GM has picked 15 electric car advocates to be the first consumers to experience the Volt every day under real-world conditions during a three-month vehicle and charging evaluation program starting in late October.
This exclusive group of expert consumers – referred to as the Chevrolet Volt Customer Advisory Board – is one of the final steps Chevrolet is taking to validate the vehicle, charging and overall customer experience in preparation for the retail launch late this year.
Many of the board members have experience with electric cars, as participants in GM’s EV1 program in the 1990s, or test-driving other automakers’ electric cars. Some represent energy industry groups; others have backgrounds in advocacy and environmental work.
They also live in Chevrolet Volt retail launch markets including California, Washington D.C., and New York.
Each participant is scheduled to receive a pre-production Volt starting in late October and will keep the car through the end of January 2011. All members will get a free 240-volt charging station for the duration of the vehicle evaluation program.
Members of the Chevrolet Volt Customer Advisory board include: Robert Becker, Peter Corsell, Lyle Dennis, Tom Kuhn, Andy Lipkis, Bill Nye, Eric Rotbard, Chelsea Sexton, Colin Summers, Mark Swain, Kris Trexler, Bryan Voltaggio, Jim Woolsey, Brian Wynne and Mike Maria.
The Volt’s MSRP will start at $41,000. The purchase price with a federal tax credit worth up to $7,500 for the Chevrolet Volt, the price drops to $33,500. GM will also offer leasing option for the Chevrolet Volt available on a 36-month term which will set you back $350/month with an initial payment of $2,500.
