If You Build It, But They Don't Want It, They Won't Come

Chevy Dolt sales aren't exactly flaming hot, though the cars often are:

General Motors extended-range electric Chevrolet Volt had its worst sales month since August, as negative publicity over fire risks hurt vehicles sales in January.

GM sold just 603 Volts - above its sales in January 2011, but far below GM's best-ever sales month in December, when GM sold 1,529 Volts.

Last week, GM North America President Mark Reuss said sales of the Volt have been hurt by bad publicity.

Reuss said bad publicity from the government's investigation into fire risks of post-crash Volts is "definitely a component" of the decline in sales.

GM sold about 7,700 in 2011, below GM's target of 10,000. GM abandoned its sales target of 45,000 for 2012 last month, saying it would match "supply to demand."

For some strange reason people don't want to buy electric cars that only get a handful of miles on a charge and then periodically burn up.  Maybe they should rename it the Chevy Phoenix...except it doesn't come back to life after it burns.