General Motors announced today that the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid will be offered for sale at $41,000, or for a surprisingly low monthly lease cost of $350 per month (with a $2,500 initial payment.) The sticker price for the Volt is $8,200 higher than that of the $32,800 all-electric Nissan LEAF�though the two vehicles' lease prices are virtually identical.
The Volt's $41,000 sticker cost doesn't actually reflect what early buyers will pay for the car�the federal government is subsidizing the price of both it and the LEAF to the tune of $7,500. That brings real price of the Volt down to $33,500. For California drivers in particular though, the economic attractiveness of buying a LEAF versus a Volt is even stronger�the Volt plug-in hybrid isn't eligible for the state's $3,000 Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle rebate for plug-in hybrids.
When Does a $41,000 Cost the Same as a $32,000 Car?
What can we take from this ? GM says that the apparent disparity between the Volt's sticker and lease price is a reflection of the company's calculation that the vehicle will maintain a very high residual value after three years�significantly higher than that of the LEAF. Even if that's the case, it's probably more than just a coincidence that the result of that calculation was a monthly lease that matches so closely with the LEAF's.
But there also seems to be bit of a hitch in GM's residual value logic. If electric vehicle incentives are still being offered three years from now, will any original lessees be interested in buying their used Volt when they can get a brand new plug-in for almost the same price?
Remember, the $7,500 federal credit only applies to new vehicles, and is subtracted from the monthly payment of the original lease. That means that whether or not the lessee decides to purchase the car at the end of 36 months, the Volt will effectively come full circle�from a $41,000 car that leases for the price of a $32,000 car, to a used car that resells for the price of a $41,000 car.
Read More... [Source: HybridCars.com]
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