Volt 2.0: Ruess "It will leap-frog... the competition"

That's why the WHO question was asked over and over and over again. Who are those others?

GM did indeed set a target for mainstream sales. It was for the end of the second year. By then, the plan was to grow beyond those sales of 60,000 annual to take advantage of their 120,000 annual production capacity available at that point. Knowing who they intended to sell to was obviously important information... which was evaded over and over and over again.

The daily blog for Volt (gm-volt.com) was the center of attention. They were who. GM took advantage of that resource, continuously feeding it to draw more attention to Volt. It started out as supporters there, a group who I thought could be an ally in the quest to end the reign of traditional vehicles. Sadly, they transformed to enthusiasts who declared Volt as "vastly superior". They spoke out against plug-in hybrids and EVs, coining the EREV label to distinguish their preferred design. That fell apart though, as other automaker offerings fit the same definition and Volt sales struggled.

It's what brings us to the "too much, too early" assessment. GM clearly over-engineered the first Volt. In fact, that's fundamentally why those enthusiasts felt it was superior. Unfortunately, that too much resulted in business problems. There wasn't a market to actually sell it to. That extra made it too expensive. Only early adopters bought it, taking advantage of bargain leases, the tax-credit, and HOV privileges.

As for the too early part, that's why the same questions are being asked again about the next-gen Volt... specifically, who? In the past, both the enthusiasts as well as GM itself spoke out against small capacity battery offerings and electric-only vehicles. Volt was the solution for all. An increase in EV range, combined with a more efficient engine and a much lower production cost, would fulfill business need to reach the masses. That would supposedly achieve those mainstream sales... which begs the question, will it?

I see the next plug-in Prius as targeted to reach ordinary consumers. Toyota's choice to keep the battery-capacity on the smaller side (to avoid space & cost compromise) and the choice to take advantage of blending will make it more appealing. It's easy to see the MPG boost the plug provides. It's still very much a Prius after depletion. Full recharging with just a 120-volt connection isn't an overnight process. That sounds like just the right amount at just the right time.

We know the details of Gen-2 Volt. We know the price too. With ever increasing competition and the looming subsidy expiration, what should we expect?

 

Meanwhile, back in the real world here. For all you enlightenment about the brilliance of Toyota's PiP marketing strategy and the amazing incompetence of the Volt marketing strategy, there is one extremely minor detail not mentioned:

I can buy a Volt. I cannot buy a PiP. The end.

 

case closed.

 

That's because it hasn't started yet.

The topic is about Gen-2 offerings.

 

That's my point.

 

actually, it's about new volt leapfrogging the competition.

 

We've come full circle.

 

I get what you are saying for normal consumers the main concern of comfort, styling and performance will trump total efficiency when two vehicle are close enough that you have to create a spreadsheet to compare the two.

The Prius sold in such huge numbers because it had very little direct competition and because it was a cheap way to get HOV lane stickers but many folks felt they were compromising. The future is showing us that people will have many more super efficient choices and will no longer be required to compromise.

For example, I would much prefer the vehicle that allowed me to drive in a spirited way (or at freeway speeds) without fear of the engine kicking in and ruining the EV experience. Toyota's choice to use a very small battery and low power motor makes such driving impossible. My hope is that they fix this with the new Gen. It will be more marketable to the masses who don't look at efficiency spreadsheets.

 

i cannot picture any efficient car, in the current environment, capturing the masses like the camry/corolla/accord/civic/etc. without massive government intervention.

 

Tesla model S in 2020 after they get prices factory and gigafactory going?

Different demographic than corolla and civic and focus, but could be pretty big in the US and China.

 

4th gen Prius is my last shot at staying in the alt vehicle game, and that's if I haven't bought a conventional by Jan 2016. The target car should be here this September.
I think the 4th gen Prius is a real longshot for me though. Won't know until it's here.

 

I hear ya. Currently there is nothing out there that will fit my current needs so I'll most likely be in a Forester or Jeep by Feb 2016.

 

The Outlander PHEV is doing that here. The best selling electric car/phev in the UK, selling 4x more than the Leaf. I went to charge up today at a fast charger and there were three Outlander PHEVs waiting. They're everywhere and can't sell enough of them. There's no compromise - drive it as a petrol car and never plug it in if you wish, or run it on electric all the time if the 30 mile range suits. 5 seats, loads of luggage room.

Give people what they want and they'll sell.

UK's Top 20 Plug-In Electric Cars

 

Have your needs changed? What's wrong with a year old Volt?

 

outlander phev is in the top ten?

 

Outlander may sell in the UK, but Mitsubishi is on its way out of the USA market. They just don't have any cars that are attracting buyers. This has been going on for 10 plus years. I doubt Mitsubishi has made any money in the US market. The only car that has helped their brand was the EVO, and who knows the future of it.

 

Exactly the same here. Mitsubishi was an innocuous brand that just didn't hit anyones must have list. They just existed and market share was slowly falling year after year. The Outlander PHEV saved them as a company in the UK and could do the same in the US market. I don't think as a company they can believe it either. It's unheard of for a Mitsubishi to be selling like this.

I couldn't name any of the Mitsubishi lineup other than maybe the Shogun/Pajero SUV and i-miev, though I believe they have a whole range of cars. Maybe the Outlander is their saving grace, just like the Prius and HSD was to Toyota? Prior to their hybrids Toyota just made reliable but very dull cars, both technically and asthetically. Today 1 in 4 (almost 1 in 3) Toyota cars in the UK are hybrid. That's the reason I bought one.

 

toyota was a very successful company here, when they brought prius to market. it wasn't a saving grace to them, but it has been to reduced oil imports and air quality.

 

i would like to see a list of the top selling cars in the uk.

 

Volt, was, is, and always will be: a niche car. No different from a 'Vette, Suburban (80 years of production). Thats' it. Volt can not, nor will ever be a car for the masses!

DBCassidy