The Volt team is in Seattle this week, introducing Seattleites to the Chevrolet Volt with several drive events. Our first stop brought us to Forza Coffee. We were welcomed by Richard Jennings, CEO of Forza, and his team. Along with some incredible beverages, our team was introduced to a number of local business owners and entrepreneurs, including local Volt owner Erez Toker.
We split everyone up into two teams of Volt drivers set out to explore Seattle in Volts. Our trips took us to the Seattle Space Needle, Safeco Field and the University of Washington. The drivers told us they were impressed by the styling and handling of the Volt. One driver, named Lon, told me he definitely did not expect the Volt to handle so smoothly or quietly.
We also headed to Tacoma to set up for an evening at Griot’s Garage flagship store. The staff had invited their fans out to our drive event with their newsletter, which brought us some of the more passionate car fans I have met for quite some time. Many of them had experience working for automakers in the past and were amazed by the Volt. One driver, named Carl, enjoyed his drive so much that he insisted his son, Corey, come out to drive as well. Both of them had only nice things to say about their experience with the Volt.
Our time was also spent at two companies, Puget Sound Energy and Alaska Airlines. Our team drove with some very enthusiastic employees of both companies. Many of them had never been in an electric vehicle before. Those drivers were pleasantly surprised and told us time and time again that the Volt felt like “a real car” that didn’t compromise style.
Wednesday evening brought us to a special event with several local social media influencers. We were able to identify Seattleites with strong social media followings thanks to our friends at Klout. There were vehicle walkarounds with the Volt, drinks and food and some fun raffles. It was great for us to meet many people face-to-face who we previously only had contact with on Twitter.
Finally, our trip brought us to Burien Chevrolet. Many members of a local electric vehicle club decided to come out and socialize with us and the employees of the dealership. The event was open to the public and was promoted on our social media channels, bringing other people interested in the Volt. A driver named Andy said he had no idea the Volt was able to achieve such great fuel economy and still handle better than any car he had ever been in.
Along with some incredible coffee and great views of Mt. Rainier, we were able to make incredible contacts and meet some amazing people. We are leaving Seattle for now, but won’t soon forget the experiences with had in the “Emerald City.”
