Many of the reports from Michigan indicate that people are
understanding the reasons why GM changed the design of the Volt.
Below we several journalists' reports on the debut and their and
others' reactions and the description by GM's Bob Lutz of what was involved

Finally, the return of a wild card. Portland-base CNW Market
Research. CNW got much ridicule and many refutations -- yet broad
attention -- for its 2007 "Dust to Dust" contention a Hummer was a
more environmentally-friendly, less energy-intensive vehicle than a
Prius. Now Edmunds reports that CNW plans to release results of quick
focus groups showing disappointment and reduced interest in buying
the Volt. This time, it would be good to counter this questionable
report BEFORE anyone takes it too seriously. This could become a
subject at the new GM website http://www.gmfactsandfiction.com --
but far better for it responses from others. A few days ago,
GM-Volt's poll showed that for 2,300 Volt fans, 3% thought looks was
most important (see our report at
http://www.calcars.org/calcars-news/998.html with a link to the
survey). Now the website has conducted another quick survey, and got
1500 responses showing 53% prefer the production version. Read on for::

* GM Fastlane Blog "Power On" by By Bob Lutz
* GM-VOLT.COM "The Day The Volt Was Reborn"
* AUTOOBSERVER "GM's Day-Long Anniversary Fete Highlighted by Volt,
Lots of Chat"
* EDMUNDS.COM "Chevy Volt Design vs. Technology: Could Plug-In's
Looks Hurt Sales?"
* GM-VOLT POLL: Chevy Volt Concept Versus Production Version


GM Fastlane Blog "Power On" by By Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman
September 16th, 2008 with 67+ comments
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2008/09/power_on.html

We've weathered a lot of skepticism since the Chevrolet Volt concept
was introduced at the 2007 Detroit show. The Volt has been called
"vaporware" by some members of the media. We've heard executives from
other manufacturers tell the press that the battery technology won't
work. We've even been accused of using the Volt to "greenwash" our image.

Well, as everyone knows now, the Volt is real, and the covers have
come off. And it represents nothing less than the first step in the
reinvention of the automobile.

The vehicle's design has come under some criticism, most of it, to
me, unwarranted. The challenge to the designers wasn't to design the
most beautiful car imaginable and accept the compromises you have to
make to do so. It was, make no compromise to fuel efficiency and
electric range, and then do the most beautiful design possible,
around those aerodynamic dictates.

When you look at the exterior of the Volt, you might notice certain
aerodynamic shapes and design elements of some other cars you might
see on the road. But beneath the skin, it shares very little with any
other car that's ever existed. So I submit that while it's typically
design that makes an emotional connection with buyers, in this case,
the Volt is going to be bought for emotional reasons, but it will be
for the emotion tied to the technology contained therein.

The Volt means a lot to General Motors, and to the industry, on a
variety of levels. First of all, this is solid technology that is
going to be proven reliable. It's a practical way that we can
electrify the automobile and drastically reduce our dependency on
imported petroleum. It's also important to GM to help reinforce and
continue its proud history of technological innovation, and to help
restore the image of leadership that accompanied that history.

In terms of the impact of Volt on the automobile industry, I think
you'll see lithium-ion technology filter out to the rest of the
industry, even to our competitors who initially said it wouldn't
work. I think they've figured out that we may well be onto a winning
formula here, with 40 miles of driving powered by electricity from a
battery and a small engine -- powered by gasoline or E85 -- to create
additional electricity to power the vehicle for several hundred
additional miles. I suspect most of our competitors will have
vehicles with technology similar to the Volt within four or five years.

What does that mean for society at large? I think it can have an
enormous benefit. Our statistics show that 78 percent of Americans
drive 40 miles a day or less. That means that nearly 80 percent of
Americans can commute powered by electricity from the grid, never
using a drop of gas.

When we achieve substantial production, and if our competitors do as
well, and the public takes to this new way of driving -- and there's
no doubt in my mind they will -- we will drastically reduce gasoline
and/or diesel consumption and we will simultaneously be drastically
reducing our dependency on oil. This puts the country in a much more
comfortable place geopolitically and also helps the environment. So
at this point, I think it's very hard to overestimate the importance
of the Volt for GM, for the industry and for society in general.

The production version of the Volt represents our progress, and our
commitment to seeing that all become a reality in short order. We'd
like nothing more than to see everyone drive a Volt and stop going to
the gas pump so often to fill up on ever-more-expensive fuel imported
from an ever-more-unstable part of the world.

With the Volt, you go home, you plug it in, and you're done. And for
roughly 80 cents' worth of electricity, you've got a fully-charged
battery, ready to take on another forty miles of gas-free and
tailpipe-emission-free driving. If that's greenwashing, then come on
in -- the water's fine.


GM-VOLT.COM "The Day The Volt Was Reborn" by Dr. Lyle Dennis
September 16th,
2008 http://gm-volt.com/2008/09/16/the-day-the-volt-was-reborn/

After more than a year and a half of following the Chevy Volt's
development on a daily basis, nothing was more important or profound
as today, the day GM revealed the production version Volt to the world.

First of all there were hundreds if not more than a thousand media
people present. Most with far superior technology and access to
legions of assistants. I am an army of one. I have done my best to
get you the latest photos and information, but there is a lot to
consume. Keep posted over the coming days as there are many stories
to tell as well as your questions answered.

I think the car is absolutely beautiful. That's my opinion. It's
lines are clean, refined, and very sleek. It does not look like a
Prius. The people involved with building the car were entirely
pumped. Jon Lauckner, VP of global program development showed me
around the car and his pride and glee were palpable. There is one
charging port, on the driver's side, right behind the mirror. The
rear sharp edged corner was striking, and the front grill although
closed was clean and well done.

The car clearly speaks to the future and to its electric drivetrain.
It sits very taut to the ground with wide stance and rake and looks
like it will leap when the accelerator is depressed. And I'm told it
will, thanks to instantaneous torque. The roof and belt-line continue
the dark theme. No-one would say what the final Volt roof will be
made of, except that there will be options. On the new showcar, it is
painted steel.

Anyone getting up close to this car wont be disappointed. There is
absolutely nothing like it on the road. The interior was also quite
unique, comfortable, and undeniably futuristic. There are two vivid 7
inch LCD screens that will provide a plethora of customizable data.
There are two perfectly placed cupholders in the front and the back.
There will be many appearance options.

A clarification is worth mentioning. A CNN article quoted me as
saying GM-Volt.com readers were disappointed with the design. I was
referring to last weeks leaked photos, not the images of today.

I was told there are four units of the model shown today, the other
three being shown around the world.

Today is a key day for the future of this country and our quest to
get off of oil. I believe GM has hit the nail on the head with this
one. This car is and will be a winner. Much more to come, and the
next chapter of GM-Volt.com has begun.


AUTOOBSERVER "GM's Day-Long Anniversary Fete Highlighted by Volt,
Lots of Chat" by Bill Visnic September 16, 2008
http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/09/gms-day-long-anniversary-fete-highlighted-by\
-volt-lots-of-chat.html

DETROIT - By lunchtime on the day General Motors Corp. chose to
celebrate its 100th anniversary with a massive celebration here and
an ambitious interactive program on the Web, it was apparent the
world's largest automaker had the tech requirements figured out.
There were no major glitches and GM deftly executed a global
multimedia presentation - drawing from four additional regions around
the globe - that would have done Microsoft proud.

The culmination, however, was the official unveiling of the vehicle
that has emerged as the symbol - and rallying point - of GM's drive
to remain as pertinent in the next 100 years of personal
transportation: the Chevrolet Volt "extended-range" electric vehicle.

Introduced by CEO Rick Wagoner and driving silently onto a stage at
GM's downtown headquarters here, the Volt engendered massive applause
from the crush of company insiders, journalists and dignitaries on
hand, and the rollout was seen live on the GMnext website that was
created as a portal to the company's wide-ranging
centennial-celebration activities.

The fact that images of the production Volt's sheetmetal already were
leaked last week did not appear to diminish the impact of the Volt's
unveiling - and some in attendance immediately commented the Volt, in
the metal, is much more appealing than it appeared in the images GM
allegedly distributed by mistake. The car evidenced more intricate
and appealing surface detail and was unveiled with more attractive
wheels than last week's leaked images revealed.

Wagoner, meanwhile, despite difficult market conditions and
sputtering nearterm outlook for the auto industry, seemed upbeat and
almost defiant in his remarks to the crowd, paying homage to GM's
storied past and promising equal impact for the future. 2011 Chevy
Volt interior.jpg

Other key executives were scheduled to hold online chats during the
day, and scheduled for later in the day, GM promised an intriguing
roundtable discussion on the future of automotive transportation with
participants that included Chris Paine, the director behind the
controversial - and uncomplimentary to GM - film, "Who Killed the
Electric Car?"


EDMUNDS.COM "Chevy Volt Design vs. Technology: Could Plug-In's Looks
Hurt Sales?" by John O'Dell, Senior Editor
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2008/09/chevy-volt-design-vs-technology\
-could-plug-ins-looks-hurt-sales.html

Will the upcoming Chevy Volt's plug-in, extended-range electric
vehicle technology make it a sales hit in these times of concern
about energy security and fuel prices and availability? Or will its
just-revealed design -- so different from the cutting-edge but
admittedly un-aerodynamic design of the original Volt show car --
blunt the public's appetite for the car?

CAPTION: The Chevrolet Volt Concept (top) unveiled at the 20007
Detroit Auto Show was lower, sleeker and, unfortunately, far less
aerodynamic, than the 2010 production version (bottom) unveiled this week.

We hope not, but we have to admit that we weren't all that wowed by
the looks of the production version of the Volt unveiled earlier this week.

Some already are seeking an answer to the Volt design vs. tech
question, and one of the first out of the gate is CNW Research.
That's the iconoclastic Oregon-based auto market research and
analysis firm that last year opined that a Hummer was more
environmentally friendly than a Prius when the impact of elements
such as nickel mining (for battery material) and transpacific
shipping was added to the Prius' account.

In a teaser announcement advancing a full report to be issued Friday
in its regular Retail Automotive Summary (subscription only), CNW
says that it found in a series of focus groups this week that almost
three-quarters of participants, who viewed photos of the concept and
production Volts, think the production version's design "common or uninspired."

And in the California market, an important one for hybrids and EVs,
"the design was considered a serious disappointment among virtually
all of those who had been aware of the show car," CNW found. Among
those focus group participants with high-tech backgrounds, the Volt's
technology, the report says, "was considered clever and innovative,
but they, too, felt the design was too bland and didn't give the
technology the 'wrappings' it deserved." That technology combines
all-electric propulsion with rechargeable batteries and an onboard
generator -- an internal combustion engine -- that keeps things going
even after the initial battery charge from the commercial power grid
is depleted.

Finally, the report says that compared to people who said they'd
consider buying one when the Volt show car was the only version
they'd seen, "consideration of acquisition" of the production version
-- based on a viewing of its design - "was significantly lower."

We don't know how much attention GM pays to CNW's studies (the
carmaker sure liked the Hummer vs. Prius report), but the company
isn't a lightweight when it comes to taking the buying public's temperature.

Sure, the Prius proved that svelte good looks aren't everything to
the car buying public -- heck, GM's late and unlamented Pontiac Aztek
proved that even the ugliest mishmash of design elements can be sold
to some people. But we wonder how many of the 50,000 or so people
who've raised their hands as prospective Volt buyers on a variety of
web-based fan sites for the car will still be standing in line when
it actually goes on sale at the end of 2010.

We're willing to bet that a lot will depend on gas prices and that
the lower they are, the more the Volt's aesthetics will override its
technology -- and vice versa.


GM-VOLT POLL: Chevy Volt Concept Versus Production Version September
17th,
2008
http://gm-volt.com/2008/09/17/poll-chevy-volt-concept-versus-production-version/

We previously ran polls about GM-Volt.com reader preference with
regards to concept versus production design. Those were biased
however in that we were comparing grainy video stills and poorly
framed and angled images.

Now that we can see the fruit of many months and many millions of
dollars of labor by GMs E-Flex design team, it is most appropriate to
take another poll.

You already know what I think, so lets let GM and the world know what
the die-hard Volt fan base on this site thinks too. GM vice chair Bob
Lutz has weighed in on his blog, and described the design changes as
being the most beautiful possible around its aerodynamic dictates. He
also pointed out that the emotional drive to buy this car will not be
just appearance but more so what lies beneath the skin. Our last poll
here showed 68% felt driving without gas was most important thing
about the Volt, 2% believed it was looks, and 36% felt both factors
were equally important.

So for the final poll on this matter:

Which version of the Chevy Volt do you prefer the appearance of?

* The Production Version (53%)
* The Concept Version (34%)
* I prefer them both equally (13%)

Total Votes: 1,506
and 149 responses to the page. [By the way, the website has a
well-implemented anti-ballot stuffing mechanism]

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Felix Kramer fkramer@...
Founder California Cars Initiative
http://www.calcars.org
http://www.calcars.org/news-archive.html
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