Comments on: GM to Announce Initial Volt Markets at LA Auto Show

By: Les

Les — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:26:32 +0000

The volt will change the world but I think GM should bring it out in the spring. How can you introduce such a game changer in Nov. Spring is the time of the car and GM would get a much better impact in th spring.

By: Ray Adams

Ray Adams — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:06:09 +0000

I hope they will be available everywhere, sooner rather than later. This could be a turning point for GM. I hope they don’t blow it…. like the money they lost rebadging the Lumina instead of the Holden Commodore as the Impala… Dumping Pontiac, Opel and Saturn now instead of just SAAB and Isuzu five years ago… and finally with the delayed rollout of the Camaro. Think of all the market share they lost to the Mustang.
I am a performance type of guy, and I can’t wait to see what SEMA will have to hop up the Volt. Things I want to see from GM? How about a hi performance compact electric or plug in hybrid. Give me tire shredding torque from ZERO RPM, 0-60 MPH in under 6 seconds, top speed of 80 or more, plug in only range of 50+ miles in a hybrid, 200+ in an all electric. I’ll be very happy to hock the family jewels to buy one. Icing on the cake would be a retractable hard top, a killer sound system, and all wheel drive.
Do all this in your next generation Volt, and you might compete with the Vision diesel hybrid concept, giving BMW a run for its money.

By: JohnJ

JohnJ — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:59:14 +0000

firehawk72: These initial markets are really just a sham and a shame.This is supposed to be a no compromise car but then GM touts plug in readiness.Give me a break.I have been using electricity since I was born.Not very complicated.Cordless drills, toothbrushes, vacuums, laptops,…the list goes on and on.“Oh, but wait, you must be plug in ready before you would be able to handle the Volt. ”Truly ridiculous.Hawk

Initial markets is not about plug-in readiness. It’s about the cost to roll out a new technology to the dealer network. If Volts won’t be sold in, say, Nebraska then GM doesn’t have to train dealer service staff there. They also don’t have to build out the parts supply chain with Volt-specific parts (including a few very expensive battery packs) to areas the Volt isn’t being released in. This will defer millions of dollars in up-front roll-out costs until GM has sold some and started to get a return on their (substantial) investment. This is a business requirement, not a technology limitation.

As I’ve said before, if you think this is bad, look at Nissan. The Altima hybrid has been out since 2007 and _still_ isn’t sold nationwide. Consider that before you bash GM for taking a graduated approach to the Volt roll-out.

And for electricity being simple, if that was the case, we’d have a wide selection of EV/EREVs already for sale.

You seem to be a prime example of Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

By: Dale

Dale — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:53:52 +0000

GM distribution plans are too slow to capture a significant amount of market share.

The largest mistake is GM waiting for Electric ready cities – it is an EREV! That’s the advantage.

I predict I will be driving a different electric brand before GM has the Volt in my area and I will have saved 2 to 3 years of gas.

By: TAXPAYER

TAXPAYER — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:48:48 +0000

SEEMS, GM DESIGNERS KNOW TO COPY ELECTRIC PACIFIC RIM BUILT CARS AND TRUCKS, SOME SOLD FOR A DECADE ALREADY.
HMMMM, WONDERING HOW MANY DRIVE PARTS IN THE VOLT ARE AMERICAN.
YES, GOOGLE ” ELECTRIC CARS ” FOR FACTS.