GM To China: The Volt Is Coming! China To GM: Yawn

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

While we are all waiting for Ed’s report on the Volt, let me waste some of your time by mentioning that GM will introduce the thing in China some time in the second half of 2011. They already concede that it will be a flop.

“The volumes in China won’t be large,” Kevin Wale, president of GM China told Bloomberg. But it’s not GM’s fault. It’s the damned Chinese. “Many Chinese consumers are first time buyers and aren’t environmentally conscious yet,” said Wale.

Well, they are price conscious. And they know how to do math. Even with lavish subsidies, the Chinese ignored new energy cars so far and prefer good old gasoline.

Toyota sold only around 300 Prii last year in China. BYD’s sales of pure plugins are non-existent, their hybrid sales are a disaster. BYD’s best selling car, the F3, runs on pump gas.

Then why bring the Volt to China at all? John Zeng, an analyst from J.D. Power & Associates in Shanghai, thinks it’s an advertising exercise: “The Volt will serve more to enhance GM’s green image,” said Zeng.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 3 comments
  • Trend-Shifter Trend-Shifter on Oct 23, 2010
    “Many Chinese consumers are first time buyers and aren’t environmentally conscious yet” Why even market to this group? I would instill guilt into the Audi, BMW, and Mercedes crowd. They need to market “I have arrived” into “I have arrived with the latest technology to protect my children’s future”. Images of iPhone, iPad refined people versus pollution spewing scenes & luxury barges. Audi, Mercedes, and BMW owners need to be portrayed as old school China. Chinese love stickers on their car. Create an eco friendly symbol that ties into the marketing campaign. It should be an appropriate Chinese Character(s) surrounded by the shape of China with the Chinese flag. Give these ecology stickers away everywhere. Naturally each Volt should come with this sticker attached.
  • Tosh Tosh on Oct 23, 2010

    When I see the Volt logo, I can't help feeling that the 'V' appears crossed out. That's not good, right? "OLT"?

  • Zammy Zammy on Oct 25, 2010

    Darn! GM can't sell the Volt to Chinese consumers because "they know how to do math". The obvious solution will be to sell the Volt to consumers who can't do math. Now, which consumers would that be?

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