GM-Volt.com has reached the next level.
For more than a year I have served as your intermediary. After building visibility and credibility to the point I could meet with actual GM executives in charge of building the Volt, I brought your questions, ideas, and enthusiasm to them. We let them know we are here and holding them accountable to building this car. It has always been my hope to connect you all to them as well. A couple of months ago I proposed to GM that they co-host the GM-Volt.com community in a town hall-type event, where we could all get together, meet in person, inspect the Volt show car, and get our questions answered directly from GM executives.
Well, they took me up on the offer!
Wednesday, March 19th, 4:30PM at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City, the first VOLT NATION Town Hall event will take place.
The venue will be the last conference of the NY Auto Show press days, before it opens to the public.
The first 250 people to register, exclusively on this site, will get guaranteed entry and a press pass. At the show we will have a private, exclusive get-together with the entire Chevy Volt executive team, on stage, gathered around the show car. Your questions will be taken and answered.
Don’t miss this unprecedented opportunity to continue to get our message and input to GM how much this car means to us and the world.
Register by sending your name, address, email address and phone number to voltnation@gmail.com. Your data is secure and will be managed by me (with a little help from GM’s PR firm).
Witness the power of social media!
Feb 19th, 2008 (3:36 am)Finally, some respect for the rest of us. LOL.
Nice job Lyle. I’m gonna ask, “When does Lyle get his free Volt?”
If anyone deserves it, it’s you.
Feb 19th, 2008 (4:56 am)Rashiid #1,
Thanks Rashiid, I agree with you. I am very impressed by what Lyle did over a little more than one year. This also shows us the power of the blogs when they are well managed and gives us some hope that in the future, citizens of the world with an common goal will pacifically contribute to make it a better place to live in.
Feb 19th, 2008 (5:33 am)Well said, Jean-Charles. We should do as much as we can to keep the Volt on track, even if it will be too much money for some of us to spend. In the end, it is for the greater good.
Feb 19th, 2008 (5:54 am)#1 & #2 Rashiid & Jean-Charles
I agree totally. Lyle has done really well showing GM this car has a following and needs to be built. I wish I was not at the other end of the planet, still at least I will get to see the blog soon after!
On a positive note, we too are having an election this year & I am setting up a meeting with our version of Hillary or Obama to see if I can get some Volt friendly policys put in place. I shall be mentioning this site, so we shall see.
Lyle can you ask when a right hand drive version will come out?
VERY WELL done Lyle, you deserve the credibility.
Feb 19th, 2008 (6:27 am)[...] all New York-area Volt-aholics: Lyle Dennis, the proprietor of GM-Volt.com (who also happens to live in New York) recently called up GM and asked them if they would consider [...]
Feb 19th, 2008 (7:11 am)Please Lyle, (just a way to be be quite sure, because surely you have thought to do it) could you report in some way – in due time evidently – what will have happened on March 19th.
I am very interested in the way GM executive will negotiate the amazing number of interesting suggestions that have transited through this site and I am sure the attendees to the meeting will have new ones a month from now.
I do not live on the other side of the planet like NZDavid , but across the Atlantic ocean, and my professional obligations do not allow me to attend the meeting I am otherwise eager to assist to. Hope I could meet the GM-volt site community in person sometime in the future.
I hav similar question to the one by NZDavid : ”
Lyle can you ask when the Saturn/Opel Flextreme will come out?” Thanks
Feb 19th, 2008 (7:55 am)Lyle:
This is a wonderful idea, and I wish I could attend. However, that is not possible for me.
Is there any way to do a webcast of the event? That way it will not be limited to the lucky 250 people who will surely be there.
I know it is short notice, but maybe you could get a bit of help from the P/R people at GM. They do this all the time, so it should not be that big of a deal for them.
You would increase your audience from 250 to 100,000+!!! OK, mayby only 25,000, but still, it would be a lot more to see and hear what GM has to say!
And, if GM would give us a long look at the new exterior and interior of the production Volt, that would be the dream come true….
Then all they would have to do is set up a booth for taking pre-order deposits in person and over the internet! Wouldn’t that be a site at the opening of the auto show? If they do this right, they could really get some major free publicity from the mainstream press.
Give it some thought, and run it by your new buddies at GM, OK????
Feb 19th, 2008 (7:57 am)Way to go Lyle! I agree with Rashiid Amul and others in hoping you get a free Volt for all your efforts.
I would love to attend the meeting on March 19th but unfortunately that will not be possible. Other matters will keep me in sourthern Florida. Yet, I will be anxious to see/hear whatever happens at the New York Auto Show. Anything you can tell us will be greatly appreciated.
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:16 am)I’ll be there!!!! I can’t wait to touch it. Thanks, Lyle, for all your hard work
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:26 am)Congrats Lyle, I hope GM is saving some exciting news for everyone that attends!
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:40 am)Most Excellent! Once again Lyle comes through with a big one!. I’m blessed to live within spitting distance of NYC – 4.5 hour drive each way – I’m a strong spitter). I’ll be there with bells on.
I wonder:
A) If the Press pass gets us in for the whole day, or just the GM session?
B) where parking is available – I’ll need two stalls – one for the buggy, one for the Mule.
C) Given that it’s a Press event, I’ll assume that at least still shots will be allowed. I’ll be packin my trusty Canon and a few Gigs of storage.
Although I know that Mid-week in NYC won’t be a great “fit” with most of the people in the zealot group, I sure hope that the GM people see a LOT of smiling (if not drooling) faces peering up at them at the press meeting!
God Bless,
Tagamet
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:46 am)Lyle:
Great idea for the meeting you are composing with GM! This website is a great opportunity for many of us to live vicariously through you as fellow enthusiasts, and to experiance the developement of this vehicle up close and personal. I am happy to see that GM has been very forthright and as open as any corporate entity can be in regards to a technology sensitive project such as the Volt. Hope that openness continues and that all of the GM staff’s hard work pays off for them some day.
I also agree with others here….if anyone deserves a free Volt, it’s got to be you!
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Feb 19th, 2008 (9:08 am)Perhaps annual meetings for Voltnation might be possible with the next one on the left coast. In March of 2009 in might be fun to discuss Lyle’s take on the Volt mule as compared with the next generation Prius.
In any event, enjoy the first one – it is a wonderful idea.
Feb 19th, 2008 (9:46 am)I’ve just registered for the first VOLTNATION event & will make my flight reservations in a few minutes! Kudos, Lyle, for getting GM to arrange this historical event –it may very well become an anual Volt fan club event!!!
Suggestion: The gm-volt.com Tax Credit straw poll in only 2 days has 357 votes: 93% FOR (& only 7% against) the US Government providing tax credits to Plug-in car buyers. I suggest we take petition forms to this NYC event for anyone in favor of tax credits to sign in person.
PS: Lyle, your opening post on this topic retains your usual, upbeat, engaging “master blogger & Volt-enthusiast” style —and it is written impeccably!
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:02 am)Lyle,
Meeting should have been on Saturday and Sunday. I think most people will be busy on weekdays.
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:10 am)TALKS
Lyle, or GM for that matter doesn’t have a say as to when Press Day is for the Auto Show. I agreee, of course, that a weekend would be better for most “civilians” but Wednesday IS a “workday” for the Press.
God Bless,
Tagamet
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:17 am)I just noticed autobloggreen.com has a notice about this; it reads:
“….The Volt Nation event will be taking place at the Javitz Center following the press previews on March 19 at 4:30pm. Members of GM’s Volt development team will be on hand to meet with fans and answer questions. Space is limited so you have to sign up in advance. Lyle is handling registration through his site so you can go there to get your name on the list. Apparently, sometimes it does take a brain surgeon (Lyle’s day job).”
(My background is rocket science & I’ll be there if you need any help, Lyle.
)
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:39 am)Lyle and Nasaman, I’m a shrink, so I think we have most of the bases covered (g)
Tagamet
Feb 19th, 2008 (11:04 am)Nice job, Lyle. Can’t wait to help shape this revolutionary ride.
Feb 19th, 2008 (11:36 am)Alas, I am on the left coast and cannot get there. No matter, however. I have total confidence in you guys to ask all of the right and hard questions. I look forward to seeing all of your impressions here.
Feb 19th, 2008 (11:48 am)I can’t wait. I just want to really see it. (and make damn well sure that I have a reservation for the first batch
Feb 19th, 2008 (11:49 am)Noel, now how did I know that you were a left coaster (wink). “Tough questions” is one of those really slippery phrases, so it might be a good idea to start a thread for questions of interest (tough and otherwize) **about the VOLT* that people would like to see addressed. There’s no guarantee that they could all be answered (I don’t know what the format will be), but an interesting excercise, nonetheless.
God Bless,
Tagamet
Feb 19th, 2008 (12:21 pm)Lyle,
Just curious, do you work in the industry? I’ve stayed very up-to-date on the progress of this project, but usually don’t have time to comment on these message boards; let alone manage one. Whats the secret?!
-Joel
Feb 19th, 2008 (12:46 pm)Tagamet, #22:
Thanks (I think!).
Well for starters, I would bet that we all have the same basic underlying message for GM. I devoutly hope that this project will help GM to find its way in the 21st Century, and to survive and prosper.
I think that this is an existential project for GM. If they get it right, they regain the technological high ground, with all that this implies. This will be the key to their future success. Even Bob Lutz has essentially said this. If they don’t, the downside is too awful to contemplate. Getting it right includes timeliness. If they let the schedule slip, Japan, Inc. beats them to the punch, oh dear.
Feb 19th, 2008 (1:07 pm)[...] To register, you can go to this location and enter you name, address, email, and phone number: GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Concept Site
Feb 19th, 2008 (1:23 pm)Jim I has already raised this at #7, but I second the motion:
What about the idea of taking deposits? Roger Penske seems to be doing pretty well with this idea with his Smart experiment.
Also, how can we cooperate with GM and/or make use of their PR expertise and political contacts to push the tax credit idea.
Does anyone have any expertise on how the current hybrid tax credit is calculated? How do they determine the amount for the Prius, vs. the Ford Escape, vs. the Malibu, etc.? Clearly, it is based on the mileage, but I have some vague recollection that it is somehow based on a comparison of the mileage vs. a comparable conventional vehicle.
If so, and if the Prius was worth $3400, or whatever, the Volt ought to be worth $5,000 or $6,000 on the face of it. Is the law still in effect, or will it be in 2010/11?
Maybe GM could clarify that if no one here knows.
Feb 19th, 2008 (1:39 pm)So is the marketing team going to be there? If so, they are due for a public flogging. They’ve GOT to come up with a better ad campaign!
Feb 19th, 2008 (1:55 pm)Eletruk, #27. Oh come on! Didn’t you like that dude getting his foot licked?
Gosh that was just so disgusting too me. I completely agree with you.
They need a better ad campaign.
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:20 pm)Wow this is great. One suggestion would be to webcast the meeting. That would be really cool and people at home could follow along. I don’t know how extensive it is to setup a live webcast or even an option but I thought it was a cool idea.
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:37 pm)All they need to do for an ad campaign is to get pictures of all of us getting into our Volts at the dealerships around the country, and driving off into the sunset with big smiles on our faces……….
I don’t think I am as ugly as that dog, and the Volt will make me look a bit better!!!
Or, they could show a list of the people that have put down pre-release deposits on the Volt, with some cool narration in the background, like: “These people believe in GM’s effort to help the world reduce it’s addiction to oil so much, that have already paid money almost three years before our first electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, is even available for sale. We are proud to be not only an American company, but a world wide company, and proud to do our part to help the enviornment”. Flash to a picture of the Volt. with the caption “Chevrolet Volt – The Future – Brought To You By GM” Add a bit of patriotic music, and you are good to go!!!
It is so much fun being an idea man…….
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:38 pm)I cant be there but Im sure the lucky 250 will report back.
As Jim I says, a webcast would be great and also a podcast.
We live in interesting times.
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:45 pm)Gas just hit $100 per barrel… not good.
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:45 pm)Congratulations at “pulling this off” Lyle!
As NYC is a 46 hour drive (2,959 miles) for me (and that’s just one-way), I don’t think that I would be able to afford to do it in anything other than an REV!
Seriously, I look forward to reading about all the details. I too, would like to see a Webcast of town hall event – maybe GM’s PR firm can organize this?
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:50 pm)I’m in NJ just signed up for the VoltNation meeting at the Javitz. Looking forward to meeting alot of you guys.
Lyle,
Dude if the Volt really turns out to be a game changer, you will go down in histroy. congrats
Feb 19th, 2008 (2:58 pm)Lyle,
Thank you for all your diligence and hard work. This is a major accomplishment to convince a large Fortune 500 company to take the time to meet with “interested individuals” who are not large potential customers (such as the US government, rental car companies, dealerships, etc.).
I believe this demonstrates GM’s interest in showing good faith on their “car of the future”, and also the trust they have in you and the people who frequent this website.
I look forward to meeting you, the GM representatives, and the other fine people that will attend this event.
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Feb 19th, 2008 (5:51 pm)# 31 Dave B:
Gasoline at $1.82/gal is a bargain!
Feb 19th, 2008 (6:14 pm)My plane ticket would be $1100.00 USD! (same as my house payment)
But…I might just do it anyway…
How long do you think it will take for all 250 tickets to be taken?
Feb 19th, 2008 (6:33 pm)Dave B, #31, mien green, # 35:
Not to restate the obvious, but that’s crude oil boys, not gasoline.
You’ll never see $1.82 gasoline again.
Feb 19th, 2008 (7:38 pm)Springbreak Vacation week with kids, so can’t make it!
Please someone ask about production styling. They’ve said it *won’t* be the show car styling – so what will it look like?
I’m a dad who has to take three kids to school every morning. Need four doors and lots of trunk for gear and instruments!
Great Job Lyle – Thanks!
Feb 19th, 2008 (7:57 pm)Thanks Noel @ 37, type before I think sometimes. EVs cannot come soon enough.
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:33 pm)Thank you Lyte.
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:37 pm)I think that we should reserve the public floggings for anyone not meeting their project timelines within GM (but I suspect that Bob Lutz is already conducting them) JK.
I’m all for
A) getting a deposit in GM’s hands as a show of good faith and
B) mobilizing grassroots efforts to get tax relief for the early adopters.
I know for “A” I bring my checkbook on the 19th. How do we accomplish “B”?
Feb 19th, 2008 (8:53 pm)Aw darn I can’t travel that far to bad they couldn’t of started this in detroit MI In’t Auto show I would of been there
Feb 19th, 2008 (9:15 pm)#38 – Noel
“You’ll never see $1.82 gasoline again.”
Supply and demand… who knows in 10 years with technology like the Volt there could be a lot of excess oil and refinery capacity.
I probably won’t be able to make the trip to NYC but will definately be at the next one if it’s out west some place. Going to LV next week so I don’t think I could work another vacation in.
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:27 pm)Alas, I will be visiting the ‘left coast’ when this is going on.
However, I was at the Toronto International Auro Show and came away with a tidbit from the GM Rep on the Volt.
They said they are not taking deposits as of yet not because it was still ‘officially’ a concept car…as the ‘spokeslady’ on the stage mention not once, not twice, but three time…but because they learned from the ‘fiasco with the Dodge Challenger’.
Apparently they took people’s deposits and then had to up the sticker later, I guess it was a PR nightmare for Chrysler…I didn’t/don’t really know anything about it…I don’t follow ridiculous NA muscle cars.
I just thought that was interesting.
Feb 19th, 2008 (10:47 pm)In response to #26 noel park – tax credits for alt fuel vehicles; check out this article:
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080218/BUSINESS/802180302/1003
Lyle – Thanks for the invite to the Volt Nation town hall. I submitted my registration. Hope you still have seats left. Very exciting!
Feb 20th, 2008 (12:17 am)Great job Lyle! Unfortunately, I can’t make this event, but would certainly be there for any Volt gathering at the 2009 Detroit show. Even if they are not all official events, it would be cool to gather and show support for the Volt at other auto shows. We could organize said gatherings via this site.
When do Volt T-shirts go on sale?
Hey GM, how many signatures (or whatever) would it take to get Lyle a free Volt?
Feb 20th, 2008 (12:35 am)I’m a Volt member. May the topic of preordering come up at the NY forum? GM advertised the $1,000,000,000.00 already going into the Volt. Many of us would like to put down a deposit toward an order. This would certainly help GM with financing and provide some certainty on beginning numbers for the Volt. Soon, if not already, GM should be deciding on a price. Preorder success or failures will give them a lot of marketing data.
Feb 20th, 2008 (6:42 am)Noel Park #26 and others,
Here is I think the official site :
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_hybrid.shtml
But sorry to go against the democratic vote in the poll about tax credits, I found this conclusion (interested readers could read the whole paper) :
“Although it makes sense to invest in a diverse portofolio of basic R&D prospects to reduce long term oil dependence, tax credits for alternative fuels or alternative fuel vehicle are far less efficient instruments than than fuel taxes, as they do not exploit the entire range of fuel conserving options, which include reduced use, and improved fuel economy, of conventional vehicles.” p. 392 in Parry I.W., Walls M. and Harrington W., “Automobile Externalities and Policies”, Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. XLV (June 2007).
Feb 20th, 2008 (12:09 pm)mmcc, #44:
Well I hope you’re right, but won’t the developing world suck up any excess supply and then some? And, my understanding is that crude production is about to peak and start declining, if it hasn’t already.
Someone recently pointed out, correctly I believe, that a small percentage drop in demand can sometimes cause a dramatic drop in price. I see this as a short term event, however. In the long run, the price is going nowhere but up. “In time of peace, prepare for war.”
Statik, #45:
I would even be prepared to give them some wiggle room on the price. From what we’ve seen here, it’s clearly a moving target. Maybe a bailout clause if it increases more than “X” percent?
I just like the symbolic idea of people feeling so strongly that they will put up some cash. If it was $99 like the Smart, I wouldn’t have a problem with just walking away from it if the price went up too much. Even $500, come to that. Much more than that, and someone would have to come up with some creative structure though.
Feb 20th, 2008 (12:17 pm)#47 Brett:
Great idea!
#13 Van:
How about the LA Auto Show in 2009? I’ll be there if you will.
Feb 20th, 2008 (12:30 pm)#46 LB
# 49 Jean-Charles Jacquemin
Thanks for the helpful links. I still haven’t sussed out how the credits were/are calculated. If a Prius was worth $3400, a Volt ought to be worth some multiple of that, IMHO.
Note that the whole thing seems to sunset on 12/31/2010!
I had hoped that the Volt could somehow back into the existing law, but it doesn’t look too promising. Still, it does provide a strong precedent.
Intersting that the newspaper article says that the maximum was set at 60,000 because Detroit automakers didn’t want to see unlimited amounts of money funneled to Toyota and Honda! No s**t!
Feb 20th, 2008 (4:49 pm)Lyle:
OK, point taken. I guess you have plenty of questions already!
Feb 20th, 2008 (8:21 pm)I hope I can go to this in new york i only live 2 hours away. Lyle thank you for all you have done. I learned a lot from you. and give me hope for our future
Feb 20th, 2008 (8:38 pm)I’m kinda torn about the “sold out in 24 hours”. Once the word spread to OTHER sites, people were (probably) quick to scoot over here and register for a pass. It just seems like we’ve gotten to be a pretty positive, close group, pulling for the same objective. I know there was no way to avoid it, but I know quite a few negative nellies (I’m being kind) over on Greencarcongress that spend a LOT of thier time bad mouthing GM. Lyle does the heavy lifting, GM graciously opens their doors, and it may well end with wise acres giving the GM people a hard time.
Oh well, I guess the GM guys didn’t get where they are today without owning their share of wit and charm (just like Bob, -wink-).
I guess we’ll see on the 19th.
Be well and God Bless,
Tagamet
PS LYLE I sent you a PM.
Feb 20th, 2008 (10:01 pm)Suggestion for all VOLT NATION attendees next month in NYC:
Bring business cards with your real name (& your user name at gm-volt.com) —I’ve been to countless conferences/symposiums/etc, and its just impossible to keep track of everyone, especially with 250 of us, without cards. You could print some cards up just for the occasion if you like.
JUST BE SURE TO BRING A POCKET FULL OF CARDS!
See you here!
Phil Toney/nasaman
Feb 20th, 2008 (10:21 pm)Nasaman,
Excellent tip. Unlike you, I actively avoid conferences/symposia etc. Given my unlikely surname (Geguzis), I’m known to everyone as “just Larry”. People introducing me inevitably say, “Phil, this is…er, Larry….er,…” at which point I say “Just Larry”.
Geguzis isn’t pronounced at ALL like it looks (it’s Gay-GOO’-shus). In high school I played football right next to Mike Smith. I’d make a tackle and the announcer would say “tackle by…..er….Smith!”. I have a whole CD of the radio soccer announcers **struggling** with my daughter’s name, especially since she was an excellent goalie (even played for the boy’s team). Anyway, don’t be surprised if I make up some cards with contact info, but the name as “Just Larry”
Be well and God Bless,
Tagamet aka Just Larry
PS Anyone know if the press pass gets us in the whole day, or just for the VoltNation part?
Feb 21st, 2008 (8:45 am)#52 Noel Park
You are right the site does say how and the limit of 60,000 was not clear so I asked some specialists and they gave gave me this link that points to other sites of interest.
I think the most useful information is in the linked site and it explains some characteristics of tax credit computation but they refer the Congressional Bill for the “complicated” details.
See http://www.leaseguide.com/Articles/hybrid-tax.htm
I just copied this from the site :
“What are the details?
It’s not easy reading but you can read the Congressional bill that provides all the regulations and credit details at http://www.ne.doe.gov/EPAct2005/hr6_textconfrept.pdf. The section of interest is titled Subtitle D – Alternative Motor Vehicles and Fuels Incentives, and begins on page 1391.”
Good reading.
JC
Feb 21st, 2008 (5:15 pm)JC, #58:
Wow! Thanks for all of your hard work on this.
Also, thanks for your inspirational comment at #2.
Feb 23rd, 2008 (12:06 am)Being retired and living in Washington state the trip is pretty much out of the question but a webcast sounded like a great idea. Hopefully they will have something for this coast. However you all can eat your hearts out as I already have the Volt. It’s sitting on my fireplace mantel. Hopefully the next one will be in the garage. Great job Lyle. You lucky ones attending better have some stuff for us less forturnate. Thanks again Lyle for all your efforts. I have learned a lot from all of you. Great job.
Mar 6th, 2008 (7:30 pm)[...] Volt Nation is fast approaching on March 19th 4:30 PM at the Jacob Javits Center during press days of the New York City Auto Show. [...]
Mar 7th, 2008 (7:26 am)Great News! See you in New York.
It’s been a long time coming, Thanks for the invite. I concur,
bring lot’s of business cards…
Mar 7th, 2008 (8:18 am)Can not make the event, a few thoughts;
Quality FIRST and foremost with vehicle longevity 2nd on the list, starting with the 1st production car produced, NO recalls.Additional National Publicity Campaigns for the Volt, the national commercial I observed was awesome; continue to build the brand, now.Secure Guaranteed Tax Credits. ($5000 min)Set in place the pre-order system by June 2008…..let customers show our commitment and for the GM marketers true demand.Production Level Plan for 100,000 1st year…then 200,000 2nd year, IMO the demand is pent up.
Mar 7th, 2008 (5:53 pm)Will be interesting to see if GM will rent the batteries or sell the entire car. Is GM afraid of losing the maintenance income from the vehicles? I’m hoping GM will offer a good product and sell the batteries. Or they may go the pathway as Kodak did trying to control the future of digital cameras. Like with digital cameras…it is now Kodak who? If GM tries to gouge their customers, they will lose and another company will offer a better product. When it comes to the future of cars will GM sell the Volt fairly or will the future of GM also be…GM who?
Apr 2nd, 2009 (8:09 pm)Great quality stuff.
Oct 17th, 2009 (8:17 am)I grew up with all Chevrolet vehicles and plan for my children to grow with them also. God bless America. We started the car game and we are keeping it in the USA.