Everything about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt is better than the Volt it replaces, confirms Shad Balch, a spokesman for American carmaker Chevrolet.
The Chevrolet spokesman also added that the 2016 Volt is a new car but it has a familiar name, which is why the company considers it as a completely redone 2016 Volt, notes ABC 7.
The first Volt came to the US in 2011 and stumbled a bit out of the blocks because of its rather hefty $40,000 price tag before tax incentives. As a result, the American carmaker has decided to reduce its price and also got the vehicle qualified for carpool lane access in California. The initiative did improve the sales of the Volt somehow.
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is looking to boost sales even more with improvements in its design. Although it is still a plug-in electric vehicle, the Volt has an engine-generator to keep the juice flowing when the battery runs out, just like in the earlier Volt. But the 2016 edition of the EV steps up in just about every other aspect.
Everyone’s cup of tea
In terms of looks, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt cannot simply be ignored. Unlike the earlier editions of the Volt, the current model is bound to become everyone’s cup of tea because of its excellent design.
According to Balch, the 2016 Volt is much more mainstream and it is something that a lot of people could see themselves driving. He added that it is always important for them when they try to market these kinds of cars.
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt has a driving range of 38 to 53 miles. It has a seating capacity that increases from four to five people. Its back-up gas engine now runs on regular instead of premium fuel, which means additional savings to owners.
The technology of the vehicle has also been improved compared to the first editions of the Volt. It is very practical as an everyday car. The hatchback design at the rear also means that there is ample space for cargo and luggage.
However, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt is not quite as advertised when it comes to its seating capacity. But it has a middle seat belt in the rear. But since the battery pack runs up in the middle of the car, the center passenger has to straddle it, along with the console sitting on top of it. It is one of the unorthodox and certainly design downsides of the 2016 Volt which Chevrolet has no way to get around from.
Factoring in federal and state incentives, prospective buyers can acquire the 2016 Volt for well below $30,000. And given the vehicle’s relatively low operating costs on electricity, the new Volt could be a money saver on the road while looking good too.
Big increase in sales
Sales of electric vehicles made a bounce back last month in the US with the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt posting big increases compared to the year-ago period.
It was not a surprising month to record the big sales growth but there was no reason to expect a surprise just the same. Motoring experts believe that the trend would not veer too far from where it is right now until gas prices shoot up again or Nissan unveils a new Leaf. But none of those things will happen anytime soon, notes Autoblog.
The Volt sold 2,114 units in December 2015, bringing the plug-in hybrids 2015 total to 15,393 units, which is an 18.1% drop in the number of Volts shipped in 2014.
But 2015 is not to be regarded as a total flop for the Volt since the much-improved second generation model was introduced late last year. Comparing the December 2015 sales report to the last month of 2014, the Volt was able to actually post a 41.9% sales increase. Critics are also interested on how the Volt’s sales number will go this year.