Additional Subscriber: Not Quite a Classic – Chevrolet Volt Car News

Throughout development, GM regularly updated reporters on the project, explaining in increasing detail how the car works and the thinking behind it. And also the fact that in Europe there would not only be a Chevrolet Volt but also Opels and Vauxhall Amperas, these European versions featuring distinct styling variations. There have been so many presentations that I doubt the ratio of press points to units actually sold has ever been exceeded. Unfortunately, this is not only because there have been so many briefings, but also because in Europe, so few of these cars have found buyers.

It’s not that the Volt and Ampera duo didn’t measure up on the road. Autocar testers found the Ampera handled 33.4 miles of electric range, hit 60 mph in 10.1 seconds, and estimated a cost of £ 1 to recharge the battery. It was easy to drive, fairly quiet and comfortable, although its handling and handling were unremarkable. The biggest downside, by far, was the price tag of £ 32,995 which, even after subtracting the £ 5,000 government grant available at the time, still left you with a car costing almost double the price of an Astra. . Who could carry five passengers instead of the Volt’s four.

In the three years since the launch of the Vauxhall Ampera, sales topped just 1350 units, with the Volt swelling the figure (slightly) to 1475. The high price, the difficulty in explaining the concept to buyers and a walked not quite ready for the taking -ins conspired against him, as did the fact that diesels that had not yet been vilified could quite easily match his economy for much less money, and without the need for ‘a wall charger.

Sales in the United States were better, but not so much considering the hype, the larger market, and the fact that it was the largest American automaker. Just under 90,000 Volts of the first series were sold in the United States in the first four years, a number that wasn’t going to worry Toyota too much. In the meantime, the United States had discovered domestic shale fields from which to extract oil, massively reducing its dependence on imported energy, keeping fuel prices relatively low. American drivers could stick to their SUVs and not worry about gas prices.

All was not, however, lost. GM restored its reputation for technical prowess and learned a great deal about battery technology and electrical equipment, with those gains enabling it to present the all-electric 2015 Chevrolet Bolt, a small sedan notable for its impressive range. Soon there will be an all-electric Silverado pickup. But the Volt, once seen as a car that could change the way cars were made and rob Toyota of sales, will likely only be seen as an interesting footnote in automotive history.