CES 2018: KIA NIRO EV DEBUTS 238 MILE RANGE

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

Kia has just launched a fully autonomous, all-electric concept that it says shows the potential of its current Kia Niro hybrid crossover. The concept features a futuristic interior, a new electric power train, and updated sheet metal that hints at the design direction Kia wants to take its cars in as it continues to move up market. As cool as those things all are, however, there is one thing that should catch your attention above all the others: the 238 mile driving range.

That 238 number for the Kia Niro EV trumps both Tesla’s claimed range of 220 miles for its Model 3 and Nissan’s claim of 225 miles for its updated LEAF. If the final number is even close to 238, Kia might just be able to score a PR coup. Or, you know, at least steal some LEAF sales.

Check out Kia’s official CES press release for the new Kia Niro EV, below, then let us know what you think of Kia’s odds against Nissan and Tesla in the comments section at the bottom of the page. As for the pictures- you know the drill: click to enlarge.

BOUNDLESS FOR ALL | KIA NIRO EV PRESENTS VISION FOR FUTURE MOBILITY

Las Vegas – January 8, 2018 – Kia Motors today presents its future mobility vision at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Under its new ‘Boundless for all’ vision, Kia will bring a future in which opportunities for mobility and transportation are limitless. To broaden horizons with its mobility services, Kia is also demonstrating a range of new technologies as part of its new ‘ACE’ strategy to make its cars more Autonomous, Connected and Eco/Electric.
“‘Boundless for all’ is Kia’s future vision – where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the infinite value that future mobility will bring. This is Kia’s manifesto for its role as a mass mobility provider in the future. Consumers are bound today by the idea that a car is ‘just a vehicle’, but Kia is committed to providing a broader solution to mobility. ‘Boundless for all’ represents a future in which a vehicle can be so much more than the sum of its parts,” said Dr. Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D Center.
Kia’s ‘ACE’ strategy is based around three core elements, presenting Kia’s vision for future personal transportation:
• Autonomous – Kia plans to commercialize Level 4 autonomous driving technology, with ‘Smart City’ autonomous vehicle testing due to commence in 2021
• Connected – By 2025, Kia will adopt connected car technologies across every vehicle segment, and aim to make every single model a connected car by 2030
• Eco/Electric – Kia will introduce 16 new advanced powertrain vehicles by 2025, including a range of new hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, as well as an all-new fuel-cell electric vehicle in 2020
Alongside these technologies, Kia announced its plans to roll-out its ‘WiBLE’ car-sharing service – launched in Korea in 2017 – to new regions from 2018, starting with Europe.
Beyond Autonomous Driving: Kia’s exhibition theme for ‘connected’ vehicles
At CES 2018, Kia is presenting a range of interactive exhibits which combine existing and future technologies. These demonstrate how vehicles could be optimized for enhanced connectivity as they become more autonomous.
Kia’s exhibits at CES 2018 hint at a future ‘Beyond Autonomous Driving’. Visitors can interact with Kia’s developing autonomous drive technologies through a VR simulator, while also experiencing a V2X diorama demonstrating how cars could connect with other vehicles and the urban environment.
The company plans to operate a large-scale test fleet for autonomous technology on public roads from 2019, paving the way for commercial production of the technology. Kia aims to commercialize Level 4 autonomous vehicles in smart cities from 2021 with a new Smart City pilot project.
“Kia’s connected cars will be both boundless and connected and offer a new kind of mobility experience. Virtual reality, self-driving cars, and ‘vehicle-to-everything’ connectivity were all once considered technologies of the distant future. As they rapidly become a reality, Kia is exploring how to deploy these new technologies for its customers. Our strategy and vision for future mobility is demonstrated by a range of interactive displays, showing what our customers can look forward to,” said Vice Chairman Yang.
16 new electrified vehicles by 2025
Kia will continue to expand its range of environmentally-friendly cars in the coming years, and plans to offer a total of 16 electrified vehicles by 2025, including a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2020.
“By 2025, we will offer a total of 16 advanced powertrain vehicles, with five new hybrids and plug-in hybrids, five new battery EVs, and an all-new mass market FCEV. Due to launch in 2020, this FCEV will spearhead Kia’s efforts to realize a zero-emission future for mobility,” said Vice Chairman Yang.
As part of this strategy, Kia is exhibiting the Kia Niro EV Concept at CES 2018. Combining the stylish design of a modern compact SUV with the high efficiency of an advanced battery-electric powertrain, the Kia Niro EV Concept represents the next step in the brand’s ongoing journey to electrification.
Created by Kia’s design studio in Korea, the Niro EV Concept is a fully-electric compact SUV. Its aerodynamically-efficient body allows air to slip over, around and beneath the vehicle with ease. The traditional grille – no longer required for engine cooling – is replaced by a smooth interactive display panel, combined with ultra-slim lamp technology in the overall front. In profile, the concept draws inspiration from the current Kia Niro, with a modish compact crossover silhouette, elevated body and wide C-pillar. The Niro EV Concept’s seamless rear aspect has clean and sharp trailing edges allowing air to flow more easily off the back of the car.
With a silent electric power train, and the anticipation that such a car would be driven most frequently on urban and suburban roads, the Kia Niro EV Concept boasts new technologies to enhance safety for pedestrians.
The concept’s new Active Pedestrian Warning System (APWS) features a combination of front view cameras, object recognition technology and front speakers. If the system detects a pedestrian or cyclist crossing in front of the car, the speakers sound an alert targeted specifically at that person, warning them of the car’s presence. APWS is matched by the Niro EV Concept’s new interactive lighting system, which offers users and pedestrians a highly-intuitive visual communication with vehicle.
Inside, the cabin has been designed with a pure, minimalist and digital appearance, creating greater user interaction with new technologies and features. With a wrap-around design to cocoon the driver and passengers, the dashboard’s horizontal layout has broad and smooth surfaces. The effect is an innate sense of space and calm in the cabin, enhanced by the soft shades of silver, grey and bronze covering every surface.
The Niro EV Concept is powered by a next-generation electric vehicle powertrain, using new production technologies earmarked for near-future EVs from Kia. Energy is provided by a high-capacity 64 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack, paired with a powerful 150 kW electric motor. The Niro EV Concept suggests a driving range of 238 miles (383 kilometers), with zero tailpipe emissions.

Source | Images: Kia.

Chevy Bolt Pulls Clearly Ahead of Volt With November Sales

Once again, the Chevrolet Bolt EV raised its all-time high sales with 2,987 deliveries in November, putting its extended-range electric Volt sibling clearly in its rear-view mirror.

The Volt sold 1,702 units, and with one month to go this year, the Bolt has 20,070 sales, and the Volt has 18,412.

October had been the first month this year the Bolt came from behind after its nationwide rollout completed this summer. The Volt has basically been underperforming all year, while the Bolt has outdone itself. Through October the Bolt established a modest 373-unit lead thanks to 2,781 sales to the Volt’s 1,362, and now the gap has widened to 1,658.

These are relatively small margins and numbers for a company whose bread-and-butter vehicles sell upwards of 9,000 or well over that monthly, but the Bolt’s lead is symbolic or indicative of something in the sub-category of zero/low emissions cars.

The Bolt keeps setting new all-time highs, and the Volt has dwindled and is nowhere near to being on track to matching the 24,739 sales it documented last year.

For that matter, it would be quite a stretch for the Bolt to match the Volt’s record set last year either, unless Chevrolet manages to push 4,669 Bolt EVs out the door.

Typically, December is a month of the highest or near highest sales for plug-in cars as it’s right before the beginning of tax filing season for those wishing to recoup plug-in credits, so we shall see.

Meanwhile the Volt continues on with its fans. To what degree the Bolt is cannibalizing sales from the Volt is not quantifiable, but that some people have opted to go with the all-electric Chevy instead of part time electric is clear.

The Bolt is also roomier, a true five seater, quicker with 0-60 in 6.5 seconds instead of low-mid 8s, and gives Volt drivers more of what they wanted – all-electric driving, albeit it has no range extender, so it is not as ready to fly across the country as the Volt, for those to whom this matters.

With 238 miles EV range, the Bolt does work for many more people than one of the current 80-124 mile EVs in its segment, and its sales bear this out.

GM also does not advertise the Bolt or Volt to any great degree, and both are early placeholders in GM’s efforts to satisfy California ZEV rules in a market that has yet to fully heat up.

Looking ahead, unconfirmed rumors are the Volt may not see a third generation, and could be replaced by a crossover version. The Bolt on the other hand is a basis for 20 EVs due by 2023, said GM.

Given the support, and way things are shaping up in the market, GM may be just as happy to let the Bolt run ahead, and the Volt lag behind as it’s already said where it sees the future of its low-emissions vehicles – pure electric.

Chevy Bolt EV Now Leads Volt Sales, Again Hitting All-Time Sales High

Chevrolet’s 238-mile range Bolt EV has again moved the bar upwards with 2,781 sales in October and taken the lead against its sibling, the Chevy Volt.

The front-wheel-drive compact crossover that zips to 60 mph in around 6.5 seconds like a sports car while offering outsized interior space and competent handling is now selling in the 2,000-range like Teslas often have, a positive sign.

Launched in December 2016, the car rolled out to all 50 states by the summer this year, and has consistently risen. In September it saw 2,632 sales, so 2,781 is not a big leap, but August had seen 2,052, and July had seen 1,971, and June was 1,642.

The all-time high-water mark yet belongs to Teslas which has run into the 3,000-4,000 range for the Model X and S sales in the U.S. respectively, but the Nissan Leaf has not gone above middle 3,000s in its hay day, and 2,000-some sales is otherwise respectable at this stage.

As EVs are yet minority products, the Bolt has been the country’s best seller at certain points of this year, and yet ranks up in the top three.

Other EVs sell in far-fewer numbers, and so despite more-modest advertising, the Bolt is doing alright as Nissan awaits its 2018 all-new Leaf with smaller 40-kWh battery for year one.

The Bolt has also stepped ahead of the plug-in hybrid Volt, which was down 37.8 percent year over year with 1,362 sales compared to 2,191 sales in October 2016.

The tally for the Bolt now is 17,083 sales, and the Volt rests at 16,710.

Not hurting things is GM reported its third straight month of crossover sales above 17 percent market share. The last time it delivered three consecutive months at or above a 17 percent retail share was July-September 2011.

The Bolt crossover otherwise appears to be cannibalizing some Volt sales. The Volt’s claim to fame was all-electric when you need it, and no range anxiety.

With its range capable of 250 on an easy drive cycle, the Bolt has little anxiety for a lot of people too, while never having its gas engine come on – because it doesn’t have one!

Pricing is a couple thousand above the Volt, but GM has otherwise thrown its marketing more heavily toward the Bolt, and media are also reporting it more as it’s a newer car.

Nationwide Availability Of Chevy Bolt Arrives Earlier Than Expected

Chevrolet’s original sales plan for the Chevy Bolt — its long-range, all-electric car — was to begin nationwide deliveries in September. That timeline has now been moved forward by a month. This week, Steve Majoros, Chevy’s head of automobile marketing, said that orders can now be placed in all 50 states and that deliveries will begin across the US in August.

Fred Liguori, another Chevrolet representative, confirms that advanced timeline and says that deliveries to an additional 5 states will begin by the end of June, bringing the total of US states where the Bolt is now available to 21.

The rollout of the Bolt has been a bit fraught, according to Majoris. “It’s this delicate balancing act,” Majoros said. “But we think we’re at the right level of sufficient inventory. We can keep feeding where there’s a stronghold of sales.”

Inventories in California are greater than expected. In the Golden State, the Chevy Bolt has not been flying off dealer lots as quickly as Chevrolet hoped it would. In fact, dealers in that state have already begun discounting the cars to reduce inventories while dealers in other states are charging a premium for the cars.

Meanwhile, buyers are queued up waiting for deliveries in South Korea and Norway. Last week, Pope Francis took possession of a white Ampera-e — the European version of the Bolt — as part of the Vatican’s plan to convert its fleet of automobiles to electric cars.

Speaking about the revised plan to get the Chevy Bolt into all states sooner, Majoris told the press, “We were waiting for the training to be done. We were waiting for the right tools to be in place. We are kind of ahead of schedule on implementing all of those things as well as making sure we have enough sufficient inventory.”

Through the end of May, Chevrolet has sold 5,950 Bolts, compared to 9,187 Volts. No doubt, wider availability of the Chevy Bolt will help boost its sales numbers in the US. Now that the Bolt will be available in all 50 states soon, Majoris says Chevrolet will kick off a “highly targeted” national advertising campaign in the near future.

It will be interesting to see what that means, exactly. One of the complaints about EV advertising so far is that it caters to early adopters who have already made up their minds to buy an electric car and does little to educated the mainstream shoppers who may be confused about electric cars and their many benefits.

Source: Inside EVs

Toyota Prius Prime Tops May EV Sales Charts In US

EV sales in the US continued their strong growth in May. Topping the charts was the Toyota Prius Prime. Despite critically short supply, Toyota still managed to move 1,908 examples of its latest plug-in hybrid, giving it the US sales lead over the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt, and the Chevy Bolt. (Note: Model S and Model X sales are estimated. Tesla does not announce monthly sales totals and does not break out sales by nation.)

The Chevy Volt is leading the US sales race for the year versus the Tesla Model S, 9187 to 8645. Of course, when you combine Model S and Model X sales, Tesla is the clear overall winner. And for those who want to debate whether a plug-in hybrid should really be considered when reporting EV sales, we have had this conversation before and the answer is yes, they should be. Someday, plug-in sales will wane just as hybrid sales have done, but for the next decade or so, they will continue to be an important part of the transition away from traditional fossil fuel burning cars.

Ford has yet to announce is May sales numbers, but there are some interesting things to note in the chart. Chrysler sold 205 of its Pacifca Hybrid minivans in its first full month on sale. That’s a pretty good start for this brand new vehicle and it will be interesting to track its sales numbers over time.

The lowly Fiat 500e posted 665 sales. Since the vast majority of those are in California, it is interesting that the BMW i3, which is sold nationwide, only managed a dismal 18 sales. The Nissan LEAF continues to pick up sales, even as customers await the arrival of the second generation car later this year. The LEAF has established a reputation for being comfortable and reliable, if a bit odd in the styling department.

Overall, EV sales were up 25% over May last year and are up 40% through the first five months of 2917. Are the numbers still small compared to the total new car market? Yes, they are. But if this pace continues, the tipping point between conventional cars and those with plugs is getting closer every month.

Source and chart: Inside EVs

UBS Claims Electric Car Price Parity By 2018, Says Tesla Can Make Money On Model 3

Analysts for UBS have torn apart a perfectly good Chevy Bolt to see how it is put together. What they found led them to make this rather startling announcement:  the “total cost of consumer ownership [of electric cars] can reach parity with combustion engines from 2018.” Notice that doesn’t mean an electric car and a conventional car will cost the same to buy new. It means they will cost the same to own, figuring in maintenance, cost of fuel, insurance, and all the other factors that are part of the total cost of ownership.

The UBS study goes on to say, “This will create an inflection point for demand. We raise our 2025 forecast for EV sales by 50% to 14.2 million — 14% of global car sales.”

14% by 2025 is eerily similar to the 15% the state of California is aiming for by the same date. The study language is somewhat imprecise, as the term “EV” is commonly understood by many to include plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as battery electric models, but the inference is that UBS is referring only to fully electric cars in its findings.

After deconstructing the Chevy Bolt, which it called “the world’s first mass-market EV, with a range of more than 200 miles,” UBS called the electric car the “most disruptive car category since the Model T Ford.” It says it expects Europe to lead the rest of the world in adoption of electrics.

The UBS team found that the powertrain for the Bolt was $4,600 cheaper to produce than originally thought, “with much cost reduction potential left.” It also found that the electronics built into the car cost about $4,000 more than those in a conventional car, not including the cost of the battery. But they say GM is losing money on every Bolt they sell. “We estimate that GM loses $7,400 in earnings before interest and tax on every Bolt sold today, mainly due to a lack of scale.”

The same analysts say they expect Tesla to lose $2,800 on entry-level versions of its soon to be introduced Model 3 but think customers will opt for extra cost options that will raise the average selling price to $41,000 — $6,000 more than the base price. Tesla will be able to break even at that price, they believe.

Related: Tesla Model 3 Test Track Video (#CleanTechnica Exclusive From Unveiling Night, Abridged)

Overall, automakers will start earning a profit of about 5% on electric cars by 2023 as the switch over from conventional cars to electrics gathers momentum. “Once total cost of ownership parity is reached, mass-brand EVs should also turn profitable,” UBS said. 5% happens to be the average profit margin on conventional cars, although some premium manufacturers like BMW are accustomed to profit margins as high as 8%.

Its findings led UBS to issue a warning for companies that make replacement parts, since electric car drivetrains are more reliable than those that feature internal combustion engines. That makes perfectly good sense, considering a gasoline engine has over 1,000 moving parts. An electric motor has 3. Add in the increasingly complex automatic transmissions in use today and there are a lot of things that require fixing as a conventional car ages. “Our detailed analysis of moving and wearing parts has shown that the highly lucrative spare parts business should shrink by 60% in the end-game of a 100% EV world, which is decades away,” UBS said.

Source: The Telegraph| Photo credit: UBS

EV Purchase Incentives Are Under Fire In Many US States

With the early introduction of affordable, long-range EVs like the Chevy Bolt (with 238 miles of range) and the Tesla Model 3 (slated to move into production in July with 200+ miles of range), 2017 is expected to see banner sales of electric vehicles.

However, the transition to EVs also represents a drastic change from long-established global business models that have grown accustomed to generating billions of dollars of profit each year from the legacy automobile industry and the fossil fuels they consume.

While the fossil fuel industry has resisted EVs over the years, the war is only beginning. As the Tesla Model 3 production ramp up hits its stride and the Early Adopters give way to the Early Majority in the EV adoption curve, Big Oil will start to feel the pain as gasoline consumption drops and erodes demand of an already unstable commodity.

With these changes on the horizon, 2017 is shaping up to be a big year for Big Oil in the fight against EVs, and it is taking the fight to the states. Increased fees levied on EVs is not just about Big Oil pushing back on the new guy on the block — many states have built taxes to fund road construction and repair into the price of gas and are looking for new mechanisms for recouping these costs.

Is a new annual fee on EVs the best way to pay for roads? How about a tax on tires, which has a more linear relationship with actual road wear incurred by the vehicle? These new taxation models are colliding with and being combined with the untimely elimination of state EV purchase incentives for a come-along effect on EV sales.

Georgia, for instance, went from having a $5,000 EV incentive to now having an extra $200 fee on EVs to help recoup taxes lost from EV drivers not having to stop at the pump.

Hiroko Tabuchi noted in a recent New York Times piece just how broad the attack on EV credits is:

Today, the economic incentives that have helped electric vehicles gain a toehold in America are under attack, state by state. In some states, there is a move to repeal tax credits for battery-powered vehicles or to let them expire. And in at least nine states, including liberal-leaning ones like Illinois and conservative-leaning ones like Indiana, lawmakers have introduced bills that would levy new fees on those who own electric cars.

…

In Colorado, a bill that would end income tax credits for owners of electric and alternative-fuel vehicles is working its way through the legislature. In Utah, lawmakers voted this month against extending the state’s tax credit for electric cars.

The measure in Colorado has been backed publicly by Americans for Prosperity, an advocacy group founded by the conservative billionaire brothers David H. and Charles G. Koch, whose wealth is founded on their petrochemicals empire.

While the elimination of purchase incentives is happening for a variety of reasons under dozens of guises across the nation, it is clear that Big Oil is scared, and for good reason. EVs are poised for liftoff on the new technology adoption curve that we have seen with so many disruptive technologies in the past.

The change will not go down in the history books as a peaceful transition, but with billions on the line, the petrochemical industry is gearing up for war and the fight is going to get ugly.

But all is not lost. EV purchase incentives still exist in 16 states, with new local incentives coming online to support the cornerstone federal tax credit almost every day. Get involved. No matter what country you live in, whether you’re in a Red or Blue region, whether the power comes from coal or solar, or whether you can even afford a car or not, get involved.

The push towards the electrification of personal transportation is a key stepping stone in the journey toward a low-carbon and even a zero-emission society, and it’s going to take decades. The faster the transition, the higher the chance we as a species have of averting the extreme effects of climate change on our planet and on the people of the world.

Chevrolet Dealers Offering Discounts Up to $5K On Bolt EV

Car shoppers in the seven states thus far delivering the Chevrolet Bolt EV in its ongoing nationwide rollout are seeing dealers slashing prices already.

Automotive News researched what dealers have been doing on website car listings, with many of them offering discounts off sticker prices in the $2,000 to $5,000 range.

One Chevy dealer in southern California is offering $4,439 less for a Bolt packaged with the same options as a Bolt being sold at another Chevy dealer just five miles away without the discount.

The largest EV market in the country, California is seeing a lot of this price war competition, being also the first market along with Oregon to see Bolt deliveries in December.

According to TrueCar data, consumers paid $1,400 below the sticker price nationally in January, which increased to $2,200 in February.

Fremont Chevrolet, based in that California town that’s home also to Tesla’s assembly plant, was the first to deliver Bolts in mid-December. Its discounts went up from $2,000 in February to $3,000 in March. Nearby at Dublin Chevrolet, $3,000 discounts have been seen lately on its listings. Both of these dealers have been promoting three-year lease deals at $260 a month with $3,995 down at time of delivery.

Bolt sales have been relatively strong since the December launch, but General Motors and Chevrolet are dealing with the challenge luxury carmakers face in fighting Tesla. How do you get your dealers to take it seriously and effectively market the electric car?

The closest competitor, the Tesla Model 3, will see its earliest deliveries by the fall of this year. CEO Elon Musk in the past has commented on the profit-making challenge automakers and their dealer networks have in selling electric cars that need less maintenance, which cuts into a profit center for dealers.

“It is impossible for them to explain the advantages of going electric without simultaneously undermining their traditional business,” Musk wrote in a 2012 blog post.

The Chevrolet division has no cash-back incentives for buyers, but is offering a 3.9-percent financing deal. Dealers have to decide how many Bolts they’ll be bringing into their floorplan inventories – and how much of a discount they can afford to offer.

Chevrolet has marketed the starting price at $37,495 for the Bolt LT with the Premier starting in the lower 40s. Consumers can tap into the $7,500 federal tax credit and state incentives, if offered in their state. Car shoppers in California can take $10,000 off the sticker price with the federal incentive and $2,500 California rebate.

GM had hoped to stay at $30,000 or more for the Bolt to be profitable. That would require upselling customers on performance package upgrades, but several dealers have been fixed on selling the electric cars with hefty price discounts.

GM and Chevrolet are getting the revenue by delivering the Bolts to dealers, but dealer management has to decide on the marketing strategy. The Bolt will be sitting on their lots with several other Chevy models to sell, and probably other car brands within their franchise that could take away customer interest and sales.

“If somebody’s marking them down, it’s coming out of their margin,” GM spokesman Jim Cain said. “Dealers are independent businesses, and capitalism at work tends to drive local market pricing.”

Dealers in smaller towns have been cutting costs to get consumers out there.

“We’re here to sell cars, and we’re in a smaller town, so we need to be a little bit more aggressive,” said Marty Greenwood, managing partner of Greenwood Chevrolet in Hollister, Calif. “We just watch the market and what’s going on out there. What is the magic number to move the vehicle?”

Greenwood Chevrolet is located about 100 miles south of San Francisco. This month, the business is advertising discounts of $2,000 to $3,000 on its Bolt inventory.

Chevrolet sold 2,693 Bolts from the mid-December launch through the end of February. Starting in California and Oregon, the Bolt next went over to New York and other East Coast states. The GM division hopes to have the electric car spread nationwide by September.

Automotive News, HybridCars.com