Chevrolet is back in the game with the recent roll out of their newest innovation on four wheels — the Volt.
Earning accolades from industry professionals and taking the car world by electric storm, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt recently added North American Car of the Year to the growing list of awards and it’s well on its way to living up the Chevrolet slogan of being an American Revolution as sales for the new electric car have begun to accelerate.
Steves Chevrolet, the local Chevrolet dealership, has already shipped three of the specialty cars and is leading the charge in sales for the valley, delivering the most recent Volt to a customer as far away as Mountain View, California.
“The Volt is taking us to the next step in transportation,” Alan Berg, Steves Chevrolet Volt Specialist said of the newest Chevrolet star. “It is an electric vehicle with extended range capability. You can plug the Volt into a standard electrical outlet in your home and go up to 40 miles on the charge. For longer trips it has an on-board generator that will give you up to 375 miles of total range. If you are traveling and cannot charge the vehicle all you have to do is fill the tank on the generator and keep going.”
Although this isn’t the first time Chevrolet has dabbled with different powered vehicles — Chevrolet rolled out concept cars as far back as 1969 — this is the first to go into production.
Dubbed “the soul” of the new General Motors (GM), emerging from the rubble of 2009’s bankruptcy reorganization like a phoenix, the Volt is already energizing the brand in a fresh new way with its forward-looking, green alternative to fossil fuel powered vehicles.
“Electric will definitely be one of the directions as well as other fuel sources,” Berg said. “GM is working on many different propulsion systems including bio fuels, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cells.”
Although it will be 2012 before the Volt is available nationwide, demand is already meeting a hungry pitch with 50,000 people on waiting lists throughout the United States.
Former concerns voiced by consumers of electric cars have been charging time, battery life, highway speed and cost. Berg said GM addressed these issues when they designed the Volt, saying, “With the available 240v charger you can charge the Volt in as little as four hours. The lithium-ion battery is protected by an automatic climate control system to keep the battery from getting too hot or too cold. For peace of mind, the battery is protected by an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty. The Volt has impressive acceleration and a top speed of over 100 mph.”
Additionally, the Volt produces zero emissions and can be charged for as little as $1.50.
GM has predicted a sales volume of 10,000 in the first year with a jump to 35,000 in the subsequent year. Berg isn’t surprised and sees that as a strong possibility.
“I wouldn’t say the interest has surprised me at all,” Berg said. “Many people have been watching the Volt since its concept version. These are the people who were anxiously waiting for their opportunity to get their hands on the Volt. With more and more people thinking green, I am sure sales will continue to grow. I believe people are tired of paying $3, $4, and up to $5 for a gallon of gas. If they can charge their car and drive 40 miles for $1.50 it really catches people’s interest. The introduction of the Volt puts Chevy back at the front of innovation. The Volt gives you excellent efficiency as well as extended range capability. The technology, performance and design of the vehicle set Chevrolet as the new benchmark.”
Chevrolet certainly isn’t alone in its quest for better, more fuel-efficient, and cost-effective transportation. Nissan unveiled the Leaf and later, Ford will be releasing the revamped hybrid Ford Focus as well as the C-MAX Energi, which has a later release date.
But the enthusiasm for the Volt is catching on and Berg is always on hand at the local Chevrolet Buick dealership to answer any questions.
“We have a demo unit scheduled for production and an available unit being built,” Berg said. “The Volt starts at $41,000 and has up to a $7,500 tax credit or they have a very attractive lease promotion for $350 a month.”
For more information on the Volt, call Alan Berg at 847-2261.
