Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt
Posted Nov 15th 2009 6:53PM by Sam Abuelsamid
2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
Fans of the Chevrolet Volt have been waiting patiently for nearly three years now for the first extended range electric car to debut. Apparently a Columbus, Ohio Chevrolet dealer is looking to take advantage of that by putting up a listing on eBay claiming to have allocation of Volts. Jack Maxton Chevrolet is now taking deposits on the Volt a year before the first production models roll off the line in Detroit. There are problems with this. The current bid is at $1,525 but it's not clear from the listing just what that gets you. It could be the first position in line, if and when Maxton gets its Volts, but we can't say for sure.
Notice we said if Maxton gets the Volt. We checked with Volt spokesman David Darovitz about this and he told us that it's not certain that every Chevy dealer will get the Volt: "They must first go through a rigorous certification process" to ensure that they are ready to sell and service the electrically-driven compact and its battery. Darovitz also tells us that "Dealers have not been selected" at this time, and that includes Maxton Chevrolet. You might want to keep that in mind before placing your bid. Remember, patience is a virtue. Thanks to Nat for the tip!
[Source: eBay]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jpm 9:56PM (11/15/2009)
"They must first go through a rigorous certification process" to ensure that they are ready to sell and service the electrically-driven compact and its battery.
Yup. Good thing the Volt has an ICE component to maintain dealer service profits.
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Nick From Montreal 4:01AM (11/16/2009)
You know this had to be one of the reason for GM to go with a range extender: keeping dealers happy.
It's no coincidence that Tesla chose the Apple store model: individual dealers would not accept a car that doesn't require frequent regular servicing. That was one of the point in "Who killed the electric car?".
As for Nissan, since most Leafs will be pre-sold, they'll probably use them as a way to attract people to dealerships.
jpm 4:51AM (11/16/2009)
There's a video on youtube where Bob Lutz said himself that dealerships need an ICE engine in the volt to maintain revenue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfBZ0B2dAvA&feature=channel
... this video or related, can't find it now.
Joeviocoe 5:15AM (11/16/2009)
Yeah. Progress is usually slowed by those who stand to lose the status quo
It makes no sense to build IC engines integrated as range extenders:
It takes up space and weight that could have gone to extra batteries. So now, instead of a nice 100+ mile EV, you have a 40 mile EV that NEEDS a range extender to be marketable.
AC Propulsion has already proven that a small 500cc Kawasaki motorcycle engine can work to provide charge sustainment at highway speeds.
http://www.bilmuh.gyte.edu.tr/~gokturk/hybrid/rangeextender.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN8g3bcU7ZM
But the maintenance on that will be too cheap. And if you put the range extender on a trailer. People can just rent them and not ever have to worry about individual maintenance.
Detroit has built a castle of cards that needs to fall. If you are in the automotive repair business... learn a new trade. Teach your kids to be an electrical engineer.
Unknown 6:55AM (11/16/2009)
Your conspiracy theories are somewhat ridiculous. After 100,000 miles my car have never been to a mechanic for maintenance. Yes eventually it will have to go, but so will electric cars eventually. The ICE structure has gotten very refined and reliable.
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Tohe 7:31AM (11/16/2009)
No offense, but are you being serious? You don't take your car for oil changes? filters? etc? Besides, how can an internal combustion engine with its 200+ moving parts be more efficient than an electric motor where force is produced electromagnetically? Your comment is pure nonsense.
Joeviocoe 11:44AM (11/16/2009)
Your only spoiled by a hundred years of the internal combustion engine dominating the auto industry.
There is a HUGE, I say again, HUGE infrastructure of part manufacturers and distributors that all make parts that are engineered to fail after so many miles. Planned obsolescence is a real business practice.
So after decades, the parts are mass produced enough to keep the costs down and reasonable for people to pay every 3,000 miles (or so says the user's manual) for oil and filters.
Sure you can get by cheaper by learning to do it yourself. I do. But that doesn't mean the IC engine is less complicated than an EV. Imagine being able to fix any problem with a $2 component and a soldering gun. Of course the battery will always need professional repair.
Satn 9:44AM (11/16/2009)
If you win, you get to be first in line to get a chance to buy the car at whatever markup the dealer uses...dont like it, you lose your spot.
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fnc 12:35PM (11/16/2009)
It's a nice conspiracy theory, really, but I'm willing to believe the price of batteries is still what's keeping purely battery powered vehicles out of the mainstream (hence Tesla's strategy). I'm hopeful Nissan's EV will mark the beginning of change though.
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Tohe 2:27PM (11/16/2009)
There is no conspiracy, if you would have watched the last minute or so of the video JPM provided, then you would have heard it from GM's Lutz himself.