Chevy Volt

Why didn’t Obama drive a hybrid before his Presidency?

Why didn't the President drive a hybrid just 3 years ago?

Where was the battery-powered conviction when it was Senator Obama?

So, the President is going to buy a Chevy Volt after his second term in the White House? That’s cool, but it’s just politics.

I mean if the President has been so compelled against foreign oil dependence and for green tech, why did he drive a Chrysler sedan and a Ford SUV when he was a Senator just a few years ago? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, it was a flex fuel guzzler. Except, in Chi-town there was no place to utilize that flex-fuel capability. So, it was a pure gas guzzler.

Therefore, what exactly did the President believe before he was President? Why didn’t he care more about his personal CO2 footprint and foreign oil dependence then? And why does he expect so many to support his new electrified vision now, when he himself didn’t just 3 years ago? Read more…

No touchdown dance for the Chevy Volt at the Super Bowl

Legit Prius contender? The Volt at it's debut

Did GM misjudge Main St. and the Toyota Prius?

Years ago, before the debut of the Chevy Volt concept, but as rumors emerged that GM was aiming to take on the Toyota Prius, I claimed that a GM-like-Prius would be even more successful than the Prius. An American-made Prius would be a true freedom fighter, a US manufactured attack on foreign oil dependence. In fact, I argued that GM could build a whole marketing concept around this freedom-fighter vehicle.

While some might argue the Chevy Volt is a such a vehicle, data coming out of the Super Bowl, suggests otherwise. Read more…

2012 Chevy Volt cruising into California carpool eligible

Volt + California carpool lane access = priceless

Plus the Volt will qualify for an extra $1500 state tax credit

Can you put a gun rack in the Chevy Volt? You sure can, but who gives a crap. And for the record, saving the US auto industry was really a no-brainer. Sure we can argue until we’re blue in the face about just how exactly the bankruptcy should have been managed, but does it really matter today?

Fricken gasoline prices are more than $4.00 in my neighborhood. This morning I heard that the national average is now expected to be nearly $4.50 by mid-Summer. Instead of arguing about the bailout, isn’t it time to focus on a relevant issue, such as foreign oil dependence? I mean dial a clue. If Republicans want to bark up a tree, why don’t they focus on a legitimate US energy independence plan?

Nevertheless, if you live in California, you now have some extra incentives to end your personal foreign oil dependence: Chevy Volts being delivered today qualify for carpool lane access — and an extra $1500 in state rebates. Read more…

KBB picks: Honda Insight, Ford Escape hybrid and Chevy Volt

Cheapest to own hybrid after 5 year according to KBB

Best hybrid and plug-in deals after 5 years of ownership

Kipplingers, Forbes, Intellichoice, Consumer Reports, US News & World Reports, etc. have all offered up best and most cost-effective vehicle lists in recent months, and it’s sometimes a little surprising the lack of consensus. Consequently, I’ve often wondered if there isn’t some sort of advertising-related objective.

Regardless, these lists are still interesting and usually useful for buyers, and the latest one comes from Kelly Blue Book. Read more…

Chevy Volt 2.0: How would you change GM’s plug-in?

Volt 2.0: How would you re-Volt GM's key plug-in?

Built for change, but how much change?

Early in Chevy Volt production, many things were possible. For instance, GM suggested a non-plug-in Volt, a Volt that utilized super-capacitors rather than batteries, as well as a Volt that replaced its electric range extending engine with a range extending fuel cell. Likewise, different amounts of electric range have also been contemplated.

And according to recent outside analysis of the Volt, much room for change was intentionally built into the Volt platform, such as room for new advanced electronics — possibly a path to increased electric range for less money.

So, how would you change Volt 2.0? Read more…

Is the Chevy Volt sale’s crash just about bad, unfounded PR?

The Volt is better than just 600 sales in January.

Or was the Volt simply over-hyped

Just hours after the debut of the Chevy Volt concept car at the Detroit Auto Show — almost a lifetime ago it seems already — Bob Lutz sat down with a small group of bloggers to discuss this revolutionary concept. I was one of those wide-eyed bloggers, and when Lutz suggested the Volt would probably cost only a few thousand dollars more than a Toyota Prius, I was instantly a Volt evangelist.

But over the months and years, as the Volt moved from concept to reality and the price nearly doubled, I lost much of my faith.

Today, I still like the Volt. It’s a fascinating concept, but it’s simply far too expensive to lead an automotive revolution, and the chances of that changing this decade, for instance, are slim to none. Nevertheless, the Volt should do far better than a paltry 600 sales last month. Read more…

Why the Chevy Volt will sell much better in 2012

Chevy Volt sales will spike in 2012.

HOV lane access will trump non-existent fire worries

Everyone that follows Chevy Volt and plug-in news closely knows that the fire concerns around the Volt’s battery pack have been blown out of proportion. I think even the politicians leading the charge in the Congressional investigation into the Volt know the Volt is safe. This is about politics and the NHTSA’s handling of its Volt crash testing.

Still, the Volt’s image has been tarnished and it is affecting sales in some areas, but 2012 will be a much better year for Volt sales than was 2011. Read more…

OnStar creates stellar Chevy Volt charging opportunity

Using OnStar to plug into renewables

Charge your Volt with renewable energy now says OnStar

I’ve had the opportunity to visit GM’s OnStar facilities a few times over the years and have always been impressed with OnStar’s capabilities and its future potential. And in terms of plug-ins such as the Chevy Volt, a bit more of OnStar’s potential is about to be tapped.

Thanks to OnStar’s partnership with PJM Interconnection, Volt drivers might soon be able to use OnStar’s Smart Grid Solutions to recharge their Volts with renewable energy. Read more…

Bad PR – Fire concerns have definitely hurt the Chevy Volt

Volt reputation burned by a lack of honesty and transparency?

Will NHTSA’s safety stamp change that?

Is the Chevy Volt an Audi 5000? According to the AutomotiveNews, some Chevy dealers are not accepting their full allotment of Chevy Volts, citing limited demand. Of course, now that the NHTSA has given Volt safety a thumbs up, that sale’s story could quickly change.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Chevy Volt safety and fire concerns have tarnished the Volt brand, and that’s too bad, but is the damage just temporary? Read more…

Chevy Volt-gate over, at least as for as government is concerned

Volt-gate is over: The Volt is safe.

Neither Volt nor EVs pose greater fire risks

Today the government closed its case on an investigation into Chevy Volt fire risks, announcing that both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the Obama Administration, consider the case closed following some minor updates by GM to further contain any potential for battery fires following a severe crash.

Perhaps more important, the NHTSA issued some new protocols for first responders, as well as announced that “consumers, the emergency response community, and tow truck operators and storage facilities” need better education regarding the different “attributes” of plug-in vehicles. Read more…