The proud owner electric vehicle (EV) has learned that the price of a new battery for his 2012 Chevrolet Volt is nearly $30,000 — far more than his car is worth. The massive cost of replacing a battery is just one more problem for consumers to consider on top of their limited range and deadly battery fires.
A photo of an estimate — which shows the cost of a new battery would be $26,853.99, with other costs bringing the bill’s total to $29,842.15 — has been making its rounds on social media.
The Volt is a hybrid vehicle that was created when Chevy began dabbling in the EV market. It has since been replaced by a vehicle called the Bolt, according to a report by the Western Journal.
The Bolt currently starts at $25,000, according to Chevrolet’s website. Meanwhile, a 2012 Volt is estimated to go for between $7,999 and $17,590 today, notes the automotive site Edmunds.
Roger Dean Chevrolet in Cape Coral, Florida, which prepared the staggering estimate, admitted in a Facebook post that it offered to replace the battery for more than the vehicle is worth.
“This is an estimate for a 12 year old vehicle out of warranty and for a battery that is extremely hard to get, due to the older technology of the 12 year old vehicle,” the dealership explained.
Roger Dean Chevrolet then used the situation as an opportunity to conduct a sales pitch for newer electric vehicles.
“The dealership does not set battery prices. In the newer EV or EUV vehicles with newer technology the batteries do cost less,” the post continued.
“Think of it like big screen TVs. Remember when the first big screen came out, they were very expensive, and as the technology advanced the prices became better. This battery is also out of warranty of 8yr/100k miles whatever hits first,” the dealership added.
In contrast, replacing a gasoline-powered engine in a vehicle costs anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000, according to an April report in Consumer Affairs.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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