“Going Green” and saving money with a vehicle…is it really possible?

When General Motors revealed its latest plan to join the “Go Green” movement in 2007, many skeptics dawned their cynical crowns and began to question the possibility of building such a car. For a car that was thought up over a napkin drawing, I must say I think the innovators with GM certainly got it right this time.

You know you want to take it home

Promising triple-digit fuel economy, it is easy to see why so many people have had their concerns since this initial concept was introduced.

But can it deliver?

Yes – yes it can. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, here is a quick break-down of what makes this car so unique.

–  Propulsion system – This enables the Volt to run up to 40 miles on electricity. GM believes drivers will be able charge their battery every night and completely stop their dependence on gasoline.

–  Electric Power – If you plan on taking the Volt on a road trip, well then you will need to use regular gasoline. But don’t fret; this amazing car is equipped with a generator that provides the car with electric power through the use of gasoline. Easily translated – no emissions and with a full take of gas, the Volt can deliver up to 310 additional miles worth of direct electric power before a refill is required or the battery needs to be recharged.

–       OnStar functionality – Offering five years of Directions and Connections service, the Volt’s OnStar system offers its own dedicated version of OnStar’s new mobile app for the iPhone or Android smartphone. Not only would you be able to schedule or check the status of remote-activated charging, owners can also view the most recent data from their car: miles driven using gas and/or electric power and the average mpg.

For the sake of simplicity, those are only a few features that make this car outstanding. Now for the important question…

Is it expensive??

For some the answer would quite easily be yes. According to Kelly Blue Book, the 2011 Volt has a manufacturer’s suggest retail price (MSRP) of $41,000. However, it does qualify for up to $7,500 in Federal income tax credit, which can drop the price to a nice figure of $33,500.

For a step in the right direction, GM certainly has risen above the rest and easily surpassed other economical cars like the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf – but the question still remains – will consumers buy into the hype or continue to stick with what they know. Only time will truly tell.

**Although this particular Chevy is not available in the Black Hills (I know we are sad too, but we hope to see it here soon), it is primarily available throughout the east and west coast of the United States**