General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)has stepped up its game with the new 2016 Chevrolet Volt to try and steal a piece of the hybrid pie from Toyota Motor Corp (ADR) (NYSE:TM).
Though the Chevrolet Volt has been on the market for five years, it has failed to capture as much attention as the Prius did. General Motors has never managed to pass the 100,000 mark in terms of sales for the hybrid Volt. Toyota has managed to crush that number and surpass it for the past ten years. Toyota’s luck came from the fact that the vehicle was introduced at a time when fuel prices shot up to sensitive numbers. People started to seek alternative automobiles that would allow them to survive the hiked fuel prices.
Thus, the Prius became a fuel saving sensation since 2004 with Toyota’s hybrid technology giving it an impressive mileage. Even Hollywood superstars identified its potential, thus proving that there was indeed a place for such vehicles. GM is, however, confident that the new Chevrolet Volt can match up to the popularity of the Prius because the company has completely redefined the Volt.
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt has a new design built to look less like an electric car and more like a sporty vehicle. It is therefore expected to wow more people with its premium appearance compared to the regular EV shape that screams less fun. GM has also boosted the vehicle’s mileage and acceleration. The entirely electric system is completely new and can offer up to 50 miles of range on electric power alone on a single charge. The gasoline engine is also a new 4-cylinder 1.5-litreEcotech engine.
GM claims that the vehicle can achieve more than 420 miles before having to fill up. Another interesting feature about the Volt is that the engine converts regular gasoline power into electric energy. Other perks such as the efficiency, comfort and torque have also been tweaked to make the vehicle more appealing. GM hopes all these features to attract more sales.
Sources: forbes.com
