truth about domestics

Most of the hybrid related news you will hear today focuses on two vehicles: the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Volt.  The Volt is a series hybrid, a design in which the electric motor will do most if not all of the driving of the vehicle.  This design offers the possibility of higher gas mileage, but also at a higher cost.  Ford has decided to fight back with another approach.  Ford will instead focus on battery-electric vehicles and more efficient parallel-hybrid electric vehicles.  PHEV’s use both the gas engine and electric motor to propel the vehicle.  Ford says that even though PHEV’s get lower gas mileage, they will be significantly less expensive to produce.  The Volt will debut at the end of 2010, while Ford’s first PHEV isn’t expected until 2012 so it looks like only time will tell which design is more successful.  For more details, head on over to Greentech Media.

(Image source: GM)

The Volt is probably GM’s most ambitious project ever.  EVER.  So saying that it needs to be launched without a hitch is an understatement.  The video above shows just a small fraction of the testing the Volt battery pack has had to undergo before it is ready for the public at the end of 2010.

According to a story on GM-Volt.com, the engine/generator on the 2011 Chevy Volt will operator on the more common Otto cycle, not the Atkinson cycle found in most hybrids.  There is no known reason for this, but speculation has already begun…

(Image source: GM)

First there was the Chevrolet Volt theme song.  How amazing!  Well now we have video of the official Chevy Volt dance!  Let us know what you think!

GM announced just recently that they are investing $336 million to re-tool its Detroit-Hamtramck plant to build the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.  This investment is just part of the $700 million being invested in the state of Michigan to build the Volt and its state of the art battery packs.  For more, including GM’s official press release, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: GM)

Apparently, non-stop press coverage for several years is just not enough news about the Chevy Volt for the folks at GM.  They decided that the Volt needed a theme song, and the result of which you can see above.  It’s interesting to say the least…

(Video source: GM-Volt.com)

I love how the entire country has to kiss California’s ass all the time.  They pollute more than just about every other state and yet they demand automakers to produce more fuel efficient cars.  Then when the domestic automakers produce them, they refuse to buy them.  I just don’t get it.  Once again, GM must try to appease all of the tree-huggers in Cali and is therefore releasing the 2011 Volt there before a nation-wide roll out.  GM is also partnering with utility companies in California to study plug-in hybrid charging patterns on the electrical grid.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: GM)

The 2011 Chevy Volt is one of the biggest stars in GM’s new-model parade at any show, and as it approaches its launch date, one question remains; who will get the first crack at the Volt?  Well, according to Chevrolet division President Brent Dewar, General Motors will be hand selecting the initial Volt markets based on a number of factors.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

So the color everyone has been talking about on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt finally has a name.  The name was created in a contest by GM where people submitted their suggestions on what the color above should be called.  Then three names were chosen and set to an online vote with the winner being “Viridian Joule.”  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: GM)

In a post earlier this week, we brought you news on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt’s “Pedestrian Friendly Alert System,” a system that’s designed to give an audible warning to pedestrians that are visually impaired.  Well today we have video of that system in action with some actual blind people giving their feedback to GM.  Looks like the Domestic 3 are learning more and more every day to listen to their customers…