# Chevy Volt Price Fail **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218 "2010-07-27T19:47:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/1 "2010-07-27T19:47:28Z")
So Chevy announced the [price for the Volt](http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-volt-20100727,0,7059556.story?track=rss)…a ridiculous $41,000 ($33,500 after federal rebate). I knew it was going to be too expensive, but this really makes m e wonder about Chevy even more. This just is not competitive with other similar cars (the Nissan leaf for example). Some will buy it for the status I suppose, but mass consumption will have to wait I am sure. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/2 "2010-07-27T19:49:15Z")
Good God, that’s crazy expensive. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/3 "2010-07-27T20:02:16Z")
I can only suppose the extra cost is the “security blanket” gas engine that the Leaf lacks. Will the Volt have a readout that will show what percentage of the time the gas engine has actually been used? [OP link fail.](http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-volt-20100727,0,7059556.story?track=rss) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/4 "2010-07-27T20:55:33Z")
I predicted $40-43k, so I’m a genius! But I’ll be a genius driving some other cheap-ass car. $34k (with rebate) is not _horrible_, but I’d wait two or three years and try to get low-mileage used one. After everyone finds out if they cars are actually reliable or not. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/5 "2010-07-27T21:21:48Z")
I was hoping the thread title said, “Chevy Volt Price _Fall_”. I’d seen a headline earlier about the price. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/6 "2010-07-27T21:38:01Z")
GM originally planned on pricing the vehicle at around $33K. Guess what? That’s where they end up. They figured with the rebate that customers would still be willing to pay $33K so they put on $41K. How slick of them huh? This ends up another way for the government to put money in GM’s pocket without raising eyebrows. The government doesn’t have money. We pay the rebate. Lutz was on WJR in Detroit last year and reported on his prototype. He admitted that he could get no where near the 40 miles on a charge in winter driving. I was surprised at his rare frankness. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/7 "2010-07-27T23:41:59Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > GM originally planned on pricing the vehicle at around $33K. Guess what? That’s where they end up. They figured with the rebate that customers would still be willing to pay $33K so they put on $41K. How slick of them huh? This ends up another way for the government to put money in GM’s pocket without raising eyebrows. Cite? I’ve got actual mail from Chevy from more than a year ago about the Volt (I signed up for the “information emails” program). It says: “Price is to be determined, but is expected to be about $40,000. Federal Rebates will lower that price in the US, and some states have additional rebates.” I’m not too worked up about the price. My state doesn’t charge sales tax on Alternative Fuel vehicles, saving about $4K more, and my company will pitch in another $2K. But most importantly, the _lease_ price looks quite reasonable (about $350), and on such a new technology a lease is probably not a bad idea. But it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting one anyway in the first year: they’re only a 10K run, and only sold in six states (not mine). I’ll look again in 2012 after the world ends. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/8 "2010-07-28T00:30:38Z")
[Fixed Link](http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-volt-20100727,0,7059556.story?track=rss) ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/9 "2010-07-28T01:01:21Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > > [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > > > GM originally planned on pricing the vehicle at around $33K. Guess what? That’s where they end up. They figured with the rebate that customers would still be willing to pay $33K so they put on $41K. How slick of them huh? This ends up another way for the government to put money in GM’s pocket without raising eyebrows. > > Cite? I’ve got actual mail from Chevy from more than a year ago about the Volt (I signed up for the “information emails” program). It says: “Price is to be determined, but is expected to be about $40,000. Federal Rebates will lower that price in the US, and some states have additional rebates.” > > I’m not too worked up about the price. My state doesn’t charge sales tax on Alternative Fuel vehicles, saving about $4K more, and my company will pitch in another $2K. But most importantly, the _lease_ price looks quite reasonable (about $350), and on such a new technology a lease is probably not a bad idea. > > But it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting one anyway in the first year: they’re only a 10K run, and only sold in six states (not mine). I’ll look again in 2012 after the world ends. This is the number touted by Robert Lutz in the media around Detroit in the TV and radio talk and news shows. I really don’t get tapes of those shows. Here’s a 1.15.08 quote: "Lutz: I’ve always said I’d like to be able to sell it at around $30,000. The way things look now, it doesn’t look like that’s going to be possible. It looks like it’s going to be more. " And then later he suggested it would be the second generation to get down to that price. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/10 "2010-07-28T01:06:40Z")
They had the market to themselves if they would have just put the damn car out. They have been dicking around for months.By the time they do there will be lots of choices, all cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Like\_Fry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@Like\_Fry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Like_Fry)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/11 "2010-07-28T04:57:56Z")
That is kind of like the new International Estar delivery van. All electric, no transmission, apparently a noisy steering pump under the cab. Can only haul 4k lbs, a range of 100 miles, max speed of 50 mph, and can barely get going up a hill when empty. Price around $149,000 (though apparently Oregon gets almost $40,000 in rebates and tax credits). Either way, very expensive. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/12 "2010-07-28T08:40:25Z")
What do you expect from a company that had a 4 passenger prototype car in 92 that was EPA rated at 88MPG and made SUVs instead? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General\_Motors\_Ultralite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Ultralite) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZU369rpCYo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZU369rpCYo) Here was an earlier single passenger vehicle that got 120 MPG. [http://randolph-automotive.com/ttw/ttw\_gmleanmachine.htm](http://randolph-automotive.com/ttw/ttw_gmleanmachine.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/13 "2010-07-28T13:15:55Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Some will buy it for the status I suppose, but mass consumption will have to wait I am sure. This is the case with pretty much any hybrid passenger car at this point. Where new cars are concerned, fuel costs are a relatively small portion of the total cost of ownership; in comparison, purchase price/depreciation costs dominate. Example: Honda Civic, $15,655, 36 MPG (combined MPG) Honda Civic Hybrid, $23,800, 42 MPG (combined MPG) The price premium for the hybrid is $8145. Suppose gas costs $2.75 a gallon. You’d have to drive 750,000 miles to achieve the same total cost (purchase + fuel). Suppose in some fantasy world the hybrid version _didn’t use any gasoline at all;_ you’d still have to drive 125,000 miles to break even. Tax credits are currently reducing the excess cost of owning a hybrid, but for time being, the only reasons to own a hybrid are because it’s a status symbol or because of a “it’s the right thing to do even if it costs more” mentality. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/14 "2010-07-28T13:49:26Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > What do you expect from a company that had a 4 passenger prototype car in 92 that was EPA rated at 88MPG and made SUVs instead? > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General\_Motors\_Ultralite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Ultralite) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZU369rpCYo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZU369rpCYo) > > Here was an earlier single passenger vehicle that got 120 MPG. > > [http://randolph-automotive.com/ttw/ttw\_gmleanmachine.htm](http://randolph-automotive.com/ttw/ttw_gmleanmachine.htm) Did most people care about a super high mileage car? No. Car companies made assloads of SUVs because… an assload of people wanted SUVs. How dare they make what consumers wanted! I can’t believe the price of the Volt is a surprise. Maybe it’s just because I live in Detroit, but I knew it’d be right around 40K like, 2 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/15 "2010-07-28T15:05:42Z")
Pricey but not priced so high that no one will buy them. I’m sure every one of them will sell and that’s a step in the right direction. The first generation of any new technology is pricey. It’s a painful step but one that has to be taken to get the ball rolling. I remember 10+ years ago when flat panel tvs hit the market. $10,000 for a 32" set. Waaay pricey but it was the first step to what is now a $500 tv. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/16 "2010-07-28T16:56:45Z")
From the story I heard on NPR, they were saying the price has to be that high because GM is not allowed to lose any money per car. ? ---
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/17 "2010-07-28T17:33:02Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > Tax credits are currently reducing the excess cost of owning a hybrid, but for time being, the only reasons to own a hybrid are because it’s a status symbol or because of a “it’s the right thing to do even if it costs more” mentality. Can someone please explain the logic behind why driving a hybrid is “the right thing to do”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/18 "2010-07-28T17:53:33Z")
> [@Rafe\_Hollister](#): > > > [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > > > Tax credits are currently reducing the excess cost of owning a hybrid, but for time being, the only reasons to own a hybrid are because it’s a status symbol or because of a “it’s the right thing to do even if it costs more” mentality. > > Can someone please explain the logic behind why driving a hybrid is “the right thing to do”? 😕 It reduces our dependency on foreign oil (presumably most people are concerned about the money we spend in countries with whom we have significant political and social/humanitarian differences – I doubt people get too worked up over buying oil from the Canadians.) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/19 "2010-07-28T20:39:56Z")
Even if you’re driving less than 40 miles a day it’s hard to justify a $41,000 car. How does the rebate work, is that something you get right away or is it just a tax deduction? I don’t doubt their limited production will sell, but I don’t think it will be ubiquitous. Why do all the hybrid cars have to be “heavily equipped”? If you’re wanting to drive an efficient car, how about one with a minimum of frills, and save $10,000 or more in the process? ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218/20 "2010-07-28T20:50:47Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Even if you’re driving less than 40 miles a day it’s hard to justify a $41,000 car. > > How does the rebate work, is that something you get right away or is it just a tax deduction? > I don’t doubt their limited production will sell, but I don’t think it will be ubiquitous. Why do all the hybrid cars have to be “heavily equipped”? If you’re wanting to drive an efficient car, how about one with a minimum of frills, and save $10,000 or more in the process? There are those pesky safety regulations they have to follow, which accounts for some of the “frills”. And since most of the cost is the new technology and not fancy add-ons, would you want to spend $31,000 on an electric car that had _no_ extras? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-volt-price-fail/548218.md?page=2)