About a month ago, we announced that we were creating a panel of technology enthusiasts and electric vehicle advocates to be part of a special program called the Customer Advisory Board (CAB). This 17-member panel will receive a Volt, drive it for three months and give our team their unfiltered feedback. This week, the CAB members are taking delivery of their vehicles and will begin sharing their stories.
The Volt Unplugged tour has wrapped up the west coast and enjoyed the sizzling south. We have two stops left on the tour – my hometown of New York today through Nov. 7 and Chicago on Nov. 18 – 20 (see the schedule on the Unplugged tab), but I thought I'd share a recap of where I’ve been and give some thoughts on how awesome the Volt Unplugged tour has been for me.
Note: You can watch the replay of the presentation below
On Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 1-2 p.m., Chevrolet will welcome middle school students from around the country to participate in an interactive presentation on electricity at the Detroit-Hamtramck manufacturing facility - the home of the Chevrolet Volt. The presentation, titled "The Power of the Plug: How Electricity Will Change Our World Again," will be broadcast online and covers the properties of electricity, how it is generated and how it can change personal transportation. It will be followed by a live Q&A with Chevrolet Volt Vehicle Line Director Tony Posawatz and will include questions from a live audience of middle school students and teachers from Detroit and Hamtramck area schools. Registered schools can also ask questions live using the online submission form below.
Check out the webcast right here on VoltAge or on the Chevrolet Volt Facebook page. Schools can register to participate online and watch the presentation by clicking here. Registration must be completed by 11 p.m. EDT Nov. 7, and teachers who register will receive a lesson plan developed by the General Motors education team.
We look forward to hearing from you.
With the 2010 SEMA Show taking place this week, we’re excited to show off some new decals and graphics packages for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Over the course of the week, we’ll be posting the photos of the decals as they’re revealed at SEMA, and you’ll have a chance to vote for your favorite after all photos have been posted. Look for a new photo each day this week on Voltage and head over to the poll on the home page to cast your vote.
Day 1:
During tonight’s World Series, Chevrolet will unveil a new commercial for the Chevrolet Volt. Narrated by Tim Allen, the commercial focuses on the freedom that the Volt’s extended-range capability provides. Check out a sneak peek of the spot below and let us know what you think.
In the world of electric vehicles, it sort of has. Five years ago, EV activists and car companies were pitted against each other. We were furious that Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Daimler Chrysler and GM were taking back their electric vehicles and crushing them, and we protested rigorously in the streets, in the press and through legislation.
Then came a perfect storm for battery powered transportation: Gas prices shot up, global warming became a household word with An Inconvenient Truth and Americans tired of being entangled with the Middle East. Suddenly, consumers were interested in alternatives to conventional gas cars, and after millions watched the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? battery electrics became their choice over bio-fuels and hydrogen.
Automakers just as suddenly changed their tune, and began promising to mass market electric vehicles, this time for real. I was skeptical, very skeptical, and so were many of my EV activist friends. We were seeing EVs at auto shows all over the world, but concept cars are just greenwashing if the manufacturer doesn’t take the next step.
I was especially suspicious of GM. Like a disappointed lover, I didn’t know if I could trust this company again. I had fallen in love with its EV114 years ago and had wept when mine was loaded onto a flatbed to be taken to the crusher. Could I give GM a second chance?
Yes, and for several reasons: for all my anger at GM for destroying its electric car program and fighting clean air rules, I always appreciated its dedication to building a great electric car in the EV1. GM was the only manufacturer to develop an electric car in the 1990s from the ground up - no lazy conversion from an existing gas model like the other automakers. The genius of the GM engineers was obvious in the magnificence of the EV1. It was the lack of commitment from the “suits” at GM which got my ire up.
I also believe GM has been humbled by its recent bankruptcy, and is eager to start anew. The Volt is an opportunity for it to show the world it is not the dinosaur it seemed to be, that it is forward thinking and innovative, and the Suits now know that.
I believe it is crucial for the Volt to succeed if electric cars are to gain a foothold on America’s roadways. GM seems to agree with me. To that end, we are joining forces to make that happen. I will be blogging here regularly about my day to day experiences with the Volt when it comes off the assembly line in mid November. Let the adventure begin!
For most of the week, Jeff Sabatini of AOL Autos held the high water mark with 47.5 all-electric miles driven and 9 electric miles still showing on the battery gauge for an estimated 56.5 miles.
We've officially started the media launch program for the Chevrolet Volt, and while it is generating strong critical acclaim because of its unique engineering, we want to clear up any confusion as to how the Voltec electric drive unit works among those who have not participated in the program.
The engineering of the Voltec electric drive unit is very sophisticated and as part of the media launch, we're diving even deeper into how the system works than we have in the past. We did not share all the details on how the system works until now because the information was competitive as we awaited patent approvals. Based on a small number of inaccurate media reports, we want to set the record straight.
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