Volt 1.0 was mission accomplished, says GM, on the eve of Volt 2.0

Never mind the naysayers, the Toyota fanboys, certain politicians, and other miscellaneous people who say otherwise. The Volt was a “moonshot,” GM’s Jon Lauckner said this week, taking the descriptor from Motor Trend’s 2011 Car of the Year article, and it was a success that’s now poised for stage two.

Whether it it will blast into outer space now, or remain in low earth orbit was not disclosed, but the attitude at GM is upbeat, one would surmise, because its people know what’s coming next.

This was divulged in an interview with GM executives at CES, and The Detroit News reported despite early sales projections not being met, and myriad other issues affecting the Volt’s market acceptance the past four years that most of you know, GM is pleased with what it has accomplished.

“It was our version of a moonshot,” said Lauckner, now GM’s chief technology officer, who convinced Bob Lutz that an EV needed to be range extended.

“It showed just the innovation prowess of our company and of the creativity, and beyond that, the ability to deliver something, the ability to deliver that innovation and deliver it in a way that’s not a science project,” added Pam Fletcher, GM’s executive chief engineer of electrified vehicles, in a recent interview with the Detroit News. “This is a car that’s on the road that carries the same warranty as every other car we’ve ever produced.”

Fletcher said the Volt in 2010 had two goals – 40 miles all-electric range and 300 miles in charge sustaining mode.

Of course the first cars were rated 35 miles AER, then in 2013 it grew to 38, and 40 could be attained. Before they retire the gen one Volt, it can be said they upped it to an unofficial, not re-certified 40 with the 2015′s 17.1-kwh pack. Anyway, it has been close enough, and GM is expected to exceed its initial parameters and then some with the 2016 to be revealed Monday.

Image by kdawg.

To be sure, these are exciting times if we care about the Volt. Is this like an extended holiday season or what?

How it will be positioned and marketed in actual fact has yet to be further defined however, but we know about its track record.

The first Volt was sold to customers 79 percent of which are college educated, with household incomes averaged around $122,000. Over 70 percent are new to GM.

Beyond myriad other high-end cars, the most popular car to trade in is the Toyota Prius. Apparently many Prius fans were converted, even if some yet are not. Ahem.

“How do you put value on those 70 percent conquest customers [those who previously drove other brands] and how do we value the customer enthusiasm we have around this car?” Fletcher asked. “All of that stacks on top of the accounting, finances. The value to the company is tremendous on so many fronts.”

But the Volt also faces a still-weak legacy in the eyes of the general public, as well as $2 more-or-less gasoline.

It also faces GM’s known satisfaction now documented that the Volt paid dividends as a niche halo product, if not a mass-market car.

GM will be doing a webcast itomorrow to tip off journalists all about the new Volt, but they are all sworn to secrecy – the info is embargoed.
That means many folks will be writing and polishing stories to go live on the 12th when GM lets the world see how much it has outdone itself.

The Volt already is the highest e-range plug-in gas-electric car. The next-best Ford Energis go 19 miles by EPA reckoning.

The new car may also have room for five passengers, and we’ll see about that price strategy, although it’s not clear if that will be divulged next week – most likely it won’t be.

Then after next week, we’ll have to wait more months until the 2016 is released.

The Detroit News