With the Chevy Volt now available for purchase or lease, it makes sense to reach out to potential Volt women drivers. To date, however, GM has made little effort to reach out to us. In fact, out of the 15-member Volt Consumer Advisory Board, only one woman was chosen to participate. None of the new ads that GM has put out speak directly to women either. Since women buy 65% of all new cars and influence 95% of all car purchases, it is time to create a Volt story that resonates with what we want in an electric car.
So, what do women want in a plug-in car? As a researcher and spokesperson in the green car scene, I am often asked by my female associates for vehicle purchase recommendations. Before making any suggestions, I find out about their driving needs and desires. The women I speak to want style, comfort, and convenience. They want reliability, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology. They want a car that makes them stand out from the crowd. They want power when they need it and they want a nice sound system too. In short, they want exactly what the Chevy Volt offers.
Most women in my network are young, single professionals with successful careers. We make up the Gen X and Gen Y marketing segment with advanced degrees and moderate-to-high incomes (9,000,000 in the U.S.). I like to think of our subgroup as “Generation E.” We are the most Educated, Eco-conscious, and Enterprising group of young Americans to date. We are strong believers in the power of technology to address social and ecological problems. We are looking for a car that expresses our values and our desires. In short, we are Chevy Volt’s ideal target market.
So, what kind of Volt story would appeal to this market? It’s not a story of “more car than electric.” The advanced electric drivetrain of the Volt is the part we like the most! It’s not “Chevy runs deep.” Most of us don’t have a sense of “Americana” nostalgia for Chevy cars. The story that appeals most to us is one that portrays the Volt as smart, sexy, and fun.
If I were to craft this story, it would go something like this:
The Volt is Smart: This car is so smart that it runs on electricity instead of oil for most daily driving. It is so smart that it connects to our SmartPhones to let us know when it needs to be charged. It also lets us know when to benefit from the cheapest electricity from a smart grid. And, it has an MPG that kicks some serious Prius-bootie!
The Volt is Fun: This car offers an exhilarating drive experience, with excellent acceleration and great drive dynamics. Driving the Volt is interactive – you control how much charge you get from the battery based on your own driving style. Plus, the Volt comes with entertaining features, such as a new and improved energy-efficient Bose sound system, that enhance the driving experience.
The Volt is Sexy: The car itself is sleek, aerodynamic, and stealthy. It appeals to those that want stylish options in clean mobility. The Volt makes you look and feel good. And everyone will ask…. “Is that your Volt?”
Finally, on price, women are known to make intelligent investments with their money. The sticker price is a bargain for those of us who invest in technologies that offer long-term value. There is no other similar product like it on the market – the closest stylish, fuel-efficient sedan I can think of is the Lexus Hybrid HS (which has an impressive hybrid platform, but no plug). For us, the overall ROI on the Chevy Volt is worth it.
And let us not forget that when EV technology first emerged, women were the strongest proponents of plug-in cars. At the turn of the 20th century, it was urban, well-to-do women who preferred the clean, quiet, convenience of petroleum-free mobility.
These are just a few preliminary ideas on how to craft a stronger Volt story. I am sure that GM-Volt readers will have lots to say on this topic as well, especially for the women readers out there. If the Volt story is not communicated in a way that resonates with the “hearts and minds” of today’s women, its initial entry amongst our segment could be somewhat limited. By appealing to what we really want in an electric car, however, the Chevy Volt will have a lasting impact on a whole new generation of plug-in drivers.
Shannon Arvizu, Ph.D., loves driving clean, green machines. You can catch her test drives in cars of the future at MissElectric.com.
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:19 am)When we test drove the Prius, my wife hated the digital speedometer. That was a deal breaker.
I’ve asked many times on this forum if the Chevy Volt would have a configuration for an analog speedometer on the driver’s LCD screen. Everyone said it should be easy, no problem, and that GM will undoubtedly have this configuration setting.
But in the end, it isn’t there.
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:21 am)From the article:
Driving the Volt is interactive – you control how much charge you get from the battery
probably a typo, but why fix it? -Let your car give you a charge- like Cadillac’s right foot turn on.
+7
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:28 am)GM has done commercials aimed at women before. The Caddy CTS ones come to mind.
I think they are too early in their marketing cycle to target specific groups. The current Volt ads are more generic.
“When you turn on your car, does it return the favor?”
+14
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:29 am)After I drove a Volt in downtown DC Friday afternoon, I walked over to the Smithsonian’s transportation exhibit. The big reason that electric cars were preferred by women in the very early 1900s — or by those making decisions for women in that pre-enlightened era — was the lack of the heavy exertion needed to crank-start internal combustion engines. It’s disingenuous to imply that women, by virtue of their gender, had some unique intellectual insight that embraced electric vehicles a century before men did.
Overall, every automotive quality and virtue named in today’s post appeals to me and, I suspect, to most other men as well.
+10
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:38 am)Totally agree. The interface should be skinable.
+6
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:46 am)I agree with Shannon. Would like to see a lady in an ad mentioning the looks and ease to fuel by simply plugging in. Picking a color is the tough part.
=D-Volt
+8
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:54 am)Well said Shannon.
But….. I like the Volt for pretty much all of the same reasons you do……… and I’m a guy.
I also think that GM has to do a much better job with their Volt promotional efforts.
I understand the nostalgic angle, because I am old enough to remember…. and was part of the
generation that enjoyed the 1960′s and 1970′s muscle car craze. And I understand the whole
pulling on the heartstrings angle….my son came home from the hospital in a Chevy.
But you are quite correct about your generation…..younger folks are far more sophisticated
and “tech savvy”. GM has nothing to hide with the Volt….the tech is beyond world class!
now
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:09 am)“And let us not forget that when EV technology first emerged, women were the strongest proponents of plug-in cars. At the turn of the 20th century, it was urban, well-to-do women who preferred the clean, quiet, convenience of petroleum-free mobility.”
Anybody have some old ads from that era? How about recycling some of the vintage ads some with a little photo-shop and a red Volt?
I would pick up the phone and try and lease a Volt, however the better half can’t see it. I think I mean that literally but am not sure.
+6
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:10 am)Let me just say about the nostalgia thing–my family never had a Chevy as I grew up, just Ford products.
While I will never forget the jingle “See the USA…,” our cross country trips(pretty much before Interstate Highways were completed) still gave me the opportunity to See the USA.
While I am of the older generation, I can see the iPod, iPhone, Droid, etc. appeal to Gen X/Y and I’m not sure Volt or Leaf is really getting it.
Women love iPhones, possibly more than guys do based on my daughter and her best friend’s reaction to their(age 15), and I think that kind of marketing needs more emphasis than “More Car than Electric.”
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:36 am)My favorite was a 66 Chevy in the clouds with
“Jet Smoother for 66″
That billboard was a fixture for 15years. I have no idea if that would appeal women. However my wife is not a fan of technology or vehicular dynamics. For her it comes down to style and price.
-26
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:45 am)(click to show comment)
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:49 am)Red,
Totally agree that with many, style is crucial. I see that with my daughters.
But as Apple has discovered, blending style with ‘cool tech’ is a super winning proposition.
The Volt may not be as exciting as the prototype unveiled nearly 4 years ago, but the style on the inside seems to be pretty much a winner.
As for price, well let’s just say as long as their parents indulge them, price doesn’t seem to be a big issue for my daughters. How I wish it were!!!!!
+12
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:53 am)If there is one thing that we need here at gm-volt.com, it’s people who shed (first-hand) light on the female perspective! Although there may be a thousand “lurkers” here, we have very few (read lauraM) contributors. Thanks so much for your insight and the fine article. I sincerely hope that you become a “regular” here! We’re a seriously “skewed” population, that is sorely in need of adjustment (on so many levels)(g).
I do have to admit that while reading your article I found myself saying (over and over), “Just like men“. I recognize that the marketing may well differ, but the Volt truly does have something for everyone! I’m extremely confident that if we can get *human* butts in the seats for test drives, the vehicle will sell itself!
Again, THANKS, and a please consider commenting regularly!
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:58 am)Great Topic Shannon, I enjoy your enthusiasm! As a single guy, my concern for the lady passenger is how easy it is to enter and exit the vehicle. Is the A/C and heat a split system to allow individual settings? Is there a lighted mirror in the visor? For the parents, do the seat belts attach and release easily? Are there heated seats? The Volt has many (but not all) of the above features.
One more thing, paint color. The Disney movie, “The Happiest Millionaire” has a great line when discussing the features of cars. The lady wants it in “any color you want.” (The movie also has a reference to an electric car.) It would be nice for everyone if we could choose from a wider variety of color combinations. If Tesla can have a wide variety of paint colors to choose from, so should GM.
Thank you for helping us remember to roll out the red carpet for the ladies and encourage their input for marketing and design of the Chevy Volt.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:59 am)I would like a lower price!
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:01 am)Dave G,
Wouldn’t buy the Prius because of the Digital Speedometer, sigh, really. Sometimes I don’t know how anyone ever sells anything to people like that. Isn’t any car going to have some small “I’d rather this than that” type of issue.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:03 am)i’m sure that shannon is offering her personal opinions, but that personal opinions sound no different from those of (apparently) guys who post to this forum. my second comment is: while we can surmise that shannon has not personally been involved in providing consumer input, how does she know that women haven’t been involved in marketing focus groups? given the way that the automobile industry typically operates, i find it hard to believe that the *only* customer input is coming from the consumer advisory board; they typically do extensive focus group testing, often on everything including potential vehicle names. if you look at videos from some of the “green groups” and “early adapters” that were contacted during volt development, you will notice that there were women involved in many of those groups, which came as no surprise to me. so i take today’s posting as a statement of personal opinion, but i wonder how sound the premise of the article is, since (as far as i can tell) the sole premise is that there is only 1 woman on the volt consumer advisory board.
as to the messages communicated about the volt, i think it is just too early to judge because we have only 1 commercial so far. you really have to see more of the advertising campaign before you can determine how effective it is or isn’t. “more car than electric” doesn’t do much for me as a slogan but i understand, and agree with, what they are trying to do. they are trying to market the volt to the general public – a public that doesn’t want something odd that comes loaded with all measure of uncertainty – they want something familiar. the slogan doesn’t hit with me, but i am going to suspend judgment to see how the advertising campaign develops.
i think that the volt is well designed, both interior and exterior and seems to be a well conceived car overall; but one thing i would say is that i would think that MPG is the last attribute that they would want to emphasize. the volt has a lot of positive features that distinguish it in the hybrid/electric/alternative segment, but one of the downsides is that when you do have to run the ICE, the MPG is not particularly impressive when compared with other vehicles in the segment; and the ICE produces CO levels that are considerably higher when compared to other cars in the segment. automobile development is about trade offs and no car does everything better than any other car.
as to the “chevy runs deep” slogan, that doesn’t do a whole lot for me either, but that’s not a matter of gender – that’s a matter of age. shannon’s reaction tells me that she is not a baby boomer. cars are not marketed scatter shoot, to the public at large; they are marketed to specific segments (often multiple segments, but you craft a different message to each segment). the “chevy runs deep” theme is directed toward middle aged/baby boomers. i think that is their current target segment right now. that’s not to say that it will never expand, but gm has a big enough task in formulating a message on the volt as it is, so focusing on a specific, and typically higher disposable income segment, makes a lot of sense for a volt introductory marketing strategy.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:05 am)Excellent article! You’ve convinced me that GM has failed to target your demographic and offered viable pitches to this market segment.
As for you and your educated and affluent friends, please provide pics, names and numbers.
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:06 am)When do I get my VOLT?
At the moment it is the best I can do.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:08 am)Well said Shannon,
GM really does need to concentrate more on re-orienting their adds. So far their catchy little phrases like “more car than electric”, and especially “it Goes far, really far” totally miss the mark. Women definitely are more eco conscious than men. Ever noticed how many women are behind the wheel of a Prius?? I higher percentage than 50% I would say. I would also say that women hate getting gas way more than men (except me, I hate it). They (and I) can’t stand having to put that dirty gas pump thing in their hand.
So–wake up GM. Why are you ignoring a target audience that will comprise more than 50% of your sales.
Here’s another observation I make about the women in our society. THEY HAVE JOBS. They like to work. They are productive…..and therefore they have a prime incredient required to buy a Volt—–MONEY.
What’s your PhD in??
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:13 am)My wife said the same thing about the slogans. Question: Do you prefer the current Hatchback Volt, or would you prefer the Volt MPV5… If price were the same?
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:14 am)The more this technology gets nailed down, the more I think the psychologists need to step in an finish the job. Looking at the offerings like the Prius, the LEAF, and the VOLT, I think there are some amazing green vehicles to drive, but can we get people to drive them.
I am continually amazed by people who actually think 20 mpg is an efficient vehicle. Seriously. Also there is a large and growing crowd of people that will not buy without 4-wheel drive, great 0-60, towing capable, leather interior, rear wheel drive, etc. People seem to be much fussier about their cars than their homes, clothes, or food.
Later
John C. Briggs
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:22 am)I dont have an iPhone. I dont have an iPod. I dont have an iPad. But I do have iGlasses…three pairs in fact. One solar pair. So does that make me iLiterate after all?
By the way what happened to bumpers on new cars? I think there was something like a 5 mph crash law for bumpers. What happened to that?
+6
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:27 am)Hi #8 Red HHR,
Found this..
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:28 am)Oh… And may I use some of your quotes on our dealership website?!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:47 am)Excellent article, Shannon, I agree with others, your input here more often would be appreciated.
Good point. I think electric is a natural for 4-wheel drive as it is relatively easy to install two motors, one for front wheels and the other for the rear. Separate motors provide better traction control, and optimized re-gen braking. Two motors would give more power for towing, and scaling up motors for more power is easy too.
Join thE REVolution!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:55 am)ECO_Turbo,
Attractive, Artistic, Impressive & Suburb
Words from the ad of over 100 years ago that are descriptive of the Volt today. Everything old is new again!
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:56 am)For those who may not have seen this Cadillac ad…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkEw1rsBUak
Makes me want to get another mortgage on my house to buy a CTS-V
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:57 am)Eco(#24),
Does it have side airbags?
And is it analog display or digital?
LOL
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:01 am)I’m pretty sure Ms. Arvizu knew that when posting on a site for car geeks, let alone EV geeks, the reference to the early 20th century woman’s preference for electronic cars (or at least ignitions) would be taken without undo profundity.
It’s still early in the game folks! Right now, a small number of Volts is being sold at a premium price to the type of people who ignore the “first model year” risk and will pay to be the first on the block. The target is, to quote Martin Mull, “men men men men …” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4YSWGSKbYE (BTW, best album EVAR!)
In the bar trade, I believe they call this marketing phenomena a “sausage fest”. I don’t know the gender breakdown among the posters here, but I strongly suspect corroboration.
Once the real marketing starts, then the ad-sters can address Dr Freud’s question of “what women want”. By that time, it should be established that in addition to whatever the appeal the Cruze holds, the Voltec offers a very powerful, low maintenance, and reliable drive train. There’s also those inter-generational advantages of clean air and not getting the kids shot in a war for fuel.
+8
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:02 am)Thought for the Day:
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:05 am)#29 bt said:
Does it have side airbags?
Probably depended on who was riding with you.
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:11 am)You’re hired!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:14 am)It’s not a story of “more car than electric.” The advanced electric drivetrain of the Volt is the part we like the most!
Ya think? Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! How GM seemingly missed the rather obvious fact that, when the most important feature of an electric car is the electric part, deemphasizing the electric part makes no sense whatsoever, has eluded many of us.
As a side note, in discussions I’ve noticed that women initially express “range anxiety” far more frequently than men, suggesting that the Volt would be more attractive to them than say, the Nissan Leaf.
Anyway, thanks for the piece. Maybe if GM hears the obvious enough the obvious will sink in.
+6
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:15 am)That being said, remember that marketing to women is asymmetrical: women will buy a “man’s car” but men will NOT buy a “women’s car.”
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:19 am)let me say that language like “disingenuous” is loaded with suggestions of an intent to mislead and you have no basis for supposing that shannon had any intent to mislead. electric vehicles were apparently marketed to women 100 years ago: it’s easy to see that a certain degree of “manliness” could attach to the act of cranking up a car and so it is easy to see that the electric vehicle could be viewed as more “feminine” in comparison. of course things were a lot different 100 years ago and the ultimate buyer of the car was undoubtedly a man, so marketing cars to women was like the way that they market toys to kids: kids don’t actually buy toys, but they bug their parents to buy the toys for them. fortunately, a lot of things have changed in the past 100 years…
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:20 am)Excellent write up!
My favorite thought is…
“Finally, on price, women are known to make intelligent investments with their money. The sticker price is a bargain for those of us who invest in technologies that offer long-term value. There is no other similar product like it on the market – the closest stylish, fuel-efficient sedan I can think of is the Lexus Hybrid HS (which has an impressive hybrid platform, but no plug). For us, the overall ROI on the Chevy Volt is worth it.”
That comparison is right on the money!!
I’m bringing my 21 year old daughter to the NY ride.
She uses my Civic for daily commuting and her mother’s Tahoe in the crappy weather. She knows my enthusiasm for the Volt but is not nearly as curious as I am for what the impact of electrics on transportation will be.
I’m kind of keeping her blind to all of the significant pieces of the Volt to ask her to give me an honest opinion of the car.
This thread will be long buried by then, but I’ll post her opinion somewhere anyway.
GM advertising seems to be trying to answer questions that it is assuming we are asking. Like:
GM just got out of bankruptcy, how do we know it has changed and will build cars that we want and can stay in business? The “runs deep” campaign says that Chevy will be there because it always has been there.
And…
I want to buy an electric car and the Leaf goes more than far enough for my daily ride, how far can the Volt go before I get nervous?
The Volt goes far, really far.
And Buick?
The old demographic doesn’t fit much anymore. What can Buick offer that’s relevant in the $30k price range?
How about a mid-sized, turbocharged, manual transmissioned, German engineered sedan!
What about women?
The G-6 is gone, what can women shop for to replace it?
Um…uh…we’re working on that.
I have to say it again, you’re write up is excellent. With the Volt, GM seems to have taken any gender bias out of the vehicle and created an engineering masterpiece. It will sell if it is built well. Does it need to have a gender bias above common sense tinkering?
Build smart cars that last and everyone will take notice, nevermind women. The women in my life invest more than buy when it comes to Volt kind of money.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:22 am)Yes, whatever you say dear.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:23 am)What he said!
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:25 am)My daughter who is a ECE MS MBA (Computer engineer for IBM) will be driving the VOLT this coming saturday in NJ. We both drove the EV1 in LA in 1999. She is definatily part of the Enterprising group of young Americans who is interested in the VOLT.
+5
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:27 am)Shannon, you are absolutely right.
My wife’s influence on our big money purchases is very strong.
She just looks at the price tag of the Volt and says “Hell no”.
I commercial aimed at women (or at least not excluding women) would be a great idea.
But if I can’t convince her, I doubt a TV commercial will.
Thank you for a great article.
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:30 am)She nailed it. Absolutely. Bang!
Several directions to follow from her blog post…..
Comparison test – Volt vs. Lexus HS.
Styling mods – “the car itself is sleek, sexy, aerodynamic and stealthy.” These word of hers begs for a Volt with ‘aftermarket’ styling mods – delete/smooth out some of the chrome; body color/blackout wheels; clear taillight lenses; etc.
Target marketing – she defined it, now go after it. Craft a message specific to this group, post it in the media they hang out in.
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:39 am)It seems that GM’s marketing campaign has missed the mark so far. Apparently they don’t understand their target market very well in trying to portray the Volt as a regular car instead of extolling it’s virtues and uniqueness.
As for the digital gauges, I love them. The automotive magazine writers of the 80s killed them with all of their negative reviews. But I’m happy to see them making a comeback of late. It would be easy to make them appear analog for those that want an analog gauge, but I’m one of those rare people that find a digital speedometer easier to read and understand.
I also find it interesting that I am part of only 5% of men that are able to buy a car without the influence of a woman. I guess that’s why you can’t hardly find a car with a V8 with a manual transmission anymore.
+13
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:47 am)OT: Shannon, I LOVE your outstanding report on the Volt, but there’ll be a contract out on me if I don’t post yesterday’s experience driving a Volt at the Walt Disney World Speedway right away…
My grandson Blake & I drove the 2011 Volt on 10/30/10 on a huge paved area of the Walt Disney World Speedway infield. GM had promised me they had reserved two lanes on the 130mph speedway track itself, but that must have gotten nixed by their insurance company (who won’t even let you ride in a Volt unless you’re 18 or drive one unless you’re 21. “That’s crazy”, I said to the GM people yesterday, because an 18yr old is allowed to drive a nascar-type car at 130mph around the heavily-banked track! Anyway, I was really miffed at GM for going back on their promise, so I told the GM people at the speedway that I was gonna “JOLT THEIR VOLT” (reach the highest speed possible around the infield paved area in a flat-out sport mode acceleration test. And they said, “no problem” —probably ’cause they were now “over a barrel” about the speedway track issue. So OK, we first checked out the new Bose class D (digital) sound system with my phone’s mp3 player connected via its USB cable. PERFECT! The Volt’s center screen read my mp3′s tracks, let me fully control its playback (my player was safely hidden away in the “cubby” beneath the center arm rest where both 12v PWR & USB jacks also reside). The Bose system’s 6 speakers + subwoofer were sufficient to produce bass-midrange-treble that was the best by far I’ve ever heard in any car. The undistorted highest volumes literally shook the car (and hurt my ears)!
We then took several laps around the infield in our gorgeous white Tri-coat car. Sure enough, there were no orange cones (they were yellow)! I’ve only uploaded 3 minutes of the HD video we got: When we demoed the Volt’s maximum acceleration in sport mode (approx 3.0 sec) 0-35mph —I SLAMMED the “go pedal” to the floor as you can see/hear in the video. I then had to instantly “panic stop” so fast that even though my grandson/videographer had his seatbelt on in the back seat, the extremely hard stop almost threw his camera over the front armrest (at about 1m57s into the 3min video) and it wore any “new” shine off the brake discs for sure!
Off camera, we discussed many other Volt features regarding the EVT and the battery with our very knowledgeable host, GM Engineer/passenger Rob Parrish. After we’d depleted the battery the Volt’s gas-powered electric generator turned on automatically, and I was ready to pull onto the speedway and drive around it at ~100mph (the track is good for 131mph) for a few more hours. I HATE GM’s insurance company! BTW, when the Volt switched to ER/CS mode we could only hear a barely-audible low-pitched “hum” even with the car stopped. With the radio on, music playing or out on the highway it would be completely inaudible. As I said to several people waiting their turn to drive, “after driving everything from motorcycles to motorhomes, the Volt is BY FAR the quietest, most responsive, best handling, most incredible vehicle I’ve ever driven!!!”
The 3min HD video, with a 0-35mph flat-out run in sport mode followed by a near-panic stop that almost threw the camera into the front, is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmeEB4BL6Y
PS: Although the car is absolutely silent, the “clicking” sound you hear is the video camera’s wrist strap hitting the camera mount; you’ll also hear NASCAR race cars rounding turn 2 at up to 130mph on the WDW Speedway. Man, I wanted to take the Volt onto that banked track!
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:54 am)M y dad was the most successful Cadillac salesman in the U.S.A. at one time in history – several decades ago. At that time, a good deal of his customers were women. He used to tell me how he’d sell to women, and generally, it was appealing to their sensibilities re: Their image, their fashion sense and their self-esteem. He’d tell me how when a woman was a redhead, he’d pitch her how the certain green set off her hair color, etc.!
Now a lot has changed in forty years, —- and —- a lot has stayed the same. Women will still be very acutely interested in what the car “says” about her…. ( to others ).
Men young and old( esp. us mid-life crisis guys) often seek cars that are muscular, loud, sexy and powerful because either they deeply want to attract women – or prove to other males ” they got it – or still have it, and never lost it ” , lol.
In that respect, Volt isn’t a power car, a performance car or a muscle car – it’s not really even a status car….So yes, I would say women, indeed, would be a key target market for Volt since – it is fact women are smarter than men , and no, my wife is not standing over my shoulder!
Historically women make emotional decisions and men have been profiled as the one who makes the logical, practical one. This isn’t true, actually and many times one big argument for marraige is that we need both sides to come to a winning consensus. The other person often sees the deficits/attributes we miss.
Women, IMO, are more likely to make a Volt buying decision based upon it’s attributes, not how powerful or fast it goes 0-60. If it’s peppy,that’s enough for them. Women don’t imagine themselves drag racing a Viper or Vette and blowing it’s doors off! Men are famous for buying a car that can exceed local speed llimits X 4 but know if they used it that way, they’d be in prison for life….it makes no sense.
All said, many of us all do buy a car for how others see us, or how we believe others percieve us in it….???…. And the Volt does have a sexy, smart, classy and gives instant uber green cred at time of purchase.
PUMP OUT THE VOLTS! ( in all 50 states ),
James
-15
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:05 am)(click to show comment)
+11
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:20 am)I’m not worried —I’ve had the screen name “nasaman” for over 20 years and my IROC Z28 had California plate “nasacar” (my Florida Vue now has “nasacar”). I also had a car years ago in Princeton, New Jersey with the plate “nasacar” My other car’s Florida plate is “nasaman” & my motorcycle plate is “nasaguy”. I drive & park all over the Kennedy space center. Like many other government entities, “nasa” is public domain — that’s how California, New Jersey & Florida could issue those plates.
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:21 am)“Women buy 65% of all new cars and influence 95% of all car purchases”
How true this is.
Dear Women of the world,
If you want things to change, all you need to do reject gas guzzlers as not cool and not sexy. If young men wish to date you they must learn to respect not only you but the environment. If they drive EVs they are not geeks and dorks but wise and sexy, caring for our environment and country’s security like a father cares for his children.
Yes, ladies, you do have this power, only you don’t realize it. If we though wearing a bunny suit and fluffy ears would get us hot dates, Hugo Boss would sell such a suit.
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:23 am)Ditto on ALL points, including names/numbers, haha.
join thE REVolution
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:24 am)“Finally, on price, women are known to make intelligent investments with their money. The sticker price is a bargain for those of us who invest in technologies that offer long-term value.”
This really is the sticking point with Volt. GM should ephasize the lease price of $350.
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:33 am)there is a reason why guys go for flashy cars; because it tends to attract more women. it’s basically the human version of the “display” behavior that you see in just about all species. mate selection is fundamentally driven by instinct and not intellect; so it’s not an easy matter to just say to women “change your instincts” as you are suggesting.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:57 am)I would like to weigh in on this as someone with formal training and experience in marketing and Psychological Operations. I can tell you plainly that even for the most insignificant of products we created, we still had to follow the same process of identifying a specific target audience and tailoring the message to them. The outcome is always the same, to get the target audience to exhibit the behavior you want them to. In this case, it would be to buy a Volt with a secondary aim of getting people interested in the Chevy brand (for example, buy Coke, not Pepsi).
One of the failings of the early electrics was that they were overly tailored and marketed to women. We choose our clothing (within certain societal norms) in order to make a statement about who we are. The professional, the soccer mom, the athlete, the student, the hard worker, the American dude. We also think of a car as an extension of who we are and it is selected (within a certain budget) far more carefully. A car made and marketed for women is the automotive equivalent of a dress. Show me the average American man who would be willing to wear a dress out in public. It may sell well to women, but much less so to men. The best idea is to see where the interests overlap and build on that.
I would imagine that the spots we have seen so far are meant to get your attention and identify the campaign with the brand in general and the Volt in particular. Later spots will probably focus on the details of the car itself and how the consumer interacts and bonds with the product. I would imagine that woman will play prominently in the advertisements as that appeals to both men and women and given the nature of the Volt and what we have seen so far I would also say that “Freedom” (freedom to drive, freedom from foreign oil), “driving distance” (lack of range anxiety) and “American” (they really played this one up) are going to be the key themes.
+5
Oct 31st, 2010 (11:57 am)GM has their marching orders.
Make electric cars flashier and faster than ICE cars and you won’t be able to make enough of them. They’re off to a good start. IMO
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:07 pm)I wonder who is giving me the -1s for my post. Is it the meatheads who buy cars for the muscle image, or women objecting to the fact they can, at times, purchase a car in the same way they buy clothes?
PUMP OUT THE VOLTS! ( in all 50 states ),
James
~ hears Jack Nicholson shouting – ” You can’t handle the truth! “…LOL
98% of GM Volt readers are males – so I think I’ve just answered my question. : )
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:09 pm)Reminder: This is only “Round 1″ on the tv ads. Next comes feedback. (I’m sure they are reading these posts…) Then “Round 2″ which I am sure will be a) More educational as to WHY the Volt is different from a regular hybrid car, and b) more focused on all of the points Shannon made today.
With luck, they will have new ads ready for launch in 30 days.
-4
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:10 pm)I’ve seldom heard more blantently sexist nonsense. Does this girlie really believe that woman
have intrinsically different demands from an auto than men? The women I know look for the same things in a car that I do.
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:12 pm)Found another one.
This says Lincoln to New York in a 100 mile electric…
+5
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:15 pm)It’s a double edge sword to try and market a car to any particular gender. If the car is quickly adopted by females many men might feel intimidated buying one. My son for instance has a list of cars he would never consider buying as he puts it, “they’re chick-mobiles”. I don’t agree with him but a lot of his friends do. Even my daughter agrees with her brother that some cars are more masculine than others. She would rather see her boy friend drive her around in a Camaro instead of a Prius.
Currently both are looking to get a Volt, so for the moment they see the car as a gender neutral.
I hope it stays that way.
NPNS!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:17 pm)If history is any indication, women will be a receptive target market for EV automakers.
It is well known that around the turn of the century, when electric, hybrid, steam, & ICE cars co-existed on the roads, that women drivers tended to prefer driving electric cars (in contrast to their male counterparts who preferred ICE or steam-driven vehicles). Women were attracted to the quietness of the electric motor aa well as the vehicle’s reliability and low maintenance needs.
For example, a number of the wives of early Detroit auto executives, including Henry Ford’s wife, Clara, tended to prefer driving electric cars. Clara preferred driving her electric cars over her husband’s own Model T.
Jay Leno upon becoming acquainted with the Volt remarked that the challenge may be for GM and other automakers to convince male drivers that it’s “macho” to drive an electric car and not effeminate.
One thing which hasn’t been mentioned much is the extent to which young people will buy the Volt simply because they want to own the latest and best technology regardless of price.
It’ll get interesting after Nov. 30th…Sincerely
George, Sudbury, Canada…go Volt!!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:28 pm)I was impressed by the long lines at the Volt Unplugged event in Orlando yesterday —I’d estimate at least 50 people came, probably at least twice the number at Pier 92 in NYC in March (remember, NYC and surrounds are probably over 15 million, whereas greater Orlando is only about 10% of that). Notably, at least 1/3 of them in Orlando yesterday were women.
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:33 pm)ROTFLMAO! I watched it 4 times, and laughed every time! The GM fellow’s expression when you hit those brakes is PRICELESS. If you haven’t watched it with a close eye on his face, you absolutely need to do that. He goes *way* past micro-expressions, into a full-blown “I think I crapped myself” look (lol). He took almost 2 seconds to recover (your apology helped).
The Volt smile is apparently easily transmissible by video, because the smooth, *silent* ride comes shouting through.
I’ll be getting my next drive a week from today!
Thanks, nm. You made my day!
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
/I’m beginning to think that we need to get out more….
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:38 pm)I didn’t give you a -1 for this post, but after reading it and seeing you claim ‘it is a fact that women are smarter than men’ I wish I could give you a -1billionty.
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:41 pm)Oh, if I could only have a dollar for every test drive I’ve ridden on like that…
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (12:47 pm)Really glad you enjoyed it, Tag! Yeah, there might be a “skid mark” on my grandson’s BVD’s too!
Curiously, the VERY LOUD tire screeching for the last 30 ft or so must have overloaded the stereo mikes in our video camera; but it sure added to the “shock & awe” of that 0-35mph run and the panic stop at the end! (I wouldn’t bet against at least a couple other pairs of britches getting a little uhhh “soiled”)!
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (1:00 pm)PS to my post #64: On a positive note, the Volt slid to a straight-line stop (brakes locked, so ABS must have been bypassed) —GM’s Valerie Boatman (Volt’s talented Volt braking/stability engineer) would have been proud — not of me, but of the Volt’s incredible brakes that stop at least 20ft shorter than most per Motor Trend’s tests!
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (1:38 pm)“I like to think of our subgroup as “Generation E.” We are the most Educated, Eco-conscious, and Enterprising group of young Americans to date.”
Sounds to me like another “E” you could add is “egotistical.”
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (1:59 pm)Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Oct 31st, 2010 (2:29 pm)Interesting that when you go to the Chevrolet site and the volts comparison that the default comparison is to: 2011 Lexus GS
http://www.chevrolet.com/volt/competitive-comparison/
Oct 31st, 2010 (2:30 pm)Anyone know where you can find a very detailed Volt review similar to this Leaf review?
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35656
I’m in the market for an EV but have not seen a Volt review that details how efficiently the Volt uses electricity for propulsion.
Thanks in advance
Oct 31st, 2010 (2:41 pm)And more specifically the:
2011 Lexus GS 450h 4dr Sdn Hybrid
- MSRP2: $57,950
- Competitively Equipped: $58,825
2011 Chevrolet Volt
- MSRP1: $40,280
- Competitively Equipped: $41,000
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:19 pm)It looked more to me like he was thinking that the space agency you represent was not of this world. That stunned look is usually the screen saver for a “fight or flight” algorithm running beneath.
Good one!
+7
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:29 pm)I think this one was aimed at women.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:36 pm)I’m back from DC. I went to the Volt Unplugged tour before goint to the Rally to Restore Sanity. There was no line for test drives, so I got right in the driver’s seat. Awesome ride. The #1 thing I liked was the quietness. I also really liked putting the Volt in “L” mode. It slowed down more than I thought it would when you let off the brakes.
The GM engineers & other guys & gals there couldn’t answer my two questions. (1) Cost of the 120 charging cord (2) Ipod controls on the steering wheel. I had my Ipod with me, but no cable, otherwise I would have just plugged mine in. They did say the song track would be listed on the touchscreen.
One of the engineers told me that they have a lot of improvements for Gen 2. I didn’t ask what those changes were or when we would see them as I didn’t want to hear “Stay tuned”.
Oh, I got free cookies and a Volt t-shirt too
+5
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:36 pm)I look for power. My wife looks for functionality.
I look for coolness. My wife looks for price.
I look for an awesome stereo. My wife looks for quiet.
Think all you want. Men and women are different.
It is not sexism. They are just better than us.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:40 pm)Thanks for the review. And taking the extra effort to deliver a cool video. Hope to see more clips from the remaining few Volt Tour demo days.
=D-Volt
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:52 pm)Thank God!
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:53 pm)The videos are quit good. Have you seen all of them.
Chevy Volt Battery Deep Dive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9VvHsIlVj8
Chevy Volt Powertrain Deep Dive | Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an-VyIau-FM
Chevy Volt Powertrain Deep Dive | Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=343-NQKOvLg
Chevy Volt Powertrain Deep Dive | Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWSK8BR6LT8
2011 Chevrolet Volt, Powertrain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-9atMw6Zs
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:56 pm)Which T-shirt were they giving out? The first ones were white and the last ones I saw were black with gold lettering.
Finally exceeded my weight loss goal, so maybe I’ll take a cookie for the ride home (g).
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Oct 31st, 2010 (3:57 pm)Hmm….I wonder for those that want to buy (vs lease) the VOLT if they will offer software upgrades for the GEN 1 that would be in the GEN 2 ?!?!
+4
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:07 pm)“Smart, sexy and fun.” Wonderful tag line.
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:12 pm)“It’s more car than electric.”
The ads will try to capture the idea that the Volt can be used as a family vehicle because it offers the green benefits of battery-only power for most driving and a gasoline engine that extends its driving range to about 350 miles on a full tank, DiSalle said.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com
-24
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:14 pm)(click to show comment)
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:16 pm)nasaman,
How long did you get to drive for?
join thE REVolution
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:26 pm)Well, with your last two statements, my wife and I would be reversed. (She can’t understand why I like to drive in silence and I often get in the car to find my ear drums blown out with the turn of the ignition key). She is the one who thinks $300 is justifiable for Bose headphones and I think they are good, but not enough to justify the price.
Trying to bracket people into rigid demographics has its problems. I guess I would be one to speak up for gender-neutral marketing for the Volt. As others have pointed out, men will not purchase something they view as feminine. GM only stands to lose market if they bias this vehicle in a particular direction.
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:46 pm)Related to the topic of women and GM Volt fostreing interest.
Here the Chevrolet Volt was stated as sponsoring the Professional Women of California.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVUZRYnSLn8
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:55 pm)I got the impression he was referring to hardware changes.
Oct 31st, 2010 (4:59 pm)They had off-white ones, and black ones (size XL only). I got a black one that has “Chevrolet” in gray, vertically on the right, and has “Volt” in gold in the middle. There is also a sketch of the car itself. Not bad for free swag. I got some pics & videos. I may post them.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (5:41 pm)It occurred to me that neither Ford nor GM market the Mustang and Camaro to women, but half or more of their buyers are women. Since the designer of the Camaro also designed the Volt, there is a good chance that the Volt design will also appeal to both men and women.
-21
Oct 31st, 2010 (6:26 pm)(click to show comment)
Oct 31st, 2010 (6:58 pm)There were two of us with registrations, but my grandson is 18 so they wouldn’t let him drive. And because GM in Detroit had told me our drive would be on the speedway track, then backed out of that promise, the local GM people cut us quite a bit of slack —hence my “jolt the Volt” flat-out run & panic stop and 4 times around the infield instead of the normal 1 or 2. We lucked out —and us ‘Floridar Krackers’ made sum “great leminade outta them Floridar lemins! ;o)
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:08 pm)In Fla the T’s came in 2 colors (black & bright green) & 2 sizes (L & XL), pretty nice actually & lettered like kdawg describes.
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:37 pm)Yup, I saw just about 34mph when you hit the brakes, and 20mph when the camera recovered. Nowhere near the threshold required to cause my wife to exclaim “Do not hurt me!” I typically calmly reply, “No Dear, I am not going to hurt you”. Any way I think it would be fun to test out the stability control. Too bad about no speedway testing. Last time I was pulled over the cop told me to keep it under 100 (mph, I was not in Europe).
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:37 pm)So they didn’t let you do any “real-world” driving? Other than your fast sprint, what was the typical MPH around the track? I’m trying to set some expectations for my NYC drive coming up on Saturday.
join thE REVolution
Oct 31st, 2010 (7:57 pm)i read shannon’s comments much differently than you did. to me, it looked like a pretty good demographic description for marketing purposes. marketing people think in attributes: if you were a marketing person, i suspect that you would describe shannon’s demographic the way that shannon described her group.
+3
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:04 pm)http://garfwod.250free.com/Lyle%20Dennis%20Volt%20Nation%201.mp3
+2
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:10 pm)Sorry, I missed this until now. First, the 120V charging cord is included free with the Volt & “lives” in a shallow hinged compartment under the hatch, easily fetched. Second, as I mentioned in my post #44, your Ipod (or mp3 player) can plug into both 12v power & USB and stay safely in the cubby under
-neath the center armrest. You can then control it easily from the Volt’s center touch screen, which I did. (I did not try the steering wheel controls, but can’t see why they wouldn’t also work OK). This is my 2nd Volt test drive & I can assure you it’s extremely well thought out— you’ll be pleased if not surprised!
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:20 pm)One GM person in Orlando said the NYC drives would again be at Pier 92 (almost straight west of Times Square on the water’s edge). If that’s true and if they place the cones on the Pier’s parking lot as in March, your best bet for a fast run will be immediately after you make your first sharp left turn up to the top level straight-away. Your GM host should let you try sport mode there while accelerating aggressively. After that straight-away, you’ll have a few tight turns & be driving only 5-25 mph back to the start. You can’t do too much “real-world” driving in a parking lot.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:29 pm)Very good article. But I thought that Chelsea Sexton was also in the CAB?
Oct 31st, 2010 (8:45 pm)Chelsea’s the only woman in the CAB. Shannon isn’t.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:07 pm)“Most of us don’t have a sense of ‘Americana’ nostalgia for Chevy cars. ”
Me neither — I’m a 30ish guy. What that means is that, for my entire lifetime, Chevrolet has made badge-engineered cars with sub-par reliability.
The Cobalt that I rented the other month in Florida didn’t do anything to counter this — I found a leaking tire on the first one they tried to rent me. Also, plastic trim on the bottom of the seat fell of when I tried to adjust the seat of both Cobalts, and both cars lacked the features normally found in rental cars. Yes, the Cobalt had a little more power and better handling than many compact cars that I’ve driven, but I just don’t value that enough to put up with leaky tires and trim falling off. This is pretty-much representative of the experiences both myself and my father have had with GM products made during my lifetime and the decade before.
The Volt is the first car from GM that’s made me even consider their brands, ever. It does look they’ve been getting some things together since about 2005. Hyundai rescued their reputation, and it looks like GM might be doing that too. Hopefully they’ll keep up the good work
I’m sure MICHIGAN GUY will ding me for this message, but this is the kind of “Americana nostalgia” that Chevy brings up to me — and I’m as American as he is.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:18 pm)What Every Woman Wants in a Chevy Volt
… a man?
/limps away, dragging knuckles behind …
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:31 pm)Blaming leaky tires on Chevrolet? Get serious now.
Oct 31st, 2010 (9:34 pm)Hey, what happened to my gravatar?
Oh, there it is (computers are sooo picky about spelling).
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:00 pm)Sounds excellent! I hope that they have an off-white one left for old Tagamet (g).
Be well,
Old Tagamet
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:02 pm)I would prefer an analog speedometer. It’s hard to read numbers out of the corner of your eye while you’re watching the road. Leave the digits if you want, just add a scaled bar graph (similar to a progress bar) which gradually turns from green to red as it approaches top speed. Shouldn’t take up a lot of “real estate” on the display.
I do hope that some things of this kind end up being offered as a firmware upgrade or patch at the dealer. Dealers wonder how they’re going to get EV buyers’ ongoing business with the cars’ lessened need for service: Here’s a constructive suggestion.
~~~~~~~
My wife is all about the deal … and also, especially for cars, “cuteness” (about which I am “clueless”. Most of my suggestions for her last car purchase fell flat because of a low “cuteness” quotient). That said, I think she would support my purchase of a Volt; and it does, apparently, score well for “cuteness.”
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:07 pm)I know that some of the drives on the Left Coast were out in the city streets, but I haven’t heard of any on the Right Coast being able to actually get up to speed. I sure hope that they loosen up a bit for the NYC drives, since they aren’t actually *in* NYC (at least on Sunday). (fingers crossed).
If I get the opportunity to ride, I hope to get some video on my pocket camera. Other than that, it’s Drive ‘N Smile.
Be well,
Tagamet
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:10 pm)My wife drives a 81 Corvette and pretty much regards the Volt as a geek-mobile. The fact that I am a certified geek and like the Volt supports her opinion. She likes the the gentle rumbling sound her car makes. All she wants to see on the dash is big round dials with speed and rpm. After sitting behind a computer all day, she wants to escape from technology when she leaves the office. She doesn’t even use cruise control. The only interaction she wants to have with a car, other than with right foot on the gas and hands on the wheel, is twisting a knob to make the radio work. She might humor her geek husband and agree to have a Volt as the family car, and tolerate driving it when her vette is in winter storage, provided she could ignore the high tech and just drive it. One thing she has in common with most women is that she hates filling the gas tank. So, I get to drive the vette as long as I bring it back full.
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:24 pm)If/when she gets a test drive in a Volt, I’m just guessing that her opinion may bend a bit. And she could always make an mp3 of the “Vette’s noises… Naw, once she feels the 0-30 acceleration AND the quiet, she’ll be thrilled. JMO.
Be well,
Tagamet
/if you have kids, the quiet is *3 (lol).
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:28 pm)I was referring to an extra cord. I figure I will keep one in my trunk and use it when on the road. The other I will set up at my house in the most logical manner.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:29 pm)Rental cars usually have the factory tires, since the rental agency only owns them for 2-3 years. Who knows what happened to it – but a tire should be able to take some abuse.
BTW, when I test-drove a Monte Carlo in 2003, the radiator hose popped off as I was parking it. Another great first-impression from a GM product.
Their efforts to get past 30+ years of sub-par products (my entire lifetime!!) appear to be bearing some fruit. But appealing to Chevrolet nostalgia is worse than loosing strategy when trying to sell me a car, because I don’t want the old days of cars back. I watched and “helped” my dad spent a lot of time wrenching and cussing on cars of various brands (including Chevrolets and Volkswagens) until he started buying Hondas — and then all we had to do was rotate the tires and change the oil. The only people that I can see the nostalgia angle working for are retirement-age, and people who rebuild muscle cars in their spare time.
The Volt would be a great match for my needs/preferences if it were affordable. Maybe a 2nd-gen Volt and a Transit Connect will replace the Prius and the compact pickup truck in my driveway in the next 5 years?
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:30 pm)I love this pic!
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:32 pm)Did anyone else that test drove a Volt think the steering wheel was a smaller than typical? Maybe its just the cars i’ve owned in the past. I’d like to know the diameter. Its not a good or bad thing, just something I noticed.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:40 pm)If you meant this one, Shannon, so do I!!!
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:48 pm)Yep, the steering wheel seemed a bit smaller than what I’m used to. I don’t know the diameter, but the Volt’s incredible speed-sensitive electric power steering works so well at every car speed it’s superior to any steering I’ve ever experienced. BTW, Motor Trend says it’s 2.8 turns lock-to-lock & has a 36 ft turning circle —both optimal in my book for great handling!
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:49 pm)I have an 18 yr old son who likes the look and speed of the Volt. I also have a 21 year daughter who is pissed that I am buying it for myself and not buying her a car. She is afraid, rightfully so, that I will not have enough money left over to help her out. Of course I will help her as much as I can, but sorry this is a historic moment that I can’t let pass by. She can ride public transport and use a bike a while longer.
So there you go, two different youth perspectives.
+1
Oct 31st, 2010 (10:52 pm)OK, anyone that doesn’t love a RED Volt, is a troll (lol)(jk).
Be well,
Tagamet
Nov 1st, 2010 (12:09 am)GM doesn’t make tires.
Nov 1st, 2010 (1:25 am)Hi. Off topic idea. Remember when everyone said how the concept car styling was great, and it was a shame the production version styling isn’t exactly the same? Well, the idea is that you could have headlights and maybe the grille looking the same as the concept, but hidden and recessed behind a clear plastic cover. So the headlights are more square, and further back, because the clear cover sits right where the current headlight surfsace sits. Same with the grille. Don’t know how well it would work in practice for looks, but drag should be the same as now. Frees you up with styling a little…
J.
Nov 1st, 2010 (1:51 am)Works so well I didn’t even give it a thought.
BTW: Believe I found the glitch with the sound files not playing. Opened several at garfwod and noticed that the ones recorded with a never program are the ones that don’t want to open. Other mp3s play fine. I will need to go into the new program to see if there is an auto-protect being placed on the recordings. If I can’t shut if off. Will scrap the new recorder for one that will produce unprotected files. Should be fixed soon.
Nov 1st, 2010 (3:12 am)Rats! I wish I had known in advance about the Volt test drive in Orlando. Oh well, guess I’ll wait for the dealer to get one.
Nov 1st, 2010 (3:58 am)
Nov 1st, 2010 (8:51 am)To go along with “Veridian Joule”: “Pridian Pink”.
Nov 1st, 2010 (10:16 am)NICE post! Thanks.
+1
Nov 1st, 2010 (3:38 pm)I wonder if GM knows that women will pay the upcharge on a car for the creature comforts. I mean, look at what we pay for handbags, clothes, shoes, and makeup! We want our cars to be on par with our image. I’m an “Enginerd”, so I care slightly less than a normal, non-engineering woman, but it was important to me to have the car that I wanted with the features that I wanted. If this is a car that I will be driving all the time, I don’t want to be mad at myself for not getting what I actually wanted.
Nov 2nd, 2010 (12:20 am)Thank you GM-Volt readers for your very intriguing comments and excellent pictures! I am very impressed with the high-quality interaction and thoughtful replies. I have reposted some of those pics (including the red Volt, of course) on MissElectric.com. (http://www.misselectric.com/?p=1608)
The fact that so many readers here are attracted to the Volt for the same reasons I mentioned for women is a positive sign. The main point is that we need a potent Volt story that speaks to multiple target markets. With smart, fun, and sexy, you really can’t go wrong
Who wouldn’t want an intelligent head-turner to accompany them on the road?
As enthusiastic consumers, we are the Volt’s most important marketers. We are attracted to this technology for a variety of reasons. If GM does not communicate a story that resonates directly with us, then we will remake that story through each interaction we have with those in our networks.
I look forward to participating further in the GM-Volt community and engaging in more lively discussions in the near future.
+1
Nov 2nd, 2010 (1:15 pm)Shannon,
As with Chelsea Sexton, please feel free to post / comment within gm-volt’s forums as well, even if it is a repost of one of your own posts on your site. Also, talk to Lyle, I am sure he would consider cross linking to your site.
On another point, I think Toyota left a lot of money on the table by making the Prius too “different” looking (to put it kindly), so I do take exception to the belief that alternative fuel / propulsion vehicles MUST look different. I know MANY people believe they should, but that represents a small group of consumers, whereas the silent majority just want a good looking car in the vein of most other good looking cars. For example, I think many will buy the Fisker Karma on looks alone, and the alternative fuel / propulsion system is just the icing on the cake.
Nov 2nd, 2010 (11:24 pm)Interesting post and comments. I honestly was expecting a lot of hater comments and negativity (reading too much CNN comments lately) but I was pleasantly surprised.
I do have to say though, I want power and coolness too!! But true that if for whatever reason I could only pick one I guess those would take a backseat to price and practicality.
I do think GM took women into account with the design of the Volt. I said this before in another post, in response to all the whining about how the production car looked nothing like the concept. The concept was entirely too masculine, and GM “fixed” it.
More color choices would be awesome though. I remember there was a post about how they spent so much time formulating the perfect shades to offer for sale… and then the result was that basically all of them ranged somewhere on the monochromatic scale from white to black. Imo the red is the only good COLORED choice available.
Nov 10th, 2010 (10:01 pm)As someone with genuine experience marketing and selling green products and electric cars, there’s one thing that truly irks me: I keep hearing newscasters call the Chevy Volt “all electric” & it drives me mad! Clearly there is much that marketing/advertising must do to educate consumers (and reporters) so we can all make intelligent purchasing decisions. Since most folks have short attention spans where media is concerned, I believe entertainment is the path to enlightenment, and that music (like my 2 songs) will garner greater interest for people to learn more about the incredible technological values of alternative fuel vehicles. In other words, take a bite out of Apple’s strategy and create campaigns that SELL to the masses (because green LOHAS consumers are already planning to buy these new offerings and then you’re just preaching to the choir.)