Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaz_23
Whatever happens in regards to the Volt is not as important in reality. It's not as game changing as GM thinks and hopes.
- It will be expensive
- The people who can afford one are already Toyota fans
- Even though, they are in a different league, people will compare the Prius to the Volt and go with the Prius, because it's a Toyota.
So there's no reason to be all too optimistic. In terms of sales, GM rarely does well with new models. So sales will be below expectations and since they aren't (supposedly) making any money off it, GM gains little.
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Toyota still hasn't been able to build up a huge amount of brand loyalty. The majority of buyers have switched to Toyota to give them a try. The import brand that does have the best brand loyalty is Honda. Don't get me wrong Toyota has some but still not comparable to GM, Ford or Chrysler. What the public wants is something new, regardless of the brand. The Prius was bought at first as a status symbol (and in some cases still is), but now its the popular thing to do.
Volt will be something completely new with other automakers not being able to match up to Volt's initial specs or warranty figures. The first lot of models will be sold to those very much willing to decrease their dependence on oil while others will do it for popularity, that will be more than enough to sell all models for the first 3 years, even priced at $35k. Paying a few cents for 40 miles instead of paying $4-6 will certainly open up the eyes to the average commuter.