Several days ago, many of you were gracious enough to take an advertising company’s readership survey. As promised, I have the results. This can give you an idea of who is coming to this site and a little bit of their behavior.
The survey results in detail and graphically represented are HERE.
689 people responded. Mostly we are 30 to 39 years old, 98% male, employed, live in the U.S, and make over 75,000 per year.
GM-Volt.com is now also listed on the Federated Media website.
I should also add that from my website log analytic data, more than half a given day’s visitors are new people who found this site through an Internet search. These people not unexpectedly are under-represented on the survey as first time people filling it out were only 4%.
This entry was posted on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 9:48 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 11th, 2008 (10:14 am)Interesting. I thought he geographic information was going to be more specific than simply by country.
I hope being a part of this helps you, Lyle.
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May 11th, 2008 (10:21 am)Guess I am an old man. Not many here over 60. Oh well.
Take Care
Arch
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May 11th, 2008 (10:23 am)Thanks for the data. Interesting.
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+1
May 11th, 2008 (11:11 am)#1 Rashiid,
I know we have a number of contributers from Canada. I’d like to see a breakdown by country as well.
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May 11th, 2008 (11:17 am)I’m impressed that ~10% are outside the US. If that holds for the wait listed people, that means ~2,000!!!
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May 11th, 2008 (11:25 am)“Other people ask me for advice on technology – 90.1%”
Wow, a lot of market trend setters around.
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May 11th, 2008 (11:45 am)What the??? Nearly half make AT LEAST 100 grand per year in household income, probably loves all things techie since they’re employed in computing or engineering, and most have ZERO children to raise and spend money on. I sure hope these aren’t the same people who are posting messages saying they they won’t be able to afford a Volt if it’s $40,000!?! Oh come on, even if the car lasts only 10 years, $4,000 per year is chump change for you guys!!
There is all this talk about the first few years of the Volt being pricey to build and then go down at time goes on. It looks like there are plenty of people who can afford the “early adopter” price, and then the tidal wave of purchases by “the common man” will begin a few years later.
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May 11th, 2008 (11:46 am)Interesting, thank you… Ed
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May 11th, 2008 (11:52 am)Two percent female? OK, so if we assume that Statik is one, who is the other? (hee, hee, Just kidding)
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May 11th, 2008 (12:32 pm)wow, President/CEO = 11%
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May 11th, 2008 (12:54 pm)Looks like “we” are a bit top-heavy in the income brackets too. I hope that that doesn’t influence the bean counters at GM.
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May 11th, 2008 (12:57 pm)Gary P, #7. People who make over 100K have many bills like everyone else. Just because they make over 100K doesn’t necessarily mean they can afford the Volt at $40K. I can afford it, but won’t. It needs to be priced for the masses. Otherwise it will just be a niche car.
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May 11th, 2008 (1:08 pm)I agree with Rashid @11. The Volt is going to need to hit the ground running (lots of demand with lots of supply to meet it).
Then again, there will be plenty of time for the Dems to redistribute that wealth after November… (wink)
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May 11th, 2008 (1:18 pm)#9 Tag
How did you know?
I’m certianly in the minority. Girl and between 13-17. Embarassing to admit I have 4 kids as well.
(=
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May 11th, 2008 (1:35 pm)Statik,
Sounds like one of the girls recently rescued from that polygamist group…
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May 11th, 2008 (1:45 pm)As a guy who’s enjoyed years well in excess of a six-figure income, let me tell you what a mentor warned me about when I was still in undergrad school ….
“The more money you make the faster your expenses will rise to meet —then exceed— your income!!!” TOO TRUE!!!!!!!
PS: For anyone who missed it, I’ve just posted exciting news regarding the Volt’s likely battery cost on yesterday’s thread (#56)….
http://gm-volt.com/2008/05/10/continental-ceo-thinks-they-has-good-chance-of-winning-volt-contract/#comment-40203
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May 11th, 2008 (1:52 pm)Does anybody know what the volt cost? I keep hearing $38k , $40k and $20k , does anybody know what the batteries going to cost? The Volt is not going too cost $40k.
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May 11th, 2008 (2:17 pm)#9 Tagamet
I am 98% male and 2% female
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May 11th, 2008 (3:14 pm)I was a bit surprised by the age range. I am mid forties and I just assumed I was about the average age of people posting. I was also a bit surprised by the percentage of people without kids.
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May 11th, 2008 (4:14 pm)Sounds like GM is going to have to make specific efforts to target females. Perhaps something along the lines of the H3? I dunno the girl version of the Volt (or soccermom version) isn’t a bad idea. Sorry if I pissed anyone off for sounding stereotypical, but I’m picturing the mothers running the minivan about 40 miles per day between school and soccer practice.
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May 11th, 2008 (5:01 pm)I sense a ‘Girls of the Volt’ 2011 calendar in the works.
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May 11th, 2008 (5:14 pm)Statik said:
Comment:
I sense a ‘Girls of the Volt’ 2011 calendar in the works.
Actually, if you want to promote the Volt with women, it should be a Beefcake Calendar. “You’ll LOVE the GM Engineers FOR THEIR MINDS!…..(or not)(apologies for the distaff side of the team).
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May 11th, 2008 (5:20 pm)GM may even have the color Pink for a car. To attract female into the volt.
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May 11th, 2008 (6:15 pm)The responding demographic mostly reports on who is wasting time on the net, however, if enough 20 year olds set their sights on a Volt-type car and the private-car replacement cycle is, say, ten years, then these young respondents may buy about six electric cars in their lifetime (for themselves) and potentially many additional cars through influence with spouse, children, friends, and co-workers — sort of like the way Prius has reached the one-millionth car sold milestone this spring.
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May 11th, 2008 (7:13 pm)Tag,
I think the Volt marketing team would be better off just targeting the demographic they have already hehe. This site has given them the demo information to a ‘T’
Now if they were planning on selling 250K copies a year…they would need to satisfy you with that ‘beefcake’ calender you want. Hehe
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May 11th, 2008 (7:15 pm)Ha! We’re a bunch of computer nerds and engineers.
The average profile fits me perfectly except I have 5 kids which is why I can’t afford 40k. OK, wifey and I just discussed this today, and in 2 years we will be fine with 40k.
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May 11th, 2008 (7:16 pm)The 30-59 year old male, professional, geek population WILL NOT BE DENIED. We are the demographic…we control the universe! (Although, we will not be president).
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May 11th, 2008 (7:25 pm)Phewww,
We are on good drugs today!
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May 11th, 2008 (7:49 pm)>> We’re a bunch of computer nerds and engineers.
That’s been known for over a year now… yet almost nothing has been done to attract others. The lack of diversity solidifies the niche. When will efforts be made to expand the reach of this technology?
What do you offer to appeal to those wanting to easily LEARN about the technology in Volt?
In other words, the casual searcher stumbling across this website won’t find much beside just random discussions with sparse facts difficult to find.
Taking the next step is long overdue.
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May 11th, 2008 (9:22 pm)john1701a
Actually, there is nothing to say that the Prius didn’t start from the same “niche” (I much prefer comitted homgenious grouping). We don’t HAVE pre-data for *their*early adopters, but we DO know that the climate is far more positive for factors that favor hybrids and EREVs. I’d even venture a guess that there wasn’t a rallying spot like this for the Prius 2.5 YEARS before the first one was built. I think the Volt (and most of us) are going to peak together.
(was that as good for you as it was for me??(lol))
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May 11th, 2008 (10:13 pm)I’m not an engineer, and I know squat about computers. I’m stuck on the idea of a Volt for numerous reasons (foreign deficit, American innovation, no foreign oil etc.). When I talk to my peers and family, the idea of the Volt gets very little reaction. It’s a “that’s nice,” reaction built on doubt. I think that 2010 is just too far away right now. People think that it is a pipe dream. When the Volt has been out for a year and proved itself, people will be going nuts.
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May 11th, 2008 (11:35 pm)The only problem with the survey is that most people who read this site a lot go a lot who are gonna answer the survey are more technically inclined, but I’m sure more than us engineers and such will be interested when the final design comes out and they realize how revolutionary it is. Most people (non techies) who casually read this will care about the final specs and the fuel economy not the the day to day suggestions and updates on the mules.
Now for the job search for a salary that can allow me to afford a Volt, any of you 11% CEOs need a biomedical engineer finishing up a masters?
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May 12th, 2008 (3:24 am)That’s amazing.
#1.) A glaring majority of the users are men who are…
#2.) Well off ( good income level ) likely because you…
#3.) Have no kids and live in…
#4.) America!
I actually found that survey quite interesting
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May 12th, 2008 (10:39 am)Now come on guys! How many of you fudged on some of those questions (like income level)?
Even if the income level for the “average” Volt fan is high, that does not mean that we can easily afford a $40,000 or even $35,000 Volt. We have other considerations, also.
Sure, I will admit to making 100k a year, but it takes every penny to pay bills and I do not live over my head. I have three kids that are grown, but need some help. We save every penny we can for our retirement and I have a special savings account for the Volt.
After the state and feds get through taxing me, there isn’t much left to pay health insurance, home insurance, car insurance, etc. You talk about high cost, just think INSURANCE. These are the real-life true ripe-off experts. The “oil industry” could learn a thing or two from them.
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May 12th, 2008 (11:16 am)#2 Arch:
Me too, if it makes you feel any better.
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May 12th, 2008 (11:19 am)N Riley, I am on equal footing with you on this. For me though, throw in two college bound girls in the next 6 years, and there is precious little left for extravagant spending. Your right on about the retirement savings, that eats up a lot. I make over 100K also, but I bought a Grand Am to commute in a few years ago when I really wanted the GTO.
Of course with gas where it is now, I’m glad I got the Grand Am.
The Volt needs to be in the $30-35K range (after tax credits, maybe) for it to be really priced right. 40K moves the car into the brow-furrowing/frown level. Hope they can prevent that.
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May 12th, 2008 (11:36 am)Chris =
Canadian
23 years old
$50,000/yr
male.
probably won’t be able to buy one of these cars for the first few years of release, but i’m saving my nickels. GO VOLT GO!….
and the philly flyers… GO FLYERS GO!
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May 12th, 2008 (12:37 pm)The results make sense…
Try telling a non-technical person that a need to purchase a $35K vehicle that can help with the following issues:
- Global Warming
- Foreign oil dependence
- etc.
Otherwise, I would guess most folks think of it as a vehicle to make someone that can afford it feel good about helping with the issues. And/Or someone that has an interest in the technology.
aka. early adopter
Other ways that some folks use to help with the issues
- Moving closer to your daily commute destination (I walk to work)
- Mass transit
- A house size that meets your needs (or apartment)
All these things aside…a new car needs to appeal to wide demographic. If not, it makes no sense money wise. Everyone would just buy a dependable used vehicle. A used vehicle may use more fuel…but if you live close to your daily commute, it does not matter. A used vehicle has less expensive insurance…but may not impress the neighbors. A rental car could be used for the infrequent long trips.
If anyone is wondering, I could afford the Volt…but at $35K and the depreciation of other GM vehicles, I may wait for a 3 year old VOLT.
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May 12th, 2008 (1:05 pm)Everyone has to make their own decision about buying a Volt or anyother automobile. It is a very personal decision. Most of do not have the luxury to take such a decision lightly. I know I do not. When I buy a new car or truck (and I usually buy new) i itend to keep it for ten to fifteen years. Cars around ten years and trucks for the fifteen.
We all have many factors infuencing our purchase decisions. GM will have many factors affecting their final pricing of the Volt. I hope GM will decide to price it so many people can afford it. The first couple years may not prove profitable for GM, they can start a trend that will be unstoppable and with trends will come sucess. GM will get economies of scale and bring down production cost of the batteries and other components. Plus, except for the battery, the other components may very likely make the car cheaper to produce.
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May 12th, 2008 (4:27 pm)Jeff #38: “Otherwise, I would guess most folks think of it as a vehicle to make someone that can afford it feel good about helping with the issues.”
Which is why I wonder if a free market could transition away from oil in any remotely timely manner. Despite all of the societal downsides of using petroleum products as combustion fuel, new gasoline/diesel vehicles will retain their superior life-cycle values for another 10 years or so. Technologists that visit sites like this one see a problem developing and a crisis on the horizon and want to act today, but the market won’t internalize the problem until it becomes a crisis.
The intelligentsia knows the way forward, but the invisible hand has to drag its invisible foot until the market forces become sufficiently short-term. Unfortunately, most of the world’s pressing problems have solutions that are substantially longer-term than the market’s short-sightedness. In fact, hardly any non-trivial global problem can be solved within the child-like attention span of the market, so we’re left with platitudinous, hand-waving press conferences when the excrement starts flying.
The free market: a steady-state economy for a transient world.
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May 12th, 2008 (5:38 pm)#40 butters:
Those all sound like good arguments for tax credits for the Volt and/or much higher fuel taxes. When the market cannot adjust for the future flying of the excrement, it is good public policy to provide incentives to keep the intensity of the excrement storm down to a survivable level, IMHO.
As our friend from Alaska keeps saying, the real cost of gasoline is probably more like $10/gallon when you add in the now externalized costs of being the world’s policeman and oil war fighter. Let the people who use the stuff pay all of the cost of it.
Not to restate the obvious, but very high fuel taxes have been part of public policy in Europe since time out of mind. As a result our colleague Jean-Charles Jacquemin is driving around in an Opel which gets 49 mpg, just for example.
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May 13th, 2008 (1:50 pm)Very Interesting Lyle. Us teckies are the ones who will be first to show off our new Volt and sell all the other non-geeks around us on the idea.
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May 13th, 2008 (2:26 pm)noel park
I hve never been a proponent of higher gasoline taxes, but I see one way that I would support them. If the federal government would add $.10 /gal (as an example) that could only be used to fund tax rebates for purchasing AMERICAN made (not necessarily American named) hybrids and/or electrics, I could support such a plan. I would also support the idea of tax rebates and/or low interest loans to finance purchasing and installing home solar panels for producing electricity.
Some such plan as that that would benefit not only the buyer, but also the planet, I could support fully. Since I would continue using ICE powered vehicles for some time, I would feel like I was not getting a free ride after I buy my first Volt.
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May 13th, 2008 (2:34 pm)I am not a big and bigger government proponent. For me to agree to let the Federal government set higher taxes is saying a lot. It would serve as a depository and dispenser of those funds. It should have that “lock box” that Ale Gore was so fond of proposing. There would have to be hard rules and penalties for mis-use of the funds. I would like an independent or semi-independent “group” to be a watch dog over the fund. I do not trust congress to keep their fingers off of it.
What do any of you others think? Could this not hasten adoption of hybrids and electrics? We all know that cost is a large consideration. Let those who are unwilling to convert help those who do convert by paying the additional fuel taxes. Kind of like the smokers paying for the health cost of those with cancer. Yeah, we know where that tax money goes, don’t we. That is why we must have hard rules, etc.
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May 13th, 2008 (2:36 pm)Sorry Al Gore for mis-stating your name. Typos get me all the time.
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May 13th, 2008 (2:48 pm)#43 & #44 N Riley:
Works for me.
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May 13th, 2008 (2:50 pm)noel park
Now, if we can only convince the rest of the country.
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May 20th, 2008 (2:06 am)Males are 98% stupid and females are only 2% dumb, correct me if I am wrong,the Volt has a range of 650.km 0n 54.5L of gas! That is not good! My 2007 civic does better than that! For you Americans that is just over 400miles on 12 gallons. GM is going to die with this tech! I hope they improve these numbers X 2 for production.
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Jun 29th, 2009 (4:18 pm)I am 67
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Jun 29th, 2009 (4:21 pm)My annual income is no where near $100,000.00. I am retired from the machine tool industry. I don’t expect to be one of the first buyers but will as soon as one is available. And I also expect the price to come down.
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