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CarSpace Alternate RouteTurn off the nav system, crumple up that MapQuest printout, and let's find out where the next random turn may take us! Nov 18, 2009 - And The Lucky Ones Are...
I'm still not sure how a car that's not going to make Dollar One in profit is going to turn GM around and get me my $165 back (roughly the amount spent on the bailout for every man, woman, and child in the US) The markets will no doubt be picked to maximize sales and buzz, but the car is going to have to stand or fall on it's own merits and not the hype.
Oct 26, 2009 - Suggestion Box
If you've seen pictures of the Volt, you're likely already familiar with its greenish-silvery hue. A contest inviting the public to suggest a name for that color launched Friday and will continue through Nov. 4. People really get hung up on the names of colors, and an "off-color" name can really influence the perception of a color, although in the case of the Volt, the perception of the vehilce may influence the name people might give the color. Faded Bailout Green anyone? Read the rest of the article at wpxi.com
Sep 4, 2009 - Nice Try
In 1957, Ford proclaimed September 4th to be "E-day" to mark the introduction of the Edsel. Slick marketing and upbeat claims aren't enough to keep a sales dog on the production line. Wouldn't it be ironic if someone is considering calling it V-day to mark the introduction of the Chevy Volt?
Aug 22, 2009 - Ask Dub Schwartz!
Let's see... the Volt doesn't need gasoline to move, but when the batteries run down it does. Sounds like a hybrid to me. So what's the big deal if people call it a hybrid?? If you're worried about Volt "cooties" tarnishing the image of hybrids, perhaps you might try garlic to ward it off. Or drive a stake through the hood of the next Volt you see. Oh wait, GM may have done that already with the $40,000 window sticker on a car that won't make them any money at that price. I can't wait until some EV enthusiast tells me the Volt isn't an electric vehicle because it has an internal combustion engine.
Aug 12, 2009 - Heyyyyy!!!
GM said its Chevrolet Volt, slated to come to market next year, could be rated for an estimated 230 miles per gallon in city driving, and it also promised to launch 25 new vehicles by 2011. Just a month ago, GM emerged from 40 days in bankruptcy as a new company largely owned by the U.S. Treasury. "It feels great to be talking about cars in the auto business again," GM CEO Fritz Henderson said during a daylong event for news media and industry analysts. I think it would be even better if you were talking about real cars and what they really could do Fritz. That 230 MPG figure is out there now and the Volt is never going to live up to that. You think people complain about not getting their EPA mileage estimates now? Just wait until their $40,000 car doesn't get even 25% of the "mileage" you seem to want to claim. The Volt has definitely jumped the shark.
Apr 30, 2009 - Mule Testing
Apr 9, 2009 - Low Voltage?
Dec 4, 2008 - Euro Adapter?
General Motor's groundbreaking Chevy Volt is on course to be built in the UK, after top-level intervention by the UK government. The project was given an initial green light in the last few days by business secretary Lord Mandelson. He is keen to see the revolutionary self-charging electric car being manufactured in the UK, report GM sources, and is said to have pledged outline Government support. What's not clear from the story is whether this is about Volts for European distribution or this is about manufacture of all Volts. There's been nothing in the American press about this yet, but I thought that part of the pitch was that the Volt was going to be built in the USA by American autoworkers. I can think of a few folks who might need some clarification on this.
Oct 6, 2008 - Test Tweaking
General Motors Corp. said it reached a preliminary agreement that clears the way for U.S. regulators to certify the Chevrolet Volt, an electric vehicle that can be recharged at home or with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine, as the first 100 mile-per-gallon car. It's going to be an impressive marketing campaign with that number being prominently featured. Now name me one vehicle that doesn't have people loudly complaining that they're not getting the EPA estimated mileage number. (Most of the time that's because of driving style/conditions but that's another blog for another day) How hot is a Volt owner going to be if they're only getting 60 mpg and insisting that the dealer needs to fix this "problem"? Read more at Bloomberg.com
Sep 15, 2008 - Tricky Calculation
The straightforward calculation gives the Volt an EPA fuel-consumption rating somewhere north of 100 mpg. But the EPA apparently wants to certify the Volt differently, insisting it finishes the test with the batteries close to full charge. That drops the calculated fuel consumption to just under 48 mpg, because the internal-combustion engine would have to be run essentially all the time to keep the batteries near full charge. All of this will be moot if GM doesn't deliver the Volt on time, but it sure seems like any mileage estimate for comparison purposes is pointless anyway. If the Volt's gas engine never runs and you just plug it in to recharge it, your gas mileage is going to be infinite. Of course, you'll have a nice surprise on your next electric bill, but let's not spoil the moment and worry about that right now. Read the entire article at Motor Trend
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