Chevrolet bringing 10,000 Volts in 2011, but it's the current of change that will kill you
By Vlad Savov 
posted July 2nd 2010 7:36AM
posted July 2nd 2010 7:36AM
Chevrolet Volt Adds Four States To Launch
AUSTIN – Chevrolet is adding Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to the launch markets for the Volt, Ed Whitacre, General Motors chairman and CEO, announced today. Whitacre said the company is expanding the initial launch of the groundbreaking electric vehicle in response to intense interest in the Volt from customers across the country.
Today's announcement brings the initial Volt retail markets to seven, including California, Michigan, and Washington, D.C. The retail launch in Texas and New York will begin with Austin and New York City in late 2010. The balance of Texas and New York, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut, are scheduled to begin receiving Volts in early 2011.
"We can add markets as diverse as Texas and New York because the Chevrolet Volt can handle both urban commuting and longer trips, in Austin summers and Manhattan winters," Whitacre said. "The Volt can be your primary vehicle, giving you the freedom to drive gas-free without the stress of planning every trip around the battery's charge level."
The Volt is the only electric vehicle that can operate under a full range of climates and driving conditions without limitations or driver concern of being stranded by a depleted battery.
"Chevrolet is extending the Volt launch to additional states because of strong customer interest and our confidence in all aspects of the vehicle and battery," said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt marketing director.
The Chevrolet Volt is capable of about 340 miles total driving range, with electricity driving the car at all times. For trips as long as 40 miles, the Volt gets its power solely from electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, an engine-generator seamlessly engages to extend the driving range to about 300 miles on a full tank of gas.
According to a U.S. Department of Transportation survey, the average driver in America commutes less than 40 miles per day, meaning Chevrolet Volt owners may never use gasoline or produce tailpipe emissions in everyday driving.
A portable 120-volt vehicle charge cord that can recharge the Volt using a standard residential outlet comes standard with every car. Volt's intelligent charging technology enables the Volt to be charged from a standard 120-volt outlet in about nine to 10 hours, or from a standard 240-volt outlet in about three to four hours. The first buyers of the Volt also may be eligible for one of 4,400 free 240-volt home charging stations from ECOtality, Inc. or Coulomb Technologies, under a program administered by the U.S. Department of Energy and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Whitacre also announced that Chevrolet will add five Texas electric utilities and five Northeast utilities to a Department of Energy development and demonstration program that provides Volts and charging stations to key utilities. The program allows the utilities to study charging station installation process, vehicle charging, and customer feedback. The Texas utilities include: Austin Energy, CenterPoint Energy, CPS Energy, Oncor, and American Electric Power. In the Northeast, Chevrolet is partnering with Con Edison, New York Power Authority, Northeast Utilities, National Grid, and Public Service Electric and Gas.
Volt production begins late this year at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck facility. Pricing has not been announced.
@DefPoet
yes, exactly. and why also launch in the place with the most sarcastic drivers "NJ", the most angry drivers "DC", and the most chillaxed drivers "CA"? What are they thinking?!
@ravissimo
I call fascist editors!!!!!!!
Silencing the people!!!!!
;p. vlad
@ravissimo I dunno about chillaxed drivers here in CA. People in California love their cars. Its a status symbol thing. Even with our stupid emissions laws we love our HP and TQ. Hell, cruising speed is like 80 MPH out here, in bumper to bumper traffic!
I imagine most people will leave it idling in their driveway, letting the gas generator charge the battery. And why isn't that a diesel generator??
@Shalabi
It probably would be cheaper to use the gas to charge the battery. I can only imagine the cost of charging this thing at home. It might be "green", but it will probably triple maybe even quadruple your electric bill.
@Shalabi Additional costs of the motor + the additional costs of educating a relatively ignorant consumer = a high barrier of entry for diesel hybrids.
In truth I'm more excited about the Volt than I am the Tesla. Sure, it may not be as fast but in every other measurable way it's more economical and signifies a greater shift in the market. I suspect Chevrolet will sell every single one they can build.
@Hiprocksoul NO!! Using the gas to charge the battery is not cheaper than using you home outlet, especially during non-peak hours. Ideally you'd want to never even touch the gas during your day to day commute/recharge cycle. It is there only as a buffer for longer trips and emergency situations.
@Hiprocksoul
Try again. Chevy was saying early on that it would cost < $1 to go 40 miles. Something like $0.60 to charge the battery. Try www.gm-volt.com...
@Shalabi
It won't charge your battery anyway. It's only meant to keep the car going, and will only get the battery up to about 30%, I think, then shut off. This is probably to keep the fuel usage down (and their insanely inflated MPG figures up).
@Shalabi and @Hiprocksoul - You are both wrong.
Hybrid, bad. True electric, good. (e.g. Tesla S)
@cobra2326
OK, I'll look at a gm site as a reliable source. Lets just see what happens when the mass public picks up on these electric vehicles. "Peak hours" and other BS will no longer be an issue. All hours will be "peak" and the current grid will not support it. Not to mention the HUGE electric bill. I'm paying $400 a month for a 3,000sq/ft home and I barely turn on the lights. I keep my AC/heat reasonable and still push 3-400 dollars a month. I could only imagine the joy my local electric company would get billing me another $300 for using an electric vehicle. I guess, we'll have to wait an see, right?
@Hiprocksoul
Dude, the mass public will not be picking up these cars, maybe in 10 years or so when they become cheaper. I remember there was a poll on Facebook or something and the majority of people voted saying they like they car but couldn't really afford it. Last time I checked, the Volt is going to cost over $50,000. Your average person ain't going to be getting this.
@Hiprocksoul
you, good sir, need to learn how to manage your home renovations and thermostat correctly. $400 a month for only electricity is most likely your fault.
@willowtwf I was thinking the same thing. I have a comparably sized home, and my bill runs 130 a month. Granted, I do not have a pool or any superfluous amenities, and I NEVER use the AC. I do leave two computers running incessantly for development. Anyway, yeah, I don't buy that electric prices at home will cost more than gas prices at the local station, for vehicle needs.
@Hiprocksoul
Suit yourself. It's light years ahead of being locked into one single power source. If power shortage is an issue, build more nuclear plants, or solar power plants, or gasoline plants for all I care. Or, get solar panels on your house to charge it, or, or...
For the people saying hybrid < electric, the volt is a completely electric car until the battery hits a certain threshold. The gasoline generator is only there to charge the battery, which makes it ultra-efficient. In this case hybrid > electric.
@Hiprocksoul What, do you live in a medieval castle or something? Sheesh!
@willowtwf
I am investing in some insulation, but I've had several complaints with my local power company. Maybe it's a local thing, but many people I know(even with smaller homes) have been hit with equally high bills. Even when I travel for a few months and my house is completely empty(with everything except security turned off) I still push $300 a month.. They "replaced" the meter, but that didn't make a difference.
Anyway, I don't see charging an electric vehicle at home a cost saver.. Maybe I can rent an outlet from some of you with cheaper electric bills.
@Mike Vick LOL!
@scooterbaga
Tesla is a great car...unless you run out of juice in the middle of no where. It doesn't make sense for a daily commuter to use that, especially with how long you can wait on the highway some days.
The Volt on the other hand, is a great idea that will take a few generations to be refined. As they improve the batteries, the length will improve, requiring less gas. BUT the gas option is there if you want to drive further than 40 miles.
@Plazmic Flame I have a 3 bedroom home in northern Cali and my bill is usually $100. Granted we don't even have ac because it never gets above 70 in the summer but we do use the heater a fair bit in the winter. Which is every month other than august.
@MisterDBarton Since when does the Tesla only go 40 miles per charge? Being pure electric means only one drive train, which means a lighter car. It also means there are more room for batteries. Teslas go hundreds of miles per charge.
I understand that it's easier to 'fix' a car that's run out of gas. But if you're running a car out of gas/charge then you have more serious problems regarding memory and priorities to deal with...
Also... depends very much on the length of your daily commute... doesn't it?
(*runs off to patent portable electric car charger*)
@Hiprocksoul
You weren't even home and it was still $300 a month? Dude, something is seriously wrong with something. Is your home close (very close) to another residence? Maybe someone is -- either intentionally or unintentionally -- leeching power from your home. Do you have a combined gas/electric bill? That's how it is for my parents where they live. Do you have a lot of electronics that are always on, such as a home server or other type of computer? Do you have multiple fridges/freezers? If so, how old are they? If you're in a hot area of the country, how old is your A/C?
I'm a techie sort of guy; my house if filled with energy sucking equipment. Two xboxes, two HD televisions, a PC, two laptops, etc. My heat is completely electric. In the coldest winter months, my electricity bill was no more than $120 and so far this warm weather season, my bills have been $35 and $27, and that was before I replaced my decades old A/C unit. You should try unplugging EVERYTHING in your home, including the fridge(s), and then go take a look at your electric meter. If it's still spinning like crazy, something is wrong with the wiring or the meter. If it's not, either check your usage behaviors or have a look at your billing rates and the cost/kwh.
@Hiprocksoul
Its all about efficiency. Burning gas in a car, it costs around $.40 per kWh. Burning coal in a power plant costs about $.05 per kWh. The coal plant is more efficient. Same with all other types of power.
@Shalabi
Will it transform?
@Hiprocksoul
Actually, you are completely wrong. Estimates vary (and depend on a lot of variables including the current price of gasoline and electricity), but going 100 miles on electricity is 1/5-1/10 the price of 100 miles on gasoline. The reason for this huge disparity is the fact that ICE engines are horribly inefficient, losing the majority of their energy to heat/friction. In fact, it would be far more efficient to burn the gasoline in modern power-plants to generate electricity which could then be fed into electric vehicles.
Will it blend?
@DrzNight sorry drznight. appears the comment i was responding too magically disappeared. perhaps it was sacrificed by the engadget gods.
I just got second-hand embarrassment from watching that video :-/
@tones44 I wonder who the band is that does the song. Her voice is sexy
Why is it only rich people can AFFORD to be environmentally conscious? These cars are outrageously overpriced and to anyone who says the cost will come down, I seriously doubt it. The car will be marketed as a "luxury" item. How long has the Prius been out and that's still outrageously expensive for what you get.
@malexandria1
I wish more people in cities and bigger towns would consider cycling. It's convenient, cheap, green, and healthy. More riders on the road will make it safer.
@malexandria1
Because anyone who buys these cars IS NOT being 'environmentally conscious'. Most of the environmental impact (at least during a normal ownership period) is on the front end during manufacturing, not during the period when it's using fuel.
If you really want to help the environment, go buy a junker that gets decent mileage and drive it until it dies. Better yet, have that junker be a diesel engine and run biodiesel.
Regardless, these cars retail at such high prices because they are expensive. Batteries are expensive, motors are expensive, the R&D put into this car was very expensive.
@malexandria1
I think it's safe to say that everyone considers cycling, and the majority for whatever reason deem it unpreferable to driving or public transport. You would struggle to find someone in a city or town that is unaware of the bicycle.
@malexandria1
Costs will go down. Dont doubt it. Dont sweat it.
Most rich ppl dont give a shit about EV's anyway.
Written on my StarTac, from my Caprice Classic idling outside an orphanage.
@bigcow05 well, not too many people live in areas where they can cycle to work. I live in Austin TX, and I live about 10 miles from where I work. I also live in a very hilly area. I would love the option of biking to work, but I would need the endurance of Lance Armstrong to get up some of these hills. Also, how would I get my groceries home? Oh, and the summer heat. Would you want to bike in the 100 degrees heat with 80% humidity and still feel like working? Yeah, biking is a great thing for people in urban areas, such as New York City and the likes, but not for people in cities as spread out as most cities in TX. Not trying to say your opinion isn't valued or anything, but many times biking just isn't practical for most folks.
@malexandria1
Because R&D is expensive and those costs have to get passed on to the first generation of adopters. Costs *will* come down after the technology matures and the research investment has been recouped, but that will take a few years and vehicle generations.
@electrogruve @bigcow05 well, not too many people live in areas where they can cycle to work. I live in Austin TX, and I live about 10 miles from where I work. I also live in a very hilly area. I would love the option of biking to work, but I would need the endurance of Lance Armstrong to get up some of these hills. Also, how would I get my groceries home? Oh, and the summer heat. Would you want to bike in the 100 degrees heat with 80% humidity and still feel like working? Yeah, biking is a great thing for people in urban areas, such as New York City and the likes, but not for people in cities as spread out as most cities in TX. Not trying to say your opinion isn't valued or anything, but many times biking just isn't practical for most folks.
I'm a Texan myself, live in one of the big cities, and I disagree with you saying cycling isn't viable period.
"how would I get my groceries home?" - Well I don't know how much groceries you get per stop, but I could probably fit 3 full plastic bags onto a handlebar, or you can even probably carry more with reusable totes. You can also get the option to deliver it directly to home. Or shop together with a friend who has a car. Such cases you don't need a car.
"the summer heat" - Deal with it? Carry water bottles, wear long loose clothing and helmet, take occasional breaks, and change when you get to the workplace. You'll eventually get accustomed to it, which is good and helps you last severe heat spells whether you cycle or not.
"not for people in cities as spread out as most cities in TX" - There are urban areas, and most metro areas have at least bus coverage. Most buses will accommodate bicycles so you can bus yourself part of the way, and cycle the rest. It's actually a good money saver.
I don't see why you must feel like it's impossible. I can't imagine how you could have survived the era before AC's existed, whether or not it's the Texas heat. Cycling isn't as impracticable as you make it seem in Texas.
@electrogruve
Well, I used to live in Houston and did 2-5 5 mile commutes every day, depending on whether I needed to go back to the Uni. to finish up homework. It was really hot for sure, but with proper hydration, its nothing you can't handle. People lived in Texas before AC. And exercise helps improve my mental ability, regardless of the temperature outside. As for hills, well, I personally enjoy them a lot; give the hills a go and within a month you will develop the muscles for it, and dare I say, seek them out and pretend that you are riding up Mt. Ventoux. Shopping is a non-issue; I shop once a week with only a backpack; two bags in the backpack, one on each handlebar. You can also get a rack and pannier bags to carry even more stuff.
Vlad, I love you. Awesome title.
Dumb. These douches are the Microsoft of the car world.
GM has ALWAYS missed the mark with their advertisements.
Why do they keep calling this a electric car...
it has a combustable engine... so shouldn't they call it Hybrid??>>>
@MusTang
A traditional hybrid uses the gas engine to drive the car. This car does not.
@MusTang
The gas engine doesn't directly power the wheels; the engine only charges the batteries. Its a grey area, but I'd place it on the electric side.
@BigJayDogg3 Technically you could consider this a Serial Hybrid. This is similar to a diesel electric submarine or diesel electric locomotive. In a serial hybrid the batteries drive the electric motor which is the sole mode of propulsion, and the generator is used to charge the batteries.
The Pruis is a parallel hybrid which uses a planetary gear transmission to simultaneously connect the generator/motor and the gas engine to the wheels.
@henryhbk That would be series hybrid, not serial. GM likes to call it an EREV though (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle)
@MusTang It's an EREV, and if you drive less than 40 miles/day and have a place to plug it in at night to charge it, it'll operate as an electric vehicle all the time. They avoid the term "series hybrid" which is also applicable because then people won't know that it's any different than a Prius, and since their neighbor has a Prius they'll think they should get a Prius as well.
I drive 40 miles each way to work through crime ridden neighborhoods. Cycling is not an option. I would love to get a volt.
@monkey man
What did the boy of color get for Christmas?
Your bike.
written on my 486 dx, via the Ghetto, nuckah!
@A25i
Apparently he got a terrible school district that no one would want to attend.