In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Cars don't usually vote in elections, but one vehicle is playing an unusual role in this year's presidential campaign: the Chevrolet Volt.

Rick Newman - USNEWS - May 9, 2012

The plug-in Volt, which debuted in late 2010, has become a political target for Republicans, who associate it with the 2009 General Motors bailout and with President Obama's fondness for controversial green-energy programs. Conservative pundit Glenn Beck called it "crappy." Rush Limbaugh huffed about GM "trying to kill its customers." Obama's likely opponent, Mitt Romney, says the Volt is "an idea whose time has not come."

GM CEO Dan Akerson, not surprisingly, complains that the Volt has become a "political punching bag," with sales hurt by partisan bickering that has nothing to do with the car itself.

I spent a week driving the Volt recently, courtesy of GM, and like many other reviewers, I think Beck and the other sourpusses are totally wrong about the car. The Volt is sturdy and enjoyable, grippy on curves, visually appealing and supremely quiet. Its high starting price of $39,995 means that it's not practical for most drivers. But it's also a technological marvel that may represent an important step forward in the history of powertrains and fuel efficiency.... [Read More]

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Romney, Obama, ... what about the other guy?


Ron Paul Dominating State Conventions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us1nzgEhP74

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

I want him as Secretary of the Treasury. :)

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

The object of pundits like rush and beck is to make people upset so they watch more, call the station and identify with the program. It's all about ratings and advertising. I choose to get my information from all possible sources, knowing the point of view of the publication first.

I do aspire to leasing some type of vehicle like the Volt. One with HOV stickers would have saved me a half-hour driving today. Will GM keep the generous lease of the non-HOV?

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Too liber for my utili taste. Secretary of Defense, perhaps. ;)

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

There are not that many Volt out there because of their high initial cost but they can get from 70mpg to 110 mpg when driven carefully. I've only seen a handful of Volts in the DC metro area - wrt to fuel efficient GM vehicles the more popular less costly convetional gas engine Chevy Cruze and Chevy Aveo has had a higher regional impact in the DC metro area. The Volt probably would have had more of an impact if its MRSP was limited to $22,000 ( i.e. the total production/manufacturing cost was kept under $15000) and the design-development-manufacture cycles was strictly limited to 4 years (but without any manufacturing/fabrication cost restrictions). I think the Chevy spark will be more popular than the Chevy Volt.

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Since I'm not rich and didn't look at the Volt specs, I didn't know it was a hybrid, that used more 'barrels of oil' than a Pris C..
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find....31618&id=32154

If I was rich, I would buy two Pris Cs instead of a Volt, and give the extra one to my daughter. :D

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Blaming sales or lack there of on politics is a new low for imagination. A four seater at this price loaded with new technology deserves to be a fairly low production vehicle. I hope it works and that it doesn't end up with some nightmare mechanical issue as it ages. How well historically do "new" GM products do in the first few years?

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

if you look at the "MPG Estimates from Drivers Like You"on that page you will see that the volt has 180mpg while the prius has 53 mpg average plus the volt uses no gas for up to 50 miles.

Re: In Defense of the Chevy Volt
 

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind driving a Volt, if I could get a little help, like this:
http://nlpc.org/stories/2012/04/23/l...ies-chevy-volt