[AmpOhm]

While I have to admit I do not read many magazines, it has been a very long time since I have seen a print advertisement for a Volt.

On the inside cover (page 1) of the August 12, 2013, Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine there is a two-page ad for the Volt.

Hopefully the scan attached correctly to this post.

In the ad are two large photos--a graphic of two "D" batteries and a close-up of one of the Volt's headlights -- and three small ones -- the Volt profile, the "Volt" badging by the side mirror, and an open charge door.

The text in the ad includes:
* "Find New Roads" (the latest Chevy slogan)
* "Every revolution starts with a charge"
* "Chevrolet Volt, America's Best-Selling Plug-In! / By charging regularly, you can average 900 miles between fill-ups! / And with charging costs of only $1.60 a day, you're saving even more where it matters most."

 

[Umbrella]

Same ad just ran in the US edition of The Economist.

 

[cadillackid]

interesting I tend to charge for about $1.25 for a full charge... maybe a little more in the hot weather..
-Christopher

 

[W0X0F]

Ad uses national avg of $0.12/kwh. Many of us pay less than that. Ours is $.089/kwh (total inc all fees, etc).

Some poor folks pay much more thanks to profiteering & speculation.

 

[AZ EV Driver]

Mine run about $0.60 for a full charge (off peak rates). I believe some have indicated close to $4.00 for a full charge (OUCH!). I think the ad is using the national average of about $0.12 per kWhr and 13 kWhr to full charge.

VIN # B0985

 

[volt3939]

...
In the ad are two large photos--a graphic of two "D" batteries ...

Aspect is off for "D" cells, those are "C" batteries...

 

[hvacman]

New emphasis on "plug-in" as in "plug-in hybrid" - skipping the discussion about electric, then changing to gas. It is still too cryptic and too clever for its own good. Battery photos - slogans that mean nothing or take too much to figure out. I'd have plainly said, "By charging regularly, you can average 900 miles on each 9 gallon fill-up." People would quickly realize they can average 100 mpg - double that of a Prius.

Another expensive ad dud in my opinion.

 

[AmpOhm]

Aspect is off for "D" cells, those are "C" batteries...

Ha, I was just being funny with regards to the "D". You are correct, they do look more like "C" batteries.


Also, the fine print that I left off (it was in the PDF) did have a few footnotes, one of which was "Based on national average of 12 cents per kWh and 13.2 kWh for a full charge ($1.58). Electricity costs vary. Check with your provider for your rates."

 

[CharlieO1]

Where do they get the idea that "you can average 900 miles between fill-ups?" Do any of you fill up every 900 miles, on average? I'm driving 4000 to 5000 miles between fill-ups.

 

[stuart22]

Where do they get the idea that "you can average 900 miles between fill-ups?" Do any of you fill up every 900 miles, on average? I'm driving 4000 to 5000 miles between fill-ups.

There seems to be a 'promise less, give more' credo happening at GM with the EV/EREV marketing. As long as ads touch the main points, I have no issue with it. IMO it's far better to have a groundswell of owner testimonials which exceed what ads promise than the other way around - e.g. Nissan advertising 100 mile range for the LEAF.

 

[hvacman]

Where do they get the idea that "you can average 900 miles between fill-ups?" Do any of you fill up every 900 miles, on average? I'm driving 4000 to 5000 miles between fill-ups.

GM, thanks to all the OnStar data from almost every Volt on the road, knows exactly how every Volt is driven and how many EV and engine-driven miles we do. They post the up-to-the-minute stats here:
Volt total miles/EV miles driven

It works out to 145 million engine-driven miles driven out of 385 million total miles. At 38 mpg, that works out to 3.8 million gallons, which in 385 million total miles is about 100 mpg. That's 900 miles on a 9-gallon tank.

 

[Deciheximal]

The same in the September 2013 edition of Popular Science, just inside the front cover.

 

[Electrons]

The running numbers don't work on my web browser. I just see a blank space....

 

[DonC]

Horrible. Just plain freaking horrible.