From its reverberating splash in January 2007 to its display in Washington D.C. last week, the world has become quite familiar with the Chevy Volt concept’s sleek and muscular form.
Copied constantly across millions of web, print, and video pages our vehicular hero has made its exit.
As per GM, the showing in Washington D.C. was the last public appearance the original Chevy Volt concept shall make.
The next time we see the Volt in public it will be the production re-design.
Many ask what the new version will look like, and no I haven’t seen it. We know it will be roughly the same length and width, have a low belt line, a Kammback (steep drop), rounded front, and tapered corners. It will be highly aerodynamic, high tech, not be a Cobalt with a battery, and per Bob Lutz “look unmistakably like the Volt”.
So lets take this time to say goodbye to the concept show car and give it thanks for all it has done. It has brought the idea of electric driving into public consciousness more than anything else in history. It is a concept being brought to reality because of us, those who have told GM we want them to build this car and move to a world without oil. For the risk GM is taking in betting on E-Flex technology and so far meeting the unprecedented challenges they set forth.
Of course this isn’t really the end, but just the beginning. We await the exciting and thrilling next chapter of saying hello to the production Chevy Volt.
Source (Detroit News)
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 15th, 2008 at 8:14 am and is filed under Design, Public Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:19 am)Bye Concept.
Hope the production version doesn’t remind me of a Prius.
Looking forward to Lyles drive in the mule.
Go GM Go Volt.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:24 am)Not to beat a dead horse…but…LOOKS ARE IMPORTANT! Please make the (my) Volt the hottest thing on 4 wheels…and not another runty econo streamlined excretion like the Prius/focus/yaris.etc…etc. Trust me, it is worth sacrificing some aero if you want the dinero. Ask anyone in the car industry.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:31 am)While understanding the reason why the concept went away, I will miss it greatly. It is beautiful and I think many people would have wanted to own it for its looks.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:39 am)I really hope the final version isn’t a clone of every other Chevy on the road today. I don’t want to look at it and think “yup, that’s a Chevy”. I want to think…. “YA!!! that’s a Volt”
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:54 am)Farewell, my friend. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:09 am)Wow, the concept vehicle only lasted 18 months. GM is just ripping through their punchlists of things to do.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:20 am)It doesn’t matter much to me how it looks. I just want it to get 40-50 miles per charge, seat 4, and cost less than $30,000.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:24 am)4 Sentinel……
You said, “I really hope the final version isn’t a clone of every other Chevy on the road today. I don’t want to look at it and think “yup, that’s a Chevy”. I want to think…. “YA!!! that’s a Volt”
I AGREE!!! I bought a Camaro Z-28 in 1982 that DID NOT HAVE THE “BOW-TIE” OR THE WORD “CHEVY” OR “CHEVROLET” ANYWHERE ON THE CAR, INSIDE OR OUT! It was a GREAT marketing ploy that exploited simple (but powerful) human curiosity. That newly-redesigned 1982-series Z-28 became the basis for the famous IROC race series that drivers from ANY background (Indy, Nascar, F1, etc) could enter …..every car was a Z-28. Take note, GM!!!!
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:54 am)Nasaman # 8
I’m wondering if you know something of the new design?
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:04 am)I have always wanted to buy this car for two reasons….it’s electric propulsion and it’s dynamic, turn your head looks!
I still want this car and am very hopeful that it looks unmistakably like the concept….that is my hope. Either way, Go Volt Team….
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:15 am)I thought the reveal was months away. Does this mean a reveal is coming next week. Please clarify otherwise we still have a way to go. I think it would be cool to unveil on the fourth of july!
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:22 am)Happy Father’s Day, Lyle.
Happy Father’s Day to all of you.
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:47 am)Goodbye gorgeous car.
I would have rathered have you and a 35mile range than whatever GM is going to show us next.
But you had to go away, because you are another unrealistic show car that was promised at too low a price.
You just had too many cool and expensive parts, so we had to pretend you needed to change for aerodynamic’s sake. What would another 2kWh to the pack have cost to still get the 40 mile range? Another $800 bucks?
I’m bracing myself for something that looks like a ‘suped-up’ Malibu. I don’t know really how this is a good day. As far as I can tell, this is the day the car we love gets shuttered and put away, leaving us to wait and wonder just how much less of a car we will actually be driving.
Isn’t that the truth? Does anyone here think we are getting a better looking car than this? I doubt it. Which means we are all just sitting quietly, hoping GM doesn’t dumb it down too much.
(But don’t worry GM ‘bean-counters’ that I’m sure gauge this site for reactions, if you beat the EV Prius/Mitsu i-Miev to market I’ll still buy one. As I said before, first 4-door EV gets my business)
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:51 am)Interesting discussion about the Chevy nameplate – perhaps Volt will evolve into a nameplate. I suspect GM is trying to green their existing nameplates, instead of creating new ones. The option is always open to create a nameplate based off one model, as Chysler did with Eagle.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:04 am)The original concept’s retirement is long over due. I think that as soon as they put it in the wind tunnel and found out that it would need a major rework, they should have retired it. I really love the this concept, and so do many others, but we all know it’s not what we’re getting, so to keep trotting out in front of folks seems a little like bait and switch. There are still new folks finding the Volt and seeing this concept and getting excited about something they’ll never get. I think Lyle should take it off the header on this site too, but that’s just me and it’s Lyle’s site.
Farewell Concept 1, job well done. You got me this far into Volt. Hopefully your successor will do as well as you did. Happy retirement in the GM storage garage will all the other great concepts from years gone by. One day you’ll be worth millions at an auction somewhere.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:10 am)Jason #14
“The option is always open to create a nameplate based off one model, as Chysler did with Eagle.”
…and you can see how well that worked out. GM’s done it before with LaSalle and Geo. Both history. Best to just keep the Volt a Chevy and then give the other divisions an E-Flex of their own.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:12 am)Statik #13
“I would have rathered have you and a 35mile range than whatever GM is going to show us next.”
Me too brother, me too.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:34 am)I would buy one of the concept cars if GM would install a gas engine.
Jun 15th, 2008 (12:43 pm)#13 & 17
. . . me too. Maybe a little work on the tail of the Volt. . . but maybe it(the Volt) will rise when the energy crises passes — after all cars turn to electrical drive.
Jun 15th, 2008 (12:50 pm)Farewell, Concept. I’ll miss you (a lot). Hope springs eternal (except at Statik’s house). The production model can still look great, even if it’s different than our first love.
OK, GM, enough of the burlesque stripper act – let’s see the whole thing.
Tag
Jun 15th, 2008 (12:58 pm)Maybe GM is already thinking or perhaps they will have an epiphany that they can produce a car like the concept Volt. They just can make for under $40,000, with 40 miles AER, with range extending 50mpg and some other goals that were set. They could make it with 160 KW motor, 30 miles AER, range extending 30mpg, and $45-50. I think a Cadillac or perhaps even Chevy small sports sedan with looks like the concept Volt and 0-60 under 7 seconds would do very well. I don’t know which model I’ld prefer. Judging from the feedback on this site, I think a decent percentage would prefer this implementation of the sportier Volt concept.
Jun 15th, 2008 (1:02 pm)It has been fun watching the development of the Volt, I Googled Volt the day I say the prototype unveiled. It has been pretty much like other developments. The price goes up while the style is toned down. I had a ride in the first generation of Prius, thought it was a cool car. I am pretty sure we would have bought one except for two things. It was not red, and too hard to find. Any way I hope the math adds up so we can afford a Volt. Also I would be willing to change… I could accept a Volt in electric yellow!
The old Volt is dead! Long Live the new Volt!
And bring on the pictures!
Red HHR
Jun 15th, 2008 (1:27 pm)#12 Rashiid Amul
Happy Father’s Day to you and every other dad here as well.
P.S. I may be in the minority here but I won’t lie to you when I say that I do hope that it looks kinda like the Flextreme concept…with a distinctive Volt front.
…Almost there…
Jun 15th, 2008 (1:39 pm)If GM doesn’t need the concept model, I’ll take it off their hands.
Jun 15th, 2008 (1:50 pm)#16, Dav8or,
The Eagle line was succeeding well, as was much of Chrysler’s products, until Daimler bought Chrysler. The Eagle Talon was a hot little car.
Again, depending on how popular the Volt becomes, it may be easiest to communicate the proliferation of the flex-treme / E-REV platform, by call each one of the them a Volt.
Jun 15th, 2008 (2:35 pm)#20 Tag
“Farewell, Concept. I’ll miss you (a lot). Hope springs eternal (except at Statik’s house). The production model can still look great, even if it’s different than our first love. OK, GM, enough of the burlesque stripper act – let’s see the whole thing.”
No one ever leaves my house…alive.
Jun 15th, 2008 (2:43 pm)Statik,
I worry about your child. Not your “inner child”, your child.
Jun 15th, 2008 (2:43 pm)#25 Jason, #16 Dav8or
If you really believe (as I do) that the E-Flex architecture is the basis for the future, then Chevy should keep the Volt as a Chevy and then just move the E-Flex through their product line. Look what Toyota did with the “Hybrid Synergy Drive” label. They used the same Prius technology on the Camry, Highlander, and Lexus RX400h.
I beieve that the Volt will be the first of many E-Flex vehicles from GM. After the success of the Volt, we’ll see smaller and larger vesions of the “Volt”, that will eventually cover all of their passenger car lines.
In the long run, I think GM is in a very good market position. The E-Flex is a great platform for cars and other vehicles that don’t need a lot of towing capacity. Where they do need towing capacity or off-road 4WD, then the two-mode transmission meets the needs (albeit at reduced efficiency and higher cost).
In the end, GM just has to complete what they’ve started. The two-mode products are just now coming off the assembly line, and when the Volt arrives in large quantities, I think GM will be back on top.
Jun 15th, 2008 (3:00 pm)Bad news Statik I just got of the phone with GM and they say that you have been banned from owning a new Volt. Looks like you will have to buy a Ford Escape instead.
Jun 15th, 2008 (3:21 pm)As we leave the Volt Concept behind, we also leave the Volt behind. The Volt was fun and exciting while it lasted, and we thank GM for letting us believe in the dream for a time.
Moving on to more important items:
#12 Rashid, thank you.
#23 Firefly, thank you.
Happy Father’s Day to you also, and to all Father’s who read this message.
Jun 15th, 2008 (3:22 pm)I’m with #18 Jimmy – I would buy one of the concept cars if GM would just put a small gas engine in it and sell it. Call it anything you want – it still looks cool.
Jun 15th, 2008 (3:25 pm)I’m not going to bash the new design until I see it.
But I think the concept look is wonderful, and I hope the production design highly resembles it. Style is important.
Jun 15th, 2008 (4:13 pm)Ahhh man!!! The whole reason why the volt was such a hype and is so nice is because of its modern sexy classy look . I really hope that the engineers retained the volt look . Other wise you can forgot about me order my car if it look like some retarded pruis or hatch back yaris. The whole reason for dishing out money for this car is for the minimal l environmental impact and the luxury and sexy stying within the car . Sorry but if the car is not appealing to my eyes they can probably still ship me the car but before i drive it , its first stop will be the body modification shop so that they can remodify it and give me the true concept volt look
. ……………Actually…………………….. i might just do that any way and be the first person to actually have the colt concept car
Jun 15th, 2008 (4:20 pm)Excuse me, but this Tony Posawatz guy at GM wants to cut the balls off of our beloved Volt, turn it into the “Volt 20″, an oversized golf cart with no acceleration, and all YOU can do is argue about how it will look ?
How shallow is that ?
It’s like a man, watching TV in a burning house, complaining about the fuzzy reception as the roof is burning. Tony Posawatz should be enemy #1 to every person on this site who loves the Volt. He took Bob’s dream, and basically used it for toilet paper. Unforgiveable, unless Tony retracts everything, and apologizes.
Good luck with your golf carts that look somewhat like Volts. I’m sure you will look real cool as you struggle to get up to 60 MPH. Acceleration – that’s the American meaning of fun.
Jun 15th, 2008 (4:24 pm)Scene opens…
Tony setting at his desk, thinking “The 40 mile Volt was Bob’s stupid idea. A**hole ! Maybe now the board will see that it should be me running the Volt project, not Bob. Now I’m in the spotlight”. But he doesn’t hear two men creeping up in him from behind. Suddenly, a rag, smelling of chemicals, is pressed to his nose and mouth. He quickly passes out.
“Bob, he’s waking up”. Tony slowly raises his head and finds his hands cuffed and his legs tied together – he cannot move. He sees Bob. “Tony, I heard you have become GM’s newest celebrity. That interview you gave – I don’t recall you clearing what you said with me. A 20 mile Volt ? After I worked so hard, spent so many sleepless nights, and had to plead with the board for funding, only to have you undercut my authority and my project with a worthless piece of s**t, like the Volt 20 ? I’m afraid I have to reassign you, Tony. Boys, gag him”.
After Tony is gagged, Bob continues. “Since that I want to say is very important, I don’t want you to interrupt. I’m reassigning you to the auto junkyard in south Detroit. We have influence there. I ordered all the workers out for today, so you can conduct your, ah, study of what happens to old Gm products at the end of the line. You, Tony, are going to witness how cars are recycled from inside a car”.
Tony, through gag: “Hmmm hmmm hmmmmmmm!”
Bob: “Boys, get that sorry sack of s**t out of my office and get him, ahem, reassigned”. “Yes sir”.
Junkyard scene, Tony being stuffed into the trunk of an old, rusted out Bonneville. “Hmmm hmmmmmmm hmmmmmm” Hey, what’s your problem (evil laugh). We found ya a Pontiac for you to, study, right” ? One man to the other “Lets shut the trunk and get him, reassigned”. Hmmmm Hmmmmmmm, trunk lid slams.
Over the Detroit skyline, a crane lifts a nondescript old car into a car compacter. The compacter cycles, and a small metal cube emerges. Two guys leave the junkyard. “Who bought the beer last time ? I did. No, I did. That was last week, I bought it last Tuesday. If you did, I don’t remember it”. Arguing continues as scene fades to black.
If only it was true. (No GM executives were hurt in the making of this story)
Jun 15th, 2008 (4:38 pm)@Terry K.
…speechless…
When is it going to be on youtube? ; )
Jun 15th, 2008 (5:07 pm)GM should have Chrysler design the volt.
Jun 15th, 2008 (5:22 pm)What a story! Brought on tears of joy. And the ending…where have I seen that before?
Jun 15th, 2008 (5:28 pm)#27 Tag
“Statik,I worry about your child. Not your “inner child”, your child.”
Me too!
All he got me was a lousy hand drawn card and few, “I love you daddys” He is going to do better than that…I have it on good authority that my neighbour’s two year old made a play-dough figurine of some sort.
Don’t worry, I told him that more was expected of him.
Jun 15th, 2008 (5:30 pm)#37 Rockyroad
“GM should have Chrysler design the volt.”
As long as they don’t give it the guys over at Pontiac. Then I really can see a Malibu with a whole bunch of plastic pieces slapped on it, a skirt kit and a rear wing…maybe a oversized “GT” badge on it for fun.
/classy
Jun 15th, 2008 (5:45 pm)I’m purchasing it first affordable chance I get. The heck with opec(for all you conservative mofo’s). I hope GM beats the japs to market with the product. But how can it happen when the entire jap goverment is backing their vehicle development but GM has to do it alone. I wish our government had some intelligent leadership FOR A CHANGE and offered the auto manufacturers alot of help. Do we have a government to start wars or help the populace live well and prosper? Please GM get the volt for sale ASAP!
Jun 15th, 2008 (6:08 pm)#38 MarkFLL – The story was gleefully lifted from Robocop (except Bob is the good guy) – Tip of the hat to Paul Verhoeven.
Ya gotta admit, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, the guy (Tony Posawitz) who castrated our beloved Volt 40, and turned it into a glorified golf cart.
Jun 15th, 2008 (6:37 pm)#42 Terry K
Please don’t spread misinformation. The cited article said,
“[Posawatz] said GM would probably opt to ramp up slowly with the first production run of the 400-pound battery packs for the Volt, ‘just to make sure everything is bulletproof.’…GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles (64 km) on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet. …In the future, GM could offer a battery pack with a 20-mile electric-only range to bring costs down, Posawatz said, part of an effort to cut the cost of such vehicles by half or more.”
By unfairly singling out and demonizing a GM executive and making untrue claims, you are not helping the cause. You are being divisive. Let’s stick to the facts and work together. The world needs to use less petroleum. The Volt takes us in that direction.
Jun 15th, 2008 (7:41 pm)#43 Thomb – You forgot one thing – half the acceleration.
As for being “divisive”, it’s called having a different point of view. We’re allowed to have that in America. Tony is actually the divisive one. He took the Volt community, and split it down the middle by taking Bob’s vision and tearing it in half.
My fear is that the Volt 20 will eclipse the Volt 40′s research budget priorities, and eventually cause the entire Volt 40 program to be shelved, along with the original Volt body prototype. The Volt 20 could possible fail when Toyota unveils their Lithium powered Prius with even more range. The Volt 40 was a game changer – I hate to see it end up it the dust bin of history.
To everyone else – when someone accuses you of being “divisive”, what they are really telling you to do is “shut up”. Don’t ever let them. Make your voice heard, state your views, and never let the self-appointed censors win.
Jun 15th, 2008 (7:51 pm)FOR GM: If you can’t deliver – I’ll bet someone else will! Then you’ll always be able to say “I could have done it first”. Think about that for awhile then get this thing out on the market at a reasonable price. If you lose money for a while – you’ll get it back and more on second or third generation.
Jun 15th, 2008 (7:56 pm)Anyone who believes that the concept car could actually be built at an affordable price has to be fooling themselves.
I could care less what the car looks like, it’s all about the performance, and it has to be affordable to the masses (meaning <$30k). For those with large pockets, let them customize the car as they see fit.
Let’s get the core technology right, meaning getting the motors, batteries and series ICE to meet spec, and the software algorithms done. If they spend time adding lipstick, the Toyota’s and Honda’s of the world will quickly catch up beat GM to the punch.
Let’s worry about the “cool factor” later, and get the core technology done, and done right now!
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:04 pm)Terry K #44 says “To everyone else – when someone accuses you of being “divisive”, what they are really telling you to do is “shut up”. Don’t ever let them. Make your voice heard, state your views, and never let the self-appointed censors win.”
Agreed! 100% agreed!!!
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:07 pm)#46, JC. That is what I have been saying all along. Make it priced for the masses. Otherwise they just have a niche car. We already have those in the Tesla, Aptera, and so on. Make the Volt under $30K so that everyone can afford it. AND STOP DUMBING IT DOWN!!!!
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:30 pm)Thihking about the Tony Posawatz story, I wonder if we are not missing what may be the most important point. The story leads with discussion of when a battery contract is going to be awarded. Well, Mr. Posawatz says, it will be real soon now. Someone from GM has said this at the start of each of the last several months.
Why the delay in such a critical item? Since we are told that all batteries meet specs, presumably the delay is about price. Obviously GM is disappointed with the prices being offered.
So what is GM doing to put pressure on the battery companies? It looks like they are trying out several lines of attack
(1) Delay in awarding the contract, causing the battery companies heartburn, keeping them from focusing on other car companies, and running up their bills
(2) Threating lower production volume, so Mr. Posawatz tells us once again about the slow rollout, which seems to have gone from 10,000 cars/mo to 1000 to (are we at 10 cars per month yet)? Battery companies are smart enough to see that fewer cars means fewer batteries
(3) and now, as a new gambit, the millivolt instead of the Volt, the one with only a fraction of the batteries in the original design. Lower fraction means still fewer batteries. (It’s gone so far that one wonders if, soon, the whole first year of production can be accomplished with the prototype batteries already on hand.)
Also, we know from the Canadian contract and strike that GM has no scruples about saying one thing while intending another. I am wondering how much of all the discussion about Volt versus millivolt, together with normal versus trickle production is really just a backdrop of information and misinformation for the critical negiotiations going on about battery volume, price, and contract clauses.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:30 pm)“It is a concept being brought to reality because of us, those who have told GM we want them to build this car and move to a world without oil.”
Talk about self-aggrandizement. Yes, there would be no Volt without you. And a world without oil is awaiting us in 2010 because of your heroism! I bow before you.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:39 pm)I’m with #43 Thomb. Tony from GM didn’t say anything about half the acceleration. He simply said that ‘in the future’ (i.e. after the Volt 40 has gone on sale) GM may try to add another Volt to the line up that is more affordable. Since this occuring after the Volt 40 hits the market, there is no need to worry this is going to cannibalize the Volt 40′s budget.
A123 and LG have been working hard on the 16kwh packs for sometime now. It would be harder to start over with 20 mile packs than it would be to finish the Volt 40. I see no threat to the Volt 40….just another great idea to add more variations of the Volt in the future to get a larger portion of drivers off oil.
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:42 pm)Well the game is getting exciting. We are no longer talking about a dream. We are now talking about a real car with real costs. Being a designer I have always loved to watch what happens when real costs get in the way of a dream. Hang on folks this part can be painful.
Take Care
Arch
Jun 15th, 2008 (8:50 pm)#51 Dan said “A123 and LG have been working hard on the 16kwh packs for sometime now. It would be harder to start over with 20 mile packs than it would be to finish the Volt 40.”
Yes, and that very pain for A123 and LG is why bringing it up is such a good negotiating tactic by GM.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:04 pm)Looks are secondary…. I want the technology!
Form FOLLOWS function.
I’m hoping for a utility version of the Eflex system… plain simple no frills …. get me to work … durable and at a reasonable price.
I’ve had several GM vehicles bought new and look like new after 10 years…
I hope we see the hydrogen fuel cell version soon… and with this same durability.
Thanks CHEVY VOLT CONCEPT for starting the race… you definitely will be remembered as a milestone in automotive history.
Also thanks to the engineers who built the EV1… still the best automobile ever built.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:29 pm)Sorry Folks. Looks are not secondary. Not in a car. Not for something you will have to pay $30K+ for. I do not believe that MOST Americans are willing to accept a pathetic rolling egg rather than a well styled and attractive machine. If the range is that important or the costs, there are lots of better options. You can buy an Aveo for 14K. The extra $16,000 buys a lot of gas. No…….. for $30,000+, this car better be attractive.
The appliance people might not care, they will drive anything.
Car people won’t. Bill Mitchell and Harley Earl are rolling in their graves these days. I am quite worried about what GM has done to the Volt we all know.
I will not be blinded by the promise of the tech. I still have to live in this thing for 2.5 hrs per day. I will not hold my nose doing it.
Don’t disappoint me GM! Design this car for the masses, not the technology lovers. MOST people care what their car looks like.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:37 pm)“Also thanks to the engineers who built the EV1… still the best automobile ever built.”
How can a car that costed $80,000 be the best car ever built. It was unaffordable is the whole reason that the project was scrapped.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:42 pm)RB: “Lower fraction means still fewer batteries”
Not neccessarily. Lower range could mean the same number of batteries but more cars.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:44 pm)I’m not that worried about what the production car will look like. GM has been doing a good job lately with their styling and there are portions of the concept car that I’m not thrilled about. I think the real car is going to be as nice or better, albeit a bit less wild.
Jun 15th, 2008 (9:58 pm)Here’s a thought – what if someone else decides to contract with A123 and LG. GM could wind up with no batteries at all. Could happen! GM – lets get a move on!
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:27 pm)Is it being replaced by that diecast toy ?
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1237758920080612
Jun 15th, 2008 (10:47 pm)Arch #52
“Well the game is getting exciting. We are no longer talking about a dream. We are now talking about a real car with real costs. Being a designer I have always loved to watch what happens when real costs get in the way of a dream. Hang on folks this part can be painful.”
*** *** ***
The DREAM is being able to plug in to the grid and then drive 40+ miles without using ANY OPEC oil. Even if this child were uglier than sin I don’t believe that wouldn’t stop the effort or the demand. Trust me this car won’t be ugly. Different than the concept….yes and more efficient…? You bet, just understand that production of this vehicle is no easy task, and I’m convinced that GM is up to the task.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:03 pm)Well here we go. Chevrolet has baited us all and now can come out with some ugly thing that in their minds resembles the Volt Concept. The concept car has been out long enough and has enough of a folowing that they should build it as is and get over it. Those of us who has signed up for one should have some say in the looks and what we want. This is a real chance for GM to have a sporty looking car that says to OPEC,,,,,shove it!! Come on GM do the right thing.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:06 pm)Grizzly said: …and I’m convinced that GM is up to the task.
Me too.
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:15 pm)Grizzly #61
We have No disagreement here. We are at the point where the dream meets the costs. Believe me I understand what it takes to produce a dream. I am not going to give you a lecture I am just going to say I will wait and see where this all ends up. I am not even going to say if it looks good or bad. I am just going to say that a lot of dreams end BAD when the bean counters at GM get ahold of them. Pray for the best my friend.
Take Care
Arch
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:33 pm)Arch #64
Praying is fine if that’s what you believe in. Sometimes it just comes down to getting it done. GM’s engineers Vs. Toyota’s ….who’s got the best?? CW would say Toyota, but I’ll disagree….and I’ll predict that you’ll all be surprised! IF I’M wrong, I’ll take readily the heat, but I’ve got no such plans! WATCH!
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:43 pm)#44 Terry K
I’ll repeat the quote:
“[Posawatz] said GM would probably opt to ramp up slowly with the first production run of the 400-pound battery packs for the Volt, ‘just to make sure everything is bulletproof.’…GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles (64 km) on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet. …In the future, GM could offer a battery pack with a 20-mile electric-only range to bring costs down, Posawatz said, part of an effort to cut the cost of such vehicles by half or more.”
Where does it say the Volt 40 will not happen? It doesn’t. It says the opposite. Where does it say anything about acceleration? It doesn’t. I agree, we have a different opinion. Mine is based on facts and reality. Your opinion seems to be based on hysteria. I’m not censoring you. I am questioning the basis for your outlandish position. Obviously, you can’t confront the facts, so you are using bluster and diversionary tactics. You are making up facts and calling names. I still hear your voice as uninformed, divisive, shrill, and irrational.
#47 Rashiid Amul
So, you’re falling for that tactic? I thought you were smarter. Can you explain to me Terry K’s poition that the Volt 40 has been castrated? Can you explain how Tony Posawatz is singlehandely destroying the Volt program? Or are you going to resort to personal attacks, changing the subject, and/or misinformation? I waiting/baiting. Go ahead – or shut up!
Jun 15th, 2008 (11:47 pm)Well I fell in love with the concept, I will have to just make my own electric vehicle, I am building car that with a geed engine design turning an electric motor connected to my new “constant flow transmission” which I design and built. I cant wait forever. All I wanted was the body design. Have a great day, I wish I was home getting this finised. I am still in Iraq. Dang
Jun 16th, 2008 (12:21 am)I still think we will get a good looking car. How close it is to the concept remains to be seen. It was certainly sweet looking.
And now the waiting begins…..and I agree, if it’s but ugly I will wait. I still like the serial hybrid concept but there is a limit to how much ugly I am willing to be seen in. Just don’t make it look stupid,
Come on GM, what’s it going to be????!!!!!
Jun 16th, 2008 (12:22 am)I’m tryly in awe of the hysteria on this site. Everyone slavishly praises the Volt, then when a second, cheaper 20 mile range version is contemplated by GM, people are calling for the lead executive’s head on a spike! Half the commentators are all worked up about GM emasculating the Volt. Do you folks actually READ? What was said? This site says a lot more about GM/Volt fan boys’ intelligence than I ever wanted to know.
Jun 16th, 2008 (12:55 am)#69 pauln
To quote Rashiid Amul, “Agreed! 100% agreed!!!”
#44 Terry K (again)
“…when someone accuses you of being “divisive”, what they are really telling you to do is ‘shut up’.”
When someone accuses you of being divisive, maybe they think you are divisive. How do you get from that to “shut up?” Like your interpretation of the Volt 40/20 issue, you took things to crazy land. You seem to be getting Bill O’Riled up.
You seem to think I am censoring you. I don’t have that power. You can say any fool thing you want. Go ahead, state your opinion. But, don’t be surprised if someone calls “b)llsh1t” on it.
Jun 16th, 2008 (1:39 am)GO VOLT 40!
Show some pics soon GM, the natives are relentless!
Jun 16th, 2008 (3:50 am)Let’s see, according to Thomb, I am now “uninformed, divisive, shrill, irrational, blustery, diversionary, hysterial, outlandish, spreading misinformation, and “not smarter than that”. Did I miss anything ?
Let me make this clear. It’s my opinion. I could be right or wrong, it’s just one possibility. That s that this forum is for. No one, not even Thomb, knows what the future will be for the Volt. We express our opinions. But some like to flame others with whom they disagree.
Here’s what I said “My fear is that the Volt 20 will eclipse the Volt 40’s research budget priorities, and eventually cause the entire Volt 40 program to be shelved, along with the original Volt body prototype. The Volt 20 could possible fail when Toyota unveils their Lithium powered Prius with even more range. The Volt 40 was a game changer – I hate to see it end up it the dust bin of history.”
Name calling doesn’t help anyone, it was used by the Nazi’s to dehumanize the Jews, which made killing them easier to do.
Let’s not stoop to name calling in this forum. Rashiid Amul made the mistake of agreeing with me, and you flamed him, too ! We are all here because we love the Volt, and we support it. We don’t want to see the Volt disappear. If you disagree with me, just state your reasons. Leave the name calling on the playground with the children. We’re adults here (I hope) – we’re here to debate ideas in the forum Lyle has so generously provided. Let’s keep it that way.
Jun 16th, 2008 (5:38 am)@ Terry: Your view of the Volt 20 possibility is overly (unjustifiably?) negative. All this talk about the Volt 40 being shelved eventually seems like quite a negative and worst case scenario interpretation.
The reality is the Volt 40 is coming out….and once it does GM is going to have a major winner on their hands. IMO, future versions are going to have more range, not less.
Jun 16th, 2008 (5:57 am)ThombDbhomb #66, I was commenting on Terry K’s comment about the self-appointed censors of this site. That is all.
Jun 16th, 2008 (6:45 am)57 omegaman66 — yes, you are right that lower range could mean the same number of batteries but more cars Even so I think Mr Posawatz was talking to battery companies primarily. The Posawatz threat, implied but not actually said, is “give us the right price on these batteries, guys, because we’ve got some design possibilities up our sleeve that will cut the use of your product in half, and maybe more.”
Although Mr Posawatz’s comments have been extremely divisive here in the VoltNation, I think we are merely “collateral damage” in a negotiation between experienced and heavyweight corporations, all with a lot at stake.
Jun 16th, 2008 (6:54 am)#73 Dan noted that “The reality is the Volt 40 is coming out….and once it does GM is going to have a major winner on their hands. IMO, future versions are going to have more range, not less.”
Well, not entirely. The 2010-2011 reality as best we can discern it is that the Volt40 is coming out as a high-priced low-volume car, apparently available in just a few places. [Apparently it will be about 800 cars a month (as compared to 5000 dealers nationwide), mostly headed for CA and DC, at about $50K each.] What happens after that is unknown.
Jun 16th, 2008 (7:00 am)That concept Volt sure was a pretty car! It’s reassuring to know the actual production Volt with a modified front, top, sides and rear will still have “roughly the same length and width”
Jun 16th, 2008 (7:16 am)If the concept desing is officially toast….which I knew was inevitable, concept designs hardly ever make it to production, most especially here in the good old USA.
If this great design is offically dead, I think you’ve got a quick edit to the page banner to make there Lyle.
Maybe replace the concept image with a white silhouette, surrounded by a black dashed line with the words….”Volt Image Goes Here”
I’m going to “pour one out” in rememberence (later of course)
Jun 16th, 2008 (7:54 am)The concept made we actually want a hybrid just because if they look that cool, awesome!
Just read where Honda is starting production of a hydrogen-electric hybrid to be sold in CA. It looks like a standard Honda small 4 door. Not that the car can filled up easily but the bar just got raised.
Jun 16th, 2008 (8:28 am)The Volt is a great looking car and I plan to buy one if the new one
looks as good . I have a Vette and it averages 22 mpg. I am keeping that and may buy the 2009 if its millage is as good as the one I own.The Volt will replace the Silverado which is wonderful but loves gas
and averages 14.8 mpg. If you make something that looks like the ugly
duckling Prius then you can keep it. Bill Perry
Jun 16th, 2008 (8:47 am)Terry K @ 72
Who are you , and what did you do with Terry K (g). Seriously, *that* post is one most of view as one of the Golden Rules in this forum. Reasoned debate is great, as is the totally endless stream of speculation and opinion. In large part, that’s pretty much all we CAN do, but namecalling is reserved for the playground (at Ford- evil grin). The ironic part here is that I totally agree with Thomb, who is known here as a consistently, reasoned voice. Just like Statik is a consistently reasoned negative view and I am the “unfair, unbalanced, Unmedicated” Volt Fanboy.
Be well,
Tag
Jun 16th, 2008 (9:02 am)For those that might be interested, it will be in Montreal next week:
http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/owners/chevrolet/motion/features/volt
So if this says the truth and that the next public showing will be the REAL Volt, well it will be in Montreal in about 10 days people!
I will be there with my Volt Nation T-Shirt for sure!
Jun 16th, 2008 (9:13 am)I hope GM is smart enough to auction the car off to a collector. Bid starting at $400 million. Proceeds to help offset the cost of the production Volt.
Jun 16th, 2008 (9:44 am)#82 Patrick — Thanks for the link. As the link refers specifically to the concept car, it is unclear what will really appear. Keep us posted.
Jun 16th, 2008 (10:52 am)#37 Rockyroad:
I have a Chrysler now, and it’s a piece of $h!+… 2000 Concorde LXi.
I want a Volt so I can get rid of this. (My window motors quit. Twice! I no longer get them repaired. The drivers window track cracked in half. The front rotors warped at 30,000. There are squeaks and rattles all over the dashboard. )
Go GM GO!!!
Jun 16th, 2008 (11:46 am)#12 Rashiid Amul:
Thank you for focusing us on what is important in the world. It occurred to me on Fathers Day that we had better get busy and do our best to change the course of our great country, and thus the world. If we do not, it will be our children and grandchildren who will pay the price for the sins of the fathers (aka us).
#13 Statik:
I guess that the old saw “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” holds true here. Frankly, I always thought that the prototype was a bit over the top, and clearly aerodynamically weak. I’m an engineer, with all that such implies, according to my wife and others. So you can take my comments for what they’re worth. But I think that the car can only benefit from extensive wind tunnel work, and that it will indeed be better looking in my eye.
I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I have a much more positive view of your comments than some others may. Or maybe they are just teasing. Anyway, I think that is good to remind ourselves, and GM, that they are indeed in an extremely perilous position. It reminds me of someone sliding toward the cliff with their fingernails leaving little tracks in the dirt.
If they don’t get some much more fuel efficient products to the marketplace, sooner rather than later, I can certainly picture them running out of cash and disappearing. I have said here before that the Volt is an existential issue for GM. I’m not kidding. So it’s sort of shorthand for your much more learned comments when I say:
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.
Plus, I’m not too worried about your kids either.
Jun 16th, 2008 (1:03 pm)I’m betting that they have largely just sanded off the front corners and dropped the plexiglass top. Since I like sleeker cars, anyway, I’m cool with that. Didn’t Lutz say at one point they were going to try to keep the drop wiindow look?
Also, I hope they keep the taillights. I like those outline lights. In my opinion the back end is more important than the front since that’s all people will be seeing of mine.
Jun 16th, 2008 (1:52 pm)I’m really amazed that with gas headed towards $5 a gallon that people are saying stuff like they will refuse to buy a Volt just because it doesn’t come out with grotesquely oversized wheels, a chop-top, and an overly long hood. If you want that kind of look, buy a Dodge Magnum and be happy to filler er up for $7+ a gallon when the Volt starts rolling off the assembly line.
Jun 16th, 2008 (3:51 pm)#72 Terry K
Here’s what you also said, “Ya gotta admit, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, the guy (Tony Posawitz) who castrated our beloved Volt 40, and turned it into a glorified golf cart.”
If you are going to speak your mind, I hope you find it fIrst. Out of all the adjectives I used (uninformed, divisive, shrill, irrational, blustery, diversionary, hysterial, outlandish, spreading misinformation, and “not smarter than that”), which one do you dispute?
Uninformed – Lyle had to follow up this post with one that corrects your misinformation (see “misinformed”)
Divisive – Let’s all gang up on Tony! Who’s with me?
I could go on…
My “name-calling” is my opinion. Since you encouraged (in your comment #44) people to
“Make your voice heard, state your views…,” you can’t possibly be advocating against me stating my opinion, could you? That would be inconsistent.
Dehumanizing Tony Posawatz and unjustifyably rallying a mob to go after him seems more childish than anything I did. At least I can use your statements to support my case. I still haven’t heard you justify your statements about a castrated Volt 40 and “evil” Tony. You seem to be avoiding those topics. This is a debate forum. People may challenge you. You defend challenges using logic and data, not by changing the subject. State your opinion and expect that somebody might debate you. I may disagree with a lot of people here. We may not end up flipping a person. That is ok – we can agree to disagree. As long people are reasonable, I don’t have a problem with them.
Jun 16th, 2008 (5:55 pm)GM better get busy. Has anyone seen the Phoenix SUT ? It’s available NOW. Uses Li-Ion battery, 130 mile range, can fully charge in 10 minutes, 95mph and cost $48K. And it looks awesome. See it at the link below:
http://tinyurl.com/46sklt
This is a very nice fully electric Sport Truck, made in Kalifornia, and on the road NOW.
Did I mention, that it is available NOW.
Jun 16th, 2008 (7:32 pm)Terry K, Thank you for the scenario from your #35 post. I love this forum because EVERYONE gets to speak their mind. These discussions help to hone the Volt in what I hope to be, the biggest mass produced electic car in history. We all fear an ugly Volt, not just because its looks could kill sales, but also it would solidify the public prejuidice that all environmentally friendly vehicles are weird looking(See Prius). I hope everyone continues to keep throwing out their opinions and info. This is not only informative, but sure beats prime time TV.
Jun 16th, 2008 (9:39 pm)91# john meschede – Thanks. Not eveyone appreciates my over-the-top sense of humor that sometimes sneaks in. I guess it comes from too much Howard Stern, my politically-incorrect hero. Yeah, I have Sirius – I had to, when Howard moved to Sirius.
You shouldn’t mention my name here, though – you might get called a doo-doo head, or (gasp) worse ! I’m divisive, you know. (grin)
Jun 16th, 2008 (10:53 pm)#92 Terry K
I laugh at Stern also. Peace.
Jun 16th, 2008 (11:39 pm)Its the looks, stupid.
Its the efficiency, stupid.
Its the range, stupid.
Its the looks.
Jun 17th, 2008 (10:40 am)Needs a “little” aero refinement.
Looks a “bit” too much like an old muscle car.
I think the Honda design team has a direction worth looking at.
Roofline needs to raise 2 inches.
I like the proportion of the wheels to the body.
Open the rear up for easy loading.
Open roof concept.
You could sell $$$$$$$$$$$$$ millions of these.
Jun 17th, 2008 (11:39 am)How about a WAGON option for families?
Jun 17th, 2008 (12:30 pm)96 Jeff……
Regarding wanting an E-Flex station wagon, as I’ve posted on another thread, GM has now released the Saturn 2 Mode hybrid VUE (a “tall” station wagon) for production this fall as a 2009 model. It should offer a greater improvement in overall mileage (vs the standard VUE) than a single mode hybrid (like Prius) because the first mode is optimized for city driving & the second mode for highway driving. The VUE has two 74HP electric motors (148HP total) and its gas engine is essentially the same 3.6L V6 used in the CTS Cadillac. So this hybrid should have TONS of hauling/pulling power, but its gas mileage is said to be comparable to that of a 4-cylinder Camry.
This new 2 Mode compact/crossover SUV is also the basis for GM’s other plug-in, the plug-in VUE, due out in the fall of 2010 along with the Volt and it is reportedly already in road testing. As a plug-in, GM will greatly increase the VUE’s Li-Ion battery size and optimize its control algorithms for maximum efficiency & EV-only range, city & hwy. They are promising an EV-only (AER) range of >10 miles.*
*How MUCH greater than 10 miles is unknown; however, as some here may know, I’m lobbying GM for a version with 35-40 miles AER comparable to that for the Volt
Jun 18th, 2008 (1:37 am)I think you guys are starting to take yourselves a bit too seriously…
When the Volt is finally released, is when we will make our decisions to buy it or skip it. Or if gasoline has gone up in price to $10.00/gal, we may just have to take what is released, whether or not it is what we really want………..
There are about a half dozen reasons that have become the “hot buttons”. Exterior style, interior style / size, performance, EV range, available options, and of course, pricing.
Until we have all the real information available, which may not be until just before the release of the Volt, arguing over unknown details is kind of silly, don’t you think?
I remember saying that “it will be a long 34 months”. Well, we are down to 29 months, and it seems to be even longer now, than it was then!
NOTE TO GM: It is time to release something real for us to talk about!!!! Since you seem to be unwilling to release pictures of the exterior, how about some pictures of the interior & dashboard layout? That could keep us going here for months!?!?!?!?!
Jun 18th, 2008 (6:56 am)GM sucks, this is just hot air. Toyota Rules!
Jun 21st, 2008 (9:48 am)In hopes the Volt will stay pretty much the same LOOKS ! ! And hope the price comes down to my level.
Aug 14th, 2008 (12:16 am)awaiting the return of the Volt
can it catch up with the Prius from 10 yrs ago
Aug 14th, 2008 (2:29 pm)I think there will be plenty of buyers if lives up to its mpg specs and is priced right . What’s more impotant, the begining of the end of the enery crisis or a pretty face?
Sep 13th, 2008 (7:57 am)GM would have been FAR better off to…
1. Reduce the electric range from 40 to 20 miles.
2. Reduce the price to 30,000.
3. Keep the concept body style.
Few will buy an expensive 40,000 dollar car that has no distinctive style. The concept is one of the most beautiful ever designed, and would have gone down in history as a Chevy classic!
Sep 16th, 2008 (1:50 pm)This is another example of American Executives not having the Kahunas to go with a winner. They dumbed it down to mailstream rather than setting a precetent. It would have been a top seller in America for GM, but they seem to be satisfied with thier “global share”. They don’t care about being top dog in the US. I have always had a GM product in my garage. Perhaps this will sway me to german or japanese. I really wanted a Volt. So did my wife, one of few things we agree upon. What happen to loyalty. It works both ways. I hate the “NEW” Volt. You would be hard presses to pick it out of a line-up of small economy cars today. General Motors screw up, America’s loss.
Sep 21st, 2008 (6:26 pm)I was ready to buy a new volt when it comes out because of its awsome looks. But after seeing the production model, no thanks, you really screwed up GM. It looks like any other 4 seat sedan on the road. You had a winner, but not now.
Sep 23rd, 2008 (6:29 pm)you did screw up. the new look is nothing like the concept. make a car for those of us (me) that want a car for the looks and still gets great milage. bring the concept back! if you bring it back by 2010, i’ll buy it.
Sep 29th, 2008 (1:32 pm)Yup, they did it again. GM is killing the cool concept car and replacing it with a hohummer. How did we get from the “sleek muscular” Volt concept to the Cobalt-with-a-battery Volt production version?!? Why does GM always do this? Is it some weird corporate death wish or something? Yes, looks do matter. It’s called “appeal”. And the new Volt production version ain’t got it. Talk about a buzzkill. Oh well, I’ve come to expect it from GM. Now, where did I put that Toyota brochure?
Sep 29th, 2008 (1:38 pm)BTW – if you want a cool electric car that gets 240+ miles per charge check out Tesla Motors Roadster (http://www.teslamotors.com/). Pricey, but very cool. Too bad a company with the resources to launch such a product without the need to pass on all R&D up front didn’t do it. Might have been able to price it like … ohhhhh, say, a Corvette.
Dec 19th, 2008 (10:07 pm)I love the idea of GM making such a cool car, but I think the Prius is much better looking than this concept car. And the sales of the prius are strong. I dont know why the square corner/ new caddy version look for gm. In my opinion, think rounded and smooth. I want to love GM and make my next car a gm hybrid or a volt, but I dont like these square lines.