GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Today is a bonanza day of vindication and recognition for the little car that could, and all of GM’s relentless development and our unyielding effort and devotion here on GM-Volt.com.  In fact it’s a landslide.

Only a few short hours after Motor Trend magazine announced the Chevrolet Volt was awarded their 2011 Car of the Year award, another leading automotive authority has done the same.

Automobile magazine has named the Chevrolet Volt its winner for 2011 Automobile of the Year.

GM marketing chief Joel Ewanick has accepted the award at the LA Auto Show.

Automobile magazine editors made the following statement:

“This is the most sophisticated, most important vehicle on the road today. 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 accompanies pure electric vehicles.”

I can tell you firsthand this is true.  After driving the car nearly a week, there is no doubt the car is a brilliant refined technological tour-de force.

“On its way to becoming AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2011 Automobile of the Year, the Chevrolet Volt endured more scrutiny and skepticism than any of the nine other semifinalists,” said Associate Editor Eric Tingwall of the announcement. “It is genuinely an all-new car, in the most simplistic sense as well as in the greater notion that the Volt is unlike any vehicle we have ever driven.”

“We are very grateful for this prestigious recognition from AUTOMOBILE Magazine,” said Ewanick, who drove a Volt 2,394 miles from Detroit to Los Angeles for the show. “Automobile of the Year is a testament to the pioneering technology of the Volt, as well as the talent, intelligence and hard work of everyone at GM who made it a reality.”

You can enjoy the magazine’s detailed analysis of the Volt at the link below:

Source (Automobile Magazine)

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)

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.

As someone who wants to help this country, and indeed the world off of oil, the question of electric car demand remains a big question mark. We can follow electric car developments, and dissect every element of engineering, design, and marketing, but no matter how hard we try we cannot simply will people to buy them. They have to want them, and critically they have to make financial sense.

Sure us early adopters will buy up all the paltry volumes of Volts and LEAFs that will be made in the first years, but what will happen down the road? Will the mass population adopt them?

The venerated market forecasting firm JD Power and Associates apparently doesn’t quite think so.

The company has issued a new report entitled “Drive Green 2020: More Hope than Reality” which has determined that global EV and hybrid car demand is over-hyped by a zealous media.

They say it will be difficult to convince a significant portion of the population to buy electric and hybrid cars unless one or more of the following three scenarios occur:

1.   There is a significant increase in petroleum prices by 2020
2.   There are dramatic improvement in battery technology leading to lower prices and increased consumer confidence
3.   There is a sustained coordinated and concerted effort of government policy.

The study concludes none of these three things are likely to occur within the next ten years.

“While considerable interest exists among governments, media and environmentalists in promoting HEVs and BEVs, consumers will ultimately decide whether these vehicles are commercially successful or not,” said John Humphrey, senior vice president of automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates. “Based on our research of consumer attitudes toward these technologies—and barring significant changes to public policy, including tax incentives and higher fuel economy standards—we don’t anticipate a mass migration to green vehicles in the coming decade.”

The report finds consumers have particular concerns about electric car design, performance, reliability, charging, and range anxiety. Also it is concluded that although many people want to do their part to displace petroleum, very few are willing to pay the price premium required to buy an electric car.

“Many consumers say they are concerned about the environment, but when they find out how much a green vehicle is going to cost, their altruistic inclination declines considerably,” said Humphrey. “For example, among consumers in the U.S. who initially say they are interested in buying a hybrid vehicle, the number declines by some 50 percent when they learn of the extra $5,000, on average, it would cost to acquire the vehicle.”

Furthermore consumers are also worried about how well electric cars will hold residual value over time, and the fact that they may never recoup cost savings over time when compared to conventional ICE cars.

In the end the study predicts that by 2020 only 1.3 million EVs will likely be sold globally. Of those 1.3 million, only 100,000 will be sold in the US, representing less than 1% of all sales.

Source (JD Power)

A team of 50 judges have made their choice of short list candidates for 2011 North American Car of the Year.

For the first time in history, electric cars have made their way to the list. Bot the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF are candidates.

Here is the press release:

DETROIT, – General Motors and Nissan dominate the list of 14 cars being considered for the 2011 North American Car of the Year. The list includes two electric vehicles, Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

The awards are unique in the United States because — instead of being given by a single media outlet — they are awarded by automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.

Twenty-seven new cars were eligible for the 2011 North American Car of the Year award. Earlier this week jurors voted on those they thought deserved additional consideration or what is known as the “short list” That narrowed the field to 14 semi-finalist cars, which will be on the ballot in December.

General Motors and Nissan each have three models on the short list. There are four European models, four domestic and four from Japan. Two are from Korea.

The jurors did not vote on the trucks because there were only 14 and it did not seem necessary to narrow the field from that original list.

The three car and three truck finalists will be announced on December 16th at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit. The final two winners, a North American Car of the Year and a North American Truck of the Yedar, will be announced in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This is the 18th year of the awards, which are funded exclusively by the jurors. During that time:

• Domestic automakers have won North American Car of the Year nine times. European automakers have won four times, Japanese automakers have won three times. A Korean automaker has won once.

• Domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year 11 times. Japanese automakers have won four times. European automakers have won twice.

2011 North American Car of the Year Short List:
Audi A8 Buick Regal Chevrolet Cruze Chevrolet Volt Ford Fiesta Hyundai Sonata/2.0T/Hybrid Infiniti M37/56	Jaguar XJ Kia Optima Mazda Mazda2 Nissan Juke Nissan Leaf Volkswagen Jetta Volvo S60

North American Truck of the Year Short List:
Dodge Durango Ford Edge Ford Explorer Honda Odyssey Hyundai Tucson Infiniti QX56 Jeep Grand Cherokee	Kia Sorento Kia Sportage Lincoln MKX Mercedes-Benz R-Class Porsche Cayenne Toyota Sienna Volkswagen Touareg

Let this be the first of many. It’s about time.

The EPA has to adapt to changing times.  New vehicle types like the Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF require new types of fuel economy testing and labels to allow consumers to compare among them.

The agency has just released two new sets of labels, and are asking the public to comment on them to decide which will be implemented.

Included among the group are the two different labels that would be specifically used for plugin hybrids and for pure EVs.

There are two design option for each.  The first gives the car a grade from A+ to D- indicating how much emissions the car releases.  It does not include the emissions created to generate the electricity.

The other label design is similar to the present day label.  For plug in hybrids it shows the MPGe (mile per gallon equivalents) on the left for the first all-electric miles of driving, how much gas and energy will be used to achieve it.

This is determined by the following formula:

MPGe = (miles driven) / [(total energy of all fuels consumed)/(energy of one gallon of gasoline)])

On the right it shows the miles per gallon when only gas is used.  There are two different labels, one for blended PHEVs and one for EREVs (the Volt).  It also includes typical fuel cost per year (electric and gas).

For pure electric cars the sticker will show MPGe in large font as well as kwh per 100 miles and annual electric cost in smaller font.

It is important to recognize the images in this post used by the EPA are only for illustration, they are not the actual Volt values.

You can download the whole brochure here which includes proposed labels for other vehicle types including conventional gas cars.

To weigh in to the EPA with your comments go here.

“We are asking the American people to tell us what they need to make the best economic and environmental decisions when buying a new car,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “New fuel economy labels will keep pace with the new generation of fuel efficient cars and trucks rolling off the line, and provide simple, straightforward updates to inform consumers about their choices in a rapidly changing market. We want to help buyers find vehicles that meet their needs, keep the air clean and save them money at the pump.”