[Raymondjram]

As part of GM sales stragedy for South America, it will offer seven different models, and one of then (number three on the list) is the Chevy Bolt EV. Read more from the GM Authority pages:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/01/seven-new-chevrolet-models-to-launch-in-south-america-in-2019/

 

[NewsCoulomb]

It's about time. They need to start pushing the Bolt EV to markets where they can support it and people aren't as driven by buying cars as status symbols (i.e., limit California deliveries until Californians get their minds right).

 

[NY-Rob]

^ will be interesting to see the starting price... no way will a compact size $45K EV sell in any numbers in SA.

 

[BruceA1923]

I still cannot understand why GM does NO Bolt advertising in the US.

 

[BoltFan]

I realized this was going to happen the minute they put out the Lime Green edition. It's a no brainer ... fits perfectly in with Brazil.

 

[neutrondrip]

Everyone who complains about the charging infrastructure here, check out Brazil. Next to nothing.

I was there for 3 months last year and there was a truckers strike that lasted about a week. Lines at gas stations were a mile long and we were told to stay home from work. I wish I had my Bolt then!

 

[GregBrew]

It's about time. They need to start pushing the Bolt EV to markets where they can support it and people aren't as driven by buying cars as status symbols (i.e., limit California deliveries until Californians get their minds right).

What does getting one's "mind right" entail? I've been in CA for over six decades, and want to know what makes my mind "wrong" in the first place...

 

[Coastal_Cruiser]

I still cannot understand why GM does NO Bolt advertising in the US.

I have always had it that the Bolt lost money on every car sold, thus it wold be suicidal to advertise the car. This comes from a variety sources early on in the life of the car, including a Munro Associates analysis, a UBS teardown analysis, an inference or two from Bob Lutz, and other sources I don't recall.


Although the UBS analysis had GM losing 7K plus mostly due to lack of scale. Since then distribution of the car in the states went wide in the states, ported to Europe, and now a recent story about Bolts being distributed to South America.


I'm sure this topic has been well vetted in this forum. Any definitive answers as to Bolt profitability at this point?

 

[Dimitrij]

Everyone who complains about the charging infrastructure here, check out Brazil. Next to nothing.

I was there for 3 months last year and there was a truckers strike that lasted about a week. Lines at gas stations were a mile long and we were told to stay home from work. I wish I had my Bolt then!

Checked out Brazil, and here guess what I found charging there:

https://www.plugshare.com/location/174353

 

[RecessionProofDriver]

^ will be interesting to see the starting price... no way will a compact size $45K EV sell in any numbers in SA.

I think this all depends on how many GM is planning to sell overall. Even though SA countries in general have less money, there still is a certain amount of wealth there that could afford to buy Bolts vs something like a Tesla, Audi E-tron or iPace and wouldn't be so stuck on status.

If $45k is too much, imagine the prospect of selling $75-120K EVs to the same people. Plus GM already has lots of dealerships there selling ICE cars for their brands already, so probably not a problem to set chargers up at those rather than starting separate network from scratch perhaps.

 

[NewsCoulomb]

What does getting one's "mind right" entail? I've been in CA for over six decades, and want to know what makes my mind "wrong" in the first place...

It's a very long list, but in so far as what is germane to this topic, California car buyers on the whole seem to be far less pragmatic and far more brand and image focused than car buyers in other markets.

 

[SparkE]

It's a very long list, but in so far as what is germane to this topic, California car buyers on the whole seem to be far less pragmatic and far more brand and image focused than car buyers in other markets.

Yeah, "buying for the image" is totally uncommon elsewhere. Take a trip to Texas, where the suburban housewife drives a 7-foot-tall 4x4 to do her grocery shopping. That is sooooooooo practical!

 

[shocker]

It's a very long list, but in so far as what is germane to this topic, California car buyers on the whole seem to be far less pragmatic and far more brand and image focused than car buyers in other markets.

I attribute this to the crazy real estate prices forcing large segments of the population into being landless peasants. The vehicle is their affordable showpiece or splurge.

 

[neutrondrip]

Checked out Brazil, and here guess what I found charging there:

https://www.plugshare.com/location/174353

I didn't say nothing, I said next to nothing. Yes, I looked at PlugShare before making my post and I think that 22 DCFC locations for the #5 biggest country in the world in terms of population and area qualifies for next to nothing.

SP to Rio looks like it might be OK which is the most important route; other than that, it's Florianopolis to Iguazu and that's it.

 

[NewsCoulomb]

Yeah, "buying for the image" is totally uncommon elsewhere. Take a trip to Texas, where the suburban housewife drives a 7-foot-tall 4x4 to do her grocery shopping. That is sooooooooo practical!

I'm thinking more of brands rather than vehicle types. Maybe a better way of saying it is, a large portion of Californian's are obsessed with labels. It's why we vote for "Democrats" who are actually Republicans, and it's why we favor a Honda or Toyota badge even when they don't provide the most practical or pragmatic choice in the segment.

This was maybe best seen with the Volt. While it sold decently in California, it should have consistently outsold the Prius. That never happened.

As for the Bolt EV, can anyone here tell me honestly say that (without changing a single spec or actual feature) if the Bolt EV came with a Honda badge and a "Fit EV" name plate, it would still be sitting on California dealership lots for 30 to 45 days? Every single one made would be presold before it got to California, even if the Orion plant was at max capacity, producing 90,000 units a year.

 

[Sean Nelson]

I attribute this to the crazy real estate prices forcing large segments of the population into being landless peasants. The vehicle is their affordable showpiece or splurge.

...or home.

 

[Dimitrij]

I didn't say nothing, I said next to nothing. Yes, I looked at PlugShare before making my post and I think that 22 DCFC locations for the #5 biggest country in the world in terms of population and area qualifies for next to nothing.

SP to Rio looks like it might be OK which is the most important route; other than that, it's Florianopolis to Iguazu and that's it.

That's all true, but I was inviting you to check out the car was pictured charging at that particular location that I posted a link to. Attached here again, in case you want to have a look: https://www.plugshare.com/location/174353

Truthfully, we don't know how many public DCFC's are in Brazil. I am not sure if Plugshare is a go-to web page in Brazil. For example, at the stations on the route from Curitiba to the border with Paraguay the only person who has been "checking in" is Zeno Nadal and his BMW i3; clearly, he is not the only person who uses these stations. If Zeno Nadal lived in Bahia, there might have been no stations reported on this route.

 

[neutrondrip]

That's all true, but I was inviting you to check out the car was pictured charging at that particular location that I posted a link to. Attached here again, in case you want to have a look: https://www.plugshare.com/location/174353

Truthfully, we don't know how many public DCFC's are in Brazil. I am not sure if Plugshare is a go-to web page in Brazil. For example, at the stations on the route from Curitiba to the border with Paraguay the only person who has been "checking in" is Zeno Nadal and his BMW i3; clearly, he is not the only person who uses these stations. If Zeno Nadal lived in Bahia, there might have been no stations reported on this route.

Yeah I was checking out some of the photos and saw the Bolt. Pretty cool!

 

[RecessionProofDriver]

I'm thinking more of brands rather than vehicle types. Maybe a better way of saying it is, a large portion of Californian's are obsessed with labels. It's why we vote for "Democrats" who are actually Republicans, and it's why we favor a Honda or Toyota badge even when they don't provide the most practical or pragmatic choice in the segment.

This was maybe best seen with the Volt. While it sold decently in California, it should have consistently outsold the Prius. That never happened.

As for the Bolt EV, can anyone here tell me honestly say that (without changing a single spec or actual feature) if the Bolt EV came with a Honda badge and a "Fit EV" name plate, it would still be sitting on California dealership lots for 30 to 45 days? Every single one made would be presold before it got to California, even if the Orion plant was at max capacity, producing 90,000 units a year.

People are correct in that self-image, label prestige and 'putting on airs' is not something that's singular to California. The problem is California has an extremely high concentration of it that in much of the state's major venues, it seems to fuel the social stratum.

It's like sea salt; salt water is everywhere but there's such a ridiculously stupid amount of it centralized in the Dead Sea that it's near impossible to swim in it, so I get your point about mind's getting right.

 

[GregBrew]

I attribute this to the crazy real estate prices forcing large segments of the population into being landless peasants. The vehicle is their affordable showpiece or splurge.

I thought it was owning the latest and greatest pair of ridiculously expensive "fresh kicks".