Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM, Detroit Auto Show
GM's "Vote for Volt" site gets lots of votes for the Volt
I understand that if you're the kind of person who goes to General Motor's official website on the Chevy Volt, you're likely interested in the electric car (with gasoline range extender). In fact, GM sort of skews your mind as you enter the polling area by calling it "Vote for Volt," as if it's a candidate. But, even with all these caveats, I'm impressed by the entirely one-sided results in favor of the Volt.
As of Tuesday noon-ish, with just over 300,000 valid responses, the people are 99.3% in favor of GM building the Volt, and 99.2% of responders say they'd consider buying one.
The other two NAIAS 2007 concept vehicles up on the site (the Saab Biopower Hybrid and the Camaro Convertible) don't get their own polls, so we can't compare the tallies. But I hope this convinces the decision-makers at GM that there is indeed consumer demand for a cool, clean car.
[Source: GM, h/t to Joseph Lundstrom, Jr.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jake 1:26PM (1/30/2007)
I hope GM decides to build the Volt as well. Unfortunately I don't think the "Vote for Volt" is much of an indicator of the interest in the Volt. I've voted 10 times (from the same computer) and the valid responses have gone up by one each time. That leads me to believe that the vote totals aren't very accurate.
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Rob 8:02PM (1/30/2007)
My only problem with the volt is styling; I don't like it that much. In my opinion it is a major improvement over the EV1 but still not that cool looking. Put a drivetrain like the Volt's in a damn Malibu or a CTS and I would be more than willing, and very happy, to go pick one up. Why can't they just adapt some of their current models to use the Volt's drivetrain?
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motorman 7:42AM (1/31/2007)
i hope the greens do not want to stop all the new nuclear power plants to be built because we will need them to recharge all these batteries or else all the pollution will be in the smoke at the coal fired power plants which is worse than what comes out the tail pipes of modern cars
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Murc 12:47AM (2/02/2007)
Jake, thanks for making sure the poll stays accurate, dumb@ss.
I like the volt...it looks cool, but the only thing that I'm not a fan of it the (extended) windows on the doors...it looks odd.
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Brian 10:22AM (3/29/2007)
motorman, do your homework! If 100% coal was used to power plug-in electric vehicles such as the Volt, there would STILL be less pollution than powering a car on gasoline, and today's grid is only about 50% coal nationwide. Plus, today's grid would easily support cars charging overnight during offpeak hours without the addition of any new plants. With a little googling, you will find many professional studies on the topic, some even funding by the oil industry (the "enemy" of electric cars).
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FreshAutos 2:33PM (4/26/2007)
If GM is going to call the votes "valid" responses, someone shouldn't be able to just keep voting and getting votes counted. And Kudos to Jake for testing the votes validity. I for one tested the other GM votes for the 3 small cars, and it had the same issues, those votes weren't valid and GM knows it. Although that is good, GM is allowing the public computer literate environmentalists(like myself) to inflate the numbers, while trying to pull a fast one on the computer illiterate bureacrates(I may be well versed in computers, but not the best in spelling) that keep telling us that there is not a demand for these cars, maybe the designer of the vote sites, is one of those such environmentalists, trying to help convince his bureacratic boss. Concept cars usually look a little weird, if it comes out, it won't look so weird..and I will buy one for sure.
Also besides the fact that electric cars are cleaner no matter where the electricity is generated from, solar and wind generation is getting cheaper by the day. Right now there is about a 20 Year payback on solar, not really the economical choice at the present, but when payback is 5-10 years, probably within 10 years, (right now in some states) everyone will have solar on their roof, and what are all these idle power plants going to do? Power our cars.
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baron von barringer 5:32PM (9/21/2007)
I think its time the automakers got more serious about advancing sustainable energy/powerplants. Going green isnt just about converting the chemistry of ICE (internally combustable engines)fuels, but instead a comprehensive appoach to minimize energy requirements for production,transportation,usage (maintainence,fuel&repairs)and recycling.
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wes myers 9:08AM (6/24/2008)
instead of gasoline engine, i think they should go to a natural gas engine. go green all the way.
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