20,000 people express email interest in buying a Chevy Volt
According to Dr. Lyle Dennis, the founder of the GM-Volt.com fan site, over 20,000 people are on the "Chevy Volt Waiting List." For comparison, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV online petition currently has just 1,350 signatures calling on the Japanese company to sell the electric jellybean here in the U.S.
The Volt waiting list, though, isn't a declaration of an intent to buy or a place to put down a deposit. Instead, it's a grassroots way to let GM know that you're interested in buying the Volt when it comes out in late 2010. Still, I don't doubt that many - most, probably - of the people signed up would gladly fork over the money ($40,000? $35,000?) for the car. Wanna add your name to the list? Sign up here. More details after the jump.
Press Release:
GM-Volt.com: 20,000 on Chevy Volt Waiting List
Published 05/05/2008 - 9:02 a.m. GMT
Over 20,000 people have expressed their interest in purchasing GM's electric car, the Chevy Volt when it arrives in 2010. They have all signed up on the grass-roots waiting list managed by the Volts' leading enthusiast website GM-Volt.com.
The Chevy Volt concept was first unveiled by General Motors in January 2007. It is a sleek and sporty 4-passenger car than can drive for up to 40 miles on pure electricity, powered by a 160 hp electric motor. Beyond that distance, the car uses an on-board back-up gasoline generator which will keep the batteries charged for a total range of about 400 miles.
GM-Volt.com was created in response to GM's initial announcement to concentrate public opinion on the Volt's development and to help ensure the concept didn't die.
The site's founder is Dr. Lyle Dennis, a New York area neurologist who advocates the country shifting from petroleum use.
"The public support for this car is remarkable. People are signing up on our waiting list and an ever-increasing pace. In just 3 months we went from 10,000 to 20,000 members. And the car is still two and a half years from production," says Dr. Dennis, "it is my sincere hope that this waiting list will turn into an official list through my continuing work with GM and the very strong public initiative."
Dennis also organized the first ever Volt Nation event in New York City in March 2008 at which over 300 enthusiasts attended and had the chance to meet and interact with the Volt engineering and executive team
[Source: Press Media Wire / GM-Volt.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dann bohn 4:39PM (5/07/2008)
16,000 and it's mine.
sadly some of us aren't made of money... Soon us middle class won't even be able to afford fuel + car payment (on a used car) and the alternatives are priced out of reach...
Not so proud to be an American,
-dann
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EVan 4:50PM (5/07/2008)
I'll take one for $40,000 on coolness alone, but when it comes to performance this car is worth way more than that. People pay a lot for performance in an automobile. Performance is more than 0-60 times and horsepower. This car will have a stat that no other production vehicle can match, 40 miles of all-electric range... that's performance.
Look at the cost of vehicles who are stat leaders in other areas and the price of a Volt seems dirt cheap in comparison.
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ron 5:27PM (5/07/2008)
wow, two comments already and no mention of the EV1 yet? is there a whiny crybaby convention today or something?
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Mark 5:43PM (5/07/2008)
My name is already on the list...
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armmat 5:51PM (5/07/2008)
Boy are you bunch going to be disappointed this GM vaporware product...
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Mark 6:37PM (5/07/2008)
"5. Boy are you bunch going to be disappointed this GM vaporware product..."
I really don't think so. GM is already on the losing side. Their SUV and Hummer sales are dropping off due to the high cost of gas these days, and there are many other car companies that have stated they will be coming out with their own electric vehicles. This puts pressure on GM because if they don't deliver an electric car, people go elsewhere.
This, I think, could be a 'make or break' thing for GM. They HAVE to deliver on this, or risk losing lots of potential customers to Toyota/ZENN/Subaru/etc.
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Steve 5:31PM (5/09/2008)
I'm on the list. At $40,000 I'd buy one if it looks like the prototype. If they turned it into electric Malibu, then I'm out. So, I'm waiting for the new styling to be unveiled. It's got to have good looks if I'm going to buy.
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Dave B 7:42PM (5/07/2008)
If someone had the time, desire and skills to do for the MiEV what Lyle did for the Volt(ie fan website), you'd see 20,000 names there as well. I want the MiEV produced here. It's affordable, viable, and a BEV. Match that any other auto manufacturer.
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TinyB 8:43PM (5/07/2008)
Gee, maybe the Mitsubishi i-MiEV only got 1350 signatures because their sign-up process doesn't work properly. I tried repeatedly to sign-up but the eform wouldn't recognize my address. Has anyone else experienced this same problem?
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Kevin Nugent 9:08PM (5/07/2008)
Sorry there 20,000 figures IS WRONG because they didn't include me its 20,001 . i would butit for 40,000 if they keep the gas tank a 40 dollars . I look at it this way . "i might as well buy a good quality car when i am able to drive so why not it be a green environmental choice and be an ev? This car will come out when i am able to drive which is late 2010 . Like as it stands alot of luxury nice cars are already 50 thousand and up . I kind of view this as a deal . I may not have alot of money but i sure do appreciate the finer things in life . . Also if you look at the fuel savings you could say almost 15,000 dollars in gas , because you will VIRTUALLY NEVER USE it . so if the car cost 45000 minus 15,000 and in effect you will only pay 30,000 . but after my warranty is up i will surley swap out that easily 170 horsepower motor for a Tesla roadster motor
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Kevin Nugent 4:26PM (5/08/2008)
Had to correct my post #9 Sorry there 20,000 figures IS WRONG because they didn't include me its 20,001 . i would buy it for 40,000 if they keep the gas tank at 12 gallons . I look at it this way . "i might as well buy a good quality car when i am able to drive !so why not it be a green environmental choice and be an ev? This car will come out when i am able to drive which is late 2010 . as it stands alot of luxury nice cars are already 50 thousand and up . I kind of view this as a deal . I may not have alot of money but i sure do appreciate the finer things in life . . Also if you look at the fuel savings you could save almost 15,000 dollars in gas , because you will VIRTUALLY NEVER USE it . so if the car cost 45000 minus 15,000 and in effect you will only pay 30,000 . but after my warranty is up i will surely swap out that measly 170 horsepower motor for a Tesla roadster motor and get 250
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Dave 9:19PM (5/07/2008)
There is such high demand for an "affordable" EV that the first manufacturers will be able to sell as many as they can make. The other manufacturers that don't have an EV product will scramble to get one out. Having said that IMO I think the issue of affordablility is basicly the batteries. So, as soom as Battery costs come down then the products will come out in a hurry.
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Techgod 11:37PM (5/07/2008)
5. Boy are you bunch going to be disappointed this GM vaporware product...
Armmat, you are a moron who is dillusional about America and Americans. Get in your Audi TT and drive somewhere you can get a clue.
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Laban 3:30AM (5/08/2008)
The potential 35 000 $ price of the Volt might seem high in the US but it would be a bargain in Europe.
We pay 7.56$/gallon for gasoline and 20 cent/kWh for the electricity (hope i got that right) here in Sweden. The Volt should use around 1.2 kWh/10km (40 miles = 65 km), or get 5 miles/kWh if you like. The cost should then be something like:
Electricity: 1.2 * 0.20 = 0.24$/10 km (10 km = Swedish mile)
Compared to a normal small car which would use around 0.6l/10km , 2$/l = 1.2$/10 km.
That's about 1/5 of the cost for the "fuel" here in Sweden. Up the Volt to 2kWh/10 km and it would still be a LOT cheaper to drive on electricity.
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Chris 7:03AM (5/08/2008)
I would have no problem paying 35K for this car. I commute one way 26 miles. There is no interstate involved either!
Now what I want to know is, what do they expect mileage to be on long trips where the power cord isn't available?
FWIW, just got done with a 1600 mile round trip in my 07 Civic EX. Using the AC and averaging 5 to 10 over the speed limit my LOWEST mileage was 37.5 and that was through the mountains of WV. My high was 39.7. Only issue I have with this car, no fun with two dog cages in back seats (have to fold them down)
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greg woulf 8:30AM (5/08/2008)
With just the generator on it's expected to get 50 mpg.
http://gm-volt.com/chevy-volt-faqs/
That's kind of misleading because you'd think if they can get 50 mpg why don't they make them without batteries.
The reason is that they have a very heavy regeneration system. Meaning whenever you brake most of that energy is converted to electricity and added back to the battery system.
The upside to that is city driving is going to get extremely good mileage. Highway will be less good, but still decent.
Performance will never suffer because the battery is never emptied. What that means is that it can accelerate at the same rate as with pure electric at any time.
I'm not on the list, but I'd love one if they made them for 6'5" people. Volt II will be mine.
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Rick 7:41PM (5/08/2008)
The Mitsu numbers might be higher if their CEO madea asinine statements on a weekly basis while constantly mentioning the MiEV, had CNN battery and sales updates every other month and if it looked a little more manly.
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marz 11:07AM (5/08/2008)
If the iMiev had the a corporate HYPE machine behind it like the Volt, it would have far more interest. It's ready now, unlike the Volt. Nobody's heard of the iMiev, whereas the Volt's been hyped for the last 2 years from every possible media source.
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Wise Golden 12:03PM (5/08/2008)
I'm number 6000 something on the list. And I think about the car at least once each day. I'm expecting it to cost between 30-40k -- doesn't matter, I'll buy two if they have them.
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EVan 1:43PM (5/08/2008)
I iMiev is not in the same vehicle category as the Volt. Besides being all electric the iMiev is a sub-compact and is fairly ugly. It's very similiar to the "punishment cars" that the guys over at Tesla Motors talk about wanting to do away with.
The Volt is not a "punishment car" and the folks at GM have been very clear that they want to design something that looks as good as it performs.
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