Good news for the green car market: the Volt experienced some record-smashing sales in 2016. Why is this good news for the green car market and not just Chevrolet? Well, considering how unpopular plug-in, hybrid, and EV models are with the American consumer, this means the automotive world is finally moving towards the green future. Or, it could mean the Volt is just a really great freaking car, regardless of whether it’s an electrical model.
Whatever the reason behind the record-shattering sales for the Volt, I’m absolutely confident that the new 2017 Volt will become even more popular as the year goes on. The 2017 Volt and 2016 Volt are similar, of course, but since consumers were able to witness the success of the 2016 Volt, the 2017 model should be able to piggyback on the stellar reputation it earned over the past year.
How is that a solid theory? Well, just look at the sales numbers of the Volt below, and you’ll see where I’m coming from.
The Volt Sales Numbers
The Volt’s best sales years on record were 2012 and 2013, with annual totals estimated at 23,000 units – quite impressive.
Now at the end of 2016, the Volt has set a new sales record for itself. In 2016, Chevy dealers managed to sell 24,739 Volts, that’s over 1,700 more than 2012 and 2013, the two other best years on record.
But, what about the rest of the plug-in hybrids? Are we really moving towards a greener market? After comparing the numbers at the end of 2015 and the end of 2016, it would appear we are; slowly, but surely.
A Greener Market?
As a whole, plug-in vehicle sales were up in December of 2016 for a total of 25,000 units across all makes and models. For 2016 as a whole, the total number of plug-in vehicles was approximately 160,000 – a huge jump, considering that by the end of 2015, the total sales only reached 116,000.
I just want to make this clear: these numbers are for ALL plug-in — battery-electric and plug-in hybrid — models, not just the Volt. This is, in part, why it appears we are trending towards a greener automotive market. In fact, it wasn’t just Volt sales that were up and shattering records. The collective number of plug-in models did as well. While it’s a noticeable increase in sales, that 160,000 sales figure only represents 1 percent of total auto sales in 2016. Therefore, we aren’t quite there yet.
While plug-ins aren’t straight EV models, they are better for the environment compared to gas- and diesel-powered models.
The Volt – What a Great Freaking Car!
While the automotive world is moving towards a better future, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Volt takes the lead and positions itself at the head of the green car market. The Volt is just a great car all around. Whether it utilizes hybrid technology or not, the Volt still has all the same entertainment technology features found on gas-powered Chevrolet models, and even shares some of the advanced safety features, all while providing 420 miles of hybrid driving range, quite a lot for a plug-in vehicle. Here’s to a greener tomorrow…
