Volt

There's no question that owning an electric car is better not only for the environment but also for your wallet. Then why does it seem like so many Americans are hesitant to take the plunge? Anxiety about battery life is probably the biggest concern to electric owners and potential owners. People fear change, but according to the EPA the Nissan Leaf averages 73 miles per charge and the Chevrolet Volt can run for 35 miles on a charge.

Charging an electric car at home is not only simple, but economical - costing anywhere from $1.50 to $4.00. It's far from dangerous, the power required to charge your car is equivalent to running a hair dryer. Maybe its time for resistant buyers to reconsider their fears when it comes to owning an electric car!

Check out the video after the jump and see if you change your mind...Read more

Like many Americans, Kory Levoy's weekly routine included shelling out $50 to $60 a week to fill his Audi TT Roadster. In the six months he has owned his Chevrolet Volt, Levoy has driven approximately 7,500 miles and has filled up only three times.

Like many other Volt owners, Levoy is averaging 40 miles on a single charge of electricity, more range than he needs for his daily commute of 25 miles each way to work.

"At night I charge my Volt at home using my 240-volt home charging station, and am then able to use my 120-volt portable vehicle charge cord to charge during work, meaning I rarely need to use gas," said Levoy.

Levoy estimates his average electric bill to charge his Volt is about $25 a month, or less than a dollar a day. Even with paying for more electricity, Levoy could save close to $2,000 a year in gasoline.Read more

Chevrolet announced on Friday that dealers in all 50 states will begin taking orders for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric car. The 2012 model will be priced nearly $1,000 below the 2011 base model with a starting price of $39,995 (or $32,496 with federal tax credit of $7,500). The price includes an $850 destination freight charge (but excludes tax, title and license fees).

For 2012, Chevrolet is offering a total of seven option packages (the 2011 model had only three). A loaded Volt, with leather appointments, backup camera, navigation system and premium paint and wheels is priced at $46,265 including delivery ($38,765 net of full tax credit). The Volt will be available in two additional interior accents (white and spiced red) and two new exterior colors (Summit White and Blue Topaz Metallic).Read more

You want to know what's becoming one of the biggest growing trends in the auto industry? In-vehicle entertainment and information systems (known as infotainment). Chevrolet plans to take it to a new level with Chevy MyLink, available in the 2012 Volt and Equinox this fall. In addition to your standard in-car entertainment features, MyLink adds a hands-free voice control system that allows you to make phone calls and select music and media from your MP3 player and smartphone, along with offering access to Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio via Bluetooth device connectivity. The system also provides the safety and security of OnStar.

And boy does this system look nice! It touts a seven inch, high-resolution, full-color touch screen display and also includes all your standard features such as AM/FM/XM tuners, CD player with MP3 playback, auxiliary and USB inputs.

Chevy MyLink will first be available with the 2012 Chevrolet Volt and Equinox this fall, and will expand to other vehicles over the next 18 months.

Over the past year we've told you all about the Chevrolet Volt, the new electric car with extended-range capability. If you've wanted to get behind the wheel and test drive the Volt, the wait is almost over! Chevrolet dealerships in the initial launch markets of California, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C. will be receiving Volt demonstration vehicles for customer test drives over the next few weeks.

In the first quarter of 2011, approximately 550 demonstration Volts will be delivered to Chevy dealers. By the end of the year, more than 2,500 U.S. dealers will receive a dedicated Volt for demonstrations and test drives. Chevy expects to deliver Volts in all 50 states by the end of 2011. Read more

Have you thought about purchasing an electric vehicle? Perhaps you've wondered just how well they handle winter weather (I know I have). With Chevrolet's new Volt, there's no need to worry. When the first Chevrolet Volts rolled off the delivery trucks in New Jersey recently, they were met with the season's first major blast of winter weather. The new owners quickly found out the world's first extended-range electric vehicle came fully winterized.

One of the goals in developing the Volt was to create a plug-in electric vehicle suitable for everyday use regardless of weather. The south has been hit hard with snow and ice this year, but northern winters take an even bigger toll on battery-powered vehicles than on traditional internal combustion-powered cars and trucks.

Engines produce plenty of waste heat that can be used to warm the air in the cabin and keep things comfortable. The inherently greater efficiency of an electric powertrain means less wasted energy, but it also means that the battery has to be used to power a resistive heater to produce that warm air - electrical energy could otherwise be used to propel the vehicle, which is one of the reasons why electric vehicles have a shorter driving range in cold weather. Read more

Yesterday, the first 2011 Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles left the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant on their way to dealerships – meaning customers in California, Texas, Washington D.C. and New York could receive the first-and-only electric vehicle with extended-range capability in the next few days.

Voted "Car of the Year" by MotorTrend, Automobile and Green Car Journal, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt can drive up to 379 miles without a recharge or gas fill up, thanks to the Voltec electric propulsion system which combines battery-only electric driving with a gas-powered engine.

"Today is a historic milestone for Chevrolet," said Tony DiSalle, Volt marketing director. "We have redefined automotive transportation with the Volt, and soon the first customers will be able to experience gas-free commuting with the freedom to take an extended trip whenever or wherever they want."

Get more information on the Chevrolet Volt at www.chevrolet.com/volt.

Chevrolet Volt owners will have a fast and (relatively) affordable option when it comes to charging their electric vehicles. The Voltec 240V home charging unit, offered by SPX Service Solutions, is priced at $490 before installation.

The Voltec 240V home charging unit can charge the Volt's battery in about four hours, compared with 10 hours with the standard 120V charge cord that plugs into a household outlet. The unit can be installed on the wall of almost any garage or carport. Installation is estimated at $1,475 but can vary based upon electrical requirements.

Worried an electric car will be a drain on your home's electric supply? Utility companies say they are working on offering special rates to encourage electric car owners to charge during off-peak hours.

In addition to Chevrolet's Voltec unit, SPX will offer a variety of home charging stations and manage all aspects of installation for Volt owners.

Chevrolet is taking the Volt on a 3,400-mile cross-country tour beginning October 9, 2010. Dubbed "Volt Unplugged," the tour will give you a chance to test-drive the Volt, meet the people behind the development of the vehicles and participate in activities at each stop.

"The Volt Unplugged tour will give people a chance to get behind the wheel of the Volt and find out for themselves what makes this vehicle so special," said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt product and marketing director. "This drive will demonstrate the one-of-a-kind capabilities of the Volt, the only electric vehicle able to drive such long distances under a variety of driving conditions and climates without having to stop to recharge."Read more

GM announced on Tuesday that they are now taking customer orders for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle at participating Chevrolet dealers in launch markets. The Volt's MSRP will start at $41,000 ($33,500 net of the full federal tax credit, which ranges from $0-$7,500) including a destination freight charge of $720. Chevrolet said they will also offer a Volt leasing program, with monthly payments as low as $350 for 36 months. Deliveries of the Chevrolet Volt are scheduled to begin in launch markets late this year with initial production limited.

The Volt will be initially available to Chevrolet customers in California, New York, Michigan, Connecticut, Texas, New Jersey and the Washington D.C. area. To be among the first to purchase a Volt, customers can visit their nearest participating Chevrolet Volt dealer. A Volt dealer locator is located at www.getmyvolt.com. For customers needing general Volt information, Chevrolet has a team of Volt advisors available to answer questions at 1-888-VOLT-4-YOU (1-888-865-8496). Read more