I think the answer is yes and no. Mary Barra herself stated that GM plug-in vehicle owners were among the most satisfied of any of their customers. So yes, they should "reward" these early adopters, but I don't necessarily mean with "free stuff." Keep in mind, though, they already have offered “Volt loyalty” credits in the past. When I traded up my 2012 Volt for a 2015 Volt, I received an additional $1,500 off.
However, rather just discounts off of new vehicles, I think GM should leverage that satisfied customer base to act as “mavens” for their plug-in technology. It doesn’t necessarily need to be as lucrative as Tesla’s referral program, but I do think GM should reward those owners for advancing the uptake of GM plug-in products. All of this can be budgeted under marketing. Perhaps credits for accessories, free-to-charge cards, etc.
One thing I’m hearing from a lot of Volt owners is, “We just want to know what is coming next!” As a Bolt EV owner, I’m curious but confident. I don’t hear the same from Volt owners. GM could hold a few “secret” conferences around the country where they invite GM plug-in vehicle owners to attend. Give us information on upcoming products, plans, and technology that aren’t made public yet. And send us out to share that confidence and assurance with prospective EV owners.
As I’ve said elsewhere, I don’t really think there is a place for a Volt in a world of 300+ mile range, fast-charging EV sedans, but I do agree that GM should let us know what’s going on. One reason I’m not immediately concerned is because we know that GM has already triggered the Federal Tax Credit phase out, so they need to move as much of their current inventory and production as they can before unveiling any upcoming plug-in vehicles. They could be very concerned about the Osborne Effect.
Mary Barra is being asked to speak before Congress soon. They might force her hand. We might hear about some of these things before GM planned to unveil them anyway.