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Originally Posted by TEG
GM more or less said that the excitement from Tesla helped prompt them to put the Volt concept into the public space as a response.
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I think Bob Lutz admitted that. I can't help thinking Toyota's much more low-key announcement that they were going to make a PHEV must have influenced GM's decision too. It didn't get much press at the time, but when Toyota makes a move other car makers take notice.
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I suspect that the Volt blogs are also a retort to the success of the Tesla blogs.
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I don't know if "retort" is the word I'd choose. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Oddly, Tesla and GM (notably in the persons of Martin Eberhard and Bob Lutz) seem to have plenty of good things to say about one another. I sense that there is some mutual admiration and a sense that they're both on the same side of the revolution.
It's a contrast to the sniping that so often occurs between the various EV startups.
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I am sorry, but personally, I don't find the Volt (in its' current form) exciting enough for me to want to join that community.
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I personally don't have any interest in buying one. Also, I find the Volt's styling unattractive. However. . . I do believe it could appeal to a lot of people and be the start of something big.
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If it turns out that 90% of Volt customers never plug it in it might not be that great a concept...
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I have a hard time believing in that scenario. If they didn't intend to plug it in, why buy a Volt in the first place? I'm confident plugging in will prove more convenient for most people (at least those who have a garage or carport) than going to a gas station. I'm also confident that many of them will become addicted to quiet battery-powered driving and will feel quite annoyed when the ICE fires up.