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AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com AutoblogGreen http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/green.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Reevaluating the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in context, at home]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/24/mitsubishi-i-miev-review/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/24/mitsubishi-i-miev-review/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/24/mitsubishi-i-miev-review/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

An affordable, semi-practical, entry-level EV

2012 Mitsubishi i

I've driven a fair number of electrics over the last couple decades, beginning with General Motors' bullet-shaped 1991 Impact concept car and continuing through a progression of Geo Storm-based mules, prototype and production EV1s with both lead-acid and later range-doubling Ni-MH battery packs. And since returning to this side of the business, my list has expanded to include the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, MINI E, BMW ActiveE, Tesla Roadster, Smart ED and a right-drive, Japanese-market Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

All have shared the EV blessings of strong, near-silent, shiftless acceleration, home "refueling" and no more gas station stops with fluctuating fuel prices. All have also shared the EV curses of big, heavy, expensive batteries, the resulting high purchase/lease prices and (excluding the Volt) limited range, long recharge times and occasional range anxiety.

Most recent EV encounters have been brief - a few miles around town or a parking lot. But last year I was fortunate to enjoy a working week with a Volt and a couple days with a Leaf (see past columns). And I was recently offered a three-day loan of a U.S.-spec Mitsubishi i.

Continue reading Reevaluating the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in context, at home

Reevaluating the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in context, at home originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 24 May 2012 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at witz endelectric vehiclegary witzenburgii-mievmitsubishimitsubishi imitsubishi i-mievThu, 24 May 2012 11:55:00 EST

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20244325 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-mitsubishi-i-fd_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-mitsubishi-i-fd.jpg <![CDATA[Will Detroit Three Survive and Thrive?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/will-detroit-three-survive-and-thrive/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/will-detroit-three-survive-and-thrive/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/will-detroit-three-survive-and-thrive/#commentsFiled under: Chrysler, Ford, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

All are looking good for now... but it depends

As you probably know, Chrysler has reported its best quarterly profits in 13 years, has just introduced a very nice new Dodge Dart compact sedan and continues to gain sales and market share. GM has also been highly profitable with a string of solid product hits, though it has not gained share working with just half of its former eight U.S. brands.

As you also know, both of these iconic American car companies were upside down four years ago and likely would have been dissolved - along with millions of good U.S. jobs - had both the Bush and Obama administrations not decided to invest taxpayer money in saving them.

Now, with election season heating up, we'll be hearing much from both sides on the GM and Chrysler "bailouts." Democrats will rightly claim credit (though it began under Bush) for saving the U.S. auto industry and millions of jobs. Republicans will correctly counter that they did it all wrong (stiffing private investors, destroying thousands of dealer businesses for no good reason and handing Chrysler to Italy's Fiat) and for the wrong reason (to save the UAW).

"Let them fail," conservatives crowed then, and still. "That's how capitalism works."

"Let them fail," conservatives crowed then, and still. "That's how capitalism works." But there was no private capital in late 2008 for business loans or bankruptcies, so federal support was the last resort. Ford had sufficient capital to weather the crisis only because it had run out of money two years earlier, when it still could (and did) mortgage itself for working capital.

There has been no end to political rhetoric about creating new jobs, but little knowledgeable discussion around saving those millions of auto (and industry-dependent) jobs that we already had. What very few outside the industry - including financial gurus and media pundits - understand is how this industry is a huge, fragile, interdependent house of cards.

Continue reading Will Detroit Three Survive and Thrive?

Will Detroit Three Survive and Thrive? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bailoutbankruptcybig threechryslerdetroit threefordgary witzenburggmMon, 30 Apr 2012 12:14:00 EST

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20226847 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/first-aid-kit_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/first-aid-kit.jpg <![CDATA[Fox News vs. the Chevy Volt]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/fox-news-vs-the-chevy-volt/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/fox-news-vs-the-chevy-volt/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/fox-news-vs-the-chevy-volt/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

Political agenda trumps Volt facts on "fair and balanced" channel

chevy volt on fox

Political liberals have long hated General Motors, partly because long-ago GM leaders did bad things and built bad products, but mostly because it was really big, successful and profitable. And most probably still do. Never mind that it's now a very different company run by very different people with very different - including very "green" - priorities.

But in the last couple years it's become fashionable for conservatives to hate GM as well because "Obama bailed it out." And to deride and despise GM's Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV because they think Obama forced GM to build it. Never mind that his predecessor began the auto bail-out as the U.S. housing and financial markets collapsed in late 2008, bringing the country's economy crashing down around them. And that the Volt's development began nearly two years before the 2008 election and continued full-steam through GM's 2009 bankruptcy and recovery. Obama and his minions had absolutely nothing to do with it.

We can argue all day about how and why the U.S. auto industry was saved. Private investors - including mutual and retirement funds - were stiffed, the UAW was strengthened and gained partial ownership, Chrysler was handed to Italian automaker Fiat, and an auto-industry-ignorant presidential task force compelled GM to drop four U.S. brands and both GM and Chrysler to put thousands of their dealers out of business for no good reason. Much of that was bad, but it's undeniable that both are coming back strong with their best-ever products.

It's foolish to contend that the U.S. auto industry did not need to be saved. Center for Automotive Research (CAR) studies have long shown that as many as 10 other jobs - at suppliers, dealers and small businesses surrounding and supporting auto industry facilities nationwide - depend on each automaker job. That means that if hundreds of thousand of auto jobs had been lost, millions of Americans would have found themselves out of work as a result.

Continue reading Fox News vs. the Chevy Volt

Fox News vs. the Chevy Volt originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevroletchevy voltelectric vehiclefoxfox newsGary Witzenburgplug-in hybridvoltFri, 06 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST

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20210207 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/fox-chevy-volt_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/fox-chevy-volt.png <![CDATA[Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part V: GM Design and Marketing]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-v-gm-design-and-marketing/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-v-gm-design-and-marketing/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-v-gm-design-and-marketing/#commentsFiled under: MPG, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, At Witz End

"Come on, Gary. You talked to GM and never asked my question? ...Won't you please ask [automakers] why they don't have a significantly improved, simple, gas-powered 58-mpg runabout for the early 21st century American market (considering they've had 22 years, technology has advanced, etc.)?" - TxPatriot.

Thought I answered that question a couple columns ago. There is no need to ask automakers why they can't do simple, cheap, 50-plus-mpg conventional (non-hybrid) cars today - even though some did decades ago - when you already know the answer. The fact is that federal safety, damageability and emissions regulations - on top of customer demand for full loads of comfort, convenience and infotainment features even in small, relatively inexpensive models - has made modern cars way too heavy to manage more than low-40s-mpg EPA highway and mid-30s average real-world efficiency, at least with current technology.

That will have to change, since corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) mandates are scheduled to ramp up relentlessly over the next 13 years. But while those 50-plus-mpg (average) cars of the future may be small, they will not be able to sacrifice safety or widely popular features (in fact, they'll need more of both) so will be far from simple or inexpensive. The old racing axiom - "Speed costs money; how fast can you afford to go?" - is equally applicable to fuel economy: "Efficiency costs money; how fuel efficient can we afford to be?"

So this time we put our CAFE-related questions to some key GM leaders responsible for marketing and design, starting with Chevrolet marketing director Russ Clark. "Cars are developed for people's wants and needs," Clark said, "and whether they want a sports car or an SUV, one objective for all is better fuel economy. The technology does add to the cost, but they'll save some money on fuel."

How much of GM's CAFE-compliance challenge will fall to Chevrolet? "We have the widest portfolio within GM, so we will need to develop as many new small cars as we can, and make sure they're all good. We'll also need to continually develop technology, and that is where the cost will come."

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part V: GM Design and Marketing

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part V: GM Design and Marketing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gary witzenburggmgm mpgmpgWed, 28 Mar 2012 19:47:00 EST

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20203244 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-chevrolet-cruze-eco-review-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-chevrolet-cruze-eco-review-628.jpg <![CDATA[Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part IV: General Motors Engineering]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iv-general-motors-engineerin/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iv-general-motors-engineerin/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iv-general-motors-engineerin/#commentsFiled under: MPG, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, At Witz End

2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ

There were lots of comments on my last two columns (speaking with Ford and Chrysler execs about CAFE regulations), and some were very savvy on EVs and hybrids. But most seem to have little knowledge of what really goes into designing, developing, validating and successfully marketing a desirable, reliable, long-term durable, incredibly complex, affordable and federally legal modern automobile - let alone making an honest buck doing it. But then who would, without substantial industry experience?

My new friend Nick, no fan of Ford's EV engineering capabilities, countered our earlier exchange with: "Tesla really IS a billion years ahead of these clowns, they've sold many times more EV platforms than Ford ever has, and is about to launch products that are far ahead of anything out there."

Really? Aren't Tesla's 2,100 $100,000-plus BEV roadsters converted Lotus sports cars, hardly dedicated-platform EVs? And won't its beautiful but long-delayed Model S and (much further out, the Model X) start around $50,000 after federal tax credits? That's not so affordable.

Nick also wrote: "Ford's EV tech development was outsourced to Azure Dynamics and Magna." True enough for the small-volume Transit Connect BEV commercial van conversion, but not Ford's upcoming Focus Electric and other electrified vehicles.

Anyway, I cornered so many General Motors folks at the auto shows that I'll divide their CAFE compliance comments into two columns, beginning with engineering leaders and following with designers and marketers. First up was Mary Barra, who replaced the colorful and controversial Bob Lutz as VP of Global Product Development.

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part IV: General Motors Engineering

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part IV: General Motors Engineering originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buickchevroletcheyv soniceassistelectric vehicleenclavegmcmild hybridplug-in hybridsonicstop startvoltFri, 02 Mar 2012 12:05:00 EST

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20184028 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-review_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-review.jpg <![CDATA[Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iii-chrysler/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iii-chrysler/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-iii-chrysler/#commentsFiled under: Etc., MPG, Chrysler, Dodge, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Fiat, Lightweight, At Witz End

Fiat 500 C

As regular readers know, I set out this year to interview as many Detroit automaker executives as I could at the Detroit and Chicago auto shows to get their takes on meeting future fuel economy standards. And these reports are generating a lot of comments.

For example, "Nick" responded to my Ford interviews: "I don't get how 'electrifying global platforms' is any good. They're essentially taking cars that were 100% engineered with ICE in mind, and 'adapting' them into EVs. Not an optimal solution, to say the least. You end up with a car that looks exactly like its ICE counterpart, costs $15k more, is heavy and has poor range. Tesla is a billion miles ahead of these clowns."

Nick is right that electrified conventional vehicles will be somewhat heavier and less efficient than dedicated-platform cars, but Ford has chosen the former path for its early EVs because the latter is hugely expensive. Ford (and virtually all others) believe that potential EV buyers will be willing to sacrifice some range for much more affordable prices.

The idea that designing, developing and building unique, dedicated-platform EVs instead of electrifying conventional ones would result in lower costs is completely wrong. And I'm wondering what credentials justify Nick's calling Ford's incredibly hard-working, capable and dedicated engineers "clowns." And why he thinks, "Tesla is a billion miles ahead" of them. Really? How many dedicated-platform EVs has Tesla sold?

That said, let's start our Chrysler CAFE interviews at the very top with Chrysler (and parent company Fiat) CEO Sergio Marchionne. "If you ask GM and Ford," he said, "we all have the same types of technology, and we all carry the same burden in terms of the sizes of vehicles we are manufacturing. The 50-plus miles per gallon by 2025 cannot be achieved by just redesigning established combustion technologies. We know that some type of hybrid solution needs to be implemented, and if we don't make [sufficient] changes in combustion engines, hybrids will become the mainstay in the United States. At that point, economies of scale will drive down cost. They will never be equivalent, but they will come down. But if you think we're going to get there without passing on additional costs to the consumer, I've got news for you: we will have to.

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chryslerdodgedodge mpgfiatfiat 500fiat 500 evmpgsergio marchionnesrtFri, 24 Feb 2012 16:04:00 EST

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In response to my last column on this subject - Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part I: 54.5 mpg is going to be hard to reach - commenter TxPatriot wondered why (non-hybrid) modern cars can't deliver the 53-58-mpg fuel economy he says his 1989 Geo Metro does. "I've yet to receive a satisfactory answer to this question," he wrote.

Well, for starters, that 23-year-old econobox did not have to carry the structure and all the equipment necessary to meet 2012 federal safety, damageability and emissions standards, or the suite of comfort, convenience and infotainment features even today's small econocars must have to compete. I'm guessing it probably weighs about two-thirds of what a current 30-to-40-mile-per-gallon subcompact does, and weight is the single most significant factor contributing to fuel efficiency.

As I wrote last time, I interviewed a large, diverse sampling of U.S. auto industry folks at this year's Detroit and Chicago auto shows to get their perspectives on the huge challenge of increasing their fleet's average fuel economy by four to five percent a year for the next 13 years. All agreed that it would be expensive and difficult, yet all were committed to doing it.

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part II: Ford

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part II: Ford originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c-maxderrick kuzakecoboostelectric vehiclefocus electricfordfusion hybridgary witzenburgmark fieldsplug-in hybridrichard truettsherif marakbyFri, 17 Feb 2012 12:01:00 EST

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20174202 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2013-ford-fusion-lead-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2013-ford-fusion-lead-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part I: 54.5 mpg is going to be hard to reach]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-i-54-5-mpg-is-going-to-be-ha/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-i-54-5-mpg-is-going-to-be-ha/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/future-fuel-economy-mandates-part-i-54-5-mpg-is-going-to-be-ha/#commentsFiled under: MPG, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, USA, At Witz End

Is 54.5 mpg achievable... and what will it cost?

Ask the average driver whether he or she would like better fuel economy from they car they're driving now, and the answer will, of course, be "Yes!" Ask whether the feds should continue forcing automakers to improve fuel economy on a very aggressive schedule, and most will, again, agree. But many people have little real understanding of what that will take... or what it will cost.

The lasting legacy of America's first major fuel crisis in 1973 remains the federal government's response to it: Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) laws. The first one required automakers' 1978-model "sales-weighted fleet averages" to be at least 18 miles per gallon. This was no challenge for imports selling mostly small cars, but a tall order for domestics at the time. It meant U.S. makers would have to balance sales of profitable larger vehicles with (usually loss-making) smaller ones, whether or not anyone wanted to buy them. Light truck standards followed for 1979, beginning at 17.2 mpg for 2WD and 15.8 for those with 4WD.

Critics contend CAFE is a sorry substitute for reducing fuel usage through higher fuel taxes.

Critics contend CAFE is a sorry substitute for reducing fuel usage through higher fuel taxes, as other countries have done, because it puts the onus on automakers, regardless of market demand, and drives up vehicle prices. Still, CAFE was toughened each year through the early 1980s, softened slightly in the mid-'80s, then leveled off at 27.5 mpg for cars for 20 years, from 1990 to 2010. The truck number accelerated slowly to 20.7 mpg (combined for 2WD and 4WD) for 1996, stayed there through 2004, then climbed again to 23.5 mpg for 2010.

Then, on May 19, 2009, President Obama announced a new "national fuel economy program" mandating a fleet average of 35.5 mpg for by 2016 - a daunting 29-percent increase that moved the requirements of an existing 2007 law forward by four full years. Since 2012 models were essentially done, automakers would have just four model years to achieve it.

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part I: 54.5 mpg is going to be hard to reach

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part I: 54.5 mpg is going to be hard to reach originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at witz endcafedetroitdetroit 2012detroit auto showfuel economygary witzenburgmpgobamaThu, 26 Jan 2012 19:56:00 EST

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20154646 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/route-66-gas-station_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/route-66-gas-station.jpg <![CDATA[Mazda SkyActiv is a novel approach to fuel efficiency; will it work?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/12/12/mazda-skyactiv-is-a-novel-approach-to-fuel-efficiency-will-it-w/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/12/12/mazda-skyactiv-is-a-novel-approach-to-fuel-efficiency-will-it-w/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/12/12/mazda-skyactiv-is-a-novel-approach-to-fuel-efficiency-will-it-w/#commentsFiled under: MPG, Mazda, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv

Mazda is a small Japanese car company - fifth in Japanese-brand U.S. sales behind the "Big Three" of Toyota, Honda and Nissan and just behind distant-fourth Subaru - that prides itself on being different, more youthful and more fun to drive. Hence its "Zoom-Zoom" marketing theme and the goofy toothless grin on the faces of most recent Mazda products.

Now Mazda is taking a very different approach to meeting government and customer demands for fast-increasing fuel efficiency that may (or may not) pay off. Instead of betting billions on plug-in and hybrid vehicles, Mazda's approach is a comprehensive effort to substantially increase the efficiency of every element of every vehicle, beginning with engines and transmissions and continuing through bodies and chassis.

Mazda has been working on these efficiency-enhancing technologies for half a decade and is now applying them - beginning with new powertrains in its revamped 2012 Mazda3 compacts (pictured), which join the vaunted 40-mpg highway economy club - under the marketing name "Skyactiv." Some critics say the name is dumb. To some it may conjure images of flying cars or clear, blue skies over active lifestyles. Mazda says it means, "The sky is the limit."

But what really matters is, how well will it work? And will it sell more Mazdas?

Continue reading Mazda SkyActiv is a novel approach to fuel efficiency; will it work?

Mazda SkyActiv is a novel approach to fuel efficiency; will it work? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mazda skyactivmpgskyactivskyactiv-dskyactiv-gMon, 12 Dec 2011 19:56:00 EST

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20126383 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-mazda3-skyactive_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-mazda3-skyactive.jpg <![CDATA[Where does the Volt go from here?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/where-does-erev-technology-go-from-here/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/where-does-erev-technology-go-from-here/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/where-does-erev-technology-go-from-here/#commentsFiled under: At Witz End

I wrote last time that I had done two recent stories for popularmechanics.com having to do with the Chevrolet Volt. The first was on Volt (and Nissan Leaf) sales - both still limited by supply, not demand, as production and distribution ramps up. For the second, I was asked to clean my crystal ball and predict the future for Volt, and extended range EVs in general.

There are good reasons why the Volt was 2011 North American Car of the Year and has earned numerous other awards. An arguably attractive 5-door, 4-seat hatchback with appeal to environmental and technology enthusiasts alike, it runs on exhaust-free grid power for 30-40 miles, then seamlessly switches to gasoline when more miles are needed.

But to do that, it needs to tote around both a gas engine and an electric propulsion system, including a 435-lb lithium-ion battery pack, plus a multi-clutch planetary gearset and 10 million lines of sophisticated software to efficiently and transparently marry the two. That makes it both heavy and pricey for its size, with a $39,995 base sticker price for 2012.

Continue reading Where does the Volt go from here?

Where does the Volt go from here? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevroletplug-in hybridvoltvoltecThu, 03 Nov 2011 15:55:00 EST

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20097666 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/2012-volt-024-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/2012-volt-024-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Chevy Volt sales: What's the real story?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/09/22/chevy-volt-sales-whats-the-real-story/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/09/22/chevy-volt-sales-whats-the-real-story/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/09/22/chevy-volt-sales-whats-the-real-story/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

chevy volt

There's no end to people's emotions surrounding GM's Chevy Volt. Those with hate-GM and/or hate-Obama agendas are duty-bound to rage against it because they resent the bailout and see the Volt as a direct result of that money (even though it's not). Those who can love only "pure" battery electric vehicles must disapprove because it burns some fossil fuel on days when it runs out of battery juice.

On the other pole is just about everyone who has spent time in a Volt, including virtually all automotive media and the few thousand owners, including a local gas service station owner who bought the second one in my area and flat-out loves it. An eco-minded businessman who also paid big bucks to install the only E85 pump in our town a couple years ago, he drives it daily and encourages customers to take it for a spin.

Volt critics seem delighted that Chevy's range-extender EV has been selling in the low three digits monthly. This is a sure sign, they chortle, that the plug-in hybrid is too pricey and/or nearly no one wants one. No doubt it's expensive ($40,000 for the 2012 model, minus the $7,500 federal tax credit), which doesn't help. But Volt sales (like the Nissan Leaf's) are still limited by short supply, not lack of demand. There are waiting lists for both.

Continue reading Chevy Volt sales: What's the real story?

Chevy Volt sales: What's the real story? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevy voltchevy volt saleselectric vehiclegary witzenburgplug-in hybridvoltvolt salesThu, 22 Sep 2011 14:55:00 EST

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20042730 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/chevy-volt-blur-background_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/chevy-volt-blur-background.png <![CDATA[No wonder Al Gore is melting down]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/08/22/no-wonder-al-gore-is-melting-down/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/08/22/no-wonder-al-gore-is-melting-down/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/08/22/no-wonder-al-gore-is-melting-down/#commentsFiled under: Etc., AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, At Witz End

More and more Americans are no longer buying the anthropogenic global warming mantra.

Al Gore melted down recently while speaking in Aspen, CO, swearing repeatedly while accusing evil non-believers of doing dastardly deeds to refute human-caused "climate change," a theory he refuses to debate. "They pay pseudoscientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message," he railed. "'It may be volcanoes.' Bulls**t! 'It may be sunspots.' Bulls**t!... There is no longer a shared reality on an issue like climate" (listen to the clip here).

It must be terribly frustrating to him and faithful followers that, despite near-universal media, political and even industry lip service, impartial polls increasingly show that more and more Americans are no longer buying the anthropogenic global warming (AGW) mantra that has made him a very wealthy man.

Frustrating that one Arctic scientist's oft-cited report that polar bears were drowning as their habitats melted has proven bogus. "A new government investigation into the supposed science surrounding this...has revealed that it was likely nothing more than a pseudoscientific hoax propagated by faulty math and perfunctory observations," the International Business Times reported on Aug. 19. Charles Monnett of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is currently suspended and being investigated for scientific misconduct, while the polar bear population has swelled by 400 percent in the last four decades.

Continue reading No wonder Al Gore is melting down

No wonder Al Gore is melting down originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20023588 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/banksy-global-warming_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/banksy-global-warming.jpg <![CDATA[AutoExtremist pulls no punches when it comes to the Chevy Volt]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/07/26/autoextremist-pulls-no-punches-when-it-comes-to-the-chevy-volt/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/07/26/autoextremist-pulls-no-punches-when-it-comes-to-the-chevy-volt/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/07/26/autoextremist-pulls-no-punches-when-it-comes-to-the-chevy-volt/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

2011 Chevy Volt

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

De Lorenzo is a name well-known in auto circles. When I was a rookie writer in the early 1970s, Anthony De Lorenzo was GM's public relations vice president. He apparently believed his responsibilities to be wining, dining and schmoozing a handful of top reporters while ignoring the rest of us and trying to make sure that none of us found out whatever we were trying to find.

His son, Tony, Jr. was a talented sports car racer who, along with business and driving partner (and Chevrolet engineer) Jerry Thompson, won a lot of races and championships in high-powered Corvettes in the 1960s and '70s. His nephew, Matt, is a highly respected auto journalist who worked his way up from small trade magazines to Detroit editor for Road and Track to RT's editor-in-chief, where he is doing a terrific job.

Then there is Peter De Lorenzo, Tony Sr.'s other son. Not only did he choose the opposite side (journalist vs. PR) of his father's former business, but for many years has channeled his energies into one of the most successful automotive blogs, Autoextremist, where more often than not he has been a royal pain in the ass to his father's former employer. I recently found his thoughts on the Chevy Volt most interesting, as you can read after the jump.

Continue reading AutoExtremist pulls no punches when it comes to the Chevy Volt

AutoExtremist pulls no punches when it comes to the Chevy Volt originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20000886 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/07-2011-chevrolet-volt-review-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/07-2011-chevrolet-volt-review-630.jpg <![CDATA[Going for real and simulated drives to find your personal best MPG]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/14/real-simulated-drives-find-your-personal-best-mpg/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/14/real-simulated-drives-find-your-personal-best-mpg/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/14/real-simulated-drives-find-your-personal-best-mpg/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

my demo drive

Got a minute? Go to My Demo Drive for a mini-education on how much gas you can save by driving a mid-size gas-electric hybrid compared to a similar-size conventional car, with and without "start-stop." A fuel-saving system that stops the engine at rest and restarts it when the brake is released, start-stop is increasingly popular in Europe but still rare in North America largely because the EPA doesn't give automakers fuel economy ratings credit for it.

What you'll find at that site is Johnson Controls' interactive "Demo Drive" advanced vehicle technology education tool. Click your side of the Atlantic (U.S. or Europe), then select your driving style from a half-dozen choices ranging from "Motorway Maven" to "Delivery Driver." I chose "Countryside Commuter," which would take me mostly on suburban roads and highways at speeds up to 70 mph. I also entered my local gas price at (gulp!) $4.19.

Then I hit the simulated road on a 15.27-mile commute from simulated home to simulated work. Unrealistically, I clicked through it in a few seconds, then compared my fuel economies and costs for the trip: 24.1 mpg and $2.64 in the base car; 25.6 mpg, $2.51 in the same car with start-stop; 34.2 mpg and $1.89 in a similar-size hybrid.

The results also estimate annual fuel-cost savings based on 12,000 miles of driving - mine were $129 with start-stop and a substantial $619 for the hybrid vs. the conventional car - and "pay-off" time for the more expensive technologies: a discouraging 6.2 and 8.0 years, respectively. You can play with different driving styles/routes and share and discuss your findings on a dedicated Facebook page. What you can't do (yet) is experiment with different vehicle sizes or technologies (BEVs, EREVs). Continue reading...

Continue reading Going for real and simulated drives to find your personal best MPG

Going for real and simulated drives to find your personal best MPG originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edriveelectric vehicleleafplug-in hybridvoltTue, 14 Jun 2011 15:05:00 EST

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19966906 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/my-demo-drive_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/my-demo-drive.png <![CDATA[Bob Lutz: A CAFE level of 42 mpg is "totally ridiculous"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/05/13/bob-lutz-a-cafe-level-of-42-mpg-is-totally-ridiculous/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/05/13/bob-lutz-a-cafe-level-of-42-mpg-is-totally-ridiculous/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/05/13/bob-lutz-a-cafe-level-of-42-mpg-is-totally-ridiculous/#commentsFiled under: MPG, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, USA, At Witz End

bob lutz

I recently visited "Maximum Bob" Lutz at his home to interview him for the summer issue of the quarterly Motor Trend Classic and found the 79-year-old energetic and outspoken as ever six months beyond retirement from General Motors. We talked mostly product stories from his long auto career, which began at GM Overseas Operations in 1963 and progressed through ever-higher responsibilities at BMW, Ford and Chrysler, then back to GM ten years ago. But we touched on other interesting topics, too, including the effect of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) requirements on domestic automakers.

"The feds basically handed our market to the Japanese," he contended in his memorabilia-filled office adjoining the garage where he keeps his most important historic cars. "American automakers had to tear up their entire product lines, downsize, go from full-frame to unitized bodies, V8s to V6s, rear- to front-wheel drive with transverse transmissions. It was the biggest technological tear-up in history, and it triggered a lot of subsequent problems, like poor quality and reliability. You can't re-engineer that much that fast, test it properly and get the technology matured without dropping a lot of balls, and we clearly did.

"Prior to CAFE, American quality was as good as any anywhere in the world," he asserted. "We were still selling a decent quantity of American cars in Europe because Europeans considered a Buick or a Chevrolet or a Ford to be superior in reliability to European products, which they were. The Japanese experience was no disruption whatsoever. They were way on the good side of the CAFE fleet average, so they didn't have to change a single product. They just continued to build what they had always been building." Continue reading...

Continue reading Bob Lutz: A CAFE level of 42 mpg is "totally ridiculous"

Bob Lutz: A CAFE level of 42 mpg is "totally ridiculous" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 13 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at witz endbob lutzcafecorporate average fugary witzenburglutzmaximum bobFri, 13 May 2011 15:00:00 EST

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19939085 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/lutz-keynote-la-09_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/lutz-keynote-la-09.jpg <![CDATA[Detroit CEOs speak up on efficiency and electrification]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/27/detroit-ceos-speak-up-on-efficiency-and-electrification/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/27/detroit-ceos-speak-up-on-efficiency-and-electrification/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/27/detroit-ceos-speak-up-on-efficiency-and-electrification/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Ford, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, SAE World Congress, At Witz End

alan mulally with ford fiesta

Alan Mulally

In 2006, with the Ford Motor Co. losing boatloads of money, little cash on hand and little of interest in its product pipeline, then-CEO Bill Ford, Jr. announced a major restructuring and brought in Boeing executive vice president Alan Mulally as its new president and CEO. One of Mulally's first moves was to mortgage virtually all of the company's assets, including its buildings and the logos on them, to raise $23.4 billion for much-need product development.
This was seen by nearly all observers as extremely risky, and many wondered whether the company would survive. But that move - borrowing billions when corporate credit was still available - would ultimately enable Ford, unlike its Detroit rivals, to avoid the embarrassment of bankruptcy and government loans when the economic tsunami struck two years later.

Since then, the PR benefit of avoiding bankruptcy and a string of appealing new products, Ford has recovered very well. And, despite still-substantial debt and higher UAW wage rates vs. post-bankruptcy General Motors and Chrysler, it's doing fine today.

No surprise, then, that Mulally has been named 2011 Automotive Executive of the Year by a group of auto industry media, analysts and supplier CEOs. Past recipients of the award, which is sponsored by DNV Business Assurance, Johnson Controls, DuPont and Visteon, have included Elon Musk, James O'Sullivan, Jim Press, Carroll Shelby, Bill Ford, Jr., Dieter Zetsche, Henry Ford II, Rick Wagoner, Bob Lutz, Carlos Ghosn, John DeLorean and Lee Iacocca.

"We are fighting for the soul of American manufacturing and competing with the best in the world," Mulally told the April 13 award luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club. He said he feels good about having joined his fellow Detroit automaker CEOs in testifying to that (incredibly ignorant and arrogant) Congressional committee in 2008 and would do it again, because the future of the industry was at stake. "If GM and Chrysler had gone down, they would have taken the suppliers with them. We would have gone from recession to depression."

Then he opened the floor to questions. Among the first was his take on the industry's future. "Clearly, we're going to be paying more for gas," he responded, "so our focus on fuel efficiency is of utmost importance. Plus more alternate fuels: cellulosic ethanol, CNG, diesel, hydrogen and electrification with options - battery electrics, hybrids, plug-in hybrids - all built on the same assembly line to keep costs down." He added that battery size, weight and cost will have to come down from the current 700-800 pounds and $15,000.

Continue reading Detroit CEOs speak up on efficiency and electrification...

Continue reading Detroit CEOs speak up on efficiency and electrification

Detroit CEOs speak up on efficiency and electrification originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan mulallyautomotive executive of the yeardan akersonford ceoford hybridford phevWed, 27 Apr 2011 14:44:00 EST

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19924509 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/mulally-dc-2010-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/mulally-dc-2010-630.jpg <![CDATA[So many electric vehicle start-ups - which will survive?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/18/so-many-electric-vehicle-start-ups-which-will-survive/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/18/so-many-electric-vehicle-start-ups-which-will-survive/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/18/so-many-electric-vehicle-start-ups-which-will-survive/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

2012 Fisker Karma

2012 Fisker Karma - Click above for high-res image gallery

First, let me get this off my chest: With General Motors reporting just 1,210 Chevy Volts sold in the first three months of 2011, including 608 in March, and Nissan showing only 452 Leafs out their U.S. dealers' doors in the first three months, including 298 in March, critics are chortling that there is no market for plug-in cars. But what these idiots don't know - or pretend not to know - is that both cars' sales so far have been severely limited by lack of supply, not demand.

While GM and Nissan have been very slow to ramp up production and distribution, primarily to ensure flawless quality, both EVs have thousands of would-be buyers cooling their heels on waiting lists. And GM (maybe Nissan, too) is telling Chevy dealers to retain (not sell) a Volt demonstrator at a time when some of them probably still haven't received their first one.

That said, with literally dozens of new EVs expected to hit the U.S. market (and others) in the next few years, I'm wondering how many start-up EV makers will survive.

Continue reading "So many electric vehicle start-ups - which will survive"...

Continue reading So many electric vehicle start-ups - which will survive?

So many electric vehicle start-ups - which will survive? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehicleelectric vehicle predictionsfeaturedGary Witzenburgoemsplug-in hybridstart-upsMon, 18 Apr 2011 11:46:00 EST

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19915944 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/08-2012-fisker-karma-fd_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/08-2012-fisker-karma-fd.jpg <![CDATA[Ford's electric vehicle plans include consumer education; possibly a beefier plug-in hybrid]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/09/fords-electric-vehicle-plans-include-consumer-education-possib/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/09/fords-electric-vehicle-plans-include-consumer-education-possib/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/09/fords-electric-vehicle-plans-include-consumer-education-possib/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Ford, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

ford transit connect electric van

Ford Transit Connect Electric van - Click above for high-res image gallery

As you probably know, Ford Motor Co. has big plans for electric vehicles (EVs) beyond its current excellent Escape and Fusion parallel hybrids. We've already got the Transit Connect Electric, a small commercial van upfitted by Azure Dynamics and will have a Focus BEV by the end of 2011 and two Focus-based C-MAX compact minivan hybrids in 2012 - one with Ford's next-generation hybrid system, the other a C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

"This is a significant beginning of the 'Power of Choice,'" said Ford group vice president of global product development Derrick Kuzak last December, where two of those three - the Focus EV and C-Max Energi PHEV - were unveiled to the media. All of these will use lithium-ion batteries, and all except the Transit Connect Electric will be built on Ford's global C-platform in Ford's Dearborn, MI assembly plant on the same assembly line as conventional Focus and C-Max vehicles.

"Building in-house expertise and leveraging our global scale is critical to developing electrified vehicles that are affordable, connected and fun to drive," said global electrification director Nancy Gioia. Kuzak added that vehicle electrification in real volumes will require "affordability, accessibility and connectivity" and that sales of Ford EVs should be two to five percent of total sales by 2015 and 10-25 percent by 2020, though most of those "electric" vehicles will be hybrids.

I caught up with Focus EV marketing manager David Finnegan at the February Chicago Auto Show and asked what volumes he expected. "All we can look to right now is what we've learned from hybrids," he responded, "which at one point got up to about three percent of the industry, then dipped back down last year. I think it will grow, but play a small role initially." (This post continues after the jump.)

Continue reading Ford's electric vehicle plans include consumer education; possibly a beefier plug-in hybrid

Ford's electric vehicle plans include consumer education; possibly a beefier plug-in hybrid originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>derrick kuzakelectric vehicleford electricford electric vehicleford evnancy gioiaplug-in hybridWed, 09 Mar 2011 11:53:00 EST

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19872864 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/ford-transit-connect-electric-26-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/ford-transit-connect-electric-26-630.jpg <![CDATA[Bob Stempel (ex-GM, ex-ECD Ovonics) talks about lithium batteries, and what will make EVs great]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/gms-bob-stempel-talks-about-lithium-batteries-and-what-will-ma/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/gms-bob-stempel-talks-about-lithium-batteries-and-what-will-ma/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/gms-bob-stempel-talks-about-lithium-batteries-and-what-will-ma/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

bob stempel

Robert "Bob" Stempel, semi-retired at an energetic 78, is one of the good guys. Armed with a mechanical engineering degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, he joined General Motor's Oldsmobile Division in 1958 as a chassis detailer and 29 years later was GM president and chief operating officer under then-CEO Roger Smith.

In 1973, Stempel led development of the catalytic converter used around the world to control exhaust emissions. A couple years later, as Chevrolet's engineering director, he was wowing journalists with encyclopedic knowledge of every Chevy product delivered at press events in his booming voice without written notes. After that, he ran Pontiac Division, Adam Opel AG (in Germany) and Chevrolet Division, then the newly-formed Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac group as part of Smith's massive 1980s reorganization of GM's North American automotive operations.

When finance guy Smith - probably one of the worst CEOs in history - retired on August 1, 1990, product guy Stempel took the corporation's tattered helm. For two years, he labored to fix the mess that Smith had left. At the same time, he nurtured and championed GM's fledgling electric vehicle program and was instrumental in recruiting Ken Baker (head of Advanced Vehicle Engineering for Chevrolet-Pontiac-Canada group) to lead the effort. (This post continues after the jump.)

Continue reading Bob Stempel (ex-GM, ex-ECD Ovonics) talks about lithium batteries, and what will make EVs great

Bob Stempel (ex-GM, ex-ECD Ovonics) talks about lithium batteries, and what will make EVs great originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at witz endbob stempelelectric vehiclefeaturedGary Witzenburgleafli-ionli-ion batterieslithiumlithium ion batteriesvoltWed, 16 Feb 2011 11:55:00 EST

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19845584 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/por-stemrob-0002_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/por-stemrob-0002.jpg <![CDATA[GM confident Chevy Volt will lead company to be "best-in-segment in every area and every technology"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/04/gm-confident-chevy-volt-will-lead-company-to-be-best-in-segment/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/04/gm-confident-chevy-volt-will-lead-company-to-be-best-in-segment/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/04/gm-confident-chevy-volt-will-lead-company-to-be-best-in-segment/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

chevy volt hamtramck plant

Following my session with General Motors North America President Mark Reuss at Detroit's January North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), I caught up with two technology leaders playing key roles in GM's vehicle electrification process: Volt chief engineer Andrew Farah - a hard-working, no-BS positive thinker whom I knew and worked with on GM's 1990s EV program - and Micky Bly, who is executive director for electrical systems, hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries. The question on my mind: where is GM headed with its Voltec EREV technology?

"We're already looking at other portfolio opportunities," Farah responded cautiously, "but nothing to announce just yet. We're also looking into what Generation II might be. Among other things, we need serious cost reductions."

Bly pointed out that the most important objective is keeping quality up. "The supply chain is very long," he said. "You can have quality issues if you try to go too fast. The complexity is higher than on any other vehicle, so we have to ramp up very carefully."

I asked whether GM can keep up with demand over the next couple of years. Farah confirmed the then-official production numbers of 10,000 units in calendar 2011 and 30,000 in 2012, which will include some 15,000 Opel and Vauxhall Amperas (and some right- and left-hand-drive Volts) for Europe. (This post continues after the jump.)

Continue reading GM confident Chevy Volt will lead company to be "best-in-segment in every area and every technology"

GM confident Chevy Volt will lead company to be "best-in-segment in every area and every technology" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at witz endchevy volt productionelectric vehicleGary Witzenburgplug-in hybridvoltvolt costFri, 04 Feb 2011 14:51:00 EST

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