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Chevy Volt available to order – with $41,000 price tag

Chevrolet says its Volt should cost about 80 cents to charge overnight

Chevrolet made its 2011 Volt available for customer orders today, putting a $41,000 price tag on the extended-range plug-in electric vehicle.

After federal tax credits are included, the price could drop to as low as $33,500.

Manufacturer GM is also offering a 36-month lease option for as low as $350 per month with $2,500 deposit.

The company said today that more than 600 Chevrolet dealers are now accepting advance orders for the front wheel-drive vehicle, which is designed to travel up to 40 miles on only its electric motor, before a gasoline generator kicks in to offer a further 300 miles range.

Customer deliveries of the Volt are scheduled to begin later this year, with initial production limited, and vehicles sold in target markets including California, New York, Michigan, Connecticut, Texas, New Jersey and the Washington D.C. area.

A Chevy Volt dealership locator is being made available later today at the website getmyvolt.com.

The Volt comes with an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on its all important 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a standard 120-volt charging cord that will allow for charging directly from home electrical outlets.

Some 4,400 Volt buyers in the launch markets could also be eligible for a free 240-volt charging station, including home installation, as part of a federal government-funded program.

“Everyday driver”

Joel Ewanick, vice president of US marketing for General Motors, said today: “No other automaker offers an electrically driven vehicle that can be your everyday driver, to take you wherever, whenever. The Volt will be packed with premium content and innovation, standard.”

The Volt’s $33,500 price tag compares with the $25,280 price tag announced for the all-electric Nissan LEAF, which is also expected to be released to select markets later this year.

The $350-per-month lease program for the Volt also sets it head on with the $349-per-month lease program for its all-electric rival (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).

Energy

Studies have suggested that the Volt will consume on average less than half the gasoline of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Chevrolet says its vehicle will save about 500 gallons of gasoline a year for the average driver, and even more for drivers commuting at least 21,000 miles a year.

The manufacturer estimates that its Volt will cost about two cents per mile to run in its electric-only mode, compared to about 12 cents per mile using gasoline priced at $3.60 per gallon.

At a cost of about 80 cents a day, charging the Volt once per day will be less expensive than purchasing a bottle of water, the firm said.