Chevy Volt DETAILS: Hybrid Car Will Go On Sale In California Next Year

LOS ANGELES — General Motors says the Chevrolet Volt electric car will go on sale late next year in California.

GM said Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show that it will announce other markets later.

The Volt, which is expected to cost around $40,000, can be charged in a conventional outlet and is designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity. When its lithium-ion battery runs low, an engine kicks in to extend its driving range to more than 300 miles without refueling.

GM also said it's teaming up with three California utilities as part of a demonstration project. Using a $30 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the project will distribute 100 Volts to various fleets and will install 500 charging stations for residential, commercial and public use.

Comments

[The Gatekeeper]

09:11 PM on 12/05/2009

The Volt is good technology for the automotive industry. With the projected all electric range, many will be able to lower their monthly gas cost. Maybe to the tune of only filling up once a month. The cost of the Volt might be one of its barriers, but there are things in the works to bring it down. One of the reasons the Volt cost are higher than many desire, it is new technology. Whenever new technology is introduced, the technology cost are high until the upfront investment is recovered, then the price generally drops. Unfortunately, that takes several years in some cases. With the Volt it should happen at a much more accelerated rate. One reason is the government’s activities to reduce GHG emissions across the board. A way to bring the cost down is to develop battery technology for future vehicles here in the US. Right now most of the experienced battery manufactures are overseas. If the US could grow this emerging business space on US soil, the cost of the battery technology would be more acceptable to the masses. The Volt is blazing the trail in the PHEV market, having this fleet in service will provide real world data on how the vehicle performs under various driver influences.

[Neuromaster]

02:26 PM on 12/04/2009

Just too expensive. Needs to be under 30k after rebates for me to consider. I don't live in my car. I don't play in my car. And I don't wave my car at my friends or coworkers to advertise my success.

Actually 30k still wouldn't grab my attention. Maybe let someone else pay that & drive it for 50,000 miles, then I'll try to get it from them for half the sticker price.

The _only_ reason to put down so much money for a car is to consume conspicuously. It falls into the same category as a $4.50 cup of "shade-grown" coffee.

I don't want a sexy electric car. I want an affordable electric car. Why won't anyone build one?

[jsarets]

10:20 AM on 12/05/2009

Because new technology doesn't become affordable until after it's been a sexy luxury.

Affluent early adopters are needed to open the market and drive economies of scale.

Batteries are still too expensive for a sub-$30K electric car.

The Volt isn't an especially luxurious car. It's not much "sexier" than its sister car, the Cruze, which will be in the $15-20K range. It's just a very expensive technology right now.

[Myshkin57]

12:40 PM on 12/04/2009

If the economy were better, it could be a big deal for Chevy. As it is, I don't see much impact for several years.

[invest in jobs]

06:56 PM on 12/03/2009

Today Bernanke called for cuts in Social Security, Medicare. This is further proof Bernanke and the financial & technological elite want to destroy the middle class as well as every social program in existence so that the United States becomes a two tied socioeconomic system of creators and serfs.

hat tip to http://financeopinionss.blogspot.com
This assault on humanity must end. l

[BannedNBoston]

01:20 PM on 12/03/2009

AUDI is worried the volt will hurt V6 A4 and A6 purchases (23-26 MPG)

""The Audi of America President talked to MSN autos and had some strong feelings about the upcoming Chevy Volt. He states in part that the Chevy Volt will fail because there isn’t enough idiots to pay a $15k premium for a car that competes with the Toyota Corolla""
The Volt is more like an A6 than a Toilet Corrolla

[SworldPeas]

12:52 PM on 12/03/2009

I just turned another 12,000 miles on my 1982 100% electric car and I charge it with solar power. All those miles with ZERO emissions. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and Chevy can keep it's Volt.

[middleofthemiddle]

12:27 PM on 12/03/2009

$40,000 for this? Why would I not spend $60,000 and get a Tesla? It even looks better.

[JStading]

12:34 PM on 12/03/2009

The Tesla has to be plugged in so it has a limited range. The Volt has an internal gas operated generator that yields a higher level of efficiency than a standard gas engine but it has the added benefit of being able to have an unlimited range (with gas fill ups).

[middleofthemiddle]

01:09 PM on 12/03/2009

They have a 300 mile version of the Tesla. Seems plenty to me.

[middleofthemiddle]

12:26 PM on 12/03/2009

Wonder what they are going to burn to generate the electricity for all the new Volt owners.

[hidenout]

12:51 PM on 12/03/2009

Rhetorical I know, but .....coal, natural gas and uranium (solar / wind too minor to include)

And approximately 40% of greenhouse emissions come from the production of electricity.

I say we need to dig up more uranium. Car looks pretty cool to me.

[JStading]

12:04 PM on 12/03/2009

Can anyone explain to me why the 75+ MPG Ford Festiva that is sold in England for about $16,000 (without VAT) is not sold in the U.S.? Checking out their UK website infuriates me because all of their cars, trucks, and vans get 30+ MPG - and this is from a company that complains that raising fuel efficiency standards to somewhere in the mid 20MPG range will make them go broke.

[EinChicago]

05:05 PM on 12/03/2009

I'm from the UK and my mom drives a Festiva, and before that a Ka. They get great mileage. But they're about as big as a power wheels toy and they would never pass emissions standards in the US.

[LarryMillerToyo]

11:33 AM on 12/03/2009

At least we are heading in a greener direction... gotta start somewhere!
[http://www.lmtoyotaparts.com]

[DrD]

07:54 AM on 12/03/2009

Of course, at $40,00 it's out of reach for average Americans, especially since many, many average Americans are jobless.

[MadamRoma]

09:05 PM on 12/03/2009

Government gives 7,500 rebate.

[DrD]

07:27 AM on 12/04/2009

That's good and even at a $32,500 price tag, it's still out of my price range. My Hyundai Elantra cost less than $18,000. A Ford Fusion is probably around $25,000. And I think some Japanese company (Toyota?) were going to come out with an electric car that was much cheaper than the Volt. And at least manufacturers are going in the right direction.

[Elyriaohio]

07:43 AM on 12/03/2009

Too expensive, too little, too late.
Give me a comfortable tiny commuter car for >$10,000.

[EinChicago]

09:53 AM on 12/03/2009

Tell me ANY comfortable commuter car that sells for a full price MSRP of less than $10K.

At $32,000 fully loaded out the door, the Volt is cheaper than a comparably equipped Prius which has an MSRP of $33,800 for the V trim (comparable trim).

[Elyriaohio]

04:04 PM on 12/03/2009

Exactly.
They would sell like crazy.
Toyota Echo & Ford Focus were almost there.
Give me 60MPG.
La-z Boy driver seat.
FM radio.
I'm good to go.

[Humanistic]

12:09 AM on 12/03/2009

I can hardly wait to get out there and hitchhike a ride in one of those.

[mbsq]

01:17 AM on 12/03/2009

convince them to let you drive

[Virgil Kane]

11:11 PM on 12/02/2009

But what about the oil company profits?????

[mlaiuppa]

09:03 PM on 12/02/2009

100 Volts?

Will they be lease only.....like the EV1?

Yeah. I'm so holding my breath.

[mbsq]

01:19 AM on 12/03/2009

the 100 are for the demonstration project before they go on sale at the end of 2010

[mlaiuppa]

01:45 AM on 12/05/2009

How many?

A thousand?

Still diddly squat.