General Motors started production of the Chevy Bolt.
General Motors has announced that they will finally begin the mass production of the Chevy Bolt, an affordable yet very practical electric car. The assembly takes place in Michigan, in Orion Township, north of the city of Detroit.
General Motors has stated the Chevy bolt will first go on sale in California and Oregon before the end of the year, at the price of $37,495 without including a $7,500 federal tax credit which brings it down to around $30,000. After the initial launch in these two states, the car will see a gradual expansion in all of the United States.
In regards to its technical capacity, the EV Chevy Bolt will have a range of 238 miles per charge, coupled with its affordable price, will make it an attractive vehicle for many customers. However, although GM managed to beat Tesla’s Model 3 to production, the company estimates that it will sell only around 30,000 units in the first year of availability. This is less than the 10 percent of the pre-orders Tesla has for their upcoming and more affordable Model 3. Their car will only begin production in 2017.
Currently, analysts estimate that there are around 235,000 electric cars in the US. The competition for affordable EV will tighten as more companies want a share of the market. Nonetheless, the number will only increase year over year, though the current low cost of gas won’t push anyone away for standard cars. Last year around 100,00 electric cars were sold in the US, and IHS Markit industry analyst company predicts that by 2020, EVs will reach 300,000 annual sales, gradually increasing to 400,00 by 2025.
GM hopes that the affordable Chevy Bolt will become one of the main choices of the American consumer in regards to electric cars. The company did not say when the first consumer will be able to get their hands on the vehicle. GM has also stated that although they did not take online reservations as Tesla did, these has been strong interest about the car at their dealerships. In this regard, GM is better positioned to distribute the car to a wider audience thanks to vast infrastructure spread across the country.
Are you considering buying an electric car? If so, what do you think about the Chevy Bolt?
Image source: Chevrolet
