What Can A Chevy Volt Do? It Can Run On Coal, Among Other Things

What might it take to get you to consider buying an electric vehicle from General Motors?

How about passionate testimony from current owner/operators?

At $40k, the Chevy Volt is not cheap, and the concept of an EV is still a bit shaky in the minds of many drivers. Which is no doubt why Goodby Silverstein & Partners is busy making these testimonials featuring real Chevy Volt drivers.

For sure, all this talk of going places on “no gas” is intriguing. According to Christian Science Monitor, new car buyers snapped up 2,289 copies of GM’s new electricity-and-gasoline powered Chevrolet Volt in March, nearly doubling the number sold in February. But this is also a rather stark approach to car advertising.

Industry advocate Chelsea Sexton told Green Car Reports: “Automakers need to remember that vehicles — including plug-ins — are an emotional purchase. Today’s marketing is geared to why people should want an EV, instead of why they will, resulting in ads that frame EVs more as appliances instead of the fun cars that they are.”

Of course, Goodby is trying to educate on the drivability factor, as well. And I do find the testimony from these Volt drivers compelling, but it is compelling because of the what the cars can do, not because it is presented in a particularly moving way.