There’s an all-new Chevrolet Volt coming our way and the big question is whether GM will get it right the second time around.
For now, the General is running high-altitude tests on development prototypes, as evidenced by these shots from Colorado, courtesy of our numero uno reader-turned-spy, Brett Borgard.
GM had very high hopes for the Volt when it introduced the car back in late 2010, targeting some 60,000 annual sales, but the market had a different view, with the range-extended electric model selling only around 70,000 units in the nearly four years it’s been with us.
Over the years, GM tried to tackle one of the main criticisms, which was none other than the high asking price by slashing its starting MSRP from $41,000 (or $33,500 w/Tax Credits) in 2010 to $34,345 ($26,845 w/Tax Credits) in 2013.
With the second iteration, it will address the price issue again, not only for the equivalent version of today’s car, but also with the introduction of an even lower-cost base model featuring less equipment and a smaller battery pack with a driving range of around 300 miles (480km) vs. the standard model’s +400 miles (640km).
Other issues that will be addressed include more space for passengers and the addition of a third rear seat, sharper looks (see our Future Car rendering here), while GM is believed to replace the current 1.4-liter four-cylinder with a new 1.0-liter turbo’d three-pot.
One thing that the new Volt has certainly going for it is that, this time, it won’t be an unknown quantity.
GM has confirmed the world premiere of the new Volt for the 2015 Detroit motor show in January.
Big thanks to Brett for the pictures!
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