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This is not your typical review of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Gene Weingarten is not an automotive journalist. He is, however, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The Washington Post. And yet, despite limited automotive knowledge by his own admission, he’s written an excellent review of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

Weingarten admits he was predisposed to hate the Volt (and American cars in general), but his time behind the wheel didn’t jibe with those expectations. And it wasn’t even because the car apparently made him more attractive to members of the opposite sex (though we doubt that hurt its chances any).

Trust us on this: Go and read all five pages of Weingarten’s review of the Chevy Volt, then come back and tell us what you think.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: The Washington Post]

This is not your typical review of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Come and get it: Chevy Volt available nationwide by end of the year

Map of Chevy Volt roll out plan for U.S.

If you’ve been craving a Chevy Volt, but it isn’t available in your area, take heart: The plug-in sedan is coming to you by the end of the year. Because of strong customer demand, the rollout is being sped up by six months, making those rumors of huge increases in production far more plausible. Speaking at the DC Auto Show, GM’s Ed Welburn said, “This accelerated plan, which had stretched into 2012, is the right thing to do for our customers. Demand was that strong.”

Apparently, GM’s 40 35-mile plug-in hybrid has so piqued the car-buying public’s interest that the company says it bringing people to showrooms who might not have previously considered a GM purchase. According to Chevy dealer Harry Criswell III:

The Volt is clearly bringing new customers to Chevrolet. We are seeing 10 to 15 customers a week who are seriously considering buying a Volt. Many of them own competitive brands and now have a Chevy on their shopping list because of the Volt.

Looks like all that investment just might pay itself off sooner than later. To see when your state goes Volt, check out the color-coded map above. Official press release after the break.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Come and get it: Chevy Volt available nationwide by end of the year

Come and get it: Chevy Volt available nationwide by end of the year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM to double Chevy Volt production capacity in 2012

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

With fuel prices anticipated to rise, General Motors anticipates increased demand for the Chevrolet Volt. To stay ahead of the game, the automaker reportedly plans to double production capacity for the plug-in hybrid.

Production was originally pegged at 10,000 this year and 60,000 next year, but if the increased capacity comes to pass, those figures could increase to 25,000 this year and 120,000 units next year. This strategy depends on parts availability, however, and if the outsourced parts necessary to build more Volts can’t be ramped up by OEM suppliers, the plans could be cut short.

As has been reported, in addition to the Volt itself, GM is evaluating possibilities to apply the car’s gasoline-electric drivetrain to a range of additional products across different GM brands.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: GM to double Chevy Volt production capacity in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt coming soon to a reality show near you; also, Transformers 3

Apparently, there isn’t enough yelling, screaming and drama surrounding the Chevrolet Volt. GM wants more. This time, though, the ruckus will be slightly staged and filmed for our entertainment. At least, that’s the plan if General Motors finds a partner in its quest to bring the Volt to a reality show. Public details are non-existent, but talks have apparently already begun for “a show under development,” Reuters reports. The car will also be promoted digitally when the third Transformers movie comes out this summer. Money well spent, GM, because who can forget the impact the Chevy Jolt had in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen?

GM told Reuters it is looking to increase its TV entertainment spending in the coming year, in part because of a “growing interest in reaching more women.” In 2009 and 2010, GM spent an estimated $185 million on sponsorships, down from around $230-250 million in 2006 to 2008.

[Source: Reuters | Source Image: Scott Gries/Picture Group]

Continue reading Chevy Volt coming soon to a reality show near you; also, Transformers 3

Chevy Volt coming soon to a reality show near you; also, Transformers 3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM CEO Akerson says Chevy Volt tech coming to minivan

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt charging port – Click above for high-res image gallery

The more vehicles General Motors is able to build using the battery technology pioneered in its 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the better chance the automaker has of earning a return on its significant investment into the electrically driven automobile. It’s the classic economies of scale issue… but what is the next logical vehicle application?

While many of the early prognostications pointed to a Voltec-powered Cadillac, a report from AutoWeek says GM CEO Dan Akerson is suggesting a minivan may come first. There’s also some talk that an unknown hatchback is in the works (yes, the Volt is indeed a hatchback that’s shaped to look more like a sedan, but whatever).

Also notable are Akerson’s expectations that at least 10-percent of all GM production will be hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles within 10 to 15 years. Akerson wants each of the automaker’s four core divisions – Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet (check) and GMC – to have a vehicle using Volt technology, though no timeframe for that expansion has been given.

In other Volt news, Akerson told reporters at the 2011 Automotive News World Congress that the General is on track to sell 25,000 Chevrolet Volts for the 2011 model year, which is a sizeable increase from the 10,000-20,000 units expected as production began.

Moving past the ever-present greenery, Akerson and GM North American President Mark Reuss both stated that the company is putting some of its next-generation truck programs on the fast-track. We’d imagine that means we’ll see new fullsize pickups from Chevy and GMC sooner rather than later.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL
[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: GM CEO Akerson says Chevy Volt tech coming to minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year

Filed under: Sedan, Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

As more and more Car and Truck of the Year awards pour in from a variety of major publications, it’s no shock that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt continues to take home top honors as the best car of 2011. Both Motor Trend and Automobile have deemed the Volt their Car of the Year, and General Motors’ high-profile EV is even a finalist for the prestigious North American Car of the Year award. (Our readers, however, would apparently rather see that honor go to the 2011 Hyundai Sonata). Thus, it’s no surprise that the Volt was just named Car of the Year by The Detroit Free Press.

Similarly, the 2011 Ford Explorer is in the running for North American Truck of the Year, and the Detroit Free Press is honoring it as the best ‘truck’ of 2011. Freep auto critic Mark Phelan states that in the road ahead, automakers must choose the “right shade of green” for each type of vehicle. Phelan explains:

“The Volt allows most owners to go weeks or months without stopping at a gas pump. The Explorer recasts America’s best-selling SUV in a fuel-efficient new form based on the same chassis as the Ford Taurus large sedan.”

Interestingly, The Detroit Free Press details its second and third place choices for Car of the Year, with the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf taking those spots, respectively. These two vehicles are finalists for the North American Car of the Year award, and we’re wondering if the Free Press‘ predictions foreshadow the decisions that the NACTOY judges will make (Note: Phelan is a member of the jury). We’ll have the answer to that in just a few weeks, but for now, we tip our hats to the Volt and Explorer on taking home the Detroit Free Press awards.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive

2011 Ford Explorer

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chevrolet tries to make sense of Volt mileage figures

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

Click above to watch the video after the jump

The 2011 Chevy Volt is, in several ways, like every other car on the road. Four wheels, four doors, a steering wheel… but not every vehicle has a gas engine, electric motor, massive lithium ion battery and a spot to plug into the wall. It’s a bit complicated at first, and perhaps more so when looking at the Environmental Protection Agency’s official fuel economy figures.

The EPA tells us that the Volt averages 35 miles on an electric charge, but that number can vary anywhere from 25 to 50 miles depending on the conditions. In gas-only mode, the Volt manages 37 miles per gallon. Combine a full tank of gas with a maxed-out electric charge and you can travel a total of 379 miles. Then there is the EPA equation that compares the cost of electricity compared to the typical cost of gasoline, with a resulting efficiency estimation of 93 MPGe. That’s miles per gallon equivalent. All-told, the EPA gave the Volt a 60 mpg combined score. So… we’re looking at mpg numbers of 37, 93 and 60 mpg. And 35 miles with virtually no gas whatsoever, but really it’s between 25 and 50 miles.

You know what… we can explain this until we’re blue in the face, but we probably won’t do as well as the 2:20 video that is available after the jump. General Motors breaks down the EPA’s Mensa label in a language just about anyone can understand. Click through and enjoy.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Chevrolet tries to make sense of Volt mileage figures

Video: Chevrolet tries to make sense of Volt mileage figures originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai Sonata edges Volt in Autoblog’s informal Car of the Year poll

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T – Click above for high-res image gallery

The finalists for this year’s North American Car and Truck of the Year awards may have been no big surprise, but the vehicle that our readers think will win Car of the Year honors came as something of a shock.

The NACTOY judges have picked the Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf as finalists for Car of the Year. While the Leaf saw a little bit of love with 2,820 votes in our unofficial poll, as well as being named European Car of the Year, the final tally came down to a bare-knuckled fight between the Volt and Sonata. Surprisingly, the Hyundai eked out a win with 8,058 votes and 42.7-percent of the total votes cast, which just barely bested the 7,985 votes cast for the Volt and its 42.3 percent of the total vote.

That’s not a huge margin of victory by any means (a statistical dead heat, as they say), but considering that the Volt has whirred away with honors like the Green Car of the Year, Automobile Magazine‘s Automobile of the Year and Motor Trend‘s Car of the Year awards, we fully expected the Bowtiie to handily walk away with our impromptu poll.

We were pretty smitten with both the 2.0T and the hybrid variants of the Sonata when we hopped behind their wheels earlier this year, and buyers have been no less taken with the base model. The 2011 Sonata has enjoyed a huge year in terms of sales with 183,102 units sold by early December, a year-over-year increase of 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the 2011 Ford Explorer handily beat the 2011 Dodge Durango and 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee in our informal North American Truck of the Year poll. You can check out the results from both surveys here, and the stay tuned for when the real winners are announced at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in early January.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T: First Drive

Hyundai Sonata edges Volt in Autoblog’s informal Car of the Year poll originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Jay Leno takes delivery of his Chevrolet Volt

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Celebrities, Electric

Jay Leno takes home a Chevrolet Volt

Jay Leno picks up a Chevrolet Volt – Click above to watch video after the jump

Jay Leno is adding a new car to his extensive stable and the newest member of the Big Dog Garage is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Leno stopped by his local dealer to pick one up and meeting him there was Shad Balch, General Motors Environment and Energy Communications Specialist, along with a salesman who clearly finds Leno very funny.

Hop the jump to view the clip and listen to Leno explain why he is adding the 2011 Volt to his collection.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Jay Leno takes delivery of his Chevrolet Volt

Video: Jay Leno takes delivery of his Chevrolet Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt components to be built from Gulf of Mexico’s oil-soaked booms [w/video]

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt recycled boom material

Recycled boom material under the hood of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s really no way to positively spin the disaster that took place in the Gulf of Mexico when BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling platform exploded and leaked untold millions of gallons of oil into the ocean. That said, it seems that General Motors has figured out a way to “creatively recycle” an estimated 100 miles of oil-soaked plastic boom material.

If not recycled, much of this material would likely have ended up in landfills, and we’d much rather see it reused under the hood of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt than buried under the ground to rot way over several lifetimes. Specifically, GM will mold radiator air deflectors from plastic that’s made up of 25 percent recycled boom material and 25 percent recycled tires, with the remaining 50 percent “a mixture of post-consumer recycled plastics and other polymers.”

Enough of the boom material has apparently been collected to fill GM’s needs for these plastic parts over the Volt’s entire first year of production, and it’s likely that these recycling efforts will continue to other models in the automaker’s portfolio. See the recycled boom material used in the Volt in our image gallery below, and check out a video along with the entire press release after the break.

Gallery: Recycled boom material in the Chevrolet Volt

Recycled boom material in the Chevrolet Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevy Volt components to be built from Gulf of Mexico’s oil-soaked booms [w/video]

Chevy Volt components to be built from Gulf of Mexico’s oil-soaked booms [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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