GM is hanging its corporate future on the Chevy Volt. That’s a great honor for a vehicle. So why does the eco-friendly would-be savior car look so incredibly pissed off?
When the Volt’s fiercely peeved appearance was noted by commenter over at Jalopnik a few days ago, a fellow commenter pointed to a study finding that people like aggressive looking cars. For example, the BMW 5-series.
But, then again, the BMW 5-series is a screw-the-world mobile. You don’t drive it with any pretensions that it’s socially responsible. It’s all about boosting your individual status by representing wealth and a certain level self-regard and arrogance (not judging, just saying.) So, say, a Camaro should look angry (and it does!).
A better reference point for the Volt, however, would probably be the Toyota Prius. To say the least, this is a car that has established its marketplace cred as an environmentally friendly machine. As noted in a 2007 NY Times story, a major motivation for buyers is the boost in social capital they believe they get for owning one: “The Prius has become, in a sense, the four-wheel equivalent of those popular rubber ‘issue bracelets’ in yellow and other colors — it shows the world that its owner cares.” It is a totally different route to boosting your status and creating a social identity than owning a BMW 5-series.
In short, the Prius is the green car done right. And have you ever seen such a happy, well-adjusted automobile?
So, uh, just what the hell is GM thinking?
May 12th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Ah, the American car industry. Never fails to fail.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
that is also not the final chevy volt design. that is a test mule wearing the body of a chevy cruze.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I disagree with the premise that an environmentally friendly car has to look well-adjusted. That’s like saying that there is no value in Tesla Motors building an incredibly expensive electric sports car because only a handful of people can afford one. If there is a market for a mean looking Chevy Volt (and apparently there is), then it should be created. Besides, just because someone believes in the environment doesn’t mean that they are socially responsible. I can want to save money on gas and help the environment and still be misanthropic.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Brett,
There’s clearly going to be a lot of overlap between potential Volt buyers and potential Prius buyers. People aren’t going to be deciding between a Camero and a Volt, a Ranger pick-up and a Volt, a BMW and a Volt, or a Coupe de Ville and a Volt. (The Tesla roadster is tapping a different and tiny market) The point is that the Prius has already proven itself in that market. And many, many other hybrids have fallen flat. So it seems weird to go with completely different approach to styling and presentation than the one that has been shown to work among potential alt.car buyers.
-Jebediah
May 12th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Brett
To think that the Telsa is “environmentally friend” is a bit misguided. The environmental footprint of a $100,000 sports car is going to be huge regardless of the fuel used. As well, it still needs environmentally destructive roads and parking lots and garages.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Yes, if you want a green car, buy a bike.
I didn’t get into this in the post, but all this is arguably all a matter of appearances and spin. Is the Chevy Volt *actually* more environmentally friendly than a BMW 5-series? That not a slam dunk argument. More than that,even if the Volt is greener, the difference is not very big in the grander scheme of things.
These are tough problems we face and will involve much rewiring of human brains. That’s not a quick or easy process and we’re still in the early, early stages.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Many people (including myself) were absolutely in love with the concept version that looked much meaner and longer than the current iteration. Sure, many concept cars look different from the original, but to go from muscle car to -ahem- sensitive ponytail was a bit much. It also meant that the enthusiasm went limp in a blink, for those looking for something with attitude.
It’s probably safe to assume that a hybrid Camaro could be a harder cultural sell, since it has so much legacy and history attached to it. The Volt (concept v. 1) had a chance to create a new look, brand, and lore from scratch– something that might appeal to this other-other hybrid generation of car enthusiasts: the aftermarket crowd, where looks and function are important.
A more aggressive stance and appreciation of style (much like the hyperexpensive Tesla) could bridge those weird cultural differences where the men drive mean trucks and the girly men drive the sissy mobiles. I don’t agree with that assertion, other than it’s a stereotype that does exist– overcoming it may help us get to a greener transportation environment sooner rather than later.
PS. I don’t think that Volt look aggressive in that picture in the least. Might as well be a Prius. Form. Function. etc.
May 13th, 2009 at 8:40 am
As was mentioned above, this is only a test mule. The Volt powertrain in the smaller Chevy Cruze (Cobalt replacement) body. This is a big-to-do about nothing.
And why does a hybrid have to scream “look-at-me” awkwardness. The new Fusion looks great, rather normal and unpretentious and still does +40 mpg. It would be tops on my list if I were ready for a new car.
May 13th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Disagree completely. I like the Volt better than the Prius….much more.
GM makes good looking cars today; Toyota, not so much. (of course, toyota has industry leading quality…..and GM’s truck heavy vehicle mix is the problem).
But on a pure design basis, GM is recovering very well - they need to tilt the mix to small cars and focus marketing there. It’s an untold story, because it’s fashionable to bash them. Most bashers know nothing about cars and the industry, however.