There is something George Jetson’ish about leaning into the throttle and feeling the car effortlessly surge ahead in eerie silence, no vibration and no mechanized growls or groans. This vehicle is not short on power, which thanks to the instantaneous torque of an electric motor, arrives immediately. And best of all, no fuel burnt in the process: translation – free.
I circled Vancouver’s jewel, Stanley Park, twice on pure electric power. I felt as smug as the spandex-clad joggers who likely spent more on their running shoes than a Volt owner will spend on fuel for an entire year. And to further bolster my braggadocio, my ride was emitting zero exhaust emissions unlike the crossovers and SUVs that said runners probably drove to the park – even those of hybrid acclaim.
And in case someone wants to blunt my smugness by throwing the coal-fired powerplant argument my way, the juice powering Vancouver’s grid is hydro-produced. Obviously that’s not the case everywhere but nonetheless, in North America the production of electricity is becoming a cleaner venture over time.
Is the Volt the future?
No one can say with certainty where the future will lead the automotive industry but I feel that I’ve just had a sneak preview into it. The Volt is a game-changer. Its mass production and availability to the public at a reasonable price may be pivotal in reshaping the automotive landscape in favour of Mother Nature.
With a price tag somewhere in the $30-40K range, the Volt is not unrealistically expensive by any measure. The vehicle I drove today wasn’t a doctored-up golf cart. Far from it actually.
It was a production-ready car of perfect size that exhibited dramatic styling and an upscale cabin replete with the accoutrements we have come to expect in modern automobiles. And who doesn’t want to take a seat in that electric chair?
photo:Rob Rothwell
I circled Vancouver’s jewel, Stanley Park, twice on pure electric power. I felt as smug as the spandex-clad joggers who likely spent more on their running shoes than a Volt owner will spend on fuel for an entire year. And to further bolster my braggadocio, my ride was emitting zero exhaust emissions unlike the crossovers and SUVs that said runners probably drove to the park – even those of hybrid acclaim.
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| It is a production-ready car of perfect size that present dramatic styling and an upscale cabin. |
And in case someone wants to blunt my smugness by throwing the coal-fired powerplant argument my way, the juice powering Vancouver’s grid is hydro-produced. Obviously that’s not the case everywhere but nonetheless, in North America the production of electricity is becoming a cleaner venture over time.
Is the Volt the future?
No one can say with certainty where the future will lead the automotive industry but I feel that I’ve just had a sneak preview into it. The Volt is a game-changer. Its mass production and availability to the public at a reasonable price may be pivotal in reshaping the automotive landscape in favour of Mother Nature.
With a price tag somewhere in the $30-40K range, the Volt is not unrealistically expensive by any measure. The vehicle I drove today wasn’t a doctored-up golf cart. Far from it actually.
It was a production-ready car of perfect size that exhibited dramatic styling and an upscale cabin replete with the accoutrements we have come to expect in modern automobiles. And who doesn’t want to take a seat in that electric chair?
photo:Rob Rothwell
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