Chevrolet Volt 1, Nissan Leaf 0: Battle Continues

Now that the electric US auto market has received the first two models, consumers were believed to rush to the nearest Chevrolet or Nissan dealership and order an electric car. December sales prove otherwise however, as it seems that interest in electric vehicles produced by General Motors and Nissan remains low.

According to The Detroit News, General Motors sold between 250 and 350 Chevrolet Volts in December, while the Japanese rival and its Leaf recorded sales of... 10 units. Embarrassing or not, waiting lists are more than full, with several thousands of buyers waiting for their electric vehicle to be rolled off the assembly lines.

In the United States, Chevrolet Volt has a starting price of $41,000, or $33,500 net of full federal income tax credit. In addition, General Motors is offering some other financing options, so the company will lease the Volt for as low as $350 for 36 months and a down payment of only $2,500.

Nissan Leaf on the other hand is cheaper, being offered in the United States in two trim levels, each with different equipments options. By applying the federal tax credit, a Leaf will be purchased with as little as $25,280, but this is a relative price as well, given the fact that each state offers additional rebates: $5,000 statewide tax rebate in California, 5,000 tax credit in Georgia, $1,500 tax credit in Oregon and so on.

In the future, General Motors intends to triple its electric vehicle sales, so the launch of new green models is likely to take place in the years to come. At the same time, Nissan expects its green solution to become available in all US States by 2012, while Europe and other markets will receive the model during 2011.