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It appears we are entering a higher inflation period. Having lived thru the Carter era with very high interest rates that would be disastrous for the more expensive cars. Cars that are financed or leased will get much more costly with higher interest rates.
People preparing for retirement used to count on interest income then rates started falling like a rock. Maybe higher rates would mean retirees would have more money to spend.
 
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Hm... that theory seems not to pan out for Tesla which has been expanding its production quarter by quarter yet price is increasing.
#1: Tesla has product. You have to wait a while for it, but vehicles are being produced.
#2: Tesla currently has very little real competition. Ford is still trying to ramp up Mach-e production and has only announced, not delivered, F150s. GM has the Bolt, which is currently not being produced, is on stop-sale, and doesn't really compete with Tesla anyway. The Europeans are bigger, heavier, more expensive, and less performant against Teslas in similar price ranges. Leaf is possibly a Bolt competitor, but not Tesla. Hyundai's EV production in the moderate-high range segment is small, though they clearly have the technical capability to be a player. The other stuff that's been announced is just that: announced, not delivered, and actual production hasn't started.

So if you want to buy an EV with more than 200 miles range right now, you'll buy it from Tesla, Ford, one of the Europeans, Hyundai, or one special model of Nissan. Of those, Tesla has the best-known and best-performing product, with the best public charger availability. Of the whole group, only Tesla, Chevy, Nissan (no more), Ford (just appearing now), and soon (not quite yet) VW have ever done EVs for US sale in mass production. Any wonder why Tesla keeps selling more EVs than the rest of the business (outside of China) combined?
 
I'm sure lots of people want an EV but there are many that aren't ready and won't be for a long time. I'm not talking about EV trucks as few will be made next year and maybe a few 100,000 in 2023. I'm saying that the EV cars/SUVs will be plentiful in a few years and may not sell as fast if they cost $50,000. GM was wise to keep the Bolt going at the sub $40,000 range and many 2021 sold for the $25000 range and they sold very fast at these prices.

As long as vehicle supply is low, all the new EVs will sell. But at some point in time, the inventories will get back to normal, and all these luxury EVs may not sell without government rebates. I don't think the rebates will make it thru a bill as there are too many other priorities and this is an easy part to cut.

Finally, with all the new battery factories coming online in 2 years, EV production will also increase which will cause a glut of luxury EV cars and SUVs. Can the marketplace absorb all these expensive EV.s? These are just my thoughts and observations.
Bolt is destined for being discontinued in 2023-2024, but new models at similar price points with Ultium platforms are expected to replace it. It is a challenge to sell new tech at low margin prices like Bolt, it was an anomaly because GM was looking to gain EV experience and limited investments in production capacity. Probably wise given the battery recall, if they had invested more, they would be replacing 2-3X more battery packs.

New tech tends to arrive in higher margin vehicles first, to recover investments. As the R&D cost payoff is accelerated by the higher margins, the company will expand into lower margin, higher volume models. GM and others have done this for ages, and appear to be continuing to do so.

I am grateful GM offered the Bolt when they did, and at the price point. It has fit my needs well, 130 mile daily commute for about the same price as I was accostomed to paying. The TCO has been a windfall, with fuel costs at least 33% of what I paid for gas (in a hybrid), and virtually no maintenance costs. As I enter retirement and anticipating more road trips, I expect to replace the Bolt at some point with a better trip EV. But, with a new battery, it will be difficult to justify upgrading too soon.

The general trends are lower costs for batteries, and improved range and charging speeds. Price is only one factor keeping drivers on the sidelines. As new models arrive, used markets will see plenty of used EVs for the budget conscious buyers. The longer range also reduces the critical needs for infrastructure.

There is no one thing that will tip the scales towards EV adoption. We like to think it all comes down to a single pill solution, but reality is buyers needs are diverse and EV are still new and scary to outsiders. Those of us who want to help push the adoption participate in public education events to help people realize EVs are viable already, not some future dream. But new tech takes time to win over converts, people are generally resistant to change. Price (new), price (used), knowledge, and infrastructure all play a part. Eventually, die-hard gear-heads will give way to young drivers with little pre-conceived bias, truck owners will realize the added benefits of F-150 Lightning and the likes with built in generators for on-site jobs and will tilt the truck market towards EV.
 
7 years is still a respectable production run for a car with only a minor face lift along the way. You are so right about selling new tech at low margins. I certainly appreciate GM for doing so. Hate that they discontinued the Volt as I loved mine. I have said from the beginning that Tesla was brilliant for entering the market on the high end and building a great image. Once a brand is established always easier to sell a less expensive version. Exactly why Toyota created Lexus when they wanted to go upmarket.

As someone who has already reached retirement the Bolt fits my needs perfectly. An everyday city car that I never worry about running out of range. Just get in it and go, going to the grocery store a half a mile away take the Bolt (or my scooter). Short trips are hard on a ICE vehicle. Enjoy your retirement, a great change of pace but I find myself as busy or more so than before.

As for new and scary, my wife (who loved the Volt) was very concerned about selling the Volt and getting a Bolt - when the battery is exhausted you are stuck!!! That is very true and something that scares most folks particularly when the remedy is more difficult and time consuming than running out of gas in a typical vehicle. However that is not the problem it used to be with warning lights and miles to empty displays etc. I gave up up trying to convince her but the next morning she was ready to go look at a Bolt. She loves it. People need to understand that they are not as different as they think and in many ways are better. Driving qualities and lack of routine maintenance are two things which are very seldom understood by folks who are nervous about the tech. I tell folks it is like having a full tank of gasoline every morning and never have to worry about an oil change or service - Bolts service requirements are so minimal it's amazing.

The F-150 Lightning looks like a well positioned truck particularly with all of the things like built in generators. Most contractor trucks are driven to the job site and don't are not driven man miles every day. If Ford can get the price in the same range then it will be a big hit. All the short trips to get parts and materials are hard on gas mileage but easy for an EV.
 
7 years is still a respectable production run for a car with only a minor face lift along the way. You are so right about selling new tech at low margins. I certainly appreciate GM for doing so. Hate that they discontinued the Volt as I loved mine. I have said from the beginning that Tesla was brilliant for entering the market on the high end and building a great image. Once a brand is established always easier to sell a less expensive version. Exactly why Toyota created Lexus when they wanted to go upmarket.

As someone who has already reached retirement the Bolt fits my needs perfectly. An everyday city car that I never worry about running out of range. Just get in it and go, going to the grocery store a half a mile away take the Bolt (or my scooter). Short trips are hard on a ICE vehicle. Enjoy your retirement, a great change of pace but I find myself as busy or more so than before.

As for new and scary, my wife (who loved the Volt) was very concerned about selling the Volt and getting a Bolt - when the battery is exhausted you are stuck!!! That is very true and something that scares most folks particularly when the remedy is more difficult and time consuming than running out of gas in a typical vehicle. However that is not the problem it used to be with warning lights and miles to empty displays etc. I gave up up trying to convince her but the next morning she was ready to go look at a Bolt. She loves it. People need to understand that they are not as different as they think and in many ways are better. Driving qualities and lack of routine maintenance are two things which are very seldom understood by folks who are nervous about the tech. I tell folks it is like having a full tank of gasoline every morning and never have to worry about an oil change or service - Bolts service requirements are so minimal it's amazing.

The F-150 Lightning looks like a well positioned truck particularly with all of the things like built in generators. Most contractor trucks are driven to the job site and don't are not driven man miles every day. If Ford can get the price in the same range then it will be a big hit. All the short trips to get parts and materials are hard on gas mileage but easy for an EV.
Having been retired for more than 5 years, I resemble some of those remarks. And "retirement" these days is really just a new career - there's the HoneyDo list, the volunteer work, the consulting, the ... before Covid, there was still plenty of need for a good metro-area car, and the Bolt fits that use case to a T. Since I got it, the Prius has suffered from a lack of use, and at least once needed a jump start because it sat long enough for the auxiliary battery to run down. Had to get a battery minder. On the plus side, car maintenance is way down as a budget and time item since getting rid of the old Mazda - Bolt needs nearly none (pending a battery, of course), and the reduced miles on the Prius have dropped its need to a service visit twice a year on general principles with an oil change only at one of them.

The wife doesn't like the Bolt though. Too peppy; the mitigation I've found is to use D mode rather than L, and be very gentle on the throttle. Ride is kind of harsh and bumpy; product of hard tires and short wheelbase, plus so-so seats. She likes smooth. Also, she's used to ducking into the Prius (only a little taller than a Volt, really) and isn't in love with the more upright and small-SUV-ish layout and ride height of the Bolt. Plus, a couple of styling issues like the way the doors come to a point just about at eye level; the Prius doors are more squared off. Cranked the passenger seat height adjustment (kudos to Chevy for providing that standard, btw; only the driver's seat is height-adjustable in our Prius) all the way down, and she's OK with getting into the car on that side now (if necessary). Nice car, but not perfect...
 
The Bolt for us seemed like a perfect combination of price, features, and range. We jumped at a 2017 because the commute in my 2013 Leaf just wasn’t cutting it in the winter (too many freezing commutes in the last 10 miles of range). Loved it so much that we got a 2019. My wife loves the combination of no gas, no maintenance, and the visibility and size the Bolt affords. She loves the all around camera. When the the huge MSRP breaks came in on the 2020, we traded our 2017 because why not get a new battery, for essentially $3K difference between trade and incentive. Then the first recall hit. Had the 2020, so thought we were good, but went through the process on the 2019 to do a swap for a 2021. Cost us $600 after we did the exchange and we were happy, GM didn’t drag its feet too much and the process only took 8 weeks or so start to finish. This last recall was really a gut punch. We just had too much risk in one car platform. My wife needs to park in airport garages often, I park downtown (and out garages banned Bolts for now). Sold the 2020 to get a M3 LR. It’s more than we wanted to spend, but we can’t have a vehicle that can only be used sometime until GM resolves this latest issue. We have a case open on the 2021 should this drag on too much longer, but we still love the utility and performance of the Bolt, but owning half a car right now is draining.
 
People preparing for retirement used to count on interest income then rates started falling like a rock. Maybe higher rates would mean retirees would have more money to spend.
I lived through that era too. When I bought my house in July 1984, I thought is was a godsend that I could assume a mortgage at 10.75%.
This filmclip captures the 70's all too well.
 
I lived through that era too. When I bought my house in July 1984, I thought is was a godsend that I could assume a mortgage at 10.75%.
This filmclip captures the 70's all too well.
I remember that movie when it came out. Watching the TVs being thrown out the windows has stuck with me.
 
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...I am grateful GM offered the Bolt when they did, and at the price point. It has fit my needs well, 130 mile daily commute for about the same price as I was accostomed to paying. The TCO has been a windfall, with fuel costs at least 33% of what I paid for gas (in a hybrid), and virtually no maintenance costs. As I enter retirement and anticipating more road trips, I expect to replace the Bolt at some point with a better trip EV. But, with a new battery, it will be difficult to justify upgrading too soon...
Ditto. I was looking to replace my aging, costly-to-maintain ICE vehicle with an EV, and at my budget (low-mid $20k), I expected to get into a used EV like the Bolt, Leaf, or BMW i3. Michigan isn't a CARB state, so EV options are limited. Then I saw the heavy discounting on new Bolts this past spring, and the extra Costco incentive created an opportunity to get into a new Bolt within my budget. There was literally no other new, 200+ mile EV at that price point in Michigan, much less the rest of the US.

I bought the Bolt expecting something that would be fine for my short commute and for errands around town. To our pleasant surprise, we actually prefer taking the Bolt in general now. We've gone on various trips up to 200+ miles, and we've always taken the Bolt. It's quiet, it's surprisingly roomy in the back, it's easy to park, it can carry more stuff than you expect, and it's quick.

It's done better than just meet my commuting needs in an economical way; it's become our favorite car to use as much as possible.
 
Ditto. I was looking to replace my aging, costly-to-maintain ICE vehicle with an EV, and at my budget (low-mid $20k), I expected to get into a used EV like the Bolt, Leaf, or BMW i3. Michigan isn't a CARB state, so EV options are limited. Then I saw the heavy discounting on new Bolts this past spring, and the extra Costco incentive created an opportunity to get into a new Bolt within my budget. There was literally no other new, 200+ mile EV at that price point in Michigan, much less the rest of the US.

I bought the Bolt expecting something that would be fine for my short commute and for errands around town. To our pleasant surprise, we actually prefer taking the Bolt in general now. We've gone on various trips up to 200+ miles, and we've always taken the Bolt. It's quiet, it's surprisingly roomy in the back, it's easy to park, it can carry more stuff than you expect, and it's quick.

It's done better than just meet my commuting needs in an economical way; it's become our favorite car to use as much as possible.
Similar here. Mine was to replace a totaled in an accident vehicle, which was aging but not too problematic repair wise. Was really cringing at the costs on all the ICE vehicles I was looking at initially. Definitely wasn't looking EV. Thought about the fed rebate. Realized my income the prior year (thanks covid) wouldn't do much for me there. Happened to see a post on reddit about how cheaply the Bolts were going. Had a friend that was leasing one, talked with him about it. And honestly nothing else could have come close to comparing to the deal I got. Including all the manf./dealer/rewards/state/ incentives and what I rolled over from my insurance settlement the car cost me about 5k. I was just looking for something that would do what I needed, but I've been much happier with it than just "does what I need".
 
All great stories and the Bolt can be a great car for the price for lots of people but of course not everyone. I like Tesla but the cost of the M3 and MY are just too expensive for my needs. Payments can be more than my house mortgage. And Tesla has been raising the price every other month. I'm glad Tesla is successful and pushing all the other auto companies to get with the EV revolution. I believe GM will continue with the Bolt and continue to upgrade features and range. Just think if they increase the DC fast charging to 150 from 55 and if Tesla opens up their DC charging network. GM could also put in a heat pump for us northern states and supercruise at a reasonable price. If GM can keep the price low and increase production of the Bolt it can still be a very strong contender.

Most suburban households have 2 cars so the Bolt can be a good option and home charging is within reach. If GM can build an Equinox size vehicle with the same range and at a reasonable price they will build a good complement of vehicles for the mass market. $50,000 to $70,000 vehicles will always sell to well-to-do families but IMO will not be the mass-market vehicles for most families. $35,000 out the door vehicles are the sweet spot and let's see who can meet this market. Tesla does not seem interested. Maybe the Chinese will and upset the market as the Japanese did in the '70s and '80s and continued to do today.

I also believe Tesla will jack up the price for the Cyber Truck for the first few years as they did with the MY. The $40,000 CT will never happen and the dual motor $50,000 CT will be $60,000 and Tesla will just blame so supplier problems. And with taxes and other fees, the price will climb to $65,000. It is now out of my price range for my needs.
 
And Tesla has been raising the price every other month.
You can thank the car shortage. Of course, Tesla price increases (or decreases) do tend to be more transparent than with other brands, since other brands' price increases (or decreases) tend not to be MSRP changes, but changes in manufacturer incentives and/or dealer tendencies to mark up (or down) the prices they are willing to sell for.
 
Our 2018 Volt was totaled in April. We had planned on waiting at least a few more years before making the jump to a BEV.

We had a hold on a replacement 2018 Volt on Carvana, for about $23k plus ttl. Our insurance settlement was about $22k. At the last minute, I spotted a local dealer ad for new 2021 loaded Bolt LTs for only about $2k more than the used Volt on Carvana. It was a no brainer.
 
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I also believe Tesla will jack up the price for the Cyber Truck for the first few years as they did with the MY. The $40,000 CT will never happen and the dual motor $50,000 CT will be $60,000 and Tesla will just blame so supplier problems. And with taxes and other fees, the price will climb to $65,000. It is now out of my price range for my needs.
Maybe your comment is in response to this news, but Tesla just removed the pricing information for the CT from their website. I also want Tesla to succeed, but the apologist comments at electrek are borderline nauseating, as are the comments from the anti Tesla folks. It reminds me how much I like this forum.
 
Over time we have seen Tesla just say the price will be xxx and then it is yyy more. I think they do this on purpose as an advertising stunt and to get attention from the Tesla Fan Boys. So when I see people say Tesla is transparent I don't give it any credence. Does anyone really think the Cyber Trunk will be $39,900 or even $49,000 for the dual motor? Most people that follow Tesla know the price will be dictated by demand and Tesla will demand a lot more. I will be surprised if they can even deliver the CT by January of 2023. My guess is they will just produce a lot more MYs in Austin and delay, delay, delay the CT as we all know it will be a very difficult start-up. Ford may even beat them to the first delivery.
 
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