According to Tony Posawatz, GM vehicle executive, the first Chevrolet Volts will not be E85 capable.  While this may not seem like a big issue, I feel that this is a poor decision on GM’s part.  They have been one of the biggest proponents of E85 capability and production, even going so far as to invest in a start-up that claims it can make E85 from switch grass.  To not include E85 capability initially on the Volt seems to me like a mistake.  The Volt has a chance to be one of (if not the most) fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles on the planet.  Adding E85 capability would have shown that the General cared even more about future technologies. 

The good news here is that it will be available later in 2011.  GM also says it would like more help from the government to push for more E85 stations.  Right now GM spends about $100 million a year to add E85 capability to its cars and trucks.  More stations might help encourage people to purchase E85 equipped vehicles.  For more details, head on over to GM-Volt.com.

All you Volt fans have another milestone to look forward to.  This time, that milestone is none other than the official production kickoff date, or Job 1 as it’s called in the car biz.  November 1st, 2010 is the date you will have to wait for if you are in line for a Volt.  This date could move back of course, but GM has been promising for the last few years that the Volt would see production by the end of 2010, so there would be a lot of really disappointed fans and even more happy nay-sayers if the Volt doesn’t make that deadline.  For more on the story, head on over to GM-Volt.com!

(Image source: GM)

General Motors’ CEO Ed Whitacre was recently interviewed by Lyle Dennis at GM-Volt.com and was asked about the pricing for the Volt, which until this point was believed to be around $40,000.  Whitacre’s response was that the Volt would be priced in the “low $30′s” and be profitable to boot!  While this answer is great news for Volt fans everywhere, it still leaves much in the air.  Is the $30k price before or after the $7,500 tax credit for purchasing a Volt?  Only time will tell, for now, head on over to GM-Volt.com or Autoblog.

(Image source: GM)