General Motors Co.’s first long-range electric car won’t be made widely available for several months, with the auto maker planning to sell the Chevrolet Bolt in California and Oregon in coming weeks to meet its commitment to put it on sale in 2016.
GM has said its $30,000 Bolt will be on sale in the 2016 calendar year, a target that qualifies the car for certain product awards and allows the company to say its car hits the market well in advance of a rival product being developed by Tesla Motors Inc. GM spokeswoman Michelle Malcho said Thursday the car is expected to meet high interest, but will be offered in limited quantities in 2017.
“We are focusing on this year getting the cars ready for customers…and doing it the right way,” Ms. Malcho said. GM has seen highest demand for its Volt plug-in hybrid car in California since it went on sale in 2010, with 40% of all Volt sales coming from that state.
Deliveries to other markets will be at a “slow flow” pace, she said.
GM’s Bolt, capable of driving more than 200 miles on a full battery charge, has been praised for a lower price tag than other long-range electric cars, which is possible using a $7,500 tax credit. Motor Trend magazine this week named the Bolt its car of the year and North American Car of the Year Jurors evaluating cars going on sale in the 2016 calendar year have named the vehicle a finalist for their coveted award.
Executives at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week said the Bolt is an important car for both meeting increasingly stringent state and federal emissions regulations and polishing GM’s image. Tesla has often been seen as the leader on electric cars, and a flood of new entrants—ranging from Tata Motors’ Jaguar to Volkswagen AG’s Audi—are planning to take Tesla on.
Nissan Motor Co.’s Michael Bunce, speaking during an interview Wednesday, said the Japanese auto maker is revamping its Leaf electric car and will show off a new version soon. He said the vehicle will have battery-range upgrades and a revised design.
Tesla’s Model 3, a less-expensive alternative to the auto maker’s Model S sedan and Model X sport utility, is slated to go on sale in late 2017. The auto maker has indicated it will have similar price and range of the Bolt.
A small batch of Bolts—a few hundred at most—will be used in the fleets working for ride-hailing service Lyft Inc.’s, a partner of GM, Ms. Malcho said.
