How Do I Drive My Plug-In Car? New Videos Show How

By Shannon Arvizu

Shannon Arvizu

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1,212 views Feb 4, 2010

Driving an electric car is empowering. No longer are you confined to gas stations for energy - suddenly, any home or business can be considered a possible energy source (depending on how long you would like to charge and how).

Now, two new videos have come out that show you just how easy and convenient driving a plug-in vehicle can be.

The first is put out by GM for the upcoming release of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. While the video itself is fairly basic in its presentation, I believe it is a good way to introduce how the Volt works for those who are not familiar with its design.

2011 Chevrolet Volt pre-production prototype, January 2010

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2010 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show

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Plug-In Vehicle Parking Only

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To commercialize a new technology like a plug-in vehicle requires some educational marketing. This video does a decent job of that, but it's not the kind of empowering message I think Chevy could have communicated.

What's interesting about this video, however, is that it presents the 2011 Volt as a preferred alternative to an all-electric vehicle. The narrator mentions the "extended-range" mode frequently, as a way to drive "with peace of mind."

And the tagline, "The Chevrolet Volt: A Better Electric Vehicle," denotes that other electric cars have range shortcomings that may compromise driver expectations. A subtle appeal to buyers' range anxieties, perhaps?

The other video worth mentioning is put out by The EV Project, which is the umbrella organization for the nationwide deployment of the 2011 Nissan Leaf.

The video focuses on the software communication portal that drivers use for finding info on the charge status of the car, scheduling charging at home or office, and locating charging stations.

The music is upbeat and the animation is well-done. The video is a little lengthy, but it does communicate to the viewer that charging can be done relatively simply and conveniently--with plenty of 2011 Leaf imagery thrown in.

It's a good idea to present this information to potential plug-in drivers in advance of the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf arriving at selected regional dealers at the end of the year.

However, as far as marketing goes, I believe both videos could have communicated this info in a more compelling way. Done right, such videos could really galvanize public imagination for the kind of future mobility that electric cars offer in a way that no other kind of car can.