to be up front.

On average the cost of driving from electricity is about 1/4 of that for gasoline. I don't know how to make it more clear. If the price of gas goes up relative to the price of electricity, then the price could be 1/5th the cost of gasoline or something of the sort. If the price of electricity goes up relative to gasoline the price could be something like 1/3 that of gasoline. As you know gas prices fluctuate quite a bit. But rest assured that the price of gasoline WILL GO UP and will go up sharply in the future. So a lot of the people who bought low mileage vehicles will be very alarmed at $5-6/gal gasoline and that's not far off. The $3/gal prices we pay today will seem to be a bargain. Now let's hope we build the necessary nuclear power plants so we can charge up our batteries.

I'm not sure about battery replacement costs. It's hard to say because you are talking about cost a few years off. It won't be cheap I can assure you of that. Go to GM-Volt. com and you will get some guesstimates.

I am retired and don’t put very many miles on my Shelby. And I do have a lot of money.

Well what's the point of having a Shelby GT500 if you don't drive it much? Seems like this is the type of vehicle that's fun to drive, isn't it? And if you have so much money, why do you care if the initial Chevy Volts are $41K? Why not buy a couple for friends and family? They will need them in the future when gas prices go up. And you can wave as you blow by them in your muscle car. Good for you and watch out for the CHP (or whatever LEA in your area).

To get most people to even consider it, a reasonably clear explanation of the battery thing has to be up front.

I'm not sure about battery replacement costs.

Thanks.

On average the cost of driving from electricity is about 1/4 of that for gasoline. I don't know how to make it more clear.

Well, that's not clear at all. I would plan on using only electricity to commute - then plugging in. Is it too much information or super secret or something?

Here's what most people look for: "The cost of plugging in and giving a full charge is $20 - which varies by electricity provider - but this is an estimate". That would be clearer.

Hmmm, add 30,000 units at “240 mgp” to the fleet average, and GM’s gonna finally get back to making money by selling cars at a profit: aka pickup trucks and SUVs.

And this car isn’t even an “electric.” I love how they claim “electric” for all the subsidies, rebates, tax benies, etc., and then claim a miles per gallon figure at the same time.

Nobody doubts what you’re saying about the technology. That’s not at issue: it’s the politics of the entire thing that stinks from Detroit to Washington and back.

A GOVERNMENT vehicle hastily prepared for market by a company with a gun to its head and trying to beg money from the Kenyan Usurper. Zero has been in charge of GM only about a year and a half. REAL new-car programs take at least 3 years from start to finish.

You see 75% of American Public drives less than 40 miles per day. That's why GM sized the battery for that number. But they also coupled it with a ICE that will allow you to extend the range to over 300 miles on gasoline.

I don't see the thrill of getting a Chevy Volt. My daughter has a Nissan Altima Hybrid, cost her about $24,000. It has a 700 mile range on the gas tank. Most of the time it runs silently on the batteries. Two months ago she drove from Kansas to Denver to meet us, almost 500 miles for her. She only used a half tank of gas. The Nissan and Toyota hybrids are proven tech.

The Chevy Volt is overpriced and cannot compare to what Toyota already has. Too little and too late to the game.

The Chevy Volt is overpriced and cannot compare to what Toyota already has. Too little and too late to the game.

You couldn't be more wrong about the Chevy Volt. Yes the first Chevy Volts will be expensive. Every new technology is expensive. Remember how expensive pocket calculators, computers that you are now posting with, and Flat Panel TVs were? Well it's the same with EREV. GM will only build 10,000 Volts the first year and then 30,000 the second year. Remember with the rebate the actual price is $33.5K. That's not all that outrageous of a price considering the vehicle is loaded with options. At this price they will sell every car they can make with no problems at all. As they ramp up EREV production, the prices will come down. As economies of scale kick in the prices will fall. The Volt and EREV technology are nearly all unique parts that are used in relatively small numbers and this means high prices. But there are plenty of people willing to shell out $33.5K for the first units, no problem.

The Volt is light years ahead of your Nissan Hybrid in technology. It's a revolutionary vehicle but you don't understand the significance of what GM has accomplished. It ISN'T a hybrid! It's and EREV and that's very different than a hybrid. Saying that the Chevy Volt doesn't compare to the Toyota and Nissan hybrids is stupidity squared. The Volts are much more sophisticated technology. For most people using the Volt they will use very little gasoline. It's also a lot more fun to drive. The Toyota Prius is slow as a snail but the reviews of the Volt indicate that it's much more fun to drive than any hybrid. It's quick and has a lot of torque at low RPM. That will make it a blast to drive.

I think your problem is that you don't understand the technology and you think in static terms. You don't understand what a breakthrough technology is. And the word is already out that Toyota and Nissan and other car companies are working feverishly on their own EREV vehicles.

There will be a day in the not too distant future that you will have to eat your words about the Volt. I only wish I was there to see it.

The GM engineers could not have has their hearts in this government-ordered project. This is a “car” ordered up by bureaucrats who had no idea of how much time it really takes to engineer a new vehicle.

Your stupidity is nothing short of amazing! This car was conceived of by Bob Lutz back about 2005! It was started in earnest in 2006. It was NEVER ordered up by bureaucrats. It was in development long before Obama was elected. The big breakthrough came when the battery technology was ready. You have got just about everything wrong in your post. I've been following the development of the Volt since 2007 and to say the GM Engineers didn't have their hearts in it reveals both your ignorance and stupidity. GM engineers were dying to work on the Volt. Everyone in the company wanted to work on this project. How can you make a statement like this? Are you THAT foolish and stupid? Do you have any evidence to back up your statements? I didn't think so!

And this car isn’t even an “electric.”

Your ignorance is staggering. Of course it's an electric. The Volt is ALWAYS powered by an electric motor. The ICE only provides electricity for this motor. This is a completely different concept than the typical hybrid like the Toyota Prius. The car is an EREV. That stands for Extended Range Electric Vehicle. So to say it isn't an electric is beyond belief. It's NOT an a BEV which stands for Battery Electric Vehicle. That would be a vehicle like the Nissan Leaf. The Leaf has no ICE. But the Leaf has a range of only 100 miles (in good weather & conditions). You need to go to GM-Volt.com and learn a little more about EREV before making stupid posts.

Although I enjoy being called "staggering," you are, truly, freaking out. Of course the Volt is a hybrid: as an electric, it's basically useless. Just because the gasoline motor isn't connected to the drive train (goes to generator), doesn't mean it doesn't rely on the gasoline engine. Calling it an E-REV is a distinction without a difference. Instead of recognizing that, you're kicking around that term as if it's some magical property that makes this car a messiah. E-REV is just a made-up SAE category to save GM's butt by not having to call this thing what it is, a hybrid.

So riddle me this: how can an electric have an mpg rating? GM wants it to be an electric for the subsidies and a gasoline for the mgp ratings to be included in the overall CAFE totals. (See here for a Motor Trend discussion of this issue from last year.) It's a political problem involving hundreds of millions in incentives, tax breaks, and CAFE penalties.

And, btw, your claim that users of this car won't use much gasoline is ridiculous. I'll ask this of others, and not you: just how many miles do you put on your car on, say, a weekend day, or one of those days that you gotta get around on errands, to dinner, to visit friends, and not just a basic commuter day? Me, I keep to a straight 25 mile commute maybe twice a week, which is why I put well over 300 miles a week on my "commuter car." The idea that people only drive 40 miles a day is inane: even if they drive, say 24 miles in a single day, doesn't mean they won't need to drive 120 miles the next day. On average, Ameircans put 15,000 miles a year on their cars: that's gonna press that gasoline motor quite a bit.

This car can't manage one of the key benefits of the gasoline engine, potential and flexibility in use. And the only way it'll come close to it is by relying on its little gasoline engine. (Heh! just think, when the power grid is down, you can plug your home fridge into the car! -- so long as you have a full tank of gas...)

Meanwhile, here's a chill pill for ya, a true, pure electric:

and it could go 60+ miles on a single charge!

I'm amazed at the number of things spouted as fact on this thread, that just ain't so. If we can't agree on the facts, there's no point in discussion, is there?

Truthguy has made several excellent points on this thread, until he decided to engage in name calling.

In your case, I'm not sure how he could know what kind of mileage you got on a trip. I do know that since the early '80s the EPA has revised their methodology three times to, as they said, 'more accurately reflect the real-world results.'

Any person willing to drive reasonably can, for the most part, blow away the EPA ratings. That's because the EPA ratings more than ever factor in those who do not drive reasonably.

EPA ratings more than ever factor in those who do not drive reasonably.

I realize that and it’s true that I used the lightest foot possible, crept slowly away after stopping and on purpose allowed the car to slow down on upgrades rather than try to maintain speed on upgrades. I was trying for the best mpg possible and looks like 39mpg is the result. I know it’s not normal driving but it surprised me that results were that good. First time I’ve ever been impressed on a cars mpg potential. 4 cylinder direct injection engine and 6 speed transmission is plenty for this old gal.

75-80% of the American public drive less than 40 miles a day. That's why the battery is sized as it is. For me it would be great. My daily commute is 24 miles round trip. So on weekdays, I would not need to use gasoline. On weekends I can use the range extension feature when I go over 40 miles. Typically on weekends I will go about 50-80 miles so even then the first 40 will be on battery. So I will be able to use the electric feature about 80% of the time. That's a big deal. I can drastically cut my purchase of gas. Yes my electric bill will go up, BUT we don't use oil to generate electricity much anymore, only about 2% for a few old peaker plants.

You're drinking too much kool-aid and have bought into GM's outrageous hype. The Volt is overpriced. You say it's reasonable after government rebates at $33.5k. That's still way more expensive than the Leaf, which will be around $26k after rebates ($21k here in California).

As for power, my daughter's Altima Hybrid has lots of power, 198hp to be exact. Drives as fast as an all-gas car (my other daughter had the regular Altima). And has a range of 700 miles per tank, in a car available now loaded with options at a reasonable price.

Your arguments are pie-in-the-sky and are a weak bet, while mine are reality and proven. I think you are the one who will regret what you have said.

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