Chevy Volt hits the road, video style

The Chevy Volt had its big debut last week, and although the official pictures were far cooler than those leaked dudes-in-suits shots we saw a while ago, there's something about this slow-motion video of the all-electric-drive car in motion accompanied by some soaring Coldplay that pulls at our jaded heartstrings -- now if Chevy would just add in one of those fake engine sounds audio systems, we'd be in heaven.

[Tyson Williams @ Sep 20th 2008 8:42PM]

wow, fail

[Maeztro @ Sep 20th 2008 8:44PM]

Slow motion? I think that's top speed...welcome to the future!

[Craig @ Sep 20th 2008 8:58PM]

My Mazda could probably do as well as the Volt, efficiency-wise, if I always kept it under 15 mph like the guy in the video.

[Shinigami @ Sep 20th 2008 9:30PM]

What did you expect from energy efficient car? 200 mph? For 10 seconds?

[Ignatius @ Sep 20th 2008 9:47PM]

0 to 200 in one second... unfortunately at 20 gallons to the mile.

[Blackstar @ Sep 20th 2008 11:29PM]

Ok, I just want to see what the cast of Top Gear and the Stig can do with it and maybe a Nürburgring time.

[tekdemon @ Sep 21st 2008 9:29AM]

Yeah I don't know where they got the slow-motion thing from...I'm pretty sure this is normal (slow) cruising speed, lol.

[AJ @ Sep 21st 2008 10:24AM]

This explains the speed - from gm-volt.com: "No it isn’t a real Volt with E-Flex drivetrain, just the production model with a low speed electric motor."

[Totalfixation @ Sep 20th 2008 8:50PM]

I'm so all over this car, i can care less how ugly it is, but this is definitely a decent looking car. It's 40 mile initial distance is well within my daily driving habit. It's American built which will definitely a plus for our economy. I am very ready to pick one up.

[Matthew C @ Sep 20th 2008 9:06PM]

GM definitely has gone in a good direction here. I don't know if id say its really that great looking, but it is practical, and nicely high-tech. If only they can get the price well below the prius, this car could be VERY profitable.

[dandaman @ Sep 20th 2008 10:20PM]

too bad it's a piece-o-sh*t chevy

[El Taco @ Sep 20th 2008 10:22PM]

well I actually like how it looks. It's like a fat lightning bolt

[loosely_coupled @ Sep 21st 2008 12:00AM]

@MatthewC
"if only they can get the price well below the prius, this car could be VERY profitable"

Are you joking? Do you have any idea how expensive the enormous pack of Lithium cells cost? The hybrid car tax credit should net buyers around a $6,000 tax-break, but you are looking at a high-30s to low-40s MSRP on the Volt when it comes available in late 2010. I'm not sure exactly what Toyota has planned for the Prius, but assuming it doesn't change it's battery pack significantly, the MSRP should stay at ~$25K well equipped. Gas prices will help to make the difference with the Volt, especially for people who don't take long trips regularly. The cost of the electricity required to propel a car a mile is much cheaper (7-10X) than the cost of the gasoline required to do the same, especially if gasoline continues to climb in price over the next decade (likely).

There are still people that argue their tiny used economy car gets better mileage than a Prius or a more expensive Volt, and they are better for the environment, yadda yadda yadda. Well the fact is there are a lot of people who wouldn't drive a chevy Metro or Smart Car that would certainly consider this bad boy.

[macserv @ Sep 21st 2008 1:39AM]

General Motors has already stated that they would take a sizable hit to place these cars at a very attractive price point, most likely below that of the Prius.

[adam @ Sep 21st 2008 2:39AM]

so i can't argue this car isnt awesome for the fact that it's the only plug-in that we keep hearing/seeing more of. but other than that, i feel like this doesn't have that much goign for it.

I don't like the looks of it. I really liked the old, more boxy styling and now, i just think it looks like a funky looking sedan, with a high prius-like trunk (in awk height, not hatchback). it lost its appeal to me.

also, it doesn't seem very functional. 4 passengers? what's the motivation for that? and the front dash just looks cheap to me. the white plastic looks childish and not luxurious(which is something they might want to tweak about the car since it's really not going to be cheaply priced) or even cool/technologically advanced looking

[Jordan @ Sep 21st 2008 6:42AM]

General Motors has also said that the price point of the Volt would be around $40k. They're still taking a hit at that price point. Originally the goal was to set a price of around $30k, but the loss to the company was deemed too great.

Also, don't forget that it can go from 0-60mph in roughly 8.5 seconds while still getting about 100mpg in "average" driving.

[LarryLarryLarry @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:38AM]

Opinion: This is one ugly car, both inside and out.
Fact: That no-button dashboard and vital center-screen are going to cause many crashes.
Fact: You would have to drive this thing about 250,000 miles to justify the price tag versus a similar gasoline car.
Fact: If you live in the Eastern USA you are not helping the environment. You burn coal to make electricity, which is worse than burning gasoline. If you live near a nuke plant or a dam, you help the environment a lot.
Fact: 30 percent of our total air pollution comes from cars. Not 50, not 70. 30.
Opinion: Only wealthy people can afford this car, and only dumb people will want it. The combination means the end of GM.

[max andrews @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:43AM]

LarryLarryLarry, let me please clarify a bit of your incorrect logic with some facts.
Fact: the volt costs about $.85 to recharge based on average US electric prices. That's for 40 miles of juice. If you drove a gas car that got 40mpg, it's the equivalent of $.85 per gallon of gas, so roughly 1/5 the cost of operating a very efficient conventional automobile. The average person drives about 14,000 miles per year. 14,000 miles per year, at 40mpg(realistically at best this would be 28mpg or less with currently available cars), and $4.00 per gallon, is $1,400 per year. The volt costs $300 per year to operate. Let's say the volt costs $35,000. We'll compare it with a gas car costing $10,000 less, so $35,000. Let's say you get a 5 year loan with 6% interest. The volt will cost you $675 per month. The other car will cost you 485 per month. In operating costs per month, the volt is $25, so $700 total. The other car is $117, so $602 per month. So during the term of the loan payback until you own the car outright, the Volt will cost you $100 more per month. Not insignificant, but not the 40% extra the inital price tags might seem to suggest. Over the entire five year term, the volt will cost you $6000 more ($100 per month times 60 months). And AFTER that term, that $6000 will be erased in 5.5 more years. So in total, the cars will have both cost you $42,000 after 10.5 years of ownership, maintenance notwithstanding. At the 14,000 mile per year figure we used earlier, that's roughly 150,000 miles total, about 100,000 miles less than your unfounded figure of 250,000 miles. In fact, if you drove both cars 250,000 miles, the volt would cost you $7850 LESS than the gasoline car. An remember, these figures are for a very efficient gas car - the only car that actually exists to fit these figures in the US is the honda insight - you want to talk about ugly now? And that's only a 1.0L engine.

Next, your claim about coal being less efficient than burning gas. FALSE. Gasoline cars are at best 30% efficient. Furthermore, the gas wastes more gas by being drilled for, transported, refined, and re-transported before it gets to you. You use about 10% of the energy in the gas once these losses are factored in. Coal power has fewer steps, so there are fewer losses, and most coal plants are at least 50% efficient in energy conversion. So let's say 10% losses for mining and transport, that's still 40%, four times as efficient as burning gas in your car. By all means, it's still a fossil fuel and still bad for the environment, but that can improve with time as more renewables are added into the energy grid. The point is it's still better than gas, despite how dirty it is.

Lastly, since when is 30% a small piece of the puzzle? I've just shown you that switching to electric cars, even with current energy supplies, yield four times fewer emissions. So that 30% becomes just 7.5% (actually more like 9% as there would be fewer emissions overall, but let's keep it simple).How is reducing emissions by a factor of four a bad thing?
Fact: 30 percent of our total air pollution comes from cars. Not 50, not 70. 30.

[LarryLarryLarry @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:14PM]

Your numbers are pure fallacy. Here we go:

At 10 cents/kWh (low estimate), you're claiming that the Volt can travel 40 miles on 8.5kWh. If the 40 miles take 1 hour, so that's 8500 W of energy to travel 40 miles. That's 212 W of energy per mile. Do you really imagine you can push a Volt 1 mile using less energy as two 120W lightbulbs? No idea how you got so confused. The charging cost of the Volt will be A LOT MORE than 85 cents.

A comparable gasoline car gets A LOT more than 28 mpg. It gets 35 mpg. This is a tiny car, not an SUV.

A gasoline car comparable to the Volt does not cost $35,000, it costs $25,000. You actually just told me that $35,000 - $10,000 = $35,000. An nine-year-old can spot this mistake.

The Volt will not cost $35,000. It will cost $40,000 as GM has clearly indicated. The government will give you some money for owning one, but many of us do not pay $5,000 per year in taxes. And where do you think that tax credit comes from? It comes from your own pocket and those of your fellow citizens. So forget your fantasy price, the Volt costs $40,000.

So please refigure your horrible calculations using the actual numbers. No free electiciy, no Volt running on two lightbulbs, no magic subtractions, and no Volt discounts.

Finally, I made no claims about the efficiency of coal vs. the efficiency of gas. I only made claims about the poltution. So thanks for sharing the greatness of coal, I totally agree. Why don't we have coal-powered steam cars if coal is so great? Do tell.

Finally, you mention a factor of four in reduced pollution, but this is pure sophistry. Reducing 30 percent to 9 percent means that our total air pollution goes from 100 percent to 79 percent if EVERY ROAD VEHICLE in the US (hauling trucks, etc.) is a Chevy Volt. That is NOT going to happen in your lifetime or mine.

And even if it were to happen, where are we going to get all that electricity? Maybe we can start burning gasoline in power plants? HA HA HA!

Your argument is constructed on a foundation of horrific math errors, factual errors, reality-dodging, and dreams.

I want an electric car very badly, but the Volt is not the answer. If they could lower the price point by $15,000 it would be the solution. They can't.

[LarsonEthan @ Sep 20th 2008 8:52PM]

I wish they would just release the car already. My parents need to buy a new car with in the next few months with good gas mileage but they would have to wait 2 years to get the best gas milage of all, 0mpg.

[steven @ Sep 20th 2008 9:07PM]

Get a diesel car. Take a 1990 or newer Mercedes E class and install a diesel engine.

[gonintendo @ Sep 20th 2008 10:28PM]

actually, there are diesel versions of these cars in the us. they're amazing. lots of torque, 35mpg

[300ELover @ Sep 21st 2008 12:49AM]

Love live the W124 Mercedes-Benz!
I have a 1989 M103, W124 and I enjoy the engine sound (I-6 at 6000RPM is lovely!), build quality, and reliability this car has given me.
Do any maintenance the car needs yourself and it is actually really cheap to operate for an old Mercedes-Benz.

I am excited about the new electric cars coming out and all, but I am just too much in love with the internal combustion engine and I will probably collect these older Benzs and drive them until I die. I just love these old, but extremely well engineered and well built cars too much!

[Steveorevo @ Sep 21st 2008 1:07AM]

Don't hold your breath. GM will never release an electric car. They've been doing this since the late 60's. Every 4 to 8 years during an election year. It never fails. Same technology, actually the same car.

The fact is that they are in bed with big Oil and have no intention of EVER releasing an electric car. Look to Japan, Korea or possibly China or even India well before GM becomes serious.

At best, they will lease the 'Volt' to the public and then yank it after a few years.

[Ming Hsu @ Sep 21st 2008 1:49AM]

GM released the Saturn EV1 back in the day...that was an electric car that worked.

Then they killed it.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 21st 2008 11:10AM]

Jesus H Christ misconceptions aplenty....

First, diesel may be around 30% more efficient but currently it costs as much as eighty cents more per gallon in my area. But that's only part of the problem. Diesel requires about 25% more oil per gallon than gasoline. Diesel is not a solution to reduce oil dependency.

Second, I don't know how many times or how many ways it can be stated before people will get it. The EV1 was a test and GM learned some things but to produce and sell the vehicle would have failed hugely. It was too small, too expensive and almost nobody wanted it. GM had to recover the cars to protect their research and now you see some of that research in the Volt. There was no conspiracy.

[Ro @ Sep 21st 2008 11:22AM]

They could buy a Honda Fit. Quality Safe car, its a Honda, and I'm getting about 38-40 MPG highway and 32-34 MPG city consistently with it.

[steven @ Sep 21st 2008 11:38AM]

Who said it was reducing oil dependency? Diesel cars get better MPG, and is not 80 cents more per gallon. I don't know where you live. Here in Milwaukee it's $4/gallon for diesel. Sure you pay more for diesel, but you get better fuel mileage and the savings will ad up.

[CaptCaveman @ Sep 21st 2008 11:17PM]

Tell them to lease something until the Volt is released...

[sean @ Sep 20th 2008 9:03PM]

when is chevy/gm going to update their branding?! I'll be the first to rip those gold plusses of the car. All they do is make the volt look like a futuristic Chevette.

[Andrew @ Sep 20th 2008 9:22PM]

gold plusses? i believe you mean bow tie...i don't think a company as old as chevy should ever majorly change it's logo but a silver one would look nice

[Andy @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:05PM]

Lmao "gold plusses." I'm with you on that, though. It's so ugly, and I'm a classic hotrod Chevy guy! I doubt they'll change that anytime soon. Chevys original colors were very similar to Ford, Bue and Silver. Probably to distance themselves, chevy went full blast douche gold. Well, thank god for aftermarket parts, the bow tie can always be changed to another color ;)

http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/attachments/f22/46337d1204702710-toolboxes-shaped-like-chevy-bowtie-splash.jpg

[Totalfixation @ Sep 20th 2008 9:05PM]

In some ways I think these types of vehicle would be bad for the roads or for those who haven't bought a high mileage vehicle of some sort. If an average person can dramatically reduce the consumption of gas. The tax that would have been made off the consumption of gas would paid for road maintenance. I suppose the government would have to increase the gas tax. which in some case would hurt those who can't afford new higher mileage vehicles. And if they were forced financially into looking for higher mileage vehicles the demand would jack up the price even more. You can almost see the vicious cycle, but i digress, it's good for the environment.

[Patrick @ Sep 20th 2008 9:06PM]

Coldplay are wankers!

[Wayne @ Sep 20th 2008 9:10PM]

I bet that "eco-friendly" vehicles, such as hybrids and electric cars, would really see a spike in sales if they looked like regular cars. Not every environmentally conscious person is a self-righteous douchebag who wants attention for driving a hybrid.

I know that a few cars offer a hybrid model, but even they have a shiny badge of honor to declare their status to the world.

Just make a decent car and don't make it obvious.

[Totalfixation @ Sep 20th 2008 9:29PM]

No not really, the pruis sold very well because it was a fashion icon and was distinct in its nature.The honda civic hyrbid didnt sell well because it looked like a conventional car. There was a study on it.

[Ignatius @ Sep 20th 2008 9:50PM]

A lot of people actually really liked the concept version of the Volt. Its aggressive styling and futuristic nature was a huge selling point, if it had made it to production stage almost unchanged.

However, the downside being that it was an aerodynamic as a brick. I wouldn't have minded the decrease in mileage (GM said something along the lines of 35 miles on battery only instead of 40) to have a concept Volt.

[Jason @ Sep 20th 2008 9:12PM]

Don't you get it. The volt is so hip that its engine audio system actually plays coldplay.

Duh.

[dg @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:46AM]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Oh, good God, I think I'm going to wet my pants.

[ugg.tryptophan @ Sep 20th 2008 9:12PM]

Fantastic, the Volt looks much better outside the photostudio, 2X2 seating, big boot, space-age interior and rear-end, the only thing i dont like is the flat- front, but its purposeful so i could live with it.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 21st 2008 12:39AM]

It looks way better now that I've seen it rolling. I'm over the initial disappointment I had with the redesign. I understood why they did it, and I accepted it, but now I actually love the look.

[Kyle Hance @ Sep 20th 2008 9:14PM]

I miss the concept design... Why couldn't they have used that body? Instead they completely uglified it...

[joegibes @ Sep 21st 2008 3:33PM]

Because it was so un-aerodynamic that the engineers joked that they could've put it in the wind tunnel backwards and gotten less drag.

[Steve Jobs @ Sep 20th 2008 9:34PM]

Environmentally friendly? What will you do to those batteries when the capacity diminishes after 15 years?

[Ignatius @ Sep 20th 2008 9:51PM]

If they are using A123 Systems batteries, the capacity loss is very minimal compared to normal Lithium-ion batteries. Their charts indicated something along the lines of 85% battery capacity after 10 years of constant charging and recharging.

That ain't bad considering most people don't hang onto their cars for more than 5 years.

[Aaron @ Sep 20th 2008 9:53PM]

Ughhh, recycle them.

[andrew @ Sep 20th 2008 9:38PM]

at 1:46 the screen shows a green battery status bar just like the iPhone ! haha so funny

[granny down east @ Sep 20th 2008 9:41PM]

If the cost comes down to @ 22k I am in.
I had a Civic hybrid for a city car, loved it.
Unfortunately, service after the sale stunk, so the Civic had to go.
We'll have to see how GM handles that little bump in the road

[Skazer @ Sep 20th 2008 9:42PM]

There's nothing "cool" about the production design. It looks like any other sedan out there. At least the Prius stood out.

[RD. @ Sep 20th 2008 9:45PM]

Looks like the ugly stepchild of a Civic and Acura TL