Why Can't Other Plug-In Hybrids Copy Chevy Volt's All-Electric Running?

I not sure about 'marketing'. What marketing?? I don't see any ads with green hills and pretty flowers.

I think word of mouth is finally spreading about what a fantastic car it is. And bargain pricing, to make them go away!

 

That rate (between 1600 and 1700) is what it had been for around 2 years. So... clearance pricing surged it back to normal... which is still well below the 3,750 per month target GM had set.

 

Bargin pricing helped, plus Memorial Day sales, but Volt sales are following the same trend as last year with slow ones in the first 4 months and them picking up after that. Most of the other plug ins seem to follow the same trend. Which possibly extends to all models considering in most of the country it is cold outside at the beginning of the year, and many are poor from holiday spending.

 

Higher power would put more demand on cooling, Longer range means a physically larger battery that will produce the same amount of heat, so less per given volume and probably more surface area. Larger battery also means more pressure to go with less expensive cells (because there are more of them) plus a liquid cooling system. I have no idea if the next gen leaf with go liquid or not, and whether people in hot states like ours will trust it without liquid, but .... Longer range means even if the battery degrades there is more of it left ;-)

This is just a side show. GM and their suppliers decided it was better to build and discount until the transition. The next generation is a major change, and they are getting their money's worth from the old tooling before moving to the new.

Having been in product marketing in the past, the lull was incredibly poor marketing - wait for our future car don't buy this. I would call the higher sales a bean counter story. Marketing didn't have much to do with it. It was we can make a little profit off this equipment before we retire it