Advertisement

2011 Chevrolet Volt Ultimate Guide

 
5,173 views Jun 2, 2011
Follow Nikki

2011 Chevrolet Volt Z-Spec

Related Photo Galleries


See more photos »
2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Enlarge Photo

You told us that you enjoyed our 2011 Nissan Leaf: Ultimate Reference Guide so much that we’re back again with AllCarElectric’s ultimate guide to the 2011 Nissan Leaf’s closest rival, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

Below is our list of must-read articles on Chevrolet’s range-extended EV. Follow the story from the early days of Volt design and spy-shots through the embarrassment of the Volt Dance to our very own test-drives, guide to buying and warranty information.

Don’t forget to bookmark this page too - we’ll be updating it as more we publish more information on the car that is somewhere in-between a plug-in hybrid and a regular EV.

 




HI-RES GALLERY: 2011 Chevrolet Volt Z-Spec




Tags:
Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

 

Have an opinion?

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (23)

  1. ev enthusiast Posted: 9/13/2010 9:34pm PDT

    i cant find the article that talks about gm trying to delay the electric car industry by putting out the volt ? that should be first on the list, so people can realize its purpose without reading thru a bunch of other articles.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  2. Khadgars Posted: 9/14/2010 9:14pm PDT

    Because it doesn't exist, the Chevy Volt will do more for the electric car industry than anything on the market in the next 5 years. You live in your own EV world that isn't very big, if you want to be able to sell EV's to the masses which no one has been able to do then you have to be able to remove range limitations. Until we have 10 min charging times and charging stations at every corner that isn't going to happen unless you have a vehicle like the Volt.
    With the Volt you can do most of your driving gas free yet don't have to think twice if you want to go to your buddies house an hour away. Even Toyota isn't banking on pure EV's hence their 13 mile all electric range PHEV Prius which is nothing compared to the Volt but I bet you'll drool all over it.
    GM also has a EV Spark planned as well already in development, but don't pay attention to that it will mess up your conspiracy theory.
    The only problem with the Volt is the MSRP of $41k, but leasing it at $350 a month is a sweet deal. Once Chevy Cruze sells start rolling and GM gets a year of manufacturing the Volt under their belt you'll see a dramatic decrease in the price of the Volt. The Chevy Volt and the PHEV Prius are the only main stream EV's for the foreseeable future.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  3. ev enthusiast Posted: 9/15/2010 8:33am PDT

    DREAM ON - LOL !!!!
    the ev industry would be better off without the volt.
    for those of you who need a car, and not ready to go full ev, put the least that you can into a gas car.
    the less you have in it, the less time you will need before you get your money's worth.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  4. Rick Posted: 9/15/2010 3:56pm PDT

    GM made a big mistake not coming out with the Volt MPV5 to start and killing the Volt sedan. I will be waiting for the larger model. The hatchback format makes a lot more sense for a small car. A small sedan is useless for carrying anything more than a bag of groceries.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  5. Khadgars Posted: 9/16/2010 2:07pm PDT

    If some how you think every one is going to start buying pure EV's then you're out of your mind. Until EV's have the same range and a typical vehicle today then they will never become mainstream, even then if you don't have the ability to charge up at the place you end up at it can cause a lot of problems.
    The Volt is an EV with unlimited range, the PHEV Prius is very similar. Only these two vehicles have the ability to sell to the masses over the next decade until charging stations and battery capacity drastically increase.
    If you can't see this then you're living in your own little ev world.
    Rick: the number one selling vehicle of all time is the Toyota Corolla which is just about the same size as the Volt, small sedans sell very well here in the states while hatchbacks sell poorly, clearly the public doesn't agree with you.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  6. ev enthusiast Posted: 9/16/2010 5:16pm PDT

    khadgars,
    it is hard to say for sure whether you are a gm shill, or just misguided.
    for the sake of this post, i will assume misguided.
    NOT EVERY ONE will be buying evs today. but what is available for sale has already had deposits and waiting lines.
    MOST PEOPLE today could easily get by with 100-mile range cars.
    and how about that evs 1)are much cheaper per mile. 2)have way less parts to break. 3)unlike gasoline engines, electric motors run and run and run. 4)no oil changes. 5)no tune-ups. 6)no radiator to freeze or overheat. 7)no transmission, just forward and reverse. 8)way less down time and expense, while being in the repair garage. 9)quicker, although i am not sure that is an advantage.
    to quote the king of siam, ETC. ETC. ETC.
    once the public begins to realize all the advantages of evs, it is you who are out of your mind if you truly dont think they will be running away from gas cars, toward evs.
    the ev industry is here. the gas car industry will go the route of the dinosaur. the only difference is that it will only take about 10 years or so, instead of millions.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  7. Khadgars Posted: 9/21/2010 11:59pm PDT

    I'm pretty sure you are the one that is uninformed, just by your very name you give your self away.
    Look, I'm all for EV's but there is no indication that EV's will have a lions share of the transportation market any time soon. Thats not to say we shouldn't be heading in that direction but there are still a lot of limitations regarding pure EV's.
    The Volt nullifies all of those issues while still being a true EV. Most of the pros you listed apply to the Volt, the Volt has no transmission, no alternator or fuel pumps or any of that. It's an EV through and through with a generator to provide unlimited range.
    Remember the Volt is only in its first Generation, a lot of improvements can be made in the coming years with a dedicated on board generator, easily improving the AER among others. With the hybrid market only making up 2% of the market there is plenty of time for improvements.
    Until then, the Chevy Volt combines everything you need for an EV with out the limitations and along with the PHEV Prius are really the only two vehicles that have a sustainable future until battery technology and charging stations improve. I'm not just making this up, this is what mounds of research is telling us.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  8. fb_1341732987 avatar Douglas Kerr Posted: 12/20/2010 2:11pm PST

    I must say that EV Enthusiast is the first time I have heard anyone claim that the Volt is bad for the EV industry. What a myopic and distorted vision of what it will take to move the U.S. to EV's in the future. Until the U.S. has an infrastructure to handle convenient recharging, the dual fuel vehicle such as the Volt will be the only answer for most drivers.
    For instance, I am a single parent. It would be shear folly for me to have a pure EV as my only vehicle. I need the flexibility of knowing that I can make my own electricity should my travels go beyond the limited EV range. Until technology permits me to refuel my battery at a recharging station in 5 to 10 minutes, the Volt is a worthwhile substitute for what you purists demand.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  9. ev enthusiast Posted: 12/20/2010 11:18pm PST

    doug,
    it is you who is being short-sighted. since you dont understand, let me tell you exactly how things will work.
    it is of no importance that douglas kerr buys an ev today. so try and take yourself out of the picture, and think of the big picture.
    the volt is a glorified gasoline car, that will burn mostly gas. this is why it is useless in the ev industry, and only serves to possibly hurt the ev industry.
    we have a limited capacity to produce evs. this limited capacity has waiting lines. so at this point, there is no need to make the car any better, or price it any cheaper to sell this year's car.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  10. ev enthusiast Posted: 12/20/2010 11:25pm PST

    once this first year is done, then there will be some evs out on the road, and give some people some visibility about what evs actually can do. at the moment, there is a huge misconception by most people, regarding evs.
    this will add some demand to the ev industry, and the supply side will also be increasing. this will be the story for the first 5 years or more.
    the only thing that is important is that we can sell the cars that we can make.
    as manufacturing ramps up, supply will begin to catch demand, and competition will come into play. so each year, new little goodies will come out.
    you will gradually see decreases in price, and increases in range. just enough to sell the year's supply of cars. they wont give us any more than they need. this is how every product gets sold.
    we will never need a bunch of local charging stations. that is the mindset of what is current. batteries will become better and better, such that eventually they will get us further than a typical gas car does today.
    and douglas kerr will buy one, when it suits his needs. it is not important when any one individual buys an ev, as far as the ev industry is concerned. one person is no better than another. the only thing to concern yourself with is being able to sell the cars that are manufactured.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  11. ev enthusiast Posted: 12/20/2010 11:33pm PST

    the reason why the volt and other hybrids are slightly damaging to the ev industry is that they take away what might be future customers for awhile.
    if someone buys a volt or a new prius, then they will most likely want to hang on to that car for as long as possible, thereby KEEPING HIM FROM BUYING A REAL EV. and that is the intention of gm and their volt. so the hybrids, at this point, will simply delay the buying of an ev by the owner of the hybrid.
    the prius, and other hybrids, at least served a useful purpose in the past, as they helped keep gas consumption down. the release of the volt today serves no useful purpose for the ev industry. although i dont think it will be a good seller, nor do i think it will be manufactured for very long as a hybrid. i wont be the least bit surprised to see an ev-volt in the near future. gm just needs to figure out how to take both feet out of their mouth, since their current advertising is claiming that evs will leave you stranded in the desert.
    and you wonder why i think the volt is bad for the ev industry. and i wonder why anyone with half a brain cant figure this out for themselves.
    so i guess we each get to wonder.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  12. ev enthusiast Posted: 12/20/2010 11:43pm PST

    my advice stays the same. when you have the need to get another vehicle, then use the following thought process.
    evaluate the current evs. if they dont suit your needs for whatever reason, try to put the least amount as possible into a used gas car that will meet your purposes until such time that the ev will meet your purposes.
    that way, you will never feel like we have to keep the car longer than we want, just so we can get our money back.
    and by all means, follow the ev industry. and verify for yourself that it will work EXACTLY like i am telling you. each year, we will get more improvements, and these improvements will gradually and consistently move more and more people into the ev market, and away from the ice market.
    do not expect to have much resale value in your ice.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  13. Sportomich Posted: 1/28/2011 7:44pm PST

    Well, the Cruze launched in Sept 2010 and now every dealer has thier fill of any version you want. The volt launched in Nov 2010 and you still cannot get anyone to even tell you when you can get on a list to buy one! On ebay last week one sold for $50k plus and this wek one went for $48k plus. Why is GM advertising the heck out of a vehicle you cannot even come close to owning in prob the next year or two? Once again, GM has failed too see the forest for the trees. I just hope ford does them one better and starts thier focus EV STRONG and we see them all over the place like ford rangers in the 80's. I would love for Ford to build and sell more Focus EV's in the first two months than Volt had to date.
    TC
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  14. fb_1440950412 avatar Christopher File Posted: 2/10/2011 9:10pm PST

    I'd rather deal with the limited range ev and rent an ice if I had a long trip. The Volt looks to me as maintenance nightmare after it has a little age on it.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  15. Noel Park Posted: 3/10/2011 9:31am PST

    My Volt #1756 arrived at the SoCal rail drop off yesterday. I hope to get it next week. I will keep you posted on how it works out.
    Obviously I agree with Khadgars and Douglas Kerr, LOL.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  16. fb_1341732987 avatar Douglas Kerr Posted: 3/10/2011 10:31am PST

    Now that nearly three months have elapsed since the zealot ev enthusiast went on his extended myopic rant, I would like to point out which electric car has reached mass manufacturing levels. It is not the Nissan Leaf or any other PURE EV vehicle, of which ev zealot, I mean enthusiast, has apparently placed his misguided hopes for the future upon. It is the Chevy Volt that has stepped up to the plate and provided the nation, and soon the world, a viable alternative to gas sucking cars. EV's will someday be a replacement for ICE's. Just not today.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  17. z0ner Posted: 3/15/2011 10:00am PDT

    It's too bad that GM is still in the pocket of Big Oil. Go big or go home. Make a statement. Be a leader, a revolutionary. We've had hybrids for years, it's time to move forward. All GM did was slightly change the formula, sandbagging the movement. 600 LEAFs are in the port of Long Beach getting dealer prepped as we speak.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  18. ev enthusiast Posted: 3/16/2011 10:12am PDT

    well douglas, read the zoner's post.
    and you are bragging about the volt's purchases ? just how many have been sold ? why not wait to make a statement when production and sales have ramped up to something over a trickle ?
    my post wont seem myopic once you put on your glasses.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  19. fb_100000005296979 avatar Kent Beuchert Posted: 6/3/2011 8:43am PDT

    The problem with the Volt is that it's 1) ugly, 2) slow, 3) cramped, 4) ultra expensive, but actually no better than a $11,000 Kia sedan, 5) imbued with
    practically obsolete technology. I can't think of anything positive to say. This is not to say that there's an EV near its price range that's any better. The Leaf sure isn't, with its useless 65 mile driving range.
     
    Post Reply
    -2
    Bad stuff?

  20. scottf200 Posted: 6/3/2011 9:43pm PDT

    Love the comment about the Volt mainly using gas. I own a Volt and in the past ~3000 I've put less than 10 gallons of gas in it. Car is fun to drive (sports mode) and smooth and quiet. I give test drive regularly and people are then blown away about their misconceptions. Too fun!
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  21. fb_542856692 avatar Rich Civil Posted: 6/5/2011 1:59pm PDT

    I wonder if ev enthusiast still stands behind his statement the Volt "will burn mostly gas" even after numerous actual Volt owner/drivers, such as scottf200, have stated very large percentages of pure electric driving.
    Kent, by what measurements are you saying that the volt is no better than an $11,000 Kia sedan? You seem to have a hatred of all EVs (from looking at your comments on the website). You really have nothing positive to say? really?
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  22. Dave Posted: 6/5/2011 3:55pm PDT

    Kent is a known professional astroturfer, so please don't feed the troll...
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  23. Stan's Volt Posted: 6/5/2011 5:29pm PDT

    I love my volt. It uses very little gas.
    I will sell it to anyone who is waiting for a volt now for $50,000 It is crystal red.
    I can use the cash to buy another color Volt But, make no mistake, I have experience and it is far a better EV than the Leaf or any other EV out right now.
     
    Post Reply
    +1
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Advertisement
Advertisement

Find Green Cars

Go!

Advertisement

More from High Gear Media

 
 
Green Car Reports
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2013 Green Car Reports. All Rights Reserved. Green Car Reports is published by High Gear Media. Send us feedback. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC.