It must have been my recent blog post that convinced Fox News it should stop lying about the Chevy Volt and get behind an all-American car that has won both the North American and European Car of the Year awards.
Because this Steve Doocy interview strikes a whole different tone from the Volt-bashing that's been going on at Fox News.
Oil-loving conservative Texan Lee Spieckerman of Spieckerman Media started off by saying that Fox News commentators have had "a fetish for demonizing the Volt," then went on to explain why the Volt is such a great car.
I love Fox news, and I feel like I’m kind of attacking my own family here. I love O’Reilly, I love Neil Cavuto, I love Eric Bolling, but like a lot of my fellow conservatives, they seem to have kind of a fetish for demonizing the Volt.
They are perpetuating the myth that the Volt was some kind of Obama administration green energy fantasy that as you say was forced on General Motors during the bailout.
It’d been in development two years before Obama was elected. And it was championed by … Bob Lutz, who is a conservative and a climate change skeptic. So you know it’s a myth.
The tax break for buying the Volt was implemented by the Bush administration. It was not something that was implemented under the Obama administration.
So unfortunately, there have been a lot of myths perpetuated.
My favorite part is when Spieckerman asks Doocy if he knows how electricity is generated in Ohio. I thought, "Oh, no! They're going to criticize the Volt for using electricity from global-warming exacerbating fossil fuel."
Not so surprisingly though, both Spieckerman and Doocy loved how the Volt and other electric cars are able to use coal for "fuel." American coal! USA, USA, USA! Driving an electric car is the height of patriotism, according to Spieckerman.
On the personal front, my wife and I ordered a Volt today from Capitol Chevrolet here in Salem. We're going to sell our Nissan Leaf and shift to the Volt's approach to going electric. The Leaf also is a great car, but it ended up not being as suitable for our lifestyle as we expect the Volt will be.
Sneak preview of the Auto Trader ad I'm putting up tomorrow: Our price for a 2011 Nissan Leaf with only 3,000 miles will be the least expensive used Leaf being sold in the entire United States. (I'm pretty sure of that; need to double-check prices tomorrow.)
Plus, our 2011 Leaf has leather seats and a Level 3 (fastest) charger. If you're looking for a Leaf, and want to pay a lot less than the $37,250 MSRP for a new 2012 Leaf, look no further. We've got a great all-electric car for you, at a great price.
I have the feeling that 100 percent electric vehicles will only be popular on golf courses until such time as there is either a major commitment by utility companies to invest in charging infrastructure on a massive basis, or a major breakthrough in battery storage capacity occurs (that will not cost a small fortune).
Good luck with your Volt.
Posted by: Willie R | March 29, 2012 at 01:47 PM
Surprised that someone with a thinking head on you, you will fall for the lies, bs and pure made up stories or non-sense that flows from Fix news...Oh well
Posted by: Pat | March 31, 2012 at 04:28 AM
Someone needs to do their homework!
eei.org/ourissues/EnergyEfficiency/Documents/EVReadinessGuide_web_final.pdf
See section titled "Is The Grid Up To It?"
10 million Volts is 0.8% of current production...
Posted by: Volt Owner | March 31, 2012 at 09:29 AM
The infrastructure for electric vehicles is WELL underway. We have over 7100 public charging stations in the USA and it is growing fast. In Tennessee there are 14 Cracker Barrel's with FAST DC charging, fast enough to charge a Leaf in 25 minutes or the new Model S in 45 minutes.
But the best part of it is you almost never need one. Just plug it in when you are home in the evening and you start each day with a full battery.
Posted by: David Hrivnak | March 31, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Congratulations on your decision to get a Volt. I have had mine for about 6 months and have gone over 6,500 mi. on 49 gallons of gas. MPG on gas is 128 mpg and compared to some of the other Volt owners that's nothing. These miles include trips of over 200 miles, which would have been a real headache in a Leaf.
Posted by: George B | March 31, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Great choice with the Volt. Perhaps it's high time that electric vehicles are given due attention. Yep, the Leaf is also a nice ride, but I think the Volt is better for you guys.
Posted by: Jolandi Kerstetter | April 04, 2012 at 01:30 PM
Well, you can’t go wrong with Chevy Volt. This Chevy Volt has an “extended-range electric vehicle feature” or E-REV. This means you can travel up to 40 miles on electricity. There’s no need for you to fill up your gas tank or recharge your battery. This is a great advantage for you, as you can drastically reduce your dependence on gasoline.-- Ernest Houston
Posted by: Ernest Houston | August 01, 2012 at 07:16 AM