Autoblog

Chevy Volt: The Song

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST

Chevy Volt and Me song -- Click above to watch the video

The Kraft company recently held a competition inviting the public to name its new Vegemite cream cheese spinoff. The name that won, and made it to shelves, was "iSnack 2.0." Really. It took one day of public cacophony to encourage Kraft to change the name to "Cheesybite," but we hear you can still find jars of iSnack 2.0 if you're inclined. Why do we bring this up? Because sometimes we wonder what insights marketers are using to make product roll-out decisions.

And what's that got to do with the Chevy Volt? The Chevy Volt's new theme song, Chevy Volt and Me. In this case, we know what the thought process was. Said the Volt's director of global marketing,

Our goal is to craft that education [about the Volt] in a manner that is family friendly (as it should be because we are America's original mass /heart brand), entertaining and simple to understand for a rather sophisticated product.

A Volt song helps us to achieve those objectives. 'Chevy Volt and Me' explains what Volt is all about as a better EV in simple friendly terms.

All right then. So it ain't Eye of the Tiger or Diesel Power, but it is catchy. Fast-paced, too, so you better pay attention because there's a lot in it. Follow the jump to watch a video of the Volt's gestation, made by the folks at the GM Volt site and set to the new tune. We dare you to listen to it once and not find yourself humming for the rest of the day, "It's so simple like a dimple plug it in and see."

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

Continue reading Chevy Volt: The Song

Chevy Volt: The Song originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM confirms Chevrolet Volt to be introduced in California before nationwide rollout

Noah Joseph — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

If environmentally-friendly transportation is your thing, there's no place like California. Not only is the state home base to Tesla - the first company to genuinely demonstrate that hugging a tree and hugging the road needn't be mutually exclusive - it was also chosen by General Motors as the launch site for its EV1 and by Honda for the FCX Clarity. It should come as no great surprise, then, that GM has just announced that its latest earthmobile - the highly anticipated Chevrolet Volt - will launch in California first before being introduced in markets across the country.

Not only with the Volt be available in the nation's largest car market before any other, but The General is also partnering with a number of local electric companies to accompany the rollout. Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utility District, together with the non-profit Electric Power Research Institute, will help demonstrate the benefits and practicality of the Volt's hybrid powertrain, thanks in part to a $30 million grant from the federal Department of Energy's Transportation Electrification Initiative. Follow the jump to read all about it in GM's full press release.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM confirms Chevrolet Volt to be introduced in California before nationwide rollout

GM confirms Chevrolet Volt to be introduced in California before nationwide rollout originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Viridian Joule" picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt in Viridian Joule - Click above for high-res image gallery

The votes have been cast, the tallies tallied and the winner determined: Viridian Joule will be the official name of the silvery-green hue as seen on a slew of Chevrolet Volt marketing material for what seems like the last decade or so. So, um, what does Viridian Joule mean? We'll let the winner himself, 40-year-old David Thomas of Sanford, Florida, explain:

I looked at the photo of the Volt on the contest web site and thought it looked emerald in color, which led to jewel and then to an alternate yet appropriate play on that word - joule.

We needed a bit more help, so we looked up the word 'viridian'. So says Dictionary.com: a long-lasting, bluish-green pigment, consisting of a hydrated oxide of chromium. OK, fine. Joule wasn't so hard to figure out, but here's the definition anyway: a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere is passed through a resistance of one ohm for one second. So, there you have it.

Want to know more? Click past the break to read the official press release, and see the image gallery below for more views of a Viridian Joule Chevrolet Volt.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading "Viridian Joule" picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest

"Viridian Joule" picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Initial Chevy Volt launch will be in select U.S. markets only

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Undoubtedly, the 2011 Volt is one of the most hotly anticipated new model launches in Chevrolet's long and storied history, and it will likely be seen as a halo model of sorts for General Motors as a whole. As we experienced first hand when we slid behind the wheel of a preproduction Volt the other day, the car is well on its way to becoming a production reality, but actually getting the vehicle into the hands of customers will be another matter entirely.

According to a report from Automotive News, GM is currently in the process of selecting which markets will get first crack at the Volt when it finally goes on sale in just under one year's time. Chevrolet division President Brent Dewar said that the automaker is looking at a number of factors to determine those unannounced target markets, including the existence of an EV charging infrastructure and available tax credits. After this initial launch, the rest of the citizenry will get its chance to see the USA in an electric Chevrolet.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

REPORT: Initial Chevy Volt launch will be in select U.S. markets only originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric, Quick Spin

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being developed by General Motors for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Earlier that year, the release of a documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car made the then largest automaker in the world the subject of some well deserved criticism for its handling of the end of the EV1 program. The movie and announcement of the all-electric Tesla Roadster lit a fire under GM to get back into the plug-in electric vehicle game.

What we saw that day in NYC was a description of a new powertrain architecture then dubbed E-Flex. GM folk on hand that day included vehicle line executive Tony Posawatz and former VP for environmental affairs Beth Lowery. They explained that among the biggest lessons learned from the EV1 program were that range anxiety and lack of practicality would make a car like EV1 nearly impossible to sell in the mass market. The engineers went back to the drawing board to address those issues and came up with the extended range electric vehicle, or ER-EV. The Volt concept was approved for production mere months after it was revealed at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. At this week's LA Auto Show, GM is publicly showing the production intent version of the Volt. Before that, however, we were among the first to drive a Volt with its range extender running. Read all about it after the jump.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Continue reading Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cars & Coffee: Chevy shocks the crowd, brings Volt

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:05:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Etc., Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors shocked the crowd at Cars & Coffee this weekend by bringing out the 2011 Chevy Volt. Representatives on hand said this is the same car that will be on display at the LA Auto Show next week. They added that this is a pre-production model with a lot of development miles on it. For all that, it looked pretty good, especially given the wet conditions. We were disappointed that nobody faked an electric shock when touching the car in the damp lot.

Lack of hijinks aside, it seemed most people at the show liked the Volt, although several walked right past it, not realizing what it was. Good or bad, as important as this car is to GM, it looks pretty much like any other midsize sedan. On a day where Suzuki brought out all of their SEMA show cars and Tesla brought down a Roadster and Roadster Sport, the Volt and the Equinox fuel cell vehicle behind it still managed to draw a pretty big crowd. We snapped a few pics for our gallery, which you can check out below. We'll bring you more about the Volt and everything else worth noting at the LA Auto Show next week.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt at Cars & Coffee

Cars & Coffee: Chevy shocks the crowd, brings Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt color contest finalists include EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule [w/VIDEO]

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style, Electric, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

As of this morning, Chevrolet is moving into the final stage of its Volt color naming contest. The company has picked three finalists from among the names submitted by 13,000 people over the last two weeks. Starting this morning, you can cast your vote for which of the finalists will win the contest. The silver paint with a pale green tint will be one of the launch colors for the Volt when it goes on sale next November.

The three finalists are "EV-ergreen" submitted by Devin McQuarrie, San Jose, CA; "Viridian Joule" submitted by Dave Thomas, of Sanford, FL; and "environMINT" entered by Matthew Valbuena, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Visitors on the http://www.chevroletvoltage.com site can vote for their choice and all three finalists will be brought to Los Angeles on December 1 where the winner will be announced. Immediately following the announcement, the winner will get to take a test drive in one of the pre-production Volts, the first outsider to do so. General Motors is limiting votes to one per person per IP address over the next two weeks, so make yours count. Not sure which to vote for? Ponder the issue while checking out GM's official video after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevy Volt color contest finalists include EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule [w/VIDEO]

Chevy Volt color contest finalists include EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:53:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Auctions, Hatchback

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fans of the Chevrolet Volt have been waiting patiently nearly three years now for the first extended-range electric vehicle to debut. One Columbus, Ohio area Chevrolet dealer is looking to take advantage of this eagerness by posting an auction on eBay Motors for its allocation of Volts. Jack Maxton Chevrolet is now taking deposits on the Volt a full year before the first production models are scheduled to roll off an assembly line in Detroit.

There are clearly problems with this. The current bid is at $1,525 but it's not clear from the listing just what the winning bidder will get. It could be the first position in line, if and when Maxton gets some Volts, but we can't say for sure.

Notice we said if Maxton gets the Volt. We checked with Volt spokesman David Darovitz at General Motors who told us that it's not certain that every Chevy dealer will get the Volt: "They must first go through a rigorous certification process" to ensure that they are ready to sell and service the electrically-driven compact and its battery. Darovitz also tells us, "Dealers have not been selected" at this time, and that includes Maxton Chevrolet. You might want to keep that in mind before placing your bid. Remember, patience is a virtue. Thanks to Nat for the tip!

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: eBay Motors]

Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lutz: High-performance Chevy Volt SS a "possibility"

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Performance, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Electric, Electric

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Electric cars are for those who would rather drive slow, boring commuters that don't consume fossil fuels and therefore don't spew pollutants from their tailpipes. Gas-powered cars - and especially those wearing time-honored badges like SS, R/T or GT - are for those who prefer fire-breathing, tire-screeching performance and care much more about nitrous oxide than nitrogen oxide. Right? Not so fast, says Bob Lutz.

When asked whether or not Chevy could shock the performance crowd with an SS version of the upcoming Volt, Lutz said, "I would not discount that possibility." That's as close as you're going to get to an admission of intent this early in the game. Lutz goes on to suggest that the Voltec powertrain will allow for plenty of on-demand power. "[I]f we want to sacrifice a little bit of fuel efficiency in the interest of performance and still get over 200 miles per gallon, we can do that any time."

Following the same logical train of thought, we could certainly see a V-Series of the Cadillac Converj. If you're interested in hearing the news straight from ~~the horse's~~ Lutz's mouth, click past the break for a video.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: Fox Car Report via GM-Volt.com]

Continue reading Lutz: High-performance Chevy Volt SS a "possibility"

Lutz: High-performance Chevy Volt SS a "possibility" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

So, plenty of time has passed since General Motors first made the announcement that its Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle would score 230 miles per gallon on the yet-to-be-completed EPA testing procedure for such vehicles. Still, plenty of questions remain, such as How many miles per gallon with the Volt achieve after it has traveled the 40 or so miles necessary to deplete its battery pack?

Well, we still don't have an exact answer, which is partly due to the fact that GM hasn't yet finished developing the vehicle's complex software systems. In an interview with Fox Car Report Live, vehicle line directory Tony Posawatz sheds some light on the topic, saying that the Volt's sustained mileage will be "better than any conventional car, and we're trying to figure out how close, or if it will actually be better than any hybrids."

To put that figure into perspective, we'd imagine that means the Volt would fall somewhere between the 32 mpg rating of the Toyota Yaris and the 50 mpg rating of the Toyota Prius when running under charge-sustaining mode with an otherwise depleted battery pack. Whatever the case, don't expect this hot-button topic to go away any time soon. Click past the break to see the exchange on video.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: Fox Car Report]

Continue reading Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids?

Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive!

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Take a close look at the Chevy Volt in the photo above. We've seen it a number of times already but we've never said anything about the color. While it's predominantly silver, it does have a green (or more specifically emerald) tint in it. According to General Motors spokesman David Darovitz, this will be one of the launch colors for the Volt and, in fact, will be exclusive to the company's extended-range electric vehicles. Anyone who has ever bought paint, sorted through a box of Crayolas or ordered a car knows that every hue, no matter how subtle, needs a unique name. This Volt color is no different.

GM wants to include Volt fans in the naming process and is running a contest on www.chevroletvoltage.com starting today. Between now and November 4, people can submit their color name suggestions on the site. GM will sort through submissions and pick out three finalists. Between Nov. 16 and Dec. 1 you can then vote for your choice among the finalists. The three finalists will be flown to LA where the winner will be announced on the eve of the LA Auto Show press days. That person will be among the first people in the world outside of GM who actually gets to drive (not just ride along) one of the pre-production Volts. We've include a full gallery of high-res Volt images, so jump in to get your creative juices flowing and start submitting your name ideas! Details are after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive!

GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive! originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM investing $230M in Flint area facilities to support Chevrolet Cruze, Volt

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:58:00 EST

2011 Chevy Volt - click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors announced today that it will spend $230 million on four facilities in the Flint, Michigan area that will support the production of the new Chevy Cruze compact and the Volt extended-range EV. The biggest chunk of the money ($202 million) is being spent on the Flint South Engine plant. The line that currently builds the inline five- and six-cylinder engines used in the Chevrolet Colorado and Hummer H3 is being revamped. That line will now build the 1.4-liter Family 0 engines that will be used in the Cruze and Volt. Originally, GM had planned to construct a new factory adjacent to Flint South, but that plan was canceled last fall as the financial crisis hit the already embattled automaker.

The Flint Metal Center a few miles away is getting updates that will allow it to stamp the sheet steel body panels for the Volt. The other two facilities are designing and building the stamping dies and welding robots that will be used to produce the panels and put them together at the Detroit-Hamtramck (Volt) and Lordstown,Ohio (Cruze) factories. GM's official press release is after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM investing $230M in Flint area facilities to support Chevrolet Cruze, Volt

GM investing $230M in Flint area facilities to support Chevrolet Cruze, Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Chevrolet to take larger role at GM, account for 70% of total volume

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Chevrolet, GM

Forget about more cowbell, for GM it's all about more Chevy -- at least, that's the situation for Chevrolet's new VP Brent Dewar. So far this year the Bowtie has posted more than 60% of GM's North American volume, but Dewar wants that to get to 70%. "As Pontiac goes away, Saturn goes away," Dewar said, "Chevrolet has to step up. The 70 percent target is the right kind of number we need to work on."

The real perspective on that challenge is in the numbers: GM's market share was 22.4 percent a year ago and is now 19.7 percent. However, while GM is out to increase overall market share it has half as many brands as it did last year: Pontiac and Saturn are dead, Saab and Hummer have found other homes.

For Dewar, the general (if slight) upward trend in sales, as well as the coming Cruze and the Volt, will help Chevy achieve that number. But beyond that we have no idea what he plans to use to breach the 70 percent figure, and we find it interesting that Chevy is trying to make up for more even with Cadillac's and Buick's imminent models. Nor is it clear how GM will maintain its overall numbers globally without Opel, but we look forward to finding out.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Chevrolet to take larger role at GM, account for 70% of total volume originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: GM sees more demand than supply with the Chevy Volt in the beginning

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has already said the Chevrolet Volt will be in short supply at launch. But that isn't stopping Bob Lutz from going out and talking about how popular the hybrid already is -- even though it hasn't gone on sale. Lutz told Automotive News that the promotional efforts GM has laid on thick are working. Once the car is further along in the production process, Lutz says GM will "pull out the heavy artillery and get Volt buzz" going, hinting that a short-term test drive/lease like Project Driveway is being considered.

Over 50,000 people have signed up on the "want list" at GM-Volt.com, more than doubling since the Volt debuted. To keep up with projected demand, GM's Dave Barthmuss repeatedly told attendees at this weekend's Alt Car expo in Santa Monica that the automaker will build "tens of thousands" of Volt units in the first year. For comparison, Nissan has collected names of about 22,000 people interested in the all-electric Leaf in the two months since it was unveiled.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: GM sees more demand than supply with the Chevy Volt in the beginning originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Bob Kruse, GM's top electric car exec and Chevy Volt pointman, steps down

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:42:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

Just a few months before the Chevrolet Volt is finally set to debut in production trim, one of the guys who spearheaded the whole project has reportedly left his post at General Motors. Bob Kruse (at right), who also helped plan the whole long-term strategy for GM's electric vehicle program, has resigned according to The Detroit News. Kruse has been the automaker's executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries since 2008, and has long been considered one of the key figures in getting the Volt from concept to production - he was particularly instrumental in developing the batteries that the Volt will use.

The report says Kruse is leaving to start his own consulting company, E V Consulting LLC. Kruse wanted to make it clear that his departure shouldn't be read as a statement about his feelings regarding GM's future success, but he did admit that they weren't happy he was leaving.

"There's no good time to lose good people," GM spokesman Rob Peterson said. "But that said, the Volt team goes way beyond one person."

According to most sources, the rest of the team is more than capable of moving on without him and the future of the Volt is in good hands. Micky Bly - who has experience with hybrid/electric vehicles and has been a part of the Volt program from early on - has been tipped as his replacement.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: General Motors]

REPORT: Bob Kruse, GM's top electric car exec and Chevy Volt pointman, steps down originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Chevy Volt will start at $32,000 after tax credit?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, Rumormill, Electric

While we know a good bit of information about GM's upcoming range-extended electric automobile, one major question lurks high above the rest: how much with the Chevy Volt cost? Well, that's a tough nut to crack. There will be a sticker price plastered on the car's window when it finally goes on sale in November of 2010 that may very well be at or near the $40,000 mark - pretty pricey for a car wearing the golden Bowtie - but that's not the end of the story. In a bit to sweeten the pot a bit, the U.S. government has promised to offer a $7,500 rebate in the form of a federal tax credit.

Though there's been no official price point announced by The General for its upcoming electric as of yet, there are clues. For instance, what appears to be a GM-approved survey recently sent out by a company called Gongos suggests that the Volt "will effectively cost between $32,000 and $38,000" after the tax rebate. It's not an official pricing acknowledgement or anything like that, but it's an interesting tidbit nonetheless, and we think it's a reasonable asking price - especially after the expected runnings costs of about 2 cents per mile are factored in. What say you?

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

REPORT: Chevy Volt will start at $32,000 after tax credit? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Audi of America president de Nysschen calls Chevy Volt "a car for idiots," slams electric vehicles

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Audi, Electric, Diesel

Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen is a big fan of diesels (no surprise), and during a recent chat with veteran auto journo Lawrence Ulrich, de Nysschen imparted a few choice morsels on the pitfalls of electric cars, with an extra helping of wrath aimed at the Chevrolet Volt.

To start, he said the Volt is "a car for idiots." Adding that they're too expensive and, "No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a (Toyota) Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it." He predicted that the Volt will fall flat, which will cause the federal government to step in and subsidize the Volt in order to save face and boost sales.

And what about pure electric vehicles? According to de Nysschen, "they're for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are." Maybe de Nysschen should check with the corporate mothership on that last point, considering Audi's set to unveil its own EV concept this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Whoops.

[Source: MSN Exhaust Notes | Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading REPORT: Audi of America president de Nysschen calls Chevy Volt "a car for idiots," slams electric vehicles

REPORT: Audi of America president de Nysschen calls Chevy Volt "a car for idiots," slams electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick Ride: Chevrolet Volt IVER prototype (w/VIDEO)

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

Chevrolet Volt pre-production IVER prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery

While visiting General Motors' product technology showcase this week, we had the opportunity to take a tour through the pre-production operations area where the integration vehicle engineering release prototypes (IVER) Volts are coming together, and then later we went for a ride in one with chief engineer Frank Weber. GM started building these integration prototypes in late May and is currently finishing them at the rate of 10 per week. By the time the whole fleet is done later this summer, 80 Volts will be running through a battery of tests to evaluate all aspects of the car. There are currently about 20 IVERs running at Milford, Warren and elsewhere.

After the tour we went over to the Milford Proving Grounds and Weber brought out the newest Volt to take journalists for quick rides around the loop on "Black Lake", the vehicle dynamics area. Unfortunately, only Weber was allowed to pilot the Volt and since it arrived with a full charge, we didn't get an opportunity to experience the charge sustaining mode. Read on after the jump for more about how the Volt feels from the passenger seat and to watch a short video of our experience.

Gallery: Quck Ride: Pre-production Chevy Volt

Continue reading Quick Ride: Chevrolet Volt IVER prototype (w/VIDEO)

Quick Ride: Chevrolet Volt IVER prototype (w/VIDEO) originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt and 230 mpg: Negative reactions abound, but not from Bob Lutz

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

GM CEO Fritz Henderson was all smiles when he announced the Chevy Volt's 230 mpg city rating yesterday. But the Internet digested the news in its own way, and there was some understandable confusion and criticism of the very big, very bold mpg claim. While the EPA put a damper on GM's numbers, that was mostly a way to say that it's too early to tell. GM representatives made it clear that they don't see the 230 number as unrealistic or setting Volt fans up for disappointment when the agency finally gets to test actual vehicles sometime next year. However, others were less diplomatic.

Darryl Siry, EV aficionado and former CMO at Tesla, was quick to call the 230 number "unrealistic," adding that, "the problem is that anytime you try to get to 'miles per gallon' using vehicles that don't necessary use 'gallons' you end up in a very strange debate with very strange outcomes." Indeed. Siry made sure to say that it's the EPA method (still in development, and one we don't know much about yet) and not only GM that's to blame here.

Over on What is 230?, someone who claims to be a "GM employee who works directly with people who work on the Volt" wrote in to say that the number is a "mis-leading gimmick of a marketing tactic."

In the least surprising response, Bob Lutz has nothing but good stuff to say about the 230 campaign and the rating. He says the hype was made "For one simple reason: We're proud of it."

[Source: Darryl Siry, What is 230?]

Chevy Volt and 230 mpg: Negative reactions abound, but not from Bob Lutz originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Production Chevy Orlando spotted in promo vid? [w/VIDEO]

Chris Shunk — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrid, Videos, Crossover, Chevrolet

Click above to watch video after the jump

We're not entirely certain, but it sure looks like it. General Motors recently released a YouTube vid explaining what makes a Chevrolet a Chevrolet that shows a series a of sweeping shots that catches bowtie specials like the Corvette Grand Sport and the 2010 Camaro. At around 1:05, the camera focuses on the C-Pillar of a Camaro, and as the shot pans across the coupe's greenhouse, a quick glimpse of two production-ready Chevy crossover vans is given.

The crossover on the right looks a whole lot like the Chevy Orlando concept debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show last fall, which also looks an awful lot like the vehicle captured in these spy photos below. The Orlando is set to replace the HHR in Chevy showrooms by 2011 with seating for seven and car-like fuel economy.

The crossover on the left could be even more interesting, as it appears to share styling cues with the Volt, an example of which is parked next to it. Could this be a crossover with the automaker's extended range EV Voltec hardware underhood? Is it the Chevy version of the plug-in Buick crossover we heard about last week? Again, we can't be sure with just a few seconds of video as evidence, but we're willing to wager that the Volt styling cues signifies that there is likely an electric motor and batteries somewhere under that hood.

GM likely has managers and ad execs who scour these videos before they ever see the light of day, so we should assume that the company is simply giving us a cryptic peek at what is to come. Follow the jump to view the vid for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Ted!

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Orlando - spy shots

[Source: Cheers and Gears]

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