I think this is a poor idea. There are a lots of people who don't live on the coasts who want one.

Even if GM won't use the pre-order list here they ought to at least use it to see where demand is and then give the dealers in those areas the cars.

The best thing GM can do is get as many of these cars out there as fast as they can. It will build it's own PR. And demand will grow big time. Especially as gas goes up. Oil was over $80 this week on weak demand and high supply. GM is in good position with this technology!

Clearly, rolling out on the coasts makes sense... from GM's point of view. They have told us that they only will make about 10,000 the first year and then cautiously ramp up from there. They have not shown a real big interest in the electrification of the automobile, rather just "green washing", pleasing the president and press as well as the halo effect. They're hoping that the Volt will attract attention to their other, rather ordinary cars and you'll want to buy one of those while hoping one day to have a Volt just like Sean Penn does. If you're only going to make a few and you want the biggest media bang for your buck, send 'em to the coasts where the bucks and the media is.

In all fairness, the limited supply of batteries and the liability that comes with producing an all new technology drive train with potential recalls, does make a compelling argument for limited release. Still, I'm not seeing much over at GM that shows that this isn't just one of their special projects just to get interest in the brand again.

I'm not seeing much over at GM that shows that this isn't just one of their special projects just to get interest in the brand again.

Ironic that you are so critical/skeptical of GM since I have heard you very persuasively defend GM several times before. I guess there are really just no two ways about what the motivations are. Hierarchy of reasons for making the Volt.

1. General PR ("no more business as usual")
2. Green Halo Effect (shed the SUV and truck monger stigma)
3. CAFE standards (it's hard to sell SUVs and trucks when you've gotta be up to 35 mpg CAFE pretty soon)
4. CARB ZEV mandate*
5. Get interest for the brand again, especially the small cars (shift perception away from "Chevys, the cars that MIGHT last 10 years")
6. Deflect criticism from Who Killed the Electric Car fiasco (this has kind of passed, but at the time they made the concept, it was a nightmare)

*

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/31/carb-backs-off-a-bit-on-zev-mandate-orders-66k-phevs-sold-by-20/



now calling for 7,500 zero-emission vehicles to be sold in California between 2012 and 2014, CARB also demanded that automakers sell at least 66,000 plug-in hybrids during the same time period

BTW, it used to be 25,000 ZEVs

I hadn't realized that was still something CARB was mandating until recently. It suddenly makes sense why everyone has announced up and coming electric vehicles.

Ironic that you are so critical/skeptical of GM since I have heard you very persuasively defend GM several times before.

You're right. I can only take so much disappointment with this thing. They set us up and now they are knocking us down little by little. What I would like to be hearing from GM right now is how they are planning to go gang busters with E-REV technology and have a whole host of new vehicles planned along with plans to really crank them out. Instead it's starting to sound more like a boutique specialty science project to make the company have a little tech sparkle. It feels more like the old GM rather than something new. I am not that impressed with the new leadership at GM and unfortunately, the Volt seems to be turning out to be over promise and under deliver.

What I wanted to hear in that interview with Tony Paszowats is "40 miles? Oh yeah, and then some!" not "Well, a couple people made it that far." I really wanted to be seeing a shift towards an electric future with lots of buzz about new upcoming vehicles, but so far it's the Volt, just the Volt and it's a long shot that any ordinary Americans will get one until maybe 2015 or something. In the mean time, Look over here! We've got the Cruze coming!

So you guys think this is more smoke and mirrors, more hey look what we're doing over here and forget the things we're doing over there type attitude from GM than a sincere effort to create a game changer in the automobile industry?

Interesting, but I think once the costs come down even moderately they're going to see demand shoot up. Especially if gas is $3.25+ which it most likely soon will be.

omnimoeish,

In your response to DaV8or, you listed 6 reasons for GM to build the Volt. None of them are "make money," which is GM's reason for existence. Unless "make money" is one of the reasons for the Volt, it's very difficult to take it seriously or even to think that GM believes in it. And GM is all about mass production of cars... so what appears to have all the performance, size and appointment characteristics of a compact car should really be planned for mass production. Yet... it's not. A few hundred in 2010. Ten thousand in 2011. Sixty thousand per year for 2012 through 2015 or so. But, then, it's priced far too high for the competition it meets. It's a complete non-sequitur.

That's the chief difference with the Prius... Mainstreaming the car quickly was always a goal. Cost was a huge consideration when they designed it.

What I wanted to hear in that interview with Tony Paszowats is "40 miles? Oh yeah, and then some!" not "Well, a couple people made it that far."

What he said was something in-between.. why is 40 miles so critical?, would it make a difference if it was 20 miles?.. after all it still will be the ONLY BEV with unlimited range.

You can easily get 40 miles if it is so important, but you will have to slow down.

What he said was something in-between.. why is 40 miles so critical?, would it make a difference if it was 20 miles?.. after all it still will be the ONLY BEV with unlimited range.

You can easily get 40 miles if it is so important, but you will have to slow down.

It's like the EPA mileage ratings on current vehicles - no one gets those numbers in normal driving, so they are pretty much irrelevant. It would be really nice if a driver could achieve the 40-mile AER without resorting to hyper-miling tricks, reduced speed, no headlights or HVAC, etc. In other words, normal driving conditions - 55mph on a cool, rainiy night. If I have to resort to extreme austerity in my driving to hit that 40 mile AER, I might just hold onto my wallet for a while. GM, don't stumble as you approach the finish line. :(

I used to do door to door sales. The first rule of sales is under promise and over deliver. Do you see when you watch those infomercials and they say, you get 2 Ginsu knives for $20, BUT WAIT, ACT NOW AND YOU GET 2 MORE FOR FREE! Why not just say you get 4 for $20 in the first place? Same idea. If GM had said you would get 35 miles AER and then later said, we are having some testers get 40. Who wouldn't be ecstatic.

[...snip...] you'll want to buy one of those while hoping one day to have a Volt just like Sean Penn does.Yikes - if anything, that might KEEP me from buying a Volt! :(