GM May Be Targeting Lower Price, But Not Extended Range For 2016 Volt - Is That A Mistake?

General Motors is still hard at work behind the scenes on the next-generation Chevrolet Volt.

We won't know full details of the car for some time, but one upgrade it's likely to feature is a new, more efficient and less expensive power inverter.

According to Charged EVs, GM is currently developing an inverter capable of a 55kW peak and 30kW continuous output.

While not described directly for use in the Volt, the new inverter is modular and scalable, meaning it can be used in various different applications, and GM is said to be two-thirds the way through the project, expected to finish January 2016--so it should coincide with the launch of the 2016 Chevy Volt.

GM is spending $16.6 million on the project, $6 million of which has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
 

MattDarringer - 7/14/2014 4:22:43 PM

+3 Boost

Given that the Volt is stupidly priced, a price cut is the right thing to do.

JDMUSMuscle - 7/14/2014 4:38:10 PM

0 Boost

"GM is spending $16.6 million on the project, $6 million of which has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy."

16 million? That's it? I guess not surprised, considering the fact that GM is from a bankrupt city, and also from a country with seriously bad economy.

JDMUSMuscle - 7/14/2014 4:56:12 PM

-2 Boost

I just don't get it. How much can you accomplish with that kind of budget? And they got 6 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy, ok, great, so they are still getting taxpayers' money.

How do you exactly make a next gen car, with that kind of budget?

Vette71 - 7/14/2014 5:47:17 PM

+2 Boost

Lower the price. The Volt already has the most range of all of them. It just switches on a gas engine. That makes a hell of lot more sense with the level of infrastructure in place today. Someone who owns only one vehicle can't use a Tesla. Try a road trip and you can only use roads with a charging station on them and at that spend 30 minutes waiting for it to "fill up". Useless at the current time.

MorePower - 7/14/2014 8:16:21 PM

+2 Boost

Bringing a lower cost, to the consumer, would solve one of two main issues with the Volt. The car's appearance is the second.