GM Could Lose $9K on Each Chevy Bolt Sold

Like the Fiat 500e, the Chevrolet Bolt is being sold at a loss.

reports General Motors could lose as much as $9,000 for each Chevrolet Bolt that leaves the dealership lot. Strict government regulations, started in the state of California and adopted by nine other states including New York and New Jersey, make it mandatory to sell zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) for the right to sell other vehicles in those states.

These rules are forcing automakers to pony up for ZEVs, even if it is at a loss. Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne famously asked people not to buy the Fiat 500e because the brand lost about $14,000 on each one sold.

As of right now, the laws mandate that by 2025, ZEVs will make up 15.4 percent of the market. Looking further ahead to 2030, ZEVs will have to comprise roughly 40 percent of all car sales according to California Air Resources Board projections.

SEE ALSO: Chevrolet Bolt Wins 2017 AutoGuide.com Reader’s Choice Green Car of the Year Award

A person familiar with the matter told  the Bolt’s anticipated per-sale loss of roughly $8,000 to $9,000 is an estimate based on the sticker price of $37,500. It will however, help Chevy bolster its ZEV credits, especially if the Bolt manages to take sales from other vehicles in the market.

[Source: Bloomberg]