GM Rumored to Debut New Plug-in Hybrid Crossover at 2012 Detroit Motor Show

At a recent event called “Charged 2011 – EV Symposium Silicon Valley”, General Motors’ western region group manager for environment and energy communications, Dave Barthmuss, told Brad Berman from Plugincars that the company may surprise us at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show with a new model, hinting at a plug-in hybrid crossover. Read more »

Ghosn Says Nissan will Sell Record Number of Leaf EVs in the US this June

The battle for sales supremacy in the eco-friendly segment between Nissan’s pure electric Leaf and GM’s extended range Chevrolet Volt is really heating up lately, with the two models separated by only 17 cars in U.S. sales figures so far this year.

And while GM is betting on the introduction of a slightly lower priced base model as well as the extended availability of the Volt in all 50 states to win this battle, Nissan is counting on increasing output to ease customer delays after production was disrupted by the Japan’s earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

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Nissan Leaf vs Chevrolet Volt: Who will Win the Sales Battle?

Even though the new Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt are two very different cars when it comes to details, they do have a common denominator: they are the most technologically advanced eco-friendly vehicles that are mass-produced and readily available in the U.S. market. That said, it’s interesting to see how they’re doing in sales this year.

Believe it or not, it’s a fierce neck-to-neck sales battle so far in 2011 with only 17 cars separating the Leaf from the Volt. Nissan has delivered 2,184 examples of the pure-electric Leaf from January to the end of May, while GM has sold 2,167 units of Chevrolet’s extended range electric vehicle in the same period.

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2012 Chevy Volt Launched in all 50 States, Base Price Drops More than $1,000

This morning, General Motors announced pricing information for the 2012 model year Chevrolet Volt, which is now available for order in all 50 states. The 2011 Volt was offered in just seven states and the District of Columbia. The good news for buyers is that GM has dropped the base price for its extended range electric vehicle by a little over $1,000 to $39,995, which includes an $850 destination freight charge but excludes tax, title and license fees. Those that qualify for a full federal tax credit of $7,500 will see the price dropping to $32,496. Read more »

2011 The Chevrolet Volt will initially be released in California

After the first 40 miles a 4 cylinder gasoline/E85-powered engine generator will create on board electricity to a 53kw generator which will enable the Volt to travel a further 300 miles. The power from the generator is sent either to the batteries or the electric motor depending on how much the battery is charged and how much power is required for the car. There are many other features in the Chevrolet Volt as well such as liquid crystal element display, which is completely configurable by the driver along with a seven inch display for viewing vehicle information.

It has a touch screen with climate controls for information and entertainment. There is the provision for an optional navigation system with its own on board hard drive for storing music or whatever you like. There is also a standard Bluetooth device to be used with cell phones and Bluetooth and USB connectivity to enable fast music streaming. The Chevrolet Volt has been scheduled and is expected to be released in late 2010. The price of the car is estimated at around $40,000.

In an industry often chided for dragging its feet when it comes to saving the environment, GM has taken a stand to be the champion of the new electric car. Having failed once before in the 1990s with the EV-1, GM is taking a huge risk by promising an as-yet undeveloped car in just two years. GM needs to build the battery to power this revolutionary car. Between engineering and testing, this could constitute a lengthy and expensive process - and the possibility then exists that GM may not follow through on its promise.

In addition to the science of it all, there's the publicity. GM's name hasn't been inspiring trust and building confidence in the past decade. They've been slow to respond to a changing market and suffered through expensive strikes and internal problems. If this special project succeeds, it may be their ticket out of the hole they dug themselves. If it fails, well, at least they would have inspired their competitors to go out and build us a plug-in hybrid.

The Chevrolet Volt is generating a tremendous amount of press. Try this link to follow all the Volt news, see additional pictures, read updates on the Volt's price (recently bumped to $40,000), and eventually find the release date and availability data.

The Volt will initially be released in California, followed by New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Michigan and Texas. 12 to 18 months later, nearly all of the 600 Chevy dealers nationwide should be selling the hybrid car, The Volt.

2011 The Chevrolet Volt will initially be released in California

After the first 40 miles a 4 cylinder gasoline/E85-powered engine generator will create on board electricity to a 53kw generator which will enable the Volt to travel a further 300 miles. The power from the generator is sent either to the batteries or the electric motor depending on how much the battery is charged and how much power is required for the car. There are many other features in the Chevrolet Volt as well such as liquid crystal element display, which is completely configurable by the driver along with a seven inch display for viewing vehicle information.

It has a touch screen with climate controls for information and entertainment. There is the provision for an optional navigation system with its own on board hard drive for storing music or whatever you like. There is also a standard Bluetooth device to be used with cell phones and Bluetooth and USB connectivity to enable fast music streaming. The Chevrolet Volt has been scheduled and is expected to be released in late 2010. The price of the car is estimated at around $40,000.

In an industry often chided for dragging its feet when it comes to saving the environment, GM has taken a stand to be the champion of the new electric car. Having failed once before in the 1990s with the EV-1, GM is taking a huge risk by promising an as-yet undeveloped car in just two years. GM needs to build the battery to power this revolutionary car. Between engineering and testing, this could constitute a lengthy and expensive process - and the possibility then exists that GM may not follow through on its promise.

In addition to the science of it all, there's the publicity. GM's name hasn't been inspiring trust and building confidence in the past decade. They've been slow to respond to a changing market and suffered through expensive strikes and internal problems. If this special project succeeds, it may be their ticket out of the hole they dug themselves. If it fails, well, at least they would have inspired their competitors to go out and build us a plug-in hybrid.

The Chevrolet Volt is generating a tremendous amount of press. Try this link to follow all the Volt news, see additional pictures, read updates on the Volt's price (recently bumped to $40,000), and eventually find the release date and availability data.

The Volt will initially be released in California, followed by New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Michigan and Texas. 12 to 18 months later, nearly all of the 600 Chevy dealers nationwide should be selling the hybrid car, The Volt.