Actually, word of the Tesla Roadster coming out in 2008 pushed GM to answer with the Volt and originally Bob wanted it to be an all electric car (just like the EV1) but Jon Lauckner, GM VP for Global Vehicle Development convinced him to make it a hybrid. Our point wasn't to bash the Volt, it was to point out that unless pushed into action, GM will take NO action and then Bob re-writes history into making it seem like they knew about this coming technology revolution all along.
Now You Know
2017-11-24 15:24:52 +0000 UTC
I was on the unofficial waiting list for the Chevy Volt since 2007. I bought car #3219 in 2010. The car was ALWAYS intended to have a 40 mile range because most people drive less than 40 miles per day. It was the best way to give the average man a taste of driving electric without range anxiety. At the time, a lithium ion battery with a greater range was significantly more expensive than an Internal Combustion Engine paired with a generator which provided unlimited range. I drove 500 miles to test drive a Nissan Leaf in 2009, the only other affordable electric at the time. I decided against it for two reasons: Range, and it's just plain ugly. The Chevy Volt is a marvel of American engineering and gave 10s of thousands of people a taste of how great an EV is. My car does 0-100mph in 17 seconds flat... without using a drop of gas. In 2010 when I bought my car, no other $40,000 electric could do that. Not even close. Actually, come to think of it, I still can't buy an EV or plug-in TODAY that can do that for $40k. ;)
2017-11-24 11:29:17 +0000 UTC
Tesla really needs to ship a model 3 to Bobby Litz for his personal use after a few days Lutz would be banging on the door to go to work for Tesla. Just a through <grin></grin>
