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Out of the 2012 production , General Motors expected to produce 10 @,@ 000 Amperas for sale in Europe , 6 @,@ 000 destined for Opel and 4 @,@ 000 for Vauxhall in the UK . In addition , 2 @,@ 000 Volts will be made available for the region . By early 2012 GM abandoned its sales target to deliver 45 @,@ 000 Volts in the U.S and instead announced that production in 2012 will depend on demand . By March 2012 the Volt plant has a global production capacity of 60 @,@ 000 vehicles per year .
The Volt 's battery cells are produced by LG Chem in South Korea and then shipped to the US , where the battery packs are assembled at a purpose @-@ built facility in Brownstown Charter Township , Michigan owned and operated by General Motors . Compact Power , the North American subsidiary of LG Chem , is building a battery plant in Holland , Michigan to manufacture the advanced battery cells for the Volt and other carmakers , with capacity to produce enough cells for 50 @,@ 000 to 200 @,@ 000 battery packs per year . The US $ 303 million Holland plant was funded by 50 % U.S. Department of Energy matching stimulus funds and is planned to open by mid @-@ 2012 .
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt was officially launched on November 30 , 2010 at a ceremony at the Hamtramck plant , where the first production unit for retail sale came off the assembly line . The first retail vehicle was delivered to a customer in Denville , New Jersey on December 15 , 2010 . GM reported it had built 12 @,@ 400 Volts in total through December 2011 . This includes dealers ' demo vehicles in North America and Amperas in dealerships in Europe , crash test vehicles and other unavailable Volts owned by GM .
GM halted production for about one month at the Detroit / Hamtramck Assembly plant by mid June 2011 to complete some upgrades , including the installation of new tooling , equipment and overhead conveyor systems throughout the facility . These upgrades allowed GM to triple the rate of Volt production and prepared the plant for 2012 Volt and Ampera production . After the plant retooling , the production rate reached 150 units per day four days a week by August 2011 . The Volt plant was also down during January 2012 in preparation for building the California lower @-@ emission version . A four @-@ week shutdown due to slow sales took place between March and April 2012 . GM said it had around 3 @,@ 600 Volts in inventory and needed to reduce dealer inventories as production is expected to meet market demand . GM also extended the traditional two @-@ week summer vacation by an extra week at the Hamtramck plant . GM closed its Detroit @-@ Hamtramck plant from September 17 until October 15 , 2012 , affecting roughly 1 @,@ 500 workers on downtime while the plant was retooled to assemble the all @-@ new 2014 Chevrolet Impala alongside the 2013 Volt . This was the second time in 2012 that GM has halted Volt production .
Production of the 2013 model year Volt began in July 2012 and customer deliveries began during the same month . In October 2012 , GM announced that the Cadillac ELR extended @-@ range luxury coupe will be built at the Detroit @-@ Hamtramck Assembly plant , together with he Chevrolet Volt , Opel Ampera , and Holden Volt . The addition of the ELR to the plant represents an additional US $ 35 million investment , bringing the total product investment to US $ 561 million since December 2009 . The first 2014 ELRs rolled off the production line in late May 2013 . These were pre @-@ production units destined for testing purposes before production for retail customers began at the end of 2013 . Deliveries of the 2014 model year Volt began in August 2013 . Volt sales in the U.S. reached the 50 @,@ 000 unit milestone in October 2013 , with over 60 @,@ 000 vehicles of the Volt / Ampera family sold worldwide . Production of the 2015 model year Volt ended in mid @-@ May 2015 , while manufacturing of pre @-@ production units of the second generation began in March 2015 .
= = = = United States = = = =
Sales of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt began in selected markets due to limited initial production , as General Motors ' original target for 2011 was 10 @,@ 000 units . The first cars were delivered in Washington D.C. , the New York City metropolitan region , California , and Austin , Texas . By May 2011 the Volt had been launched also in Connecticut , Maryland , Michigan , New Jersey , and Virginia . Deliveries in Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Hawaii , North Carolina , Oregon , Pennsylvania , South Carolina , and Washington began in the third quarter of 2011 . In June 2011 , Chevrolet dealers nationwide began taking orders for the 2012 Volt , and deliveries in all 50 states began in November 2011 .
The suggested retail price ( MSRP ) for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt in the U.S. started at US $ 40 @,@ 280 which excluded destination freight charge , tax , title , license , dealer fees and optional equipment and before any savings due to factory incentives , tax deductions , or other available subsidies for qualifying buyers . The MSRP for the 2012 Volt starts at US $ 39 @,@ 995 including a US $ 850 destination freight charge and excludes tax , title and license fees , or other available government subsidies . The base price is US $ 1 @,@ 005 less than the 2011 model year , and General Motors explained that this price reduction is possible because of a " wider range of options and configurations that come with the expansion of Volt production for sale nationally . " The price will drop to US $ 34 @,@ 995 including destination charges for the 2014 model year .
Due to the capacity of the Volt 's battery pack it qualifies for the maximum US $ 7 @,@ 500 federal tax credit as specified in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 . The federal tax credit phases out over a one @-@ year period after the manufacturer has sold at least 200 @,@ 000 vehicles in the U.S. Several states also have additional incentives or rebates available for plug @-@ in electric vehicles for qualifying buyers . The 2011 Volt price including all available regular production and premium options is US $ 44 @,@ 600 , including destination charges and before tax credits or any subsidies . For the 2012 model year the price of the Volt with all available options is US $ 46 @,@ 265 before tax credits or any subsidies available .
Although the Volt 's retail price is higher than its main competitor , the 2011 Nissan Leaf , the lease payment for the Volt is almost the same as its competitor , except that the Leaf has a lower initial payment . General Motors explained that " the apparent disparity between the Volt 's sticker and lease prices is a reflection of the company 's calculation that the vehicle will maintain a very high residual value after three years — significantly higher than that of the LEAF . "
The price for the home charging units is US $ 490 plus installation costs . The Voltec is a home @-@ charging unit built by SPX for Volt owners . It is a 240 @-@ volt ( Level II ) charger , and , according to General Motors , can replenish the Volt 's batteries in about four hours . Consumer Reports has advised buyers to budget up to US $ 2 @,@ 000 , as many older homes may need a substantial electrical upgrade because the U.S. National Electrical Code requires that the charger have its own dedicated 220 @-@ volt , 30 @-@ amp circuit . Early buyers can benefit from the federal tax credit available for charging equipment .
The 2011 Volt was not submitted for application to the California Air Resources Board 's ( CARB ) Clean Vehicle Rebate Project rebate and therefore was not required to meet the 10 @-@ year 150 @,@ 000 @-@ mile ( 240 @,@ 000 km ) battery warranty requirement for enhanced advanced technology partial zero @-@ emissions vehicles ( enhAT @-@ PZEV ) . The Volt team explained that for the launch General Motors decided to go with a common national package which includes an 8 @-@ year 100 @,@ 000 @-@ mile ( 160 @,@ 000 km ) battery warranty . For this reason owners of the 2011 Volt did not qualify for California 's rebates and free access to use carpool lanes even when traveling solo . A third package , scheduled for 2013 , is under development with an E85 flex @-@ fuel engine . General Motors engineering team commented that " introducing two or three packages of an entirely new technology set and platform at the same time wasn 't an option . "
In February 2012 General Motors began deliveries of a low emission version destined for California that features a new low emissions package that allows the 2012 Chevrolet Volt to qualify as an enhanced , advanced technology – partial zero emissions vehicle ( enhAT @-@ PZEV ) and have access to California ’ s high @-@ occupancy vehicle lanes ( HOV ) . The new standard California version of the Volt features a modified engine and exhaust components . The catalytic converter was modified to add a secondary air @-@ injection pump that " streams ambient air into the exhaust stream to increase its ability to remove pollutants . " Owners of a 2012 Volt with the low emissions package are eligible to apply for one of 40 @,@ 000 available HOV lane stickers issued to vehicles that qualify as a California AT @-@ PZEV . The permits are handed out on a first @-@ apply , first @-@ served basis . Additionally , the new low emissions package makes the 2012 Volt eligible for owners to receive up to US $ 1 @,@ 500 in state rebates through the state ’ s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project ( CVRP ) . This incentive is in addition to the federal government ’ s US $ 7 @,@ 500 tax credit . Only the 2012 Volts manufactured after February 6 , 2012 , are fitted with the low emission package and sold as standard models in California . Other states where the Volt has solo driving access to HOV lanes are Florida , Georgia , New York and Virginia .
U.S. sales
Since sales began in December 2010 , a total of 98 @,@ 558 Volts have been sold in the country through June 2016 . The Volt ranked as the all @-@ time top selling plug @-@ in electric car in the United States until February 2015 , when it was surpassed by the all @-@ electric Nissan Leaf in March 2015 . Cumulative Volt sales passed Leaf sales in March 2016 , and became once again the best selling plug @-@ in car in the American market .
The top 10 selling states during the first quarter of 2012 were California , Michigan , Florida , Illinois , Texas , New York , Minnesota , Ohio , North Carolina and Maryland . California is the leading market and accounted for almost 23 % of Volt sales during this quarter , followed by Michigan with 6 @.@ 3 % of national sales . In California the leading regional markets are San Francisco , Los Angeles , and San Diego , all metropolitan areas notorious for their high congestion levels and where free access to high @-@ occupancy lanes for solo drivers has been a strong incentive to boost Volt sales in the state .
Resale value
In May 2011 Kelley Blue Book ( KBB ) projected the 2011 Chevrolet Volt resale value at just over US $ 17 @,@ 000 after 36 months , the length of a typical lease , which represents 42 % of the car 's US $ 41 @,@ 000 suggested retail price ( MSRP ) . KBB explains that even though the residual value seems low , the projection considers that the first 200 @,@ 000 Volts sold will qualify for a US $ 7 @,@ 500 federal tax credit , which effectively reduces the MSRP to US $ 33 @,@ 500 , making the US $ <unk> 51 % of its original value after the tax credit . In comparison , KBB notes , the 2011 Toyota Prius has a projected residual of 46 % after 36 months . KBB 's estimate assumed gasoline price will be around US $ 4 per gallon in 2014 . For 2012 , Kelley Blue Book expected the Volt to retain 42 % of its original value after 3 years and 27 % after 5 years . Based on these figures , in November 2011 KBB awarded the Volt with the 2012 Best Resale Value Awards in the plug @-@ in electric car category . KBB explains that the residual value for the Volt is lower than the market 35 @.@ 5 % average due to the US $ 7 @,@ 500 federal tax credit , which lowers the transaction price and pushes down the residual value .
Consumer Reports ' analysis show that many Chevrolets lose about half of their purchase price after three years of ownership , and if the Volt depreciates the same , US $ 17 @,@ 000 seems a reasonable estimate . However , Consumer Reports have noted that fuel @-@ efficient hybrids and diesel models often depreciate far less than most vehicles , which might increase the Volt 's resale value after three years above the US $ 17 @,@ 000 estimate . Additionally , if gasoline prices continue to rise or if the tax credits expire , the demand for used Chevrolet Volts could quickly increase , raising their market value . On the other hand , if the next @-@ generation Volt ’ s battery has twice the capacity and cost less , as General Motors has claimed , the first generation Volts will be obsolete when the new ones come out in 2015 . Considering these assumptions , Consumer Reports considers that " at this point we believe it ’ s still unclear how the Volt will fare . "
Pecan Street demonstration project
General Motors is sponsoring the Pecan Street demonstration project at the Mueller neighborhood in Austin , Texas . The project objective is to learn the charging patterns of plug @-@ in electric car owners , and to study how a residential fleet of electric vehicles might strain the electric grid if all owners try to charge them at the same , which is what the preliminary monitoring found when the plug @-@ in cars return home in the evening . As of June 2013 , the community has nearly 60 Chevrolet Volt owners alone thanks to GM 's commitment to match the federal government 's US $ 7 @,@ 500 rebate incentive , which halves the purchase price of the Volt .
= = = = Canada = = = =
Chevrolet began taking orders in May 2011 and deliveries began in September 2011 in major cities only . During 2012 the Volt was the best selling plug @-@ in car in Canada , outselling all other PEVs combined . Despite a 24 % reduction from 2012 sales , the Volt continued as the top selling PEV in the Canadian market in 2013 , and again in 2014 with 1 @,@ 521 units . As of December 2015 , the Volt continued to rank as the top selling plug @-@ in electric car in Canada . Since September 2011 , a total of 6 @,@ 387 Volts have been delivered in Canada through May 2016 . The monthly sales record was set in May 2016 with 270 deliveries .
The suggested retail price ( MSRP ) for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt starts at CA $ 41 @,@ 545 ( US $ 42 @,@ 423 in June 2011 ) which excludes any charges , fees , and optional equipment and before any available subsidies or incentives for qualifying buyers . In the Canadian market , the Volt is offered in one standard trim level with two option packages , a Premium Trim Package and a Rear Camera and Park Assist Package . Some provinces are offering Government incentives including Ontario , Quebec ( both at CA $ 8 @,@ 500 US $ 8 @,@ 680 ) and British Columbia has announced their new <unk> BC program in which the Chevrolet Volt qualifies for a CA $ 5 @,@ 000 incentive / rebate as well as CA $ 500 towards charging equipment .
= = = Europe = = =
The European version of the Volt , the Opel Ampera ( known as the Vauxhall Ampera in the United Kingdom ) , was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in March 2009 and also was exhibited at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show . Opel developed the battery control modules for the Ampera at the Opel Alternative Propulsion Center Europe in Mainz @-@ Kastel , Germany . The production version of the Ampera was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show . The Ampera is assembled at the Detroit / Hamtramck Assembly plant , Michigan .
The main differences between the Volt and the Ampera are in their styling . The Ampera has a distinctive front and rear fascia , with a large cut @-@ out in the rear bumper . The Opel Ampera features more stylized alloy wheels as standard , and the side skirts are body @-@ colored rather than black . In the inside there are only minor differences and both versions share the same exact powertrain and battery pack . A key operational difference was that the Ampera has four drive modes , one more than the 2011 / 12 model year Volt . The additional option is " City Mode " , which adapts battery management to the needs of commuter travel . City mode or " battery hold " engages the range @-@ extender immediately , allowing to save the energy currently stored in the battery , and when switched off , the range @-@ extender stops and the Ampera is then able to use the energy saved in the battery for pure electric driving , for example for traveling urban areas or restricted zones , such as the European low emission zones or to allow the Ampera to qualify for an exemption of the London congestion charge The 2013 model year Volt included the " Hold Drive " button to allow drivers to conserve battery @-@ pack energy for use at a particular time of their choice .
Sales
General Motors production target for 2012 was to manufacture 10 @,@ 000 Amperas for sale in Europe , 6 @,@ 000 destined for Opel and 4 @,@ 000 for Vauxhall in the UK , plus an additional 2 @,@ 000 Volts were to be made available for the region . The carmaker targeted the Ampera for business fleet market and local government agencies , where Opel has a strong customer base , while the Volt is aimed at retail customers . According to Opel , by June 2011 around 5 @,@ 000 customers across Europe had reserved an Ampera , with fleet or business customers representing 60 % of reservations , and a total of 7 @,@ 000 orders were received by March 2012 , with Benelux , Germany and the United Kingdom as the top markets in terms of orders .
The first deliveries of the Chevrolet Volt in Europe took place on November 30 , 2011 , to the U.S. Embassy in France . Distribution of the Opel Ampera to dealerships began in December 2011 , but deliveries to customers were delayed until February 2012 because Opel decided to wait until the NHTSA completed its investigation of the Volt 's battery fire risk after a crash . Since May 2012 the Vauxhall Ampera is available through the Zipcar carsharing club in London , Bristol , Cambridge and Oxford .
The Opel / Vauxhall Ampera was Europe 's top selling plug @-@ in electric car in 2012 with 5 @,@ 268 units and captured a 21 @.@ 5 % market share of the region 's plug @-@ in electric passenger car segment . As of October 2013 , the Ampera held a market share of almost 10 % of European registration of plug @-@ in electric cars since 2011 . The market share in the Netherlands was 40 % and 10 % in Germany . Ampera sales fell 40 % in 2013 to 3 @,@ 184 cars , and within the plug @-@ in hybrid segment , the Ampera was surpassed in 2013 by the Mitsubishi Outlander P @-@ HEV ( 8 @,@ 197 ) , Volvo V60 plug @-@ in ( 7 @,@ 437 ) , and the Prius plug @-@ in ( 4 @,@ 314 ) . In 2013 the Ampera ranked eighth among Europe 's top selling plug @-@ in electric vehicles , and its market share fell to about 5 % . During the first five months of 2014 , only 332 units had been sold , down 67 % from the same period in 2013 . In July 2014 , Opel announced that due to the slowdown in sales , the Ampera will be discontinued after the launch of second generation Volt , and between 2014 and 2018 , Opel plans to introduce in Europe a successor product in the electric vehicle segment . Ampera sales totaled 939 units in 2014 , and only 215 units during the first nine months of 2015 .
As of December 2015 , Opel / Vauxhall Ampera sales totaled almost 10 @,@ 000 units since 2011 , with the Netherlands as the leading market with 5 @,@ 031 Amperas registered , followed by Germany with 1 @,@ 542 units , and the UK with 1 @,@ 250 units registered by the end of June 2015 . The Netherlands is also the top selling Volt market in Europe with 1 @,@ 062 units registered through December 2014 , > out of about 1 @,@ 750 Volts sold through 2014 .
Pricing
In February 2011 Opel announced that the Ampera was to be offered for a uniform price throughout the Eurozone at € 42 @,@ 900 ( US $ 56 @,@ 920 in May 2012 ) including VAT , but prices by country may vary due to the trim levels that will be offered in each market . The Chevrolet Volt also has a uniform price that starts at € 41 @,@ 950 ( US $ 55 @,@ 660 in May 2012 ) including VAT . The Opel Ampera is eligible to several subsidies and tax breaks available for plug @-@ in electric vehicles in several European countries .
In the UK , the Vauxhall Ampera starts at GB £ 37 @,@ 250 ( US $ 60 @,@ 400 in May 2012 ) before discounting the GB £ 5 @,@ 000 Plug @-@ in Car Grant The Chevrolet Volt will also be available in the UK at a cost of GB £ 33 @,@ 545 ( US $ 54 @,@ 400 in May 2012 ) before the government grant . All Volts in the UK will come standard with leather interior .
= = = China = = =
General Motors unveiled the Chevrolet Volt in Shanghai under its Chinese name of <unk> ( Wo Lan Da ) in September 2010 . The first Volts , out of the 10 @-@ vehicle demonstration fleet , arrived in China by late December 2011 . The demonstration program is taking place in Beijing , Tianjin and Shanghai .
The Volt went on sale in China by late 2011 with pricing starting at CN ¥ 498 @,@ 000 ( around US $ 78 @,@ 300 as of August 2012 ) and sales are limited to eight Chinese cities : Beijing , Shanghai , Hangzhou , Suzhou , Wuxi , Guangzhou , Shenzhen and Foshan . GM explained that 13 dealerships were selected in the eight cities , and they were chosen because these " cities have more elites who are inclined to try new technologies and lead the fashion tide . "
However , according to General Motors , in a move illegal under WTO rules the Chinese government refused the allow Chevrolet Volt owners access to up to US $ 19 @,@ 300 in government subsidies available for plug @-@ in vehicles unless GM had agreed to transfer intellectual property to a joint venture with a Chinese automaker for at least one of the Volt ’ s three core technologies : electric motors , complex electronic controls , and power storage devices , whether batteries or a fuel cell . General Motors negotiated with the Chinese government to let the Volt qualify for the subsidies without the technology transfer , but as of November 2011 , the subsidies were available only for electric cars made by Chinese automakers . As a result of the high import duties , General Motors reported in August 2012 that sales are minimal , those of a very low @-@ volume car . According to LMC Automotive , a total of 18 Volts have been sold in China through June 2012 .
In March 2012 , General Motors announced that an agreement was signed with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center ( <unk> ) to manage the Volt demonstration fleet in Beijing and to gather feedback from the fleet usage for one year . The demonstration Volts were scheduled to be delivered in April 2012 .
= = = Other markets = = =
Australia
Deliveries of the Holden Volt in the Australian market began in December 2012 , and the first Volt was delivered to the U.S. Ambassador in Canberra . Pricing starts at A $ 59 @,@ 990 ( around US $ 62 @,@ 598 ) . In November 2011 the first Holden Volt arrived in Australia for a series of evaluation tests . Holden has announced that the Volt underwent numerous modifications to better suit it to Australian roads , although the test vehicles are left @-@ hand drive .
The Holden Volt is available to purchase through 49 select Holden dealerships throughout metropolitan and rural Australia , with 18 in Victoria , 11 in New South Wales , 9 in Queensland , 7 in Western Australia and 4 in South Australia . A total of 80 Holden Volts were sold during 2012 , and 101 units in 2013 . A total of 246 Holden Volts had been sold in the country by mid April 2015 , with the stock of the first generation almost empty . General Motors announced that it will not build the second generation Volt in right @-@ hand @-@ drive configuration , so the Volt will be discontinued in the country when the remaining stock is sold out .
Brazil
General Motors do Brasil announced that it will import from five to ten Volts to Brazil during the first semester of 2011 as part of a demonstration and also to lobby the federal government to enact financial incentives for green cars . If successful , General Motors would adapt the Volt to operate on ethanol fuel , as most new Brazilian cars are flex @-@ fuel .
Japan
In December 2010 , General Motors announced plans to introduce the Volt in limited numbers into Japan in 2011 for technology and market test purposes . Exports for retail sales will depend on the results of this trial .
Mexico
The second generation Volt was released for retail customers in December 2015 . Pricing starts at 638 @,@ 000 pesos ( ~ US $ 36 @,@ 880 ) , and it is available in Mexico City , Monterrey , Guadalajara , Querétaro , and Puebla .
New Zealand
The Holden Volt will be released in New Zealand through three dealerships , with one in Auckland , Christchurch and Wellington . Deliveries are scheduled to begin by late 2012 and pricing starts at NZ $ 85 @,@ 000 ( around US $ 71 @,@ 930 ) .
= = = Global sales = = =
Combined global Volt / Ampera sales passed the 100 @,@ 000 unit milestone in October 2015 . The Volt family of vehicles ranks as the world 's all @-@ time top selling plug @-@ in hybrid , and it is also the second best selling plug @-@ in electric car ever , after the Nissan Leaf , which has sold 200 @,@ 000 units worldwide by early December 2015 . The Volt / Ampera family was the world 's best selling plug @-@ in electric car in 2012 with 31 @,@ 400 units sold . The Opel / Vauxhall Ampera was Europe 's top selling plug @-@ in electric car in 2012 with 5 @,@ 268 units , representing a market share of 21 @.@ 5 % of the region 's plug @-@ in electric passenger car segment . However , during 2013 Ampera sales fell 40 % , and the declining trend continued during 2014 and 2015 .
As of March 2016 , global Volt / Ampera family sales totaled over 110 @,@ 000 units since its inception in December 2010 , including almost 10 @,@ 000 Opel / Vauxhall Amperas sold in Europe up to December 2015 . As of May 2016 , Chevrolet Volt sales are led by the United States with 96 @,@ 621 units delivered , followed by Canada with 6 @,@ 387 units , and the Netherlands with 1 @,@ 062 Volts registered through December 2015 , together representing 99 % of global Volt sales . Out of the 9 @.@ 989 Opel / Vauxhall Amperas sold in Europe through December 2015 , 5 @,@ 031 were registered in the Netherlands , 1 @,@ 542 in Germany , and 1 @,@ 279 in the UK by the end of September 2015 , together representing 78 % of Ampera sales .
The following tables present retail sales of the Volt and Ampera variants through December 2015 for the top selling national markets by year since deliveries began in December 2010 . Demonstration vehicles allocated to dealerships are not included in retail sales reports while they are used for test drives .
= = Related concept cars = =
Cadillac Converj
The Cadillac Converj is a plug @-@ in hybrid concept car first unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show which incorporated the propulsion system from the Chevrolet Volt , including the Voltec powertrain . In August 2011 , General Motors announced its decision to produce the Converj as the Cadillac ELR . The first 2014 ELRs rolled off the production line in late May 2013 . These were pre @-@ production units destined for testing purposes and production for retail customers started at the end of 2013 . The ELR was released to retail customers in the U.S. in December 2013 .
Volt MPV5
At the 2010 Auto China show General Motors unveiled the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Concept . The Volt MPV5 is a plug @-@ in crossover hybrid and has a top speed of 100 mph ( 160 km / h ) and an electric range of 32 miles ( 51 km ) . The MPV5 integrates design elements from the Volt , with a body style very similar to the Chevrolet Orlando and four inches larger than its predecessor , Chevrolet HHR .
Opel Monza Concept
The Opel Monza Concept is a four @-@ seat coupe plug @-@ in hybrid concept car with gullwing door unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show . The concept shares the same basic plug @-@ in hybrid setup as the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera , but using a turbocharged 1 L 3 @-@ cylinder natural gas @-@ powered engine as its range extender instead of General Motors ’ current 1 @.@ 4 L gasoline engine . According to Opel , this concept is the role @-@ model for the next generation of Opel cars , and because of its modular chassis design , future cars based on it would be able to accommodate gasoline , diesel or electric power .
= = Controversies and criticism = =
= = = EPA fuel economy testing = = =
In 2008 , General Motors was concerned about how the United States Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) would test the Volt to determine its official fuel economy rating . The controversy centered on whether , by including a gasoline engine , the Volt should be classified as a hybrid rather than an electric car as claimed by General Motors . If tested with the same EPA tests used by other hybrids , the Volt 's EPA fuel economy rating would be around 48 mpg @-@ US ( 4 @.@ 9 L / 100 km ; 58 mpg @-@ imp ) due to the current EPA test for hybrids disallowing vehicles from boosting their mpg rating using stored battery power . General Motors stated that the Volt is an entirely new type of vehicle which the EPA 's current fuel economy tests were not suited to rate and that a new test should be devised for this emerging class of hybrid @-@ electrics . General Motors also advocated for a more simplified mpg calculation method to take into account the range of a plug @-@ in hybrid while running solely on electricity . Because the Volt can travel 40 miles ( 64 km ) on batteries alone , GM argued that most drivers with a daily commute of less than that distance would drive only in electric mode , so long as they recharged their vehicle at work or at home overnight .
The EPA official rating issued in November 2010 included separate fuel economy ratings for all @-@ electric mode and gasoline @-@ only mode , with an overall combined city / highway gasoline @-@ electricity fuel economy rating of 60 mpg @-@ US ( 3 @.@ 9 L / 100 km ; 72 mpg @-@ imp ) equivalent ( MPG @-@ e ) . To address the variability of the fuel economy outcome depending on miles driven between charges , EPA also included in the Volt 's fuel economy label a table showing fuel economy and electricity consumed for five different scenarios driven between a full charge , and a never @-@ charge scenario . According to this table the Volt 's fuel economy goes up to 168 mpg @-@ US ( 1 @.@ 40 L / 100 km ; 202 mpg @-@ imp ) equivalent ( MPG @-@ e ) if driven 45 miles ( 72 km ) between full charges . Also , in recognition of the multiple operating modes that a plug @-@ in hybrid can be built with ( all @-@ electric , blended , and gasoline @-@ only ) , for the new fuel economy and environment label that will be mandatory in the U.S. beginning in model year 2013 , EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) issued two separate fuel economy labels for plug @-@ in hybrids . One label is for extended @-@ range electric vehicles , like the Chevy Volt , with two modes : all @-@ electric and gasoline @-@ only ; and a second label for blended mode that includes a combination of all @-@ electric , gasoline and electric operation , and gasoline only , like a conventional hybrid vehicle .
= = = EPA fuel economy rating = = =
In August 2009 , General Motors released its estimated city fuel economy rating for the Volt of 230 mpg @-@ US ( 1 @.@ 0 L / 100 km ; 280 mpg @-@ imp ) of gasoline plus 25 kWh / 100 mi ( 560 kJ / km ) of electricity using the EPA 's proposed method for evaluating plug @-@ in hybrids . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) issued a statement clarifying that the " EPA has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM . " In July 2010 , GM explained that their estimate was based on a formula that had not been officially approved and that they had been awaiting the EPA 's decision on how the equivalent fuel economy of plug @-@ in hybrids would be estimated .
The official EPA rating was issued in November 2010 and became the agency 's first fuel economy label for a plug @-@ in hybrids . The EPA rated the 2011 Volt combined fuel economy at 93 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent ( MPG @-@ e ) in all @-@ electric mode , and 37 mpg @-@ US ( 6 @.@ 4 L / 100 km ; 44 mpg @-@ imp ) in gasoline @-@ only mode , for an overall combined fuel economy rating of 60 mpg @-@ US ( 3 @.@ 9 L / 100 km ; 72 mpg @-@ imp ) equivalent ( MPG @-@ e ) . The label also shows the combined city @-@ highway fuel economy in all @-@ electric mode expressed in traditional energy consumption units , rating the Volt at 36 kWh per 100 miles ( 160 km ) .
= = = Production cost and sales price = = =
In 2009 , the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry said that " GM is at least one generation behind Toyota on advanced , “ green ” powertrain development . In an attempt to leapfrog Toyota , GM has devoted significant resources to the Chevy Volt . " and that " while the Chevy Volt holds promise , it is currently projected to be much more expensive than its gasoline @-@ fueled peers and will likely need substantial reductions in manufacturing cost in order to become commercially viable . " A 2009 Carnegie Mellon University study found that a PHEV @-@ 40 will be less cost effective than a HEV or a PHEV @-@ 7 in all of the scenarios considered , due to the cost and weight of the battery . Jon Lauckner , a Vice President at General Motors , responded that the study did not consider the inconvenience of a 7 miles ( 11 km ) electric range and that the study 's cost estimate of US $ 1 @,@ 000 per kWh for the Volt 's battery pack was " many hundreds of dollars per kilowatt hour higher " than what it costs to make today . "
In early 2010 , it was reported that General Motors would lose money on the Volt for at least the first couple of generations , but it hoped the car would create a green image that could rival the Prius .
After the Volt 's sales price was announced in July 2010 , there was concern expressed of the launch price of the Volt and its affordability and resulting popularity , especially when the federal subsidies of US $ 2 @.@ 4 billion were taken into account in the development of the car .
General Motors CEO Edward Whitacre Jr. rejected as " ridiculous " criticism that the Volt 's price is too expensive . He said that " I think it 's a very fair price . It 's the only car that will go coast to coast on electricity without plugging it in , and nobody else can come close . " Despite the federal government being the major GM shareholder due to the 2009 government @-@ led bankruptcy of the automaker , during a press briefing at the White House a Treasury official clarified that the federal government did not have any input on the pricing of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt .
There have also been complaints regarding price markups due to the initial limited availability in 2010 of between US $ 5 @,@ 000 to US $ 12 @,@ 000 above the recommended price , and at least in one case a US $ 20 @,@ 000 mark up in California . Even though the carmaker cannot dictate vehicle pricing to its dealers , GM said that it had requested its dealers to keep prices in line with the company ’ s suggested retail price .
In May 2011 the National Legal and Policy Center announced that some Chevrolet dealers were selling Volts to other dealers and claiming the US $ 7 @,@ 500 federal tax credit for themselves . Then the dealers who bought the Volts sell them as used cars with low mileage to private buyers , who no longer qualify for the credit . General Motors acknowledged that 10 dealer @-@ to @-@ dealer Volt sales had taken place among Chevrolet dealers , but the carmaker said they do not encourage such practice .
In September 2012 , Reuters published an opinion / editorial article where it claimed that General Motors , nearly two years after the introduction of the car , was losing US $ 49 @,@ 000 on each Volt it built . The article concluded that the Volt is " over @-@ engineered and over @-@ priced " and that its technological complexity has put off many prospective buyers , due to fears the car may be unreliable . GM executives replied that Reuters ' estimates were significantly flawed as they also allocated the vehicle 's research and development program costs only against the number of Volts sold in the United States ( as of August 2012 ) , instead of spreading the total costs over the entire lifetime of the model , as well as including those units sold in Europe and other countries . GM explained that the investments will pay off once the innovative technologies of the Volt are applied across multiple current and future products .