 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 . 
