Chevy Volts Available Before November At A Price Meaningfully Less Than $

Ed Whitacre, Interim CEO Of GM








The CEO of General Motors has announced that there will be some Volts that hit the streets before this November. Are you saving up to buy one? We are looking forward to this car's debut and are hoping it will be available in our area at the outset. Fortunately, one of our vehicles is rather old and will need to be replaced and the Volt fits the bill nicely.

From GM-Volt.com:

Look out, a lot of good news here!

Ed Whitacre is GM’s new CEO, at least temporarily. The keen, sharp-witted Texas businessman is a man of few words but lots of action.

He attended and spoke at the Battery Plant unveiling, and spoke to reporters in the days before.

He was asked about whether car would be released prior to the November 2010 deadline.

“We’re going to put out some early and drive ‘em,” he said. “How early? I don’t know.”

Asked specifically if he was referring to putting those cars in the hands of consumers he said “Yeah,” but didn’t elaborate.

According to some reports he was referring to getting them to “high-profile citizens” and “image leaders,” and that it would be on a small scale.

Whitacre also hinted the Volt is just the beginning of vehicular electrification for GM.

“There’s a lot more to come,” he said.

“The Volt and the battery that powers it are part of a broader portfolio of vehicles and technologies that we’re developing to meet the countries energy and environmental goals,” he added.

Whitacre also conceeded GM hopes to build very large volumes of electric cars. ”It could be a lot if the vehicle is successful,” he told reporters after the event. “If it goes like we think, the sky’s the limit.”

And as if the idea of getting Volts early, and a broad Voltec portfolio isn’t good enough, executives are beginning to suggest a lower-than-expected price.

You will recall that I had been given a hint that the $40,000 price tag bandied about may actually be a decoy (see post).

Now GM VP Jon Lauckner told the Wall Street Journal the Volt could be notably less than $40,000.

“We have until this summer to figure that out,” he said.

According to reporter Sharon Terlap who interviewed Lauckner, she asked if he meant “like $500 less” and he replied, “No, that would not be meaningful enough.”