My good friend on StumbleUpon, Lee sent me this article “GM sells just 281 Chevy Volts in February, Nissan only moves 67 Leafs.”
Peruse Chevrolet’s February sales release, and you’ll notice one number that’s blatantly missing: how many Chevy Volts were sold. The number – a very modest 281 – is available in the company’s detailed data (PDF), but it apparently isn’t something that GM wants to highlight. Keeping the number quiet is understandable, since it’s lower than the 321 that Chevy sold in January.
The Autoblog-Green writer continues the article by desperately asking “why” the Volt and Leaf are selling so poorly. The answer is really simple. Everyone who wants a Volt (and can afford a Volt) has a Volt.
Obama, in his green zeal (and complete lack of understanding of business, economics and history) has seriously overestimated the demand for EV’s.
Remember Obama’s statement from July, 2010:
Once fully operational in 2012, the plant will be capable of producing enough cells for 200,000 hybrids and electric cars, and will specifically be making the cells both for the Chevrolet Volt and the upcoming Ford Focus Electric, expected to go on sale in 2011.
“This is about more than just building a new factory,” said Obama. “It’s about building a better future for this city, for this state, and for this country.”
The Obama administration has pledged a goal of putting 1 million electric cars on US roads by 2015. So far the Recovery Act has contributed $2.5 billion towards United States electric car battery and component plants, 26 of which are already in some stage of construction. Nine of these are battery plants, including ones from A123 Systems and Johnson Controls. These facilities can collectively expect to produce 500,000 electric cars annually, and are expected to help transform Michigan into the electric car battery capital of the country.
At a rate of 281 Volts and 67 Nissan Leafs per month it will take a long time (just under 120 years) to sell 500,000 EV’s.
Compare the dismal sales figures of the Chevy Volt (and it’s $7,500 governmental subsidy) to the newly released Dodge Charger’s 3,263 units sold last month.
The 2011 Dodge Charger is not exactly a ‘green’ vehicle. However, many more consumers want a Charger over a Volt or Nissan Leaf.
This is typical of the left. They are so ignorant of the market, and have such disdain for public opinion, that this is the result.
Well said, per usual.
Now see, if I were a paranoid sort, I’d wonder if there were any connection with the efforts of the administration to drive up gas prices so high by refusing or revoking so many drilling permits. But, nah, that wouldn’t be ethical.
‘ Course this is the same guy who said, with a gleeful look in his eye, when talking about his plan to drive coal powered plants out of business, “Energy costs will necessarily sky rocket.”
I mean, it’s not like the government owns GM or has an agenda …
I think Obama and his fellow D’s are against cars in general. They are against drilling for oil and coal mining (EV’s primarily run on coal) as well.