Chevrolet officially announced the price of its new electric car aptly named; Volt. General Motors’ hotly anticipated green car will start at $41,000 – before a hefty tax credit that’ll save you $7,500. The government kickback brings the final Volt value to a viable $33,500. But we’re seeing mixed reactions to Chevrolet’s pricing and at least one conservative talk show host is already bashing Volt with his own brand of misinformation. So, is the new Chevrolet Volt a bargain in today’s market or cause for sticker shock?
“Sticker Shock inducing” announces the Washington Post. The Detroit Free Press takes a more guarded approach about the home-town creation by touting the auto industry’s electric revolution to be more affordable than expected. The truth is Volt is rather pricey compared to conventional cars and hybrids. Volt is priced in the same neighborhood as upcoming luxury hybrids Lexus HS250h and Ford’s Lincoln MKZ.
While the media debates the merrits of Volt’s price, the car is not immune to the charms of controversial talk host Rush Limbaugh. The conservative firebrand routinely rips on what he calls Obama Motors (a humorous affectation to GM’s government loan during the financial crisis). But on his show yesterday he demonstrated that he misunderstands how the car works. Rush claimed Volt has a maximum range of 40 miles, as if the battery was its only power source. But he forgot to mention the gas engine that gives Volt an additional 300 mile range. He also misrepresented the price, telling his audience that Volt is the most expensive Chevy available. But the Suburban and Tahoe Hybrid models still cost more.
The new electric car’s nearest competitor is the Nissan Leaf which will slip in at only $25,280 after the tax rebate. But Volt can be had for a 36-month lease for just $350 per-month – likening Volt to Nissan’s lowest listing for a Leaf lease.
For a complete comparison between the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt see our friends at the GreenCarReports.com.
{ 1 comment }
Good car, pricey but the battery is supposed to get cheaper soon.
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