General Motors rolled out the Chevrolet Volt two years ago
with lofty sales goals and the promise of a new technology that someday would
help end America's dependence on oil.
So it seemed like a good thing in August when sales of the
$40,000 car set a monthly record of 2,800. But a closer look shows that things
aren't what they seem for the cutting-edge car.
Sales rose mostly because of discounts of almost $10,000, or
25 percent of the Volt's sticker price, according to figures from TrueCar.com,
an auto pricing website. Other pricing services gave similar numbers, and
dealers confirmed that steeply discounted Volts are selling better than a few
months ago.