Note: For more from Alexandra, visit the "Ask Alexandra" tab on the Chevrolet Volt Facebook page.
I am shooting a movie at the moment. My first day of work was in San Pedro, 41 miles from my home. It is mostly freeway driving, except the three miles downhill from my house and the four miles uphill getting to the filming location overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I got there with electric miles to spare and clocked my best range ever that day: I went 50.1 miles before the gasoline engine kicked in. When Ian asked how my day was, the first thing I told him was how great my electric range was. Oh and yes, the filming was fun too.
Another movie note: the crew is impressed with the Volt. We shot some alley scenes yesterday and my car was parked nearby. They liked the look of the car and seemed to appreciate its capabilities. The director, Doug Campbell, wants an EV, but he has an eye to the Leaf, since he plans on keeping his gas Beemer for longer trips. I am going to talk more with him about his daily driving and economic restrictions to find out whether a plug in hybrid or an 100% EV will suit him better. To EV or PHEV is a question where many factors need to be weighed. Chief among them: which car will allow you to drive gas-free as much as possible?
When filming in Los Angeles, movies shoot within a 30-mile zone of the intersection of Beverly and La Cienega in Hollywood. If a production goes out of that area, it is considered an out-of-town shoot and costs go up. Unwanted trivia: this is where the term TMZ (Thirty Mile Zone) came from. I live 15 miles from that famed intersection, so my LA shoots often mean driving 40 miles to a set. Doug lives even farther out, so his drives to a TMZ location could easily be 50 miles one way.
Doug drove my RAV EV today (Ian took the Volt out of town), and loved driving on batteries. Next, I am putting him in my Volt.Alexandra Paul is a longtime electric vehicle advocate, actress and former EV1 driver. She is working with Chevrolet to educate consumers about EVs and the Volt. Full disclosure, Chevrolet is paying her for her time, but her opinions will always be hers.
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