New Video: Volt in Virginia

[srschrier]

The Volt travels to Virginia and establishes a partnership with local electrical service providers, video narrated by Tony Posawatz of GM.

http://www.chevroletvoltage.com/inde...een-house.html

[Altazi]

Time for Tony to change his name from Posawatz to Petawatts.

[srschrier]

An "electrifying" idea for sure!

[Khadgars]

Indeed, great idea. How come Lyle doesn't post any of these on the main page? I fee like he wasn't posted any Volt news in over a month

[prowler]

that's very funny, Dominion Power is interested in carbon footprint.

When I ordered the Tesla about 2 years ago, I contacted Dominion for what they were doing to support green/electric transportation especially considering the Federal Initiatives in that area:

1. They dropped the electric car tariff "because nobody was using it"
2. I couldn't use the tariff for a load-shedding 240V circuit such as a hotwater heater, to be used after hours and disconnected at will by the power company
3. No day/night rates - "thank you for charging at off-peak, but we're not going to do anything for you".
4. Extremely expensive and convoluted process to pump solar into the grid (and, again, no cost benefit for peak production/off-peak usage).

If I was in CA or TX, the state would match the Federal rebate (30%), require the power company to buy solar at peak rate, require the power company to offer off-peak night rates. THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SOLAR WORTHWHILE.

I came away with the opinion that Dominion (and Virginia, for not requiring the appropriate tariffs) was about the most EV-unfriendly company on the planet (which results in a 70-year payback on a solar system).

Just one first-hand opinion of a very distasteful interaction with a company that just doesn't care.

[omnimoeish]

I was excited to hear that they are installing charge stations at rest areas. You'd be hard pressed to think of any where else that makes more sense than a rest area. They're on the freeway at distant, but not too distant increments. They already have power. They are already owned by the state governments. They are public areas. Usually they have a lot of extra space that could be devoted to EV charging. They are easily accessible to people driving long distances.

Anyway, for the Volt, it's not too beneficial to have stations like these because (I am amazed GM doesn't realize this)the throughput needed to charge the Volt's 8kWh (usable) battery would be far too demanding for what they will actually install (probably just a normal 240V 50 A). Few people are going to wait 3+ hours at a rest area to charge their Volt to save 1 gallon of gas.

[DaV8or]

Here we go again with the whole infrastructure crap again. Like Omni said above, nobody is going to wait around to get their car charged up again. The puny amount of plug in cars that will be on the street in the near future isn't going to affect the grid hardly at all. Want to make sure everybody charges at night? Make sure everybody gets way cheaper rates at night. The infrastructure needed for the Volt to get off the ground is already in place.

As for public charging stations, they will get built by demand. When there are lots of EVs driving around looking for power, then they will be built and they will then be built were they are actually needed. It's not a field of dreams, just because you build it, doesn't mean they will come. I swear that GM just uses this whole "infrastructure concern" as way to get in front of cameras and get some green PR for the Volt. They try to create the illusion that there is going to be an army of Volts out there ready to overwhelm the grid.

[LRGVProVolt]

omnimoeish,

The expressway is a logical place for charging stations as high tension power lines are usually routed near them. The power company can easily install rapid chargers so the traveller can quickly juice up their battery and get on the way. Thanks for the post; it has inspired me to research Dominion Power. GM most likely considered their effort in considering where the public fleet will be located.

[hermperez]

I'm with DaV8or. more infrastructure crap.. Mitsubishi with their 80% charge in 20 minutes for a range of 100 miles is the company that should worry about public fast chargers.

The rest area chargers should make it more comfortable for the hookers.. they can have the ac running in the RV while doing business.

Seems like a lot of hands moving around in that video..

[omnimoeish]

Come to think of it. By GM going out of their way to make sure there is charging infrastructure, they are effectively giving the competition the advantage. In 2-3 years there will be a myriad of auto makers making BEVs. They will be significantly cheaper, but won't have the range of the Volt. Unless of course someone comes along and makes sure that there is infrastructure in place for them. Then there's no reason to buy a Volt! You can't make up this kind of irony.