The EV1 could only go 200 miles on a full night’s charge. With gas, you can go 350 – 400 miles on one tank, stop for 5 – 10 minute fillup, and then drive another 350 – 400 miles, all with the AC running while driving in the mountains and pulling a trailer. You can do this for thousands of miles without ceasing. And you never wake up and think, “I forgot to charge the car!” You just stop on your way to work and fill it up. The same car you drive on your 60 mile commute will also take you from Los Angeles to New York. Convenience… Versitility… until the purely electric car can at least get close to matching gas power in convenience and versitility, it will never take over. This is where the Volt has a huge advantage over the EV1. The designers understood that until we come up with a vastly improved electrical storage system, we will have to supplement battery power with some sort of fuel to allow for the convenience of limitless driving.

I have to agree the EV1 was much better design and could go 200 miles on a single nights charge. No gas to use ever. But since GM sold the copyright to Shell Oil company no one can build a car similar to that as Shell Oil has the first copyright of a main stream electric car which within the last 12 years could have opened the road to there being a 1/2 million fully electric cars on the road today.

The full electric car will never make it because they need no maintenance other than tires.

How could dealerships stay open if their customers never needed oil changes, coolant flushes, new thermostats, radiator hoses, fuel injectors, fuel pumps, fuel filters, oil filters, air filters, and so many other things.

All the car manufacturers have the technology to make 100% electric cars. They don’t because they can’t make money off of it. So whether it’s Chevy or Toyoto they both want to keep the cars atleast somewhat gas because there is no money in it for them otherwise.

Okay ONE: Yes, GM styling pretty much sucks. They’ve been chasing EVERYONE else’s tail for years now. If they ever want to make any headway, they need to fire the whole freakin’ styling department and start from scratch with some new, young blood. TWO: anyone who says the Volt is operates anything like existing hybrids hasn’t been paying attention. It gasoline engine is a generator only, not a part of the drive train. ALL other hybrids on the road tie the gasoline engine directly to the wheels. THREE: calling the Volt a failure because it doesn’t perform like the Tesla Roadster is beyond ridiculous. That’s like saying the Aveo is failure because it doesn’t perform like a Mustang GT. Did we forget that the Tesla is a $100k supercar? C’mon, use some sense.

tony your dumb please learn how to spell cobalt lol

Lame… GM already made a PRODUCTION all electric car back in 1992 that could go 120mph, 0-60 in ~6s and about 200 miles on a charge. Come on, seriously, 16 years later now with better technology, they could do much, much better than that even! Cut the oil umbilical GM, stop being stupid, give us a REAL electric car back.

It looks smaller than previous photos or illustrations.

looks like that hybrid honda that i keep seeing on TV commercials.

I think it looks awesome…. and kinda loks like the tC But better!

Sarcasmo ur dumb lol first of all the colbolt looks nothin like the 96-00 civic haha and the new chevy looks more like a malibu or a newer civic not as much as scion

Yeah those cars are the Beat and the Groove…Thats why it says VOLT in big letters on the back of it WTH! Get your eyes checked Tiger. As far as the battery powered movement think of all the places those same batterys have to be transported on huge ships from over seas and trucks to make it to the factory to be put in the car. Kinda cancels out your save the planet frame of mind dosent it.