With the growth in sales of Tesla and other BEV models it is easy to forget how popular GM’s break-through Chevrolet Volt PHEV was for many years. The Volt set the electric range standard for plug-in hybrids, first at 33 miles, then 38 miles, and then with the second generation version, electric range increased to 53 miles in 2016.
The Volt was the number one-selling EV overall in 2012 and 2013, and number two in 2011, 2014, 2016 and number three in 2015. And for the years 2011 through 2018 the Volt never ranked below the #6 best-selling EV in the US.
In 2017 the Toyota Prius Prime outsold the Volt by roughly 600 units to take the crown for the top-selling PHEV in the US. Then in 2018 both the Prius Prime and Honda Clarity PHEV surpassed the Volt – the Prius Prime by about 9,000 units and Clarity PHEV by roughly 300 units.
With the launch of the Bolt EV in 2017, GM decided to focus exclusively on BEVs and in 2019 they discontinued the Volt. Some inventory remained, however, into 2020.
