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2011 Chevy Volt: No $5K Rebate, HOV-Lane Access For CA Buyers Page 2

 
53,088 views Jul 28, 2010
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prototype 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, April 2010

prototype 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, April 2010

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No word yet on whether various other electric-car perks--like free parking in the closest lots at Los Angeles International Airport, worth at least $30 a day--will be extended to the Volt.

Cold starts a problem

Part of the challenge lies in a clause of California's Enhanced AT-PZEV definition, says Friedland. It requires zero evaporative emissions, which is hard to design into a vehicle whose gasoline engine may not be run regularly.

Friedland says he understands that the Prius Plug-In Hybrid uses a coolant thermos bottle to keep its catalytic converter warm. (Catalysts must warm up before they clean exhaust emissions effectively.)

2011 Chevrolet Volt late-night recharging in Little Rock, Arkansas, during July 2010 Freedom Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt late-night recharging in Little Rock, Arkansas, during July 2010 Freedom Drive

Enlarge Photo

Future Volts might have to use battery power to keep their catalytic converters heated to several hundred degrees, which would likely reduce their electric range--even if the engine attached to the converter never switched on.

It's "an area CARB has to consider in the future," says Friedland, "especially when the benefits" of providing the same incentives for plug-in Volts "are so large."

CARB may yet tweak its definition of what qualifies as an AT-PZEV to reflect the variations in vehicle technology represented by vehicles like the Volt. Unless that happens, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt won't get the love from California that the 2011 Nissan Leaf does.






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Comments (28)

  1. By Sam Posted: 7/28/2010 9:25am PDT

    that's sad
     
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  2. By Fred In IT Posted: 7/28/2010 7:58pm PDT

    I sincerely hope that the CA Gov't can get it's collective head out of it's ass on this one.
     
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  3. By rocket88 Posted: 7/28/2010 8:26pm PDT

    I think somebody needs to stay away from the "medical" marijuana.
     
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  4. By Andrew Posted: 7/28/2010 8:26pm PDT

    Don't see how this is so hard. The Volt is a hybrid and it's not an electric car there for it isn't classed as an electric card. Seems pretty simple to me. It _can_ be driven in a similar fashion, but it's not guaranteed. Therefor it's not the same.
     
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  5. By Eddie Posted: 7/28/2010 9:03pm PDT

    Yet again, we see law-makers/politicians/the general public lag behind the curve in their own ignorance. The law's not keeping up with the growth of technology. It happened with the internet (draconian laws taking away civil liberties without people understanding), it's happening with copyright law, and now the same can be applied to these new, innovative cars. God bless America, where the politicians are all so old/old-fashioned that they only reject the new.
     
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  6. By Nipas Posted: 7/28/2010 9:38pm PDT

    Well lets write our reps in Sac and get this changed. Why are we going to screw GM when it is owned by us taxpayers. Lets help get the Volt the same privilages that Leaf and Prius owners will get.
     
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  7. By jmactacular Posted: 7/28/2010 9:54pm PDT

    Well said Eddie, well said.
     
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  8. By Troy Posted: 7/28/2010 9:56pm PDT

    Actually Andrew, the Volt is NOT a hybrid. The gasoline powered generator is not in the drive train. It exists, so that if the batteries are drained, you can run the generator to produce electricity. This is unlike hybrids that place the gas engine in the drive train to supply extra power during acceleration.
     
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  9. By buffallobill Posted: 7/28/2010 11:38pm PDT

    Many diesel locomotives on the railroads produce electricity with their combustion engines. I wouldn't call these electric trains. I think hybrid is the correct designation for the Volt.
     
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  10. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 7/29/2010 3:15am PDT

    @Buffallobill, @Andrew: The trains that Bill mentions are powered by electricity generated by the diesel engine, a configuration known as 'series hybrid'. They cannot run, however, without the combustion engine operating.
    The Volt, OTOH, has a 16-kWh battery pack that powers it electrically for up to 40 miles without the engine on. So, technically, it's an electric vehicle for the first 40 miles and a series hybid thereafter. This configuration is called "range-extended EV". See here: http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1034474_why-is-the-2011-chevrolet-volt-not-a-hybrid
     
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  11. By Jim Smith Posted: 7/29/2010 5:51am PDT

    Actually, the volt is the ONLY true hybrid out there, other than the very latest plug in Prius. Hybrid means dual power, all previous 'hybrid' cars were ONLY powered by gas, without gas to get them moving, they could not generate electricity from breaking and rolling downhill, none of THOSE cars should be allowed in the HOV while the Volt, Leav and plugin Prius' should be
     
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  12. By pandNH4 Posted: 7/29/2010 5:55am PDT

    Easy solution for cars like the Volt and Prius - put a green LED "leaf" symbol or the like on the back of the car. When the car is running on pure electric power, the "leaf" turns on and the car gets all electric legal status. When the gas engine kicks in, the "leaf" is off and it's just another internal combustion engine car. It would also let the driver show off how they are helping the environment.
     
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  13. By Duane Posted: 7/29/2010 8:18am PDT

    That must be fun for CHIPS to to try and figure out which cars are allowed on HOV lanes
     
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  14. By fooljoe Posted: 7/29/2010 10:59am PDT

    the assertion that the plug in prius will get HOV access is false. the AT-PZEV category it falls under is the same as the existing prius, and honda hybrids. these cars are allowed in HOV lanes with the proper (yellow) stickers, but only 85,000 stickers were issued and that limit was reached years ago. and these stickers expire on 1/1/2011, with a pending bill to possibly extend to 7/1/2011.
    the only cars that qualify for new HOV (white) stickers are ZEV pure electrics and fuel cells, and CNG vehicles. of course, the law may very well change as the volt's release nears...
    http://arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm
     
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  15. By kws Posted: 7/29/2010 12:12pm PDT

    Given California's budget mess, I'm surprised that people are getting rebates at all
     
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  16. By nate73 Posted: 7/29/2010 12:17pm PDT

    Sounds to me that the Government is trying to stall the sale of the American made cars, who’s getting the kickback from the foreign made cars being sold.
    Is this not the USA, buy from US companies...come-on!!
    People should get an incentive for buying from US companies!!!
     
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  17. By Lawrence Weisdorn Posted: 7/29/2010 1:41pm PDT

    If a single occupant car gets an HOV sticker it would be nice if they also have to drive at the same speed as the flow of traffic.
     
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  18. By gd Posted: 7/29/2010 5:49pm PDT

    while we nitpick if its going to get HOV lane status.
    the rest of us will still get in our giant trucks and drive everywhere, never stopping to think about the difference between 9 MPG and 45MPG. so, ahhhh.... try to not forget its america everyone.
     
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  19. By RC Posted: 7/29/2010 6:32pm PDT

    If the State of CA bans the Volt from this HOV status, the Feds need to pull Federal money from them. And whoever is making the decisions that ban the Volt from this HOV status can take the whole State of CA and shove it.
     
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  20. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/2/2010 4:35am PDT

    @FoolJoe: Actually, a new "subsection" of the AT-PZEV rules was created specifically to address plug-ins, called "enhanced" AT-PZEVs. Generally, anything 10 or more miles of EV range will qualify. Toyota is aiming at just reaching that minimum (technically, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid prototype has 13 miles of EV range). SB 535 seeks to give access to those "Enhanced AT-PZEV" vehicles, so unless it gets modified to return to its original form (which was, paraphrasing, "plug-in + 65 mpg), there's no reason to believe the Prius Plug-In Hybrid won't be granted single-occupant HOV Lane access.
     
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  21. By William Posted: 8/11/2010 11:09am PDT

    John, there’s also no reason to necessarily believe that 535 will pass.
     
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  22. By Michael Posted: 11/6/2010 7:40pm PDT

    It is pathetic that the first practical EV for highway use does not get any rebates or access to HOV lanes, while a Prius with its engine running merrily away does. The Volt is the only hybrid with an electric motor powerful enough (149 hp) and batteries big enough (16 kWHr) to push it not only to freeway speeds on battery alone, but all the way to its top speed of 101 mph without using the engine at all. The Volt is a game changer, and California isn't doing it part to help save fossil fuels and reduce CO2 with this technology.
     
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  23. By Michael Mantion Posted: 12/28/2010 3:03am PST

    Who cares, you buy this car to look at not to drive. Come on people a gas car with a giant laptop battery, you really thought this was going to matter to anyone?
    This is nothing more then a status symbol. Granted the symbol says your an idiot but who cares, you got the money to blow on a crappy car.
    Who cares about the tax credits, who cares about the HOV lane, if you really must by american (I never will), the buy the chevy cruise. Its a better performing car, with better real world gas miles, and it only cost 17k. then take the 30k and buy a wind turbine. You'll do a whole lot more for the environment.
    Oh yes, I said 30k, because you know the dealers will ad 10k to the price because they are a collectors item. so that is 52k less the 7500 from uncle same and your at 45k. After taxes your at 30k savings..
    The Chevy volt is just another american mistake like Obama.. But few of you will ever see that.. LOL.
     
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  24. tommyboy14 avatar Tom Santos Posted: 6/28/2011 2:39pm PDT

    You're out of your mind. I have a Volt and I barely touch the gas in the tank. Fuel-wise it out-performs everything on the road, and I include the Leaf since that thing will die on you once the battery drains. I have a 50 mile per day commute and make that almost entirely on electric power, and that includes extensive freeway time. I can't recall the last time I hit a gas station. The price may be higher than the Cruise, but over time I'll make up that difference in gas savings and I'll be practically ZERO emissions for the life of that car.
     
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  25. By MattL Posted: 1/8/2011 9:35am PST

    CA is a ridiculous state. Instead of supporting and applauding American ingenuity they penalized it. I pick up my Volt on Tuesday and will drive my under 40 mile round trip commute and my daughters to their under 40 mile practices 6 times a week and drive and pick them up from their school (again under 40 miles) on ALL ELECTRIC - but I won't do that in the HOV lane. How about showing a US manufacturing company that is trying to reinvent itself with the best -of -class product a little love, and me too while your at it!
     
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  26. tommyboy14 avatar Tom Santos Posted: 6/28/2011 2:27pm PDT

    This is absolutely insane! I've had a Volt for 3 months now, and I drive 50 miles per day to and from work, on the freeway. And the ONLY reason I need to even use barely a drop of gas is to get over the Newhall Pass near Santa Clarita. The generator is barely on throughout that ride, which means I'm on the battery all morning and almost the entire evening. I've gone 3K miles and have only had to fill up 3 times (would have been less if not for a few unexpected side trips).

    NO Prius is gonna match that kind of performance. This is what's wrong with bureaucrats. The one REAL eco-friendly economical car on the road, and it's side-stepped by this ridiculous agency!
     
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  27. dtjump avatar David Jump Posted: 10/14/2011 7:50pm PDT

    Methinks that nutty California has found a way to force people to purchase asian hybrids, rather than the Volt, which is produced domestically. Only in California.
     
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  28. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/14/2011 8:23pm PDT

    @David: Actually, the rules for the qualifying AT-PZEV category are clearly spelled out, and GM chose not to devote the engineering effort to making the 2011 and 2012 Volt comply--unlike other makers.
     
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