Today the Chevrolet Volt was recognized for its nature as a transformational and disruptive technologically advanced automobile by a leading automotive authority, beating out several other contenders including the Nissan LEAF.
Motor Trend magazine named the Volt the 2011 Car of the Year, and presented the award to GM VP Tom Stephens.
“We expected a science experiment, but this is a moon shot,” Motor Trend editors wrote for the January 2011 issue. “The Volt delivers on the promise of the vehicle concept as originally outlined by GM, combining the smooth, silent, efficient, low-emissions capability of an electric motor with the range and flexibility of an internal combustion engine. It is a fully functional, no-compromise compact automobile that offers consumers real benefits in terms of lower running costs.”
Much of reason the car was chosen for this prestigious award is its groundbreaking propulsion system that allows drivers to enjoy no-compromises pure electric driving for most if not all of their daily needs, while at the same time providing seamless gas-powered range extension for trips of greater than 40 miles.
“Chevrolet is truly honored to receive one of the world’s most coveted
automotive awards,” said Stephens. “The Volt team has worked under
extraordinary circumstances to produce this breakthrough vehicle.”
The Volt beat out the following cars on the short list: Audi A8, Buick Regal, Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Sonata/2.0T/Hybrid, Infiniti M37/56, Jaguar XJ, Kia Optima, Mazda Mazda2, Nissan Juke, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen Jetta, and Volvo S60.
As someone who has followed this car since its inception as a concept in January of 2007 all the was to my garage last week, I congratulate GM for their remarkable achievement with this product, and couldn’t think of a more deserving vehicle.
“The more we think about the Volt, the more convinced we are this vehicle represents a real breakthrough,” said Mackenzie. “The genius of the Volt’s powertrain is that it is actually capable of operating as a pure EV, a series hybrid, or as a parallel hybrid to deliver the best possible efficiency, depending on the user’s duty cycle. For want of a better technical descriptor, this is world’s first intelligent hybrid. And the investment in the technology that drives this car is also an investment in the long-term future of automaking in America.”
Below is more of Motor Trend’s explanation as to why the Volt was chosen:
Every year, the editorial staff of Motor Trend meets to determine the field of contenders for the Car Year Award. In a week-long process that includes the full complement of Motor Trend performance tests, track-based ride and handling evaluations, and driving on a real-world loop that includes freeway, regular two-lane highway, and a loose-surface track, the contenders are then evaluated against these criteria:
- Advancement in Design: The Chevy Volt possessed quality execution of exterior and interior styling, including a strong, confident and tastefully upscale front end and a design driven by the pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency. Its interior, though relatively conventional, is equipped with impressive high-resolution and highly interactive instrument and center stack LCD screens. Plastic panels in the front doors allow an effective, low cost means of changing the Volt’s interior colorway.
- Engineering Excellence: With an advanced powertrain that is easily adaptable to other vehicle platforms, the Volt boasts some of the most advanced engineering ever seen in an American automobile. The car can run as an EV, a series hybrid, or a parallel hybrid, depending on how far you drive and how you drive. Plus, the battery maintains maximum efficiency and recharging is easy, via 110-volt portable recharger carried in the trunk that can plug into any household socket.
- Efficiency: In a multi-day, 299-mile test that involved a mixture of normal freeway and stop/start city driving – and recharging the car overnight as most consumers would – the editorial team used a total of 58.6 kW-hr of electrical energy and only 2.36 gallons of gas, an efficiency equivalent to a conventional vehicle returning 72.9 mpg. Editors agreed that the Volt, a vehicle that can pass a standard EPA fuel economy test in full EV mode, surpassed expectations for low energy consumption and carbon footprint.
- Safety: The Volt’s standard passive safety equipment starts with a complement of eight airbags, including dual-stage front bags, kneebags and side-impact bags for the driver and front passenger; also included are roof-rail mounted head curtain bags that protect all four passengers. Active safety features include anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control.
- Value: Though the Volt is priced at $41,000, consumers can apply for a $7500 federal tax grant, plus state grants where available. In addition, testing suggests that even if drivers regularly went 80 miles between charges, the Volt will likely be significantly cheaper to run than regular hybrids.
- Performance of Intended Function: Editors overall agreed that the Volt delivers on the promise of the vehicle concept as originally outlined by GM, combining the smooth, silent, efficient, low-emissions capability of an electric motor, with the range and flexibility of an internal combustion engine.
You can read the following report from Motor Trend for even more details.
Source (MotorTrend)
+23
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:52 am)Perfect timing before the IPO. Way to go GM!
“A car of the future that you can drive today, and every day.” GM could not buy better advertisement than this.
+22
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:55 am)Yeah, no kidding. Sounds like the IPO share price is already pushing $30 now due to lots of interest by investors.
This is all great news for GM.
Funny how the headlines can change so quickly from “GM Lied” to “Chevy Volt, MotorTrend Car of the Year”.
+13
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:57 am)This is awesome! This car truly deserves this award and it will change the way that we look at vehicles moving forward!
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:58 am)Did I hear Motor Trend say, “it’s more car than electric”?
+11
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:01 am)Way to go GM!! All the reviews coming in say how sound and reliable the drivetrain is. Cool! I got a VIN number last week on my Volt, so now I’m prepping my trade-in to say goodbye!
Will each Volt come with one of those trophies?
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:01 am)Probably the easiest choice for Motor Trend in a long time. Excellent vision with very good to excellent execution will always deliver pretty amazing results.
As we say and are starting to here more and more. This car sells itself!!!
LJGMVWOTR!
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:04 am)On queue, price as already been raised to $32-33.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40212206/ns/business-autos/?GT1=43001
+29
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:05 am)It is now time for all the trolls and naysayers to stand up and say Well Done GM!!!!!!!!!
+21
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:07 am)As I read the MT review, I was wondering what effect this might have on the first year output. Will GM stick to their original production target or increase it again? It would be a shame to have the 2011 Car of the Year and not have any to sell in dealerships.
+20
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:08 am)TREMENDOUS achievement, GM!!! Kudos especially for achieving the moon shot during HORRIBLE market conditions, not to mention a bankruptcy, no less. In fact, I would go so far as to say that, in hindsight, the Volt will turn out to be the car of a decade, possibly even two. This is a GAMECHANGER folks, period. I have been in the automotive industry for almost 20 years, and most of you all know that I work for Ford to boot. Well deserved, and congratulations on a job well done!!!
PS–start the MAJOR ramp up in 13 days–YOU ARE GONNA NEED IT….;^)
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:09 am)Chevy Volt Wins It! Nuf said.
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:12 am)This must be why they are holding up shipping the Volts that are already built. They want to put a COY plaque on the dash.
Jerry
Volt #21
+5
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:18 am)Good reporting, Lyle. You’re on top of things as usual!
btw. Another zero-gas-used-day yesterday with 59 miles driven! Volt rocks!
http://gm-volt.com/chevrolet-volt-driving-log/
/ya might want to use “COTY” as a key word or somewhere in the text.
+19
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:18 am)____________________________________________________________________
Motor Trend: “We expected a science experiment, but this is a moon shot”
GM Voltec Team: +1
_____________________________________________________________________
+10
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:19 am)It will sure be interesting to see how the production numbers end up 12 months from now. The Volt is really starting to get some attention. I have to imagine that with press like this, the demand will be huge! Isn’t it great to see how things are panning out? This is so fanastic to see.
Go GM!!
+11
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:20 am)Congratulation, GM!!
I believe if you keep up the trend, you will go back to your glory days. I know you can do it!
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:26 am)Awesome. I hope they meet demand with supply. This is a great advertising plug for the Volt, now build them!
join thE REVolution
+10
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:30 am)Motor Trend’s COTY article says it all in its opening lines: “I expected a science fair experiment…
But this is a moonshot.”
“Chris Theodore is a wily veteran of the auto business, a seasoned development engineer whose impressive resume includes vehicles as thoughtfully executed as the Chrysler minivan and as tightly focused as the Ford GT.”
“As one of the consultant judges on this year’s COTY panel, Chris brought the deep insight and professional skepticism you’d expect of someone who’s spent his entire working life making cars…
But our 2011 Car of the Year, Chevrolet’s ground-breaking Volt, has blown him away.”
My most sincere congratulations to the thousands at GM who made this happen, but in particular to a tough ole’ Marine and courageous visionary —a man I consider my friend —Bob Lutz! You made it happen, Bob! —that trophy belongs on YOUR mantel!
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html#ixzz15SVaPMvg
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:30 am)Voltaire,
GM has stated if need be, production can be increased with the flex assembly line.
It would not look good for GM if they stated for example, we’ll build 60,000 and then only sell 20,000. It looks better for GM to be forced to build more.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:31 am)Congrats to the entire Volt team! I am looking forward to my own Volt, arriving in March next year. The promise of this car goes beyond the obvious. To me this car represents energy independence with no compromise in driving habits. I am more than happy to step up and purchase the Volt and do my part to stem the tide on all of the $$ being drained from our country that oil currently represents.
-29
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:32 am)(click to show comment)
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:40 am)Nice: “A Car of the Future You Can Drive Today”
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:46 am)+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:46 am)With all due respect, and yes I’d like to see Bob get one… but I’d say Jon Lauckner deserves a MT COTY trophy just as much, if not more.
AND… WAY TO GO, ENTIRE VOLT TEAM! We, the denizens of GM-VOLT.COM, always believed this day would arrive.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:52 am)That’s amazing!
And I don’t think this is going to be atypical in any way. Many Volt buyers will appreciate the value of “reasonable” driving and will get similar numbers.
SUGGESTION FOR LYLE: Any chance we can get a column on the driving log that gives a brief idea of what the day’s driving was like? Maybe a footnoted number column or something… e.g., “1″= “mostly suburban driving at around 40MPH in moderate temps”, “2″=”mostly freeway commute over 65MPH”, “3″=”normal commute, avg speed 40MPH, cold temps, heat on in Eco mode” or something. I realize there’s a wide variety of conditions, but even a rough description would be very enlightening.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:54 am)I was thinking “hood ornament” but the inside plaque is a bit more subtle (g).
Be well,
Tagamet
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:54 am)Lyle and the Volt team–all your hard work has paid off! If there was ever a no-brainer in the history of the car of the year award, the Volt is that car. Anyone who wants a Volt next year had better find a dealer with one available ASAP!
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:57 am)Maybe Lyle and Bob could be “Co-winners”. Neither of them could have done it without the other. JMO.
Be well,
Tagamet
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:58 am)I agree, Mike, largely because it was Jon Lauckner who had the inspired idea (and convinced Bob Lutz & others it was right) to include a range extender in the package. And I hope GM/Motor Trend make many exact duplicates (hey, you can’t tell one OSCAR from another) for Jon, Andrew Farrah, Frank Weber, Bob Boniface and many others too numerous to mention.
But remember the Volt was Bob Lutz’ “parting shot” at the enemy —OPEC— and his “Hail Mary” pass across the goal line! Jon’s idea was critically important—
—but it was Bob’s “extraordinary guts & mental muscle” that made the idea pay off!
+8
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:04 am)A great day today. And tomorrow will be an even better day. I am going to the Chevy dealer to put down a deposit for my Volt.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:04 am)Great news! I am proud of the Volt team. Way to go……….
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:09 am)Saw this headline too.
However, this is only true if you live in certain locations. Guess it didn’t sound as good to say, “…You Can Drive within the next 18 months”
GM, now you’ve got the press spotlight on you. Back up the endorsement and make more Volts and release them soon in ALL areas of the US- I don’t live in a place expected to see this COTY for quite some time.
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:12 am)So it really isn’t JUST US! Tag, we really aren’t crazy (are we).
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:14 am)Well deserved recognition.
Congratulations GM!
NPNS!
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:14 am)You know what Tag? I AGREE! Thanks for pointing out who is doubtlessly the MOST IMPORTANT GUY outside of General Motors who may have been the ONE person that kept this “train on the tracks”!
It has often occurred to me (& I’m sure others) that without Dr. Lyle Dennis’ dedication, commitment & HERCULEAN efforts since Jan 2007, the Volt might very well have never come to fruition!
SINCEREST HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AS WELL, LYLE!
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:14 am)I wonder what Rush L. is going to say about this?
BTW, I hear that the IPO is going VERY well. The price is likely going higher, near $30.
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:18 am)Well, “crazy” is such a slippery term….. (lol). All I can say is that *I* don’t think that we are crazy (and the voices agree with me).(g).
Be well,
Tagamet
-14
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:21 am)(click to show comment)
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:22 am)He will (predictably) continue to say that the Volt should have been able to stand on its own merits – without govt subsidies. The govt support is the only reason (that I know of) that the “Right” knocks the Volt. I’ll listen to him today and report back. For some reason he is often misquoted. (g).
Be well,
Tagamet
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:24 am)LOL, if the shoe fits….
Be well,
Tagamet
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:25 am)Hey Mark —follow another Floridian’s lead who lives not too far from you, Ted Ellyatt, and order your Volt from a dealer who has them (his is in Michigan) & drive it home. It’s not that big a deal if you really want one!
+5
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:27 am)above photo: T Battery used in the Chevrolet Volt
Using EPA average figures of 12¢ per kW-hr for electricity, and $2.80 for a gallon of gas, the Volt costs just 3.8¢ a mile to run in EV mode. Free opportunity recharging such as the workplace. Off-peak nighttime rate recharging. Or using home solar further lowers operating cost.
To put this efficiency into perspective. A gasoline powered motor scooter realizes 80MPG.
80 miles = 1 gallon = $2.80
280/80= 3.5 cents a mile (cost to operate a motor scooter)
NPNS
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:31 am)“However, this is only true if you live in certain locations. Guess it didn’t sound as good to say, “…You Can Drive within the next 18 months”
—-
Somebody’s always gotta wizz on the flowers. sheesh.
I can wait for my local dealer to get trained and get inventory. I’m in no hurry to be first in line.
I gave up the ‘early adopter’ wings after I bought the TRS-80 and the Motorola Personal Communicator. That’s a game for young rich guys.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:33 am)Congratulations to the entire Volt Team! This prestigious award will help promote Electric Vehicles. If GM will continue to improve quality and strive to surpass goals, success will be possible.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:36 am)Congrats to all who worked on the Volt! Job well done!
Starcast
From the deer hunting woods of nothern Michigan.
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:36 am)Don’t downgrade the Vega!! I had a 1975 Kammback Wagon and it lasted eleven years under my care. Then it became a race car with a transplanted Camaro drivetrain and won a few races.
Some buyers got lemons, but my Vega was a cherry!!!
I expect the Volt to be better and have a much longer life than the Vega. Of all the Chevy models that were produced, the Volt will become the “Bel Air” of this century!
Congratulations again, GM and to all the Volt team!!
Raymond
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:37 am)My second home is in NY. NY is due to get them before FL. I don’t want to pay OUTRAGEOUS sales taxes here, register the car here or get a stupid front license plate. I have two relatively new (both < 26k miles) hybrid SUVs and am not pressed to get anything immediately.
To the people who negged me, you missed the point. GM's production numbers are too low and will not satisfy demand for quite some time. Labeling the Volt COTY puts an exclamation point on this. More Volts, More Places, More Quickly!
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:42 am)Congratulations to the Volt team yes … and to Lyle who writes in his post :
“Value: Though the Volt is priced at $41,000, consumers can apply for a $7500 federal tax grant, plus state grants where available. In addition, testing suggests that even if drivers regularly went 80 miles between charges, the Volt will likely be significantly cheaper to run than regular hybrids.”
My simulations with the Ampera price and Belgian data show exactly that : if you drive more than 80km/day, with the 9,000 € Belgian tax credit AND keep your Ampera for 8 years at current fuel prices you pay significantly less in Total Ownership Costs than for an “equivalent diesel car”, say an Astra 2.0 CDTI. This under the assumption that the specific maintenance costs of the Ampera are kept low.
Best regards,
JC NPNS
+17
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:46 am)Thought for the Day:
+5
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:47 am)A huge congratulations to all, and to the people here as well. We fought the conventional wisdom and stuck up for our rational dream for our country. It just made sense to us that this could be done but the hurdles had more to do with perception than technology. On top of that, everything that GM has been through the past couple of years…moon shot indeed.
Over the past couple of years I just couldn’t help but wonder what it was that was motivating the naysayers. How could one root against our country, our trade balance, our environment, our national security. Was it politics? Greed?…
This is our moment now. Enjoy it. Enjoy your cars and newfound liberties. Breath the air that is slightly cleaner than it was yesterday and getting cleaner.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:49 am)Great job to everyone on the Volt team! This is the result of a lot of brilliant planning and even more dedicated execution.
I wonder what all the trolls and Volt haters are going to say to spin this?
Harrier
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:50 am)When you’re right, you’re right!(g). I’d only add “More Affordably”, but that’s for Gen II.
Still, it’s a grand day! Compare this to the debates 2 years ago regarding the Volt as Vaporware. (I have to say it) We’ve come a long way Baby!
Be well,
Tagamet
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:51 am)Car of the year? … that’s a no brainer.. nothing comes close.
Now the magazines are jumping on board. They were not on board a few years ago.
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:52 am)Mike-o-Matic,
Would also be nice to have a column of cost per mile or similar based on kWh and pump prices for the month.
-19
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:53 am)(click to show comment)
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:00 pm)Most excellent!
LJGMVWOTR!!
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:01 pm)After-market use of the battery by power companies of homeowners with PV setups, should more than cover the cost you are pointing to. Even worse case scenario (100% dead), it’s almost completely recyclable.
Be well,
Tagamet
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:03 pm)Congratulations GM. The volt is a groundbreaking vehicle deserving of this honor. Way to go guys
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:07 pm)The Motor Trend 2011 Car Of The Year in red.
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:10 pm)I had the pleasure of meeting many folks who work at GM last year at a technology event last year. I got to meet Bob Lutz, Ed Wellburn, Fritz Henderson, and some of the folks who worked on the Volt. These were about the hardest working, dedicated people I’ve ever met. They had a real passion for cars and car design and technology. The Volt is more than anything a complete and total reversal of what GM had been doing just 5-6 years ago. They absolutely deserve this award because they went out on a limb, took no shortcuts, and delivered the goods. What more could you ask for?
Now… if only they’d knock the price down a bit- I’d buy one in a heartbeat. Congrats GM!
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:17 pm)Great cover shot of the red Volt in front of the enormous turbine! Good idea making the only available color red. Black, gray, silver, white, charcoal could have been in the photo but for drama go to red.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:19 pm)Lol. Not to put anybody’s car down, but, huh??
I had the Olds Starfire variant with the Buick V-6 (1976 model). Bought it new. That was a fun car, but, rust took it at an early age. The driver’s door actually fell off! I put a blue door on the orange car and gave it to my sister. That thing ate brakes every 25k miles.
I later had a used Pinto wagon. It was a rust-bucket as well. The engine blew up. Had that one towed away.
Earlier, I had a Vega delivery wagon at work. Smoked like a train. Used more oil than gas. Moved to a different store where they had an actual van for delivery.
And my wife had a Chevette when we got married. Immediately traded that smoking junker in for a Mercury. It ate timing belts regularly.
They were all pretty much junk pretty quickly. Late ’70s and early ’80s were not good times for American cars.
Some people see in the rear-view with rose-colored glasses. I don’t. If you had a ‘cherry’ Vega, it was the only one out of the million or so they built.
+7
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:23 pm)Actually, I think that everyone here can take a little credit for helping to keep the momentum going. Take a second and give yourselves a little credit for being game changers. Congratulations to all for your determination, patience and perseverance. Well done.
“God bless us, every one”
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:23 pm)The average KWH in the US is about 9.5cents per KWH .. not 12cents…
Here in PA I’m paying 8.8cents per KWH.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:25 pm)Way to go GM! This is very exciting and much deserved. Also thanks to Lyle for all his hard work and dedication getting out all the information as accurate and timely as he does!
Now I wonder what marketing studies are done to equate winning this award with a boost in sales??? Can you imagine the publicity this will generate? Can GM bump up production a bit more for 2011???
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:26 pm)It may surprise you John, but contrary to everything you’ve seen (or will see) published, the Volt’s battery deterioration is a non-problem. Aside from individual cell shorts or opens (which have no effect on the Volt battery because the design circumvents such failures), batteries deteriorate exponentially. Imagine a large skate board ramp —steepest at the top (almost vertical) then gradually sloping down-
ward/outward until it’s almost horizontal. The Volt battery’s steepest deterioration is during the first few years, gradually tapering until after about 10 years it no longer degrades perceptibly. For obvious reasons, GM, Nissan, Mercedes & all the others will not admit this publicly —but it’s true. A Volt’s seats and other interior features will be worn, tattered,& you’ll be ready to trade, perhaps even torn LONG before its battery will be noticeably degraded at say, 300,000 miles or 25 years.*
/*I’m a specialist in the US space program on long-life (20 yr) batteries exposed to +/- 300 F
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:28 pm)Can they? Yes.
Will they? Stay tuned!
Be well,
Tagamet
+12
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:36 pm)On another note, I just got back from Epcot in FL. I was at the GM Test Track Ride, which when it completes, directs riders into a GM show room with future ideas and present vechiles (2011 line up I believe). A hydrogen SUV was present but NO VOLT! I asked the GM representative why a VOLT was not present, after all this would be a PERFECT marketing oportunity for GM to show off the future is now Volt, she told me they have been on the waiting list for months and are still hopeful they will get one in 2011. ** Note to GM, get a Volt to Epcot ASAP, this would be a great place to dispay and market the car and its abilities to diverse group of future buyers **
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:40 pm)Awesome news, congrats to the entire GM team and in particular the former top execs for giving this project the funding it needed to happen – still amazing they did it in our corporate world (since it was alot of money).
GM totally deserves this…awesome news on the IPO as well. Awesome photo with the Red in front of the Wind Tunnel.
Now, GM, make more than a few Volts next year so people could actually buy the car of the year…especially since you folks are pushing the PR pedal on the Volt hard.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:41 pm)I am guessing the GM execs breathed a big sigh of relief and then high-fives all around. There should be some pretty awesome bonuses for a few people there that survived the last 3 years to see this through. Congrats GM, Lyle and all the other e-car enthusiasts that helped push this through. It came out far better than anyone expected. We all had faith it could be done.
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:47 pm)BREAKING NEWS: Automobile Magazine has also selected Volt for Automobile of the Year!
Video & brief story are at http://www.automobilemag.com/features/awards/1101_2011_automobile_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:48 pm)I hate that marketing slogan. A better slogan might be:
“Because you want a car that fits your lifestyle, not a lifestyle to fit your car.”
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:56 pm)OK now to the technical details of the MT article.
MT says: “In a multi-day, 299-mile test that involved a mixture of normal freeway and stop/start city driving – and recharging the car overnight as most consumers would – the editorial team used a total of 58.6 kW-hr of electrical energy and only 2.36 gallons of gas, an efficiency equivalent to a conventional vehicle returning 72.9 mpg.”
So I read here or somewhere that you get 37.5 kWh/gal of gas. So 58.6 kWh equates to 1.56 equiv gal gas and
299 miles/(2.36 gal gas + 1.56 eq gal) = 76.3 mpg, i.e. higher than MT reported.
So either my 37.5 kWh/gal is wrong or they are also counting kWh lost during the charging cycle, i.e. we learned a few days ago you need to expend 12 kWh from your meter to get 10.4 kWh into the car.
If you factor 12/10.4 * 58.6 = 67.6 kWh actually metered out during charges, and 67.6/37.5 equates to 1.8 gal gas equiv then the mpg-equiv is 299 miles/(2.36 gal + 1.8 gal equiv) = 71.9 mile/gal equiv. Closer but not what MT is getting.
Anyone read the article to see how they got 72.9 mpg?
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:57 pm)CorvetteGuy–put that in your pipe & smoke it! (it’s legal in Cali) Hope you get a sales boost!
Nov 16th, 2010 (12:58 pm)So this is another reason we would like to see real world kWh metering into these CAB Volts to understand the true overall energy cost, a way to monitor it, and a way to improve things to get better efficiency.
+7
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:02 pm)There is a conservative case to be made for the Volt; in the areas of Energy Security and basic economics: Keeping energy production at home makes our economy less vulnerable; less money for foreign oil keeps more bucks working at home. Sure Volt is only a beginning, but it’s a heck of a good one. I hope the mouthpieces hurry up and separate the Volt from the Eco-warriors and Warming Zealots cruising smugly in their Prii (who are the only reason EVs and plug-ins are getting targeted by Rush & Co).
You guys in the ‘new media’ do know, don’t you, that the taxpayers don’t get their money back unless GM is successful; right?
Truth: Volt is the car of the future, and America is leading the way. This is something for the Right (and Left) to cheer about.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:02 pm)I have a large south-facing roof in the Desert Southwest just waiting for the installation of 30 residential solar panels with the newer micro-inverter technology. A red Chevrolet Volt would fit into this picturesque image very well!
I’ll give GM 3-5 years to both lower price and establish reliability for this new technology before I make a “leap of faith” into the price range of $41,000 minus any government subsidy. I will buy a proven reliable Volt for a more reasonable price. Sorry that I’m not in the 7% that can afford to make a purchase now and then be there as GM works out the bugs. GM-just know that I am watching and waiting (along with millions of others) and hoping you will continue to make good choices with this “concept” to reality.
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:03 pm)I love this quote from the MT article:
It has been so encouraging to see what a magnificent job GM has done to enable the car to operate as an EV for the first 40 miles but then be able to switch to the most efficient hybrid mode possible when the battery is low. Over and over I and many others here have argued the multiple advantages of having an ICE on board – from range extension, to temperature control when outdoors temperatures dip too low or too high, to the flexibility to choose how to most economically operate the car based on what the prevailing prices of gas and electricity are. GM took these things to heart and outdid everyone in their design. Over at Autobloggreen, there’s a constant stream of sniping because the Volt is not a pure EV. But, as someone once said here, “Thank G*d the Volt was designed by engineers and not trolls.”
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:08 pm)Yes, I read that, but I’d be lying if I said that I knew how they arrived there (not in the right mood to put on my anal hat). What I *DID* think was, “Maybe this will be the way they come up with a sticker number for mileage”.
Be well,
Tagamet
/no mention of the Volt by Limbaugh in the first hour.
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:10 pm)Man this sux! What’s the big idea of announcing the Camaro Convertible today?
http://wot.motortrend.com/6704098/auto-news/chevy-drops-official-information-for-2011-camaro-convertible/index.html
+12
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:18 pm)Motor Trend article just mentioned by Limbaugh: Totally negative. “They are losing all credibility; not one has been sold.” “Government owning Automobile manufacturing, making crappy cars” mentioned also (his new mantra on the subject).
Mr. Limbaugh, Drive a Volt or shut the hell up.
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:19 pm)1:17 first mention of Volt by Mr. Limbaugh. Says MT has now lost all credibility and wonders how it (MT) will survive. Comment over by 1:18.
Be well,
Tagamet
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:22 pm)I missed the Govt comment, and he DID say not one has been sold. Who DID buy the first Volt? I missed that too.
Be well,
Tagamet
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:25 pm)Rush said something like this:
“Of all the cars in the world the Volt is the car of the year?”
“Not a single one has been sold yet!”
“That’s the end of Motor Trend. How can they have any credibility after this?”
While I’m sympathetic to the idea that the Volt should have a track record before being selected, I think Rush is pretty much wrong on this.
Congratulations Volt team on this speculative and very well-deserved award!
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:27 pm)Thanks for the mention. Some of my favorite quotes:
“It is not fast nor is it fun in the typical sense, yet it still has all the brainwashing abilities of a Porsche Cayman. The Volt is unique, but more convincingly, it instills an overwhelming sense that you’re driving something significant.”
“It won’t just change what we drive, but also how we drive. Owners will plug in at night, heat or cool their cabin before they leave the garage, and adopt new driving styles to maximize their electric range. Then, when the battery is depleted, they’ll mindlessly motor on, free of the limitations that accompany pure-electric vehicles.
This is the most sophisticated, most important vehicle on the road today. The Volt model could very well be the standard of the future: a smartly sized battery backed by a frugal range extender, whether that’s a diesel, a turbine, or a gas engine. In fact, several automakers already have plans to develop similar plug-ins with usable electric driving range and supplemental fossil-fuel power. For being an automotive pioneer, the Chevrolet Volt is the 2011 Automobile of the Year.”
And here’s one for you, Mr NASA:
“1960s: GM develops electric propulsion system for Apollo lunar module and lunar rover, both of which are powered by silver-zinc batteries.”
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:33 pm)I agree that Rush was wrong today. If past comments are any indication, he’s opposed to any product that needs a govt subsidy to survive. In other words, it should be able to survive on it’s own. At least that’s the way I hear him.
Be well,
Tagamet
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:36 pm)Yes, there was some details about battery recycling on the Tesla site a while back, with pictures of the process. The vast majority of the raw materials to make the battery pack are fairly easy to recycle.
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:37 pm)Who the heck cares. He’s so far off the mainstream he may as well be invisible.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:39 pm)Not a lot of people understand the Volt. News story on Buffalo AM radio station today said interviewed a Buffalo-area battery company guy and they repeated the story numerous times today. He downplayed the use of the battery – they tried to show him as an expert yet he didn’t know how the Volt worked. The news guys also said “and you plug it in all night and can only drive about 50 miles on electricity”. The newness of the technology is having some tough time gaining traction. I think people either think “gas motor” or “Electric Motor” but need to do a whiteboard session to explain “EV motor powered by battery or generator or some combination.”
No matter – those who understand the Volt = those who will buy it. And that’s a lot of people. The hard part of introducing new technology is there are a lot of people who “never got the math” in school and just don’t want to try to understand something – even to their own benefit. The car magazines will do their best to teach car-junkies but will we see a good layout in People magazine where soccer moms and other folks who couldn’t care less about plugging in will read it? The Volt is actually for them as if the soccer mom forgets to plug in her BEV – then she is out of luck the next day. Volt – your ICE just pushes you along nicely, she can fill the gas tank as usual (hopefully while not talking on the cell phone).
I get frustrated like Ed Begley Jr. sometimes when people just don’t take the time to learn.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:40 pm)Rush has, for years, seen any hybrid as a symptom of the “Global Warming” religion; and has seen them as embraced primarily by the Left. I’m sure he doesn’t like the subsidies, but he has been a “Government Motors” detractor for longer than the subsidy has been out.
Keep in mind, conservatives, that we who are decrying Rush on the issue of electric cars are also we who listen. He stands to lose a few points of credibility over the next several years: “right 85% of the time,” instead of 96% (or whatever he claims).
Categorizing EVs, EREVs and Hybrids as “crappy cars nobody wants” is in no way justifiable unless he has actually gone out of his way to drive them (hence my outburst at #81).
You’d think that he’d view substituting our own “Saudi Arabia of Coal” for “Saudi Arabia” as a good thing by his lights; but he is clearly prejudiced by his prior opinions.
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:48 pm)There is some truth to the notion that car magazines are unduly influenced by car manufacturers. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are puppets, but, there it is.
Their livelihood depends on advertising.
They have full spread ads from car companies.
Ergo…
I subscribe to Car & Driver anyway.
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:48 pm)Agreed, but when the govt bailed out/rescued GM, the die was cast. It seemed like when he puts global warming and govt intervention on one side of the scale, and a (small) move toward less imported oil on the other, the scale bottoms out. JMO of his O.
And now, back to the celebrations!
Be well,
Tagamet
/Dr appmnt. TTFN.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:49 pm)Out of question this year all awards belong to Volt. There was no such innovative products for long time.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:50 pm)AGREED COMPLETELY. That is why I absolutely feel that MT nailed it on the preverbial head when they say:
Engineering Excellence: With an advanced powertrain that is easily adaptable to other vehicle platforms, the Volt boasts some of the most advanced engineering ever seen in an American automobile. The car can run as an EV, a series hybrid, or a parallel hybrid, depending on how far you drive and how you drive. Plus, the battery maintains maximum efficiency and recharging is easy, via 110-volt portable recharger carried in the trunk that can plug into any household socket.
That statement is clear, concise, to the point, and the truth which the MASSES can understand EASILY. As well, that SHOULD knock down a lot of the hurdles GM faces on the marketing side of things as to educating the car-buying general public about the electrification of the automobile!!!
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (1:54 pm)He’s far from alone. Most of the mouthpieces in the ‘new media’ take the same stance on this issue. As for the direct answer to Loboc’s question: Lots of people care.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:01 pm)Good one.
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:04 pm)Congrats, I test drove this car and it is awesome!
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:06 pm)…..and the positive press/recognition/awards keep rolling in. PLEASE GM, do NOT take your eye off the ball after all you have accomplished in a short amount of time.
RAMP UP NOW!!!! One point to ponder–when was the last time a Motor Trend Car of the Year was NOT available for IMMEDIATE purchase????? Crank out the Volts @ Dham in mass quantities, please!!! Do I forsee 3 shifts in their near future?? Time will certainly tell….Always remember–IF you build it, they WILL come!!!
After all, if you did all that, you would certainly send your competition, reeling, don’t ya think??!!! And grab a HUGE marketshare out of the gate as well……;^)
+6
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:14 pm)I agree 100% but the game isn’t over. To propel this technology we need to buy (or lease) nothing other than Voltec. My Volt is on order with a production week 12/13/2010. Do as I did, buy (or lease) a Volt and make a difference.
NPNS!
-26
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:17 pm)(click to show comment)
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:21 pm)MT used the EPA equivalency value of 33.7 kwh per gal. gasoline.
+4
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:22 pm)The news just keeps getting better:
“CHICAGO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – General Motors [GM.UL] is stepping up production of its new Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle to try to meet “huge demand,” a top executive said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an event where the Volt was named Motor Trend magazine’s 2011 Car of the Year, GM product chief Tom Stephens said: “If you look at where we were originally, in terms of what we thought the volume would be, we have stepped it up.”
Stephens declined to give a new production forecast. Most recently, GM, the world’s No. 2 automaker, had said it planned to build 10,000 Volts in 2011 and 45,000 in 2012.
He confirmed that GM had asked South Korea’s LG Chem (051910.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which began supplying batteries for the Volt in September under a six-year exclusive contract, to increase its production [nTOE6AC005].”
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/UPDATE-1-GM-step-production-rc-369227119.html?x=0&.v=1
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:25 pm)Correction – Auto Company that is turning around and has paid back a signifigant portion of their loan and will be paying back much much more on Thursday whith their IPO…
How many volts have they sold? Nobody knows but there are plenty of deposits down already plus they have 12,000 Volts going to GE, not bad for a car thats not available for a few more days…
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:32 pm)No brainer.
PUMP OUT THE VOLTS! ( in all 50 states ),
James
Volt – Car of The Decade.
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:33 pm)I ABSOLUTELY agree, and it pains me much to see people that I otherwise agree vigorously with miss so much objective truth about this technology. As Martha Stuart would say, the Volt “is a good thing.” Period.
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:35 pm)And Maximum Bob on CNBC saying he’s getting 250mpg with his Volt.
He has a Volt?
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:44 pm)Got it thanks … and wrote it down.
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:50 pm)I had a 1972 Chevy Vega and it still is one of my favorite cars. It was a GT version, Burnt Orange with black striping. It had a manual four speed, two barrel straight four 2300 cc engine, that I turbocharged and won a ton of street races with. The car was designed in response to the popularity of the beetle and the pinto, as a small economical car. I was able to keep it running, but sadly, it rusted out from under me after 7 great years. It was deserving of the award when it came out, but it seemed as if GM took some shortcuts to get the costs down. It was my 1st and last GM car til the Volt!
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:54 pm)Hi Jackson, I gave you a +1 for this post but – really, when we think about it, who cares, you know?
Americans listened so some of Rush’s bloviating and still elected Obama – he’s one voice of thousands all pining for attention and getting some good advertising dollars doing it. Hype, controversy, scandal and negatism are these guy’s bread and butter, so what?
Optimistically, just look at this mid-term election. Sure, Beck and Limbaugh wrote books, pontificated their extreme views and raked in some big cash. But do you think that is why America handily sent the current lawmakers in Washington out to pasture? I don’t. I think that was a strong indication Americans are still free thinkers and make up their minds based upon information and experience gained from many sources, not just one or two. Most of us are performance-oriented. The bailout boys and socialistic thinkers got the boot – We wanted balance in D.C., and got it. The Chevrolet Volt is racking up awards by the minute and once they’re out there on the road, they’ll sell like hot dogs at the ballpark. The car speaks so much more loudly about itself than any media windbag !
So let’s stay positive. You know I once sat here bloviating a bit myself, even calling Volt the EV-2, yet saying all along I hoped I was dead wrong. With today’s news that GM asked LG Chem to ramp up battery production – it looks as if Volt is a big winner, and I’ll gladly take a pie in my face ( again, lol ) like my “Arab Buddy” in that video I made back when http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5SQRfF8CIQ to admit I was wrong, and GM put their money where their mouths were ( IF they mass produce Volts and sell them in all states ).
So far today we have TWO major auto mags proclaiming Volt as BEST OF THE BEST, and I think International Car of The Year is a given, IMHO. Remember my old tagline: ” IF YOU BUILD THEM THEY WILL COME! ” ? I still believe this is the ONLY barrier to Volt. Personally my checkbook is out and I am waiting VOLTLESS IN SEATTLE…….Hello? GM?
PUMP OUT THE VOLTS! .
James
-2
Nov 16th, 2010 (2:55 pm)First off, it is not a ‘subsidy’, but regardless, you may not even understand how it works if you think it will still be there 5 years from now. It will disappear after 200,000 vehicles are sold and if you think that will not happen for 5 years, you are deluded. Many have suggested that price reductions will accompany the tax credit phase out- in essence leaving a car (net) priced not much differently in the long term.
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:07 pm)Not likely to happen. You need good faith to do that.
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:24 pm)#86 Tagamet I agree that Rush was wrong today. If past comments are any indication, he’s opposed to any product that needs a govt subsidy to survive.
Rush [should] also be against borrowing more money to give the wealthiest individuals tax breaks as well. I can understand giving small business some reasonable tax breaks, but not the richest individuals.
IMO we should encourage business growth, not go into more debt just so rich individuals can get richer
+2
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:42 pm)Not that I want to swing this thread towards business/politics, but…
How do you ‘encourage business growth’ by ‘taxing’ the crap out of small business? It seems to me that these are mutually-exclusive concepts.
‘Rich individuals’ got that way by growing their business. If you take their profitability/growth as taxes, you kill the goose. In my view, these ‘rich’ people are way more qualified to re-invest their capital than the government. And, way more likely to get a decent return on their investment.
-13
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:45 pm)(click to show comment)
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:46 pm)awesome! maybe 25,000 next year and back to 60,000 in 2012?
mucho bettero than the political talk again today. gheeeesh-o. c’mon guys, we don’t care about your non-volt opinions
-7
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:54 pm)the standard gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) value for electricity is 33.4 kwh/gallon. that is the figure that motor trend apparently used.
there have been requests from posters that lyle start a discussion topic that was devoted to figuring out how to define a meaningful mpg figure for the volt. i hope that he does start one because it is a great suggestion. i think that consideration of the equivalent mpg is a candidate that does provide some meaningful information to the consumer. i think that it has limited value but it is worth hearing what people say who advocate for such a specification.
i read a suggestion from one poster that the members of the CAB might be able to provide a “real world” gge value. i doubt that they would be able to provide this information because the volt doesn’t provide a direct readout of the SOC. so a given CAB member would only be able to guess what the SOC was at any given time, at best. my thinking is that CAB members would pretty much have to use the standard gge value and augment it with the mpg that they are getting in CS mode to derive an mpg equivalent value.
-13
Nov 16th, 2010 (3:58 pm)(click to show comment)
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (4:08 pm)Yes…
…and (I have pointed this out before, but some folks never get it- adding to what you wrote)
our tax system is so disproportionate as to be dangerous (our Constitution is supposed to be about looking out for the minority opinion, as well as the majority)
- 1% of people in this country pay 40% of its bills
- move to 5% and the percentage expands to 60% of its bills
- half of the people in this country pay NOTHING towards its bills.
(and don’t confuse SocSec with income tax- income tax is what pays the bills)
If the majority of revenue is the responsibility of just 5% of citizens, when you still have 1 man = 1 vote…well, you hopefully see where that goes. This is why the tax code is so broken, with so many loop holes and provides so much incentive for the ‘rich’ to cheat. I want to vomit every time I hear about ‘tax cuts for the rich’. It is awful hard to cut taxes when NONE ARE PAID, so OF COURSE the tax cuts appear to go to the rich. They are the ones paying all the taxes!!!!!
Steve Forbes was my hero when he ran on a platform of flat taxes. I believe everyone should pull equal weight. That won’t equate to equal $, but we should all be taxed the same PROPORTIONATE amount of our income.
(and again, Loboc, this discussion is supplemental to what you wrote, not contradictory)
Nov 16th, 2010 (4:48 pm)i am finding that on firefox the photos don’t show up. i read you comment and didn’t know what you were referring to but when i looked at this article using internet explorer i saw the photo. i anyone else having a similar problem with firefox?
-3
Nov 16th, 2010 (5:04 pm)i’m not going to spend too much time discussing this either other than to point out that you are merely recited the fox news line. there is probably not much point in explaining it all to you, but i am providing the following reply for the benefit of other readers…
the reality is that a relatively small number of multi-billion dollar “small businesses” account for most small business revenue. people with money aren’t stupid – they now how to manipulate the game to their advantage: what they do is organize a large corporation as a series of “small” businesses. so when the republicans talk about wanting to protect “small” business, what they are really doing is protecting a relatively small number of large enterprises: like koch industries as well as many of the large wall street investment institutions, which are categorized as “small” businesses.
+3
Nov 16th, 2010 (5:24 pm)My wife and I both work and are considered middle class and pay our share of ttax. Give me a flat tax with NO loop holes and I will be happy.
-15
Nov 16th, 2010 (6:52 pm)(click to show comment)
-4
Nov 16th, 2010 (8:52 pm)The Volt is great. but in all honesty Motor Trend tends to anoint whatever car is new and exciting with the title regardless of it’s true merits. Remember the Fiero was voted one of their 10 best?
In my opinion the Volt delivered on everything they promised except availability and price. I was in the Chevy dealership to day, no Volts in sight. And when they do arrive they will be in ridiculously short supply and beyond the reach of the average person shopping for a mid-sized sedan that seats 4.
Nov 16th, 2010 (8:58 pm)b*tch please!
shut your mouth
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:09 pm)Loboc,
FWIW, I had a “cherry” Vega, too…a ’71 model. Kept it for 7 years, and didn’t have a speck of rust on it (the common complaint about them). My only complaint was that it was hard to start when it got really cold out (I had to park it outside). I got an oil dipstick heater to deal with that
.
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:23 pm)Maybe Rush will change his attitude if he gets some advertisement subsidy from GM. As he says, “Follow the money!”
(Remember, don’t quote the trolls, especially if their post is about to be hidden with a -10.)
+1
Nov 16th, 2010 (9:27 pm)The Motor Trend article should make for some interesting reading. I’m curious as to what kind of range they got out of the so called ’100 mile’ Nissan Leaf. Talk about range anxiety! It takes 70 miles just to get the hell out of L.A.!
-2
Nov 16th, 2010 (10:46 pm)i don’t think that this is a fair characterization of what motor trend had written. what motor trend did was disclose the fact that the ICE in the volt does engage in the drive train. previous statements by gm claimed that the ICE was never engaged in the drive train, so there was some value in the disclosure provided by motor trend. obviously gm would have preferred that the ICE not engage in the drive train but motor trend did not make any “gm lied” accusation in their previous article. in fact, it was actually a pretty favorable article.
-2
Nov 16th, 2010 (11:09 pm)the leaf is such a niche car, i can’t imagine that it was a serious candidate for car of the year. that’s not a putdown of the leaf – it is what it is; but it is hard for me to imagine a car that is so range limited as is the leaf (and there are conditions under which you can get considerably less than 100 miles of range in a leaf) could actually be put forward as a car of the year winner.
+2
Nov 17th, 2010 (12:00 am)Jackson is wholly correct. This is a win for BOTH left and right politicos and ideologies. By bringing energy production home via electrification of our light duty vehicle fleet – we avoid costly foreign oil and military actions to protect it. We also launch a new era of automotive manufacturing and JOBS in the United States.
CONGRATULATIONS to the entire Chevrolet Volt team – you have done a fantastic job!! AND to all the readers and contributors here on Captain Lyle’s excellent gm-volt site! What an impressive example of mind-share focus, and what a small group of dedicated people can do to make things happen.
Now, to build 2 million (or more) of these type vehicles over the next ten years. You all have changed the direction of humanity with this one project. And there are many more to come!!
-2
Nov 17th, 2010 (12:14 am)logically, you are correct. however, the current state of our politics is that it is played as a zero-sum game where the republicans see that the only way for them to succeed is for the democrats to fail.
limbaugh’s complaints about the volt are not ideological, his complaints are rooted in his own self-interest. limbaugh has stated that it is his desire to see president obama fail. given that commitment, that means that limbaugh also wants anything that can be even remotely associated with president obama to fail as well. the logical reality is that had gm failed, millions of jobs would have been lost. but limbaugh is insulated from the day to day struggles of his listeners. heck, even if this country *did* fail, money is mobile, so limbaugh could take his millions and go somewhere else.
but limbaugh can’t do anything by himself. the real problem is the “useful idiots” who listen to the stuff that he says, and then proceed to act counter to their own interests. it’s stupid, it’s illogical, but that’s the state of our politics at present; where someone who is effectively a reality tv personality can be passed off in the corporate media as a legitimate presidential contender. in my mind, there isn’t a whole lot of substantive difference between sarah palin and snooki.
Nov 17th, 2010 (1:02 am)I think the Volt should be renamed for Lutz!
Nov 17th, 2010 (1:35 am)Well I guess that comment wasn’t appreciated. Just pointing out that Motor Trend Car of the Year doesn’t necessarily mean anything down the road. Sure, I remember people that really liked the car and had them for quite a while. I also remember seeing big piles of Vega engine blocks on my way to the dealer parts counter when I was going there to buy Corvair parts.
-1
Nov 17th, 2010 (2:07 am)don’t worry about the voting on this forum; the whole thing is pretty stupid and there was nothing unreasonable about your comments. some people on this forum have a kind of passive-aggressive thing and they use vote to express it. it might make the voter feel better but it does nothing really since it’s easy enough to click on the posting to see what was actually written. in fact, i am more likely to look at the posts that get high negative votes than i am the posts that get highlighted in green for high positive votes since posts in the latter category rarely state anything of informative worth…
as to your comments, it is a true statement that in general a car of the year award has no real significance down the line. in fact, it will be forgotten in a few months. in the case of the volt, it is not a “final” product: it is a first generation car that will evolve; so there are going to be improvements in each of the upcoming model years. the current volt has limitations, some of which were noted in a previous motor trend article, so i don’t think that motor trend would have named the volt to be 2011 car of the year if they did not expect the car to evolve. the significance of the car of the year recognition this year is to note the fact that the volt represents an advancement in the hybrid paradigm as well as being an acknowledgment of the future potential for the vehicle concept.
Nov 17th, 2010 (7:23 am)Now that was a special car! I rode in a Corvair around 1965 and it was comfortable. The only time I remember about its rear engine design problem was when I arrive late to school because someone’s Corvair dropped its engine on the street a few blocks away from the school. That was the first car that Ralph Nader went after in his work “Unsafe at any Speed”. Too bad GM didn’t fix it up soon enough. But GM tried to do better.
Now GM has reached a new high with the first electric car to receive the COTY award.
BTW, I posted before that I had a 1975 Vega Kammback Wagon, and the engine never gave me problems. Read my previous post above.
Raymond
-2
Nov 17th, 2010 (10:53 am)#comment-246893 >kent beuchert said:
Sounds like Motor Trend gave the Volt their award because they were so amazed that GM produced the car they said they would. Problem is, far from being technologically advanced, the car is more accurately described as horribly complicated and anything but an efficient mechanical design. Engineering does not advance by making things more complex. That is a negative,not the positive suggested my MT editors. But they’re not engineers.And recommending a car’s value because the govt extracts money from non-Volt drivers to line the pockets of those who otherwise wouldn’t buy the car is NOT an indication of cost-value. Those subsidies will dry up, and rather soon. Just how many milliseconds will it take after someone announces a practical battery for the Volt to be considered obsolete and lose all its resale value? Those who buy the Volt are in grave danger that their vehicle will become practically worthless. Overnight.
So you still believe in EESTOR do you? haha jk jk. Well if science provides a battery that makes the volt obsolete in milliseconds, and provides the freedom the volt provides, then we are all the better for it. But if you are implying that we should just sit on our hands and wait until something else comes along that is better than the volt, and achieves more flexibility than the leaf, and more electric drive then the Prius for the sole fact that there MIGHT be a technological break through “soon” that allows batteries to achieve 300 miles of range and charge in less then 30 mins, we will be right back where we were before all these vehicles were thought up. Waiting for the electric car. Waiting for something to become main stream. We can’t wait forever. The leaf is not flexible enough, the Prius isn’t “emissions free” enough. The volt can be your main driver, no matter what, and can be an all electric car. You keep waiting on that break through. We will be driving with less oil.
Nov 17th, 2010 (4:01 pm)…
” charge in less then 30 mins ”
The vehicle runs on the charge of 4 hours to 40 miles (10 miles charge per hour). You want .5 to 300 miles (600 miles charge per hour). An increase of a factor of 60 regarding ordinary chemical batteries is ridiculous.
Your thinking reststop/roadtrip timing and it does not seem feasible under the given circumstances. Besides a 500 mile charge is what I would consider the “hump”.
-2
Nov 17th, 2010 (4:26 pm)“- 1% of people in this country pay 40% of its bills”
The bill paying thing went out with like the constitution.
-1
Nov 17th, 2010 (8:02 pm)using level 3 charging, you would potentially be able to recharge the volt in about 5 minutes. i believe that nissan states that the leaf can be fully charged in less than 30 minutes when using level 3 charging (which is currently available only in japan, as i understand it).
Nov 18th, 2010 (8:22 am)nasaman, Can you please tell me who that dealer in Michigan is? I would like to Buy a Volt also. I live in Indiana and need Guidance as to which dealer in Michigan to go to for Purchasing. Please reply. Thanks
Nov 18th, 2010 (8:07 pm)there are no michigan dealers who actually have a volt to sell; and as i understand it, gm is not even taking orders from michigan dealers at this time. delivery date have not be set for michigan but it appears that earliest deliveries will be in the may to july 2011 time frame.
if you choose to place money for a deposit on a volt, you will serve yourself best by knowing what you are getting for your money. the volt is sold by dealers on allocation from gm. as i understand it, the current allocation for michigan dealers is 2 cars per dealership. so if you chose to “place an order” and more importantly, if you choose to pay a cash deposit to a dealer, you may want to find out if the dealer actually has allocation to deliver on the deal. otherwise, you will be paying definite money today for delivery at some indefinite date in the future. there may be some benefit in this in that even if you don’t have a definite delivery date, the payment of the deposit may fix your place in line to prioritize when the dealer would eventually deliver to you. there may be nothing wrong with that from your perspective, but at least you should want to know so as to properly fix your expectations.
you may have to press the question on allocations because not all dealers to whom i have spoken seemed to be aware of the allocation limit…
speaking to my own experience on this, i was contacted by a detroit area dealer that i had previously contacted by email (dealers use volt inquiries to build contact lists for general sales offers). the email stated that the dealer was able to “take an order” for a volt and suggested that i contact them to place my order with the dealer. when i contacted the dealer, after verifying that the dealer could “take my order” my questions was “what is your allocation?” and “how many orders have you taken ahead of mine?” it turned out that the orders that this dealer has already taken had exceeded the available allocation of 2 vehicles. i did not wish to place an order that required a deposit from me under these circumstances.
of course none of this is to suggest that michigan dealers are fixed to a hard limit of 2 vehicles for the entire vehicle year; allocations can change depending on how the vehicles move off the dealer lots when they arrive.
if you do choose to place an order for the volt and have any questions, i have found that angie is a valuable contact person at gm who is very good at researching customer questions and responding with answers. she may post on one of the forums on this website but she may be contacted by email at “socialmedia at gm dot com”.