GM: the Chevrolet Volt is dead. Cancelled as of 2019

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

However, I tend to think if they want to end production, it isn't profitable.

That's my point: GM probably wants to kill the Volt because it's not profitable NOW - short term thinking, in other words. Toyota was willing to spend a decade or more producing an unprofitable_this_quarter Prius because they saw that it (and the continuously-improved technology) was likely be profitable in the long term.

So Toyota can sell the Prius & derivatives profitably now, and when the next gas price hike comes (and it is a case of when, not if), they'll be positioned to take advantage of the increased demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. But GM switches to building big trucks and SUVs because they're more profitable now, so when the price hike hits, their business implodes.

[redpoint5]

GM already engineered and tested the Voltec drivetrain. Now it can go back on the shelf until it's ready for a vehicle that can turn a profit. That technology is probably pretty close to as good as it gets for now.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

GM already engineered and tested the Voltec drivetrain. Now it can go back on the shelf until it's ready for a vehicle that can turn a profit. That technology is probably pretty close to as good as it gets for now.

Bingo. Proved the technology out and now is poised to be copied into camaro/equinox/malibu/traverse. Aka, GM's money makers. High volume sellers that are very inexpensive to build.

Aaaaaaand, gm has already built a hybrid truck so if/when gas gets expensive again it will take minimal engineering to get a reliable system built into the truck line where literally half of GM's cash flow comes from.

[rmay635703]

Despite all the talk of failure and low sales GM still did better than the other brands

https://insideevs.com/chevrolet-volt...FwaniZiGYW0hk0

[redpoint5]

Yeah, it's #3 top selling in the US for a plug-in vehicle currently. Still, I'm not sure if it turns a profit, and if it does, it's very slim. The Prime is outselling despite half the EV range. I wonder which is the better vehicle?

[Piotrsko]

Can you say Volt range anxiety which the prime doesn't have?

[ksa8907]

It is interesting, however; that they have cancelled the Volt from presumably low profitability. But.... has anyone EVER seen advertising for the Volt?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

GM already engineered and tested the Voltec drivetrain. Now it can go back on the shelf until it's ready for a vehicle that can turn a profit. That technology is probably pretty close to as good as it gets for now.

Having something on the shelf is not the same thing as having it in everyday use, with production lines set up. And "as good as it gets for now" might be pretty antiquated in 5 or 10 years.

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Can you say Volt range anxiety which the prime doesn't have?

Since when does the Volt have range anxiety? Surely the point of the Volt (vs the pure-electric Bolt) is that you can switch to gas when you run out of battery?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Can you say Volt range anxiety which the prime doesn't have?

What, does the Prime go another 10 miles further than the Volt?

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Having something on the shelf is not the same thing as having it in everyday use, with production lines set up. And "as good as it gets for now" might be pretty antiquated in 5 or 10 years.

Electric motors don't really get much better over time. Maybe they will go from 95% efficient to 96% efficient with great difficulty, but there isn't much room for improvement.

Batteries are probably nearing a plateau, except perhaps in economies of scale.

That's the thing with EV technology; it's dead simple. The Volt did the difficult thing of perfecting how to blend an ICE engine with electric motors, and it's about as good as you could make it. Pull that off the shelf in 10 years, and you've got just about as good as anything.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

But GM switches to building big trucks and SUVs because they're more profitable now, so when the price hike hits, their business implodes.

The first time gas hit $4 everyone (in my area at least) ran out and bought new Silverados.