Interest in Volt Falling Off According to Survey

[rhellie]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/bu...949Uz43htYsfAw

This NYT article mostly focuses on news already reported here i.e. potential causes and fixes related to damaged battery fires. However, further down in the article is a reference to a CNW Research marketing survey that found consumers likely to consider buying a Volt had declined from 3.4% to 1.7% between July and early December. The survey found that even among EV enthusiasts interest in the Volt was dropping off because of the battery fire controversy. The article also has an interesting interview with a Volt owner who is negotiating with GM to buy back his Volt. Worth a read for those following this issue.

[Brittt1]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/bu...949Uz43htYsfAw

This NYT article mostly focuses on news already reported here i.e. potential causes and fixes related to damaged battery fires. However, further down in the article is a reference to a CNW Research marketing survey that found consumers likely to consider buying a Volt had declined from 3.4% to 1.7% between July and early December. The survey found that even among EV enthusiasts interest in the Volt was dropping off because of the battery fire controversy. The article also has an interesting interview with a Volt owner who is negotiating with GM to buy back his Volt. Worth a read for those following this issue.

sorry, anyone deciding to want a buy back has buyers remorse and is looking for a $$ way out, 'loss of range' he said.. What a load of nonsense...

[Steverino]

The Volt ads are OK, but uninspiring. My wife says they are grungy and drab. A gas station washroom entrance and fast food window. Bleh.

Where are the leather seats? The awesome LCD dash? The cool interior? The fit and finish? Driving on battery is the "wait, there's more" moment that tips the ball in.

[evnow]

sorry anyone deciding to want a buy back has buyers remorse and is looking for a $$ way out, 'loss of range' he said.. What a load of nonsense...

Hmmm ... cold weather ?

[fishhawk]

The sad thing is bad news travels quickly, and when this gets resolved (which I'm sure it will), it will take a long time for people to forget about it.

[stuart22]

Gasoline prices have been on a slow but steady decline here in CA for what seems months. Interest will spike up should gas prices increase.

[bonaire]

Gas is poised to go up in the spring. CA will see those $4.00+ again next year, I believe.

Tomorrow, I'll pick up gas in NJ at $3.05/gal - which is lower than I've seen since early 2010. DO remember that gas was $1.89/gal in early 2009. The latest dip in the graph below is no reason to "breath a sigh of relief" that gas prices are going to stay down.

http://zfacts.com/p/35.html

[DonC]

I wouldn't reach too many conclusions based on two data points in one survey without knowing a lot more about the questions and methodology. Relying on what someone associated with the survey says is also not usually a wise thing to do. Nate Silver does a column about polling for the NY Times, mostly political polling but sometimes other things as well, and after reading his column for a few years you begin to understand just how coarse most polls are. My guess is that if gas prices spiked many minds would change.

Speaking of prices, my informal polling says "forget the fires" because the big issue for the Volt is price, price, and price. I talked to two people iin their 30s last night who wanted to buy a Volt but instead leased a Cruze because they felt they couldn't afford the Volt. (Not sure if the Volt is what got them into the showroom but I think it was). The Total Cost of Ownership is a message that is not resonating, and it didn't when I mentioned it. FWIW they had heard about the fires but didn't seem concerned in the least. Of course since they weren't buying one why should they be. On the other hand they were both interested in taking a test drive in mine so the fear wasn't too great!

[jackphillips]

I agree the ads are terrible.

[Brittt1]

I wouldn't reach too many conclusions based on two data points in one survey without knowing a lot more about the questions and methodology. Relying on what someone associated with the survey says is also not usually a wise thing to do. Nate Silver does a column about polling for the NY Times, mostly political polling but sometimes other things as well, and after reading his column for a few years you begin to understand just how coarse most polls are. My guess is that if gas prices spiked many minds would change.

Speaking of prices, my informal polling says "forget the fires" because the big issue for the Volt is price, price, and price. I talked to two people iin their 30s last night who wanted to buy a Volt but instead leased a Cruze because they felt they couldn't afford the Volt. (Not sure if the Volt is what got them into the showroom but I think it was). The Total Cost of Ownership is a message that is not resonating, and it didn't when I mentioned it. FWIW they had heard about the fires but didn't seem concerned in the least. Of course since they weren't buying one why should they be. On the other hand they were both interested in taking a test drive in mine so the fear wasn't too great!

Agreed, GM should come up with a Comparison for their sales guys.. Based on daily mileage, location, fuel costs points, servicing costs etc etc. it should be included in the Volt marketing material and widely distributed and downloadable from the Chevy website. Wouldn't be hard to put together.

Whomever is running the marketing/pr department needs some help/ideas, I'm not saying they are useless, I'm saying they need some input on what people want to see and hear. Nissan's commercials are fantastic, the Volts are borderline humorous at best, that's if you ever see them. Fact sheets and get to the point marketing is what is needed, use you tube, get Viral home made videos into the marketing portfolio, use of modern channels.. There are ways to make media work for you.