NEW YORK Drivers in the U.S. can now order one for delivery
next year.
A few Volts are already hitting the streets for test
drives.
CNN's Maggie Lake took one for a spin around New
York.
A company with a fabled past hopes to redefine the future with the
soon-to-be-released Chevy Volt. As the Volt hits showrooms, a lot of people want
to know how it drives and how it all works.
At the end of the day, I'd normally be worried about
filling up my gas tank, but today is different. Today I'm test driving the volt,
and GM's Frank Moltrey is showing me the ropes.
"This is an electric car. This is the port
where you have to charge it. You just push the button, there's an outlet right
here. Just let it charge," Moltrey explained.
In addition to that, there is an additional gas tank
filler, just like any other car. It opens up, you fill it up just like a regular
car.
It's funny. It doesn't feel any different. It just
feels like a nice drive. You don't have any sense of hesitation or anything.
It's seamless, so if the driving is any difference, it's what's fueling it. If
the only thing, it's quieter, it's quieter.
As I make my way home, the Volt turns a lot of
heads.
People shouted out questions that ranged from the
driving experience to the mileage.
One passerby echoed what many have said. "You all
work for General Motors. Tell them the price is too high."
Mileage and the Volt's $41,000 price tag are two of
the big questions and concerns consumers have about the car. With its 400-pound
battery and its gasoline-powered generator, the Volt includes groundbreaking
technology, and its closest rival is currently the cheaper Nissan
Leaf.
It's so sophisticated, it's like driving in a giant
computer.
"There's an awful lot of technology in this vehicle," Moltrey said. "It's a tremendous undertaking. It's never been done before."
This car was meant for people with an average daily
commute of 40 miles or less, and so, in that regard, you don't use any fuel at
all.
It's a whole new way of getting to work. We'll see
if the curiosity about the Volt translates into sales.
The GM Powertrain plant in Bay City will make cam
shafts and connecting rods for the Volt.
In the Flint area, four different GM plants will
make other parts for the Volt. Engines will be made at Flint Engine South while
other parts will be manufactured at Flint Tool and Die, Flint Metal Center and
the Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center.
