General Motors has just put a price tag on the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The plug-in compact hatch that's capable of driving 40 miles on a fully charged battery before a gasoline engine kicks in to produce electricity, will be priced at $41,000 (about €31,700 at today's exchange rates) including a destination fee of $720, before any federal tax incentives.
That's $8,220 more than the Volt's closest rival, the all-electric Nissan Leaf which starts at $32,780 before tax breaks. However, buyers of the Leaf, which is powered only by batteries and doesn't come with a gasoline engine /generator like the Volt, will have to throw in another $2,200 (minus any tax credits) for personal charging docks.
As is the case with Nissan's EV, the Volt is also eligible for a maximum federal income tax credit, as well as other potential state and local tax credits, depending on location, of $7,500, which brings the final price down to $33,500.
GM said buyers can also lease the extended-range electric vehicle for three years for as low as $350 per month with a $2,500 down payment including security deposit. That's roughly the same as the Leaf which can be leased for $349 a month.
Standard safety features will incude eight air bags (dual-stage frontal, side-impact, knee, and roof-rail side-impact) and StabiliTrak electronic stability control with Traction Control. The Volt will come with a 3-year / 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage, and a five year / 100,000 mile limited gasoline engine warranty, while the battery pack is covered by a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first).
Customer deliveries of the Chevrolet Volt are scheduled to begin initially in California, New York, Michigan, Connecticut, Texas, New Jersey and the Washington D.C. area towards the end of the year.
