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Chevy 'committed to marketing Bolt the right way'

The 2015 edition of the annual AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, CA in September was a relatively quiet affair. Attendance felt light compared to previous years. But that didn't mean there wasn't something happening that might have just as big an impact on the plug-in scene as anything that's ever happened in previous years at the Santa Monica Convention Center. I say this because of what GM's Shad Balch told me about Chevy's plans to market the upcoming Bolt electric car. This is GM's next-gen electric vehicle, which will have a roughly 200-mile range and may cost about $30,000 after tax incentives (maybe). To say he's excited to start selling this car is an understatement. Set aside the obvious challenge Chevy will have with cars named both the Volt and the Bolt, especially when some languages exchange the pronunciation of the letters B and V. Set aside the fact that, for now, Balch is dealing with his own company actively advertising against the product he's trying to get people excited about. Balch, GM's manager of new product and public policy communications, is tremendously positive about the Bolt's chances in the marketplace when it arrives in 2017 or 2018. "Driving an EV is, in every proof point, better than a gas-powered car, except for charging." - Shad Balch AltCar and the concurrent National Drive Electric Week represented the Bolt's West Coast debut, and Balch told me that the car's arrival in California shows how "Detroit recognized that they need to send it out to their number one market." The car's appearance outside of the Motor City was "The most encouraging part for us out here, being in the market ... to be able to explain that we are committed to marketing this car the right way. ... We're trying to make that known as much as possible, because that is the number one criticism that we hear. That's why events like these are so important, because we can't wrap up into a 30-second spot what these cars are capable of. I can't even explain it to you in 10 minutes what it's like. But the thing is, driving an EV is, in every proof point, better than a gas-powered car, except for charging." Now, there's a fairly decent chance that GM will hit the 250,000-vehicle limit for the $7,500 federal tax incentive right about when the Bolt comes to market, so I had to ask how the Bolt gets marketed if the price tag jumps up a few thousand dollars. Balch was straightforward. "Well, we would sell fewer cars," he said. "It's pure and simple. ...

Nissan Leaf keeps plug-in vehicle sales crown for 6th straight month

And Nissan makes it 14 in a row. For the 14th straight month, the all-electric Leaf has had "record sales," according to Nissan's marketing team. What that means is that for that particular month (in this case, April) no matter what year you look at, the car sold more than it ever did before. For April 2014, the 2,088 Leafs sold represents a 7.8-percent increase from 2013. Nissan's director of EV sales and marketing, Toby Perry, said in a statement that the "new market" of Cincinnati made the top 25 list for Leaf sales areas in April, so the car's popularity continues to ebb and flow across the US. Over at Chevy, the Volt sold 1,548 units in April, reaching a year-to-date total of 5,154. The Leaf is outpacing that with 7,272 YTD sales. In 2013, the Volt outsold the Leaf by about 500 vehicles, but Leaf sales are up 33 percent year-over-year while Volt is down 7.1 percent. The Leaf has also outsold the Volt for six straight months. But we're excited for every eco-car sale, and that's why we'll have our monthly detailed write-up of the rest of the plug-ins, hybrids and diesel vehicles available soon. Until then, discuss. Green Chevrolet Nissan Electric Hybrid PHEV ev sales

Chevy will reveal the Bolt EV tomorrow at CES

The moment that electric vehicle consumers and green propulsion enthusiasts have been waiting for is almost upon us, as Chevy confirmed that it will unveil the production version of the 2017 Bolt EV Wednesday at CES in Las Vegas. Chevrolet previewed the Bolt in concept form at the Detroit Auto Show almost a year ago, proposing a compelling rival to the likes of the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3. We've expected the CES debut for awhile, and Chevy projects that the finished product will boast a range of more than 200 miles on a single charge. That's nearly double the Leaf's range, and significantly farther than the i3 will travel even with the Range Extender kicking in. All of that for under $30,000 after federal tax credits. Of course, Chevy's own Spark EV costs much less, but will only go 82 miles before it needs to plug in again. If you won't be in Vegas for the unveiling tomorrow, you can catch it on Facebook. It will be the first vehicle to debut on the new Facebook Live, featuring both a live video stream and a 360-degree interactive interior video. Once out on the market, the Bolt EV will join the Spark EV, Volt PHEV, and Malibu hybrid in a growing array of electrified vehicles from the American automaker, rivaling the likes of Toyota and Nissan for the most electrified vehicles in its lineup. Chevrolet Bolt EV Will Debut at CES 2016-01-05 DETROIT – Chevrolet will unveil the 2017 Bolt EV at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jan. 6, and be the first auto brand to work with Facebook to debut a vehicle using Facebook Live. With the addition of the Bolt EV to a lineup that includes the all-new 2016 Volt, 2016 Malibu Hybrid and Spark EV, Chevrolet will offer consumers more affordable, electrified vehicle options than any other major automotive brand – solidifying its position as the leader in electrification. "The Bolt EV truly embodies the ingenuity that is at the core of everything we do at Chevrolet," said Alan Batey, president of General Motors North America and head of Global Chevrolet. "The technologies and the engineering expertise behind the Bolt EV are tremendous examples of the kind of innovation we intend to offer our customers, across an array of products at a tremendous value – something only Chevrolet can deliver." Building on the electrification expertise established by the Volt, the Bolt EV is a game-changing, long-range electric vehicle.