The Chevy Bolt Is the Ugly Car of the (Very Near) Future

[GetOffYourGas]

Anecdotally, the local salesman tells me that while the Bolt has garnered a lot of interest, most of the actual sales become Volts. This makes sense to me. Around here, charging infrastructure is sparse. DCQC is non-existent. We are in a medium-sized city but it is 100+ miles to the next one. Winters are cold (which as we know, saps range). The Volt provides significant AER without any worries of running out. The dealer tells me that they cannot keep Volts on the lot. They are second only to Silverados in sales.

 

[marshallinwa]

Personally, I never thought the Bolt looks ugly. However I never liked the look of the Leaf and the old style of Prius and it kept me from buying one.

I was very interested in the Bolt, but the seats have kept me from buying or leasing one. I wouldn't be surprised that those seats are costing Chevy 25% in lost sales.

 

[SeanNelson]

Love or hate the guy; Elon Musk is a rockstar. Watch the crowd during a Elon Musk product launch keynote address...the audience is hanging on his every word.

I agree, although I gotta say that he's really not the greatest public speaker. But his message is a compelling one.

 

[tk1971]

So I say to complainers of the Bolt's looks... Keep quiet, and go buy something else... The rest of us will marvel at the Bolt, Leaf, and other EVs and buy them...

The problem is, the "rest of us" are the tiny, less than 1% of the population that would buy an electric car - regardless of it's looks. Don't we all want more people to drive electric? I could be way off base, but I think if the Bolt ended up looking more looked like this:

...it may have have actually had a chance at being the game-changer / Tesla killer that analysts, reviewers, and GM were telling us it was going to be. Specs, numbers, & logic only goes so far...which I think are reflected in the Bolt's low sales numbers. Remember, GM "gave customers what they wanted" - price & range. If that's all that mattered, Bolts would have been selling like hotcakes but instead, there is a glut of inventory sitting on dealer lots.

The first thoughts that comes to mind when I look at the above photo are "beautiful car"...and "I want one".

The model 3, IMO looks like this guy:

I guess I'm in the minority when I say that I absolutely love the way my Bolt looks. I loved the way my other cars looked too (Leaf, Prius C, CT200h, Yaris HB, 2002 "bug-eye" WRX). I also love the Fit, the HR-V, Cruze HB and even the Soul EV. Just the other day, I found myself admiring the new Caddy XT5 crossover. It was white (like my Bolt) and I couldn't stop staring at it. The back is so clean...

Don't get me wrong, Teslas are very stylish and trendy. Lots of people like them... then again just a short time ago man-buns were trendy, and so was walking around in 100+ F heat looking like a lumberjack.

I've owned my fair share of Sedans but they just do it for me now-a-days.

 

[oilerlord]

I guess I'm in the minority when I say that I absolutely love the way my Bolt looks. I've owned my fair share of Sedans but they just do it for me now-a-days.

I'm no doubt in the minority that loves wagons. After owning Audi A4 & S4 wagons, and my current TDI wagon, I prefer driving a car than any SUV or crossover. I don't "love" the way my B-class looks, but it was the packaging that made the most sense for me in the absence of an EV wagon. I guess the B is sort of a tall wagon, but it certainly won't win any beauty contests.

 

[powersurge]

Several comments:

The Bolt's low sales is not related at all to it being, "ugly", or being a hatchback. It looks very modern, and pretty for a regular mainstream buyer's taste. Nowadays, a hatchback is the only way to go for a high volume car. I have been driving since BEFORE hatchbacks and minivans were invented, and HATED when I had to haul larger stuff in my car. Darn, when they came out with the sedan with rear seats that folded down, I was in heaven! I could put my skis IN the car without a rack!!!

The design problem that I see that may hurt Bolt sales is its very narrow width... It really only seats 4, like the disaster design of the Volt, that wasted its nice, wide body....

Regarding to low Bolt and EV sales overall, My opinion is that car companies are still riding the gravy train of selling giant pick-ups and SUVs. I think they are testing the waters with EV designs and the long-term robustness of an electric car, and get GREAT government subsidies and tax breaks just for having an EV to sell. I think they call them "compliance vehicles"? SSSOOOO.... I think a previous poster hit it on the head when he said that there is NO ADVERTIZING. Could you imagine the crowds running to the dealers if they made great TV ads for the "Wondrous Electric Car"!! THERE HAVE BEEN NO TV, PRINT, OR OTHER media advertising of any electric car that I have seen. That speaks volumes in itself.

Overall, I think were are still in a precarious time in history where the electric car is still in danger of being "killed" like in the 1990s with the EV1 car. No advertising means a low number of cars sold that need to be "supported" by the makers, and no demand to buy more of them. IF THE CAR COMPANIES WANT to make electric cars go away, They can do it by saying "lack of consumer interest". Then the resale values of electric cars will plummet to even lower levels, replacement parts will get more expensive, and we will all junk our 4000 pound steel bodies with wheels ... PS - Everyone... Please forgive me for this, but even Tesla is in danger. I think the current world system is not set up for a small car company. Too many companies went belly up due to massive amount of cash needed to make, develop, and support large numbers of cars from a small car company. It happened to the Bricklin, Avanti, and DeLorean.. Look these cars up for interesting reading....

 

[Dgodfrey]

Several comments:

The Bolt's low sales is not related at all to it being, "ugly", or being a hatchback. It looks very modern, and pretty for a regular mainstream buyer's taste. Nowadays, a hatchback is the only way to go for a high volume car. I have been driving since BEFORE hatchbacks and minivans were invented, and HATED when I had to haul larger stuff in my car. Darn, when they came out with the sedan with rear seats that folded down, I was in heaven! I could put my skis IN the car without a rack!!!

The design problem that I see that may hurt Bolt sales is its very narrow width... It really only seats 4, like the disaster design of the Volt, that wasted its nice, wide body....

Regarding to low Bolt and EV sales overall, My opinion is that car companies are still riding the gravy train of selling giant pick-ups and SUVs. I think they are testing the waters with EV designs and the long-term robustness of an electric car, and get GREAT government subsidies and tax breaks just for having an EV to sell. I think they call them "compliance vehicles"? SSSOOOO.... I think a previous poster hit it on the head when he said that there is NO ADVERTIZING. Could you imagine the crowds running to the dealers if they made great TV ads for the "Wondrous Electric Car"!! THERE HAVE BEEN NO TV, PRINT, OR OTHER media advertising of any electric car that I have seen. That speaks volumes in itself.

Overall, I think were are still in a precarious time in history where the electric car is still in danger of being "killed" like in the 1990s with the EV1 car. No advertising means a low number of cars sold that need to be "supported" by the makers, and no demand to buy more of them. IF THE CAR COMPANIES WANT to make electric cars go away, They can do it by saying "lack of consumer interest". Then the resale values of electric cars will plummet to even lower levels, replacement parts will get more expensive, and we will all junk our 4000 pound steel bodies with wheels ... PS - Everyone... Please forgive me for this, but even Tesla is in danger. I think the current world system is not set up for a small car company. Too many companies went belly up due to massive amount of cash needed to make, develop, and support large numbers of cars from a small car company. It happened to the Bricklin, Avanti, and DeLorean.. Look these cars up for interesting reading....

Why do you think there's a lack of advertising? Could it be than until it's released nationally, it's a waste of resources or would just add confusion for those states not available? I think it's something else.
I also think Tesla will make more money in the energy storage business than the car business. Sustainable transportation is just a means to an end.

 

[powersurge]

I'm not trying to argue with you, but where have you see ANY advertising of ANY electric car?? Yes, the car companies produce the cars, but are really not trying to sell them. For example, I own a Nissan Leaf, and I challenge you to find a dealer that has one on their lot... Maybe they will have one..

I think that Chevrolet planned this strategy to only release the car in certain states as a time for a reason. They didn't do it because they want to make the car rare and highly desired, but in order to NOT have to make large numbers of cars (requiring large factories and raw material) and be burned with unsold cars if there is a flop of some kind...

Overall, I think that the future of the Bolt, like the Leaf and other alternate fuel vehicles in the mass market is still yet to be seen. Personally, I own an electric car for almost 3 years, have 35K miles on it, and love every minute I sit in the car. I know that I will always drive an electric car in my life. I think all of us should buy one of these cars for the many benefits they offer, and forget about what the car companies are doing or how the public accepts these cars. I have mine in my driveway, and am as happy as can be!!

 

[marshallinwa]

Yes, the car companies produce the cars, but are really not trying to sell them. For example, I own a Nissan Leaf, and I challenge you to find a dealer that has one on their lot... Maybe they will have one..

The two local dealers close to me show 14 Leafs at one dealer and 3 at another. Going out a bit farther, the next dealer has 2 Leafs. I am a bit surprised that the one dealer had 14 vehicles considering Nissian is coming out with a new 200 mile Leaf.

 

[user 1034]

I've seen it unmentioned in one ad on TV, tucked in the corner with other cars to show that they get awards.

Now I love this car, don't get me wrong, and I think I prefer it over other Chevy (not GM) cars that I would purchase. But from the commitment of the company as a whole, they seem to be treating it as a compliance car. Taking the loss and mitigating ongoing expenses.

Maybe that will change once the roll-out is nationwide but that doesn't seem like a good strategy. I'd think advertising and getting the public to desire them beforehand would be the plan if they wanted this to be successful.

As long as they don't try to take it back and crush it, I will still be happy with my Bolt. And I think it is pretty and like the seats too, so feel free to ignore my viewpoint.

 

[oilerlord]

But from the commitment of the company as a whole, they seem to be treating it as a compliance car. Taking the loss and mitigating ongoing expenses.

Others will challenge you on using the terms "compliance car" and suggesting they are taking a loss - but it appears to be the crux of the matter. Do they want to sell the car or not? To me, it seems like GM is treating the Bolt as a tax on the continued business of selling profitable trucks and full size cars.

If there was a juicy profit margin with the Bolt, rest assured - it would be offered in all 50 states, and we'd see as many TV ads for the Bolt as there are for the Silverado.

 

[drdiesel1]

But from the commitment of the company as a whole, they seem to be treating it as a compliance car. Taking the loss and mitigating ongoing expenses.

Others will challenge you on using the terms "compliance car" and suggesting they are taking a loss - but it appears to be the crux of the matter. Do they want to sell the car or not? To me, it seems like GM is treating the Bolt as a tax on the continued business of selling profitable trucks and full size cars.

If there was a juicy profit margin with the Bolt, rest assured - it would be offered in all 50 states, and we'd see as many TV ads for the Bolt as there are for the Silverado.

The Bolt lowers GM's MPG fleet numbers (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) and allows them to continue to sell all those full size
(big profit) gas hogs in CA.

 

[LeftieBiker]

The Bolt lowers GM's MPG fleet numbers (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) and allows them to continue to sell all those full size
(big profit) gas hogs in CA.

Heh. I think you mean it raises the fleet MPG.

 

[ArthurL]

4000 orders in Norway. 40 shipped, 400 promised year 2018. One shift, one shared production line. That is the problem. I preordered mine first week of November got it mid April. Was the only allocation given to the dealer even though he had three preorders. One is getting his/hers this quarter. People just can't get it. We have a collectors item peeps!

 

[oilerlord]

4000 orders in Norway. 40 shipped, 400 promised year 2018. One shift, one shared production line. That is the problem. I preordered mine first week of November got it mid April.

The Bolt may not be a compliance car, but GM is treating it like one. They probably could sell more cars, but instead choose to saturate CA (and other CARB states) with inventory in the pursuit of credits.

 

[SparkE]

GM seems to be aiming for "most bang for the buck" :

- trickle out the inventory, so that the "gotta have it NOW" first adopters pay top dollar

- keep shipments low while using early adopters as "beta testers" (seat issues, camera issues, infotainment bugs, etc...)

- hitting all the CARB states big time, racking up those credits where they will do the most good

Seems like a sound business decision to me. They will have to change their tune in the next few months, once the LEAF2 is shipping. (Personally, I don't think that Tesla is going to be able to hit volume on the Model3 for quite a while, and the 'pre-orders' are going to suck up the first couple of years' production. Also, I think that the m3 is going to give the Bolt a big boost, once people see that the m3 isn't a 'S' at half the price, and that 'well equiped' will cost over $45k- I think Bolt sales will go UP after the m3 starts shipping.)

Once they have real competition (Nissan), *then* they will have to have all their ducks in a row. But by that time they will hopefully have all the bugs ironed out and be able to ramp up production on product they won't have to recall (or pay dealers to 'upgrade' every month or three).

 

[NeilBlanchard]

ALL NEW models lose money for a period of time right after they are introduced.

 

[mbepic]

What happened???

The Bolt ended up being a nondescript econobox, that happens to be electric - barely managing 1000 units sold per month. Really, should we be surprised when logic and numbers dictated the project's outcome?

I think the Bolt could have been so much more, but at least GM's customers got what they wanted.

Wow, you were ok, until you referred to the BOLT EV as an 'econobox'; far from the truth, in my opinion.

The car is not cheap, it is a solid, well built little car and yes, GM's customers got what they wanted, an excellent 200+ EV miler!

 

[phil0909]

Wow, you were ok, until you referred to the BOLT EV as an 'econobox'; far from the truth, in my opinion.

Nobody seems to know the meaning of the word 'econobox' anymore. An econobox is by definition boxy, i.e. rectangular, full of right angles. The Bolt does not fit that description at all. It's also not an economy car, though it does have some cheap features.

 

[oilerlord]

It's also not an economy car, though it does have some cheap features.

It is an economy car, the fact that it's expensive doesn't change the fact it has a low-rent interior full of hard-touch plastic and cheap seats. If GM replaced the battery, and electric powertrain with ICE components, the savings may have provided the potential to have luxury on par with Cadillac. Something has to give...at $40K, you can have a car with a 60kWh battery, or an upscale interior. People that buy the Bolt choose the former.