Is This Thing On? Volt Owner Shares Amusing Experience

Chevy Volt owners come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of different experiences on the road. This story, though, goes to show what all Volt owners have in common: absolutely stunned reactions from other drivers!


I had been interested in electric vehicles ever since I saw Chris Paine’s “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and had been following the Volt from concept to production. My interest was primarily motivated by a desire to see our country move away from dependence on foreign oil. A test drive in a Volt sealed the deal for me and I ordered one the next day. I ordered my Volt in May 2011 and took delivery on October 6, 2011. I purchased my Volt as I plan on keeping the car long term.

Surprisingly few people even notice that it’s something different since it doesn’t have an unusual attention-drawing appearance so I’ve only been asked about the car by strangers on a few occasions. Of the friends that have ridden in it, without exception the first thing they notice is the absence of engine noise. Their second reaction is amazement at the car’s ability to press them into their seats when I punch it. They are consistently impressed with the performance having expected a more “golf cart-like” experience.

I was sitting in the car with my wife in the parking lot adjacent to the service bay of a non-Chevy dealership when I noticed two of the mechanics approaching from behind to give it a once over. They were surprised to see us sitting in the car when they came around to the window. “Oh sorry.” one of them said. “We’ve never seen one before. Is it actually on right now?” he asked. “Oh yes it is.” I replied with a smile.

It’s hard to pick just one thing [that I like best]. My top three are (1) I almost never need gas. Right now I’m at 390 MPG. I actually waved at a gas station as I drove by on the day I took it home. (2) It’s fun to drive from a performance standpoint. The handling and response are outstanding. (3) It’s just a cool looking car. Sleek and sporty. Zero range anxiety is another appealing feature of the car.

I’ve owned lots of cars over the years. In terms of off-the-line performance it is second only to my 1968 Dodge Dart GT with a 440ci engine and it out-handles that car by a long shot. In that regard (handling and feel) I’ve never driven anything better.


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