Although the hybrid and electric car sales have remained constant in the past year, automakers have gone ahead to manufacture novel battery-powered cars for the market. Many vehicle companies are shifting their focus towards electric car production for international markets. These automakers include General Motors that has already unveiled the pre-production version of the highly anticipated Chevrolet Bolt. Mary Barra, the chief executive of GM said that the Bolt represented a huge step towards car electrification, considering its costs and capability of covering about 200 miles when fully charged. The Chevy Bolt is clearly the first electric vehicle to crack the standard code due to its long range and affordability. This information was revealed through a speech given by Barra at a recent motor show.

The Bolt is likely to enter the market this year and its sticker price will be around $30,000 with government incentives totaling to about $7,500. Despite the affordable price and long range of Bolt, it is still unclear whether consumers will continue to take advantage of the low gas prices to purchase large cars. However, GM has high hopes that its new entry to the market will be a hit. Consumers are starting to realize the value of owning electric and hybrid cars over gasoline-powered cars. The Nissan Leaf is currently the leading all-electric car in terms of sales, while the Toyota Prius leads in the hybrid category. Generally, hybrid and electric cars account for approximately 2% of America’s car market. Luxury carmakers such as the BMW also introduced a novel electric car last year. Tesla’s lineup is also expanding to include Model X, a fully electric sport-utility vehicle.

There has been mixed success for GM with the Volt plug-in, whose battery power is enhanced by a small-sized gasoline engine to extend the driving range. Barra acknowledged GM’s commitment towards electrification. Other notable figures at GM said that the Chevy Bolt could alter the perception of consumers towards fully electric vehicles as solely for commuting purposes and other minor trips. Pam Fletcher, the chief engineer for GM’s electric cars said that a range exceeding 150 miles is likely to increase buyer consideration. We are eager to see how consumers and the market in general will embrace the Chevrolet Bolt, particularly in the current cheap gas era. Other carmakers that will showcase electric car models during the International CES include Volkswagen whose electric microbus concept version was unveiled earlier this week. Audi gave additional details concerning its electric sports utility vehicle, the e-Tron.