I first saw the new design when I took my kiddos Sheridan (10) and Bryce (8) to see Tomorrowland starring George Clooney.
Can you say, "product placement?" Well you know, no matter how good the car is, Chevy needs to sell a lot of them.
The design is pretty different. It's still very nice to look at but, at least from my perspective, this model looks more like "other cars"... specifically, I think it looks a lot like an Accord or a Camry, although given that it is a compact car, maybe I should say, it looks more like a Civic or a Corolla. In any case, the design is changing from the very distinct looking Gen 1 Volt.
Regardless of what you think of the new design, the new Volt features several exciting changes. Here are a few of my favorites, simply stated:
1. Bigger battery which means more range (Chevy says 50 miles per charge, which for hypermilers like me will translate to 60-65 miles per charge easily).
2. Regen paddles. Right now, in order to maximize power regeneration from braking, many Volt drivers like me will shift back and forth between drive and low (I have an earlier blog regarding efficiency if you missed it) to activate the regen at will. The new Volt, like the current Cadillac ELR, will feature "regen paddles" on the steering wheel that will allow drivers to activate regen without taking their hand off the steering wheel.
3. More driving modes. This requires a pretty complex explanation so I will save it for another blog. Let's just say for now that engine improvements have been made that allow the Gen 2 volt to be faster and more efficient.
4. Lower price tag. Combining some systems in the new model have reduced costs by around 3-4K.
A few friends, upon finding out about the immenent arrival of the Gen 2, have asked me, "Why didn't you wait?" There are two main answers to this question.
1. My lease was up on my Toyota Camry. I have to get to work, you know?
2. Even though the new Volt will be lower in price, there are good incentives right now to buy a 2015. Dealers have to clear these out to make room for the new generation.
I also have to say, even though this sounds like I'm justifying my lack of patience, that I like the style of the Gen 1 Volt better. Of course I haven't seen Gen 2 in person yet - almost no one has - and style isn't everything (although let's face it - it's a lot!) but the nose and rear have changed a lot and that's clear in photos. Those are two of the features that make the Gen 1 so outstanding compared to other cars. Watching an interview on Autoline.tv with Volt project manager Andrew Farrah, one finds the answer to the question of "why does the new Volt look like every other four dour sedan?" is a logical, but somewhat disappointing, because aerodynamic features are the same for any car, so you will see cars that need to be aerodynamic looking very similar. Point well taken. I like the way my Volt looks.
I also really do like manually shifting gears. I feel like some kind of race car driver - ironic when you consider I'm usually in the right lane going the speed limit. Or at least, I feel like I'm driving a sporty car with manual transmission - also ironic, because as hard as my sister tried to teach me to drive her Jeep, I never quite mastered the skill.
I also really do like manually shifting gears. I feel like some kind of race car driver - ironic when you consider I'm usually in the right lane going the speed limit. Or at least, I feel like I'm driving a sporty car with manual transmission - also ironic, because as hard as my sister tried to teach me to drive her Jeep, I never quite mastered the skill.
On Buzz Smith's popular blog, "My Electric Vehicle Journey," (http://buzzsmith.us) Buzz recently published some sales numbers on EVs for June 2015. The numbers decreased pretty much across the board for this June in comparison to May.
There has been a lot of speculation about this on the Chevy Volt Owners group on Facebook. Gas prices are up, and usually that means EV sales are up. What gives?
My personal theory - and it really is JUST a theory - is that there has been so much excitement about the Gen 2 Volt that people are waiting. Sure, there will be EV sales every day because people will need cars and more people are realizing the benefits of electric every day, but mark my words - there may be a huge surge once the Gen 2 Volt is widely available. Chevy just might have knocked this one out of the park.
If I'm wrong, I'll eat my hat by going to buy a gallon of gasoline. You know how painful that is for me.
Charge on!
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