GM Discounts Volt by $10,000, 3x-4x more than US average

Prius family has out-selling the Volt (family?) by about 8:1.

None of the plugins introduced have met their sales goals. It appears everybody overestimated the plugin demands (hype). Volt sales are disappointing when you consider the amount of tax credit given and the other incentives provided.

If you look at the first 6 month sales, Prius PHV is doing better than Leaf or Volt.

 

USB,

cannot be correct.

Compared to a 25 mpg regular car that emits 0.04 gallons a mile --

$7500 would remove 3 of these cars and replace with PHV, or replace one with a Volt
The PHV (assuming 100 mpg) uses 0.01 gallons/mile
The Volt (assuming 200 mpg) uses 0.005 gallons/mile

If we normalize to 3 miles,
3 conventional cars consume 0.12 gallons
2 conventional cars and 1 volt consume 0.085 gallons
3 PHV consume 0.03 gallons

85/30 = 2.83 times more gas savings per equivalent subsidy of PHV vs Volt

 

Well, duh, on the Prius family line. It includes the Prius, a bigger one, and a slightly cheaper, smaller one. It has a broader market base than the lonely Volt.

It just appears to be a spike from pent up demand with the reputation of a proven non plug version to ease concerns of reliability.

The Volt lost out on initial sales when they didn't reach their emission goals to qualify for HOV stickers. Its sales are better now.

Leaf sales are really picking steam in that chart, and appear to out do the Prius PHV. Its sales are in the can now.

The first 6 months of sale appears to be a poor judge of future sales growth for this market. HOV access has always been a valuable perk to buyers in California. A poster here never intends to plug their new Prius in. The P-PHV still has to go nationwide, but I believe Toyota already hit the HOV perk markets. Virginia isn't offering it plug ins this time around.

Then there is the the real possibility that it is stealing Prius sales. At least those that were going to be high trim models. The P-PHV arrived at a higher price than many expected. So it probably lost some there. Then there is the flip side of the Prius cannibalism, and why you don't want more credits for hybrids. Assuming you want the P-PHV to succeed. Cheaper Prii will eat P-PHV sales.

First, Title II of The Clean Air Act doesn't deal with GHG from motor vehicles. Its requirement for plug ins is to prevent a hypothetical plug in ATV from getting a benefit. Second, lowered GHG is just an expected result. You can expect to have side effects from a medication. That doesn't mean they were an intended outcome of taking the drug.​

 

Sage, I think your calculation are right.

I was using my previous emission calculation (Matrix vs Prius PHV and Cruze vs. Volt) and assumed low emission = low gas usage. The flaw with that is the plugin emission includes other fuels (coal) as well. I stand corrected.