This witch hunt (probe) into the Volt's battery is very suspicious. Someone is groping around to find answers to questions no one has asked about the Volt. Luckily, Akerson and GM are smarter than US government when it comes to building safe vehicles and can fix this suspicious concern with the Volt's battery easily.

Rustyboy, we will never know what could of happened should we let GM go. Many such as me think it was the right time to shed the Unions of our Auto Industry so we could actually compete over the long haul building them here. That means so we don't run into the same problems we had just 2 years ago with them in another 10 or 15 years. The big 2 continue to focus overseas now, can no longer count Chyrsler as they are a transplant manufacture. I think our Auto industry would really be in better position had it gone the other way, it could have been fixed right and taxpayers would not be out billions and billions along with the interest. Of course GM looks successful right now, they dumped the Bad GM onto the taxpayers and kept only the good, not hard to profit this way. Did you not see how the average cost of a GM will increase $500 with the New UAW contracts? It was here on msn, isn't that nice, the taxpayers bailout GM and the Union folks and the Unions turn around and ask for more just a short time later. That is the problem with Unions, they are great for the 15% of the folks that are in them, for the other 85% of the folks not in them, they do nothing but increase the cost of each and every single product, service and tax we purchase or pay for, it really is that simple, Unions are hindering this country and making us non-competitive on a globel scale for the long haul and its catching up to us. With Obama in the White House, you can only expect his Unions buddies to continue to back him up as he continues to secure their futures while he continues to increase the burdens on the 85%ers who are not union by increasing the cost of products and services and taxes. Gas up alot, milk up alot, bread up alot all while Obama has been in Office. Just look at your property tax bill over the past 4 years while the economy tanked, it increased while homeowners incomes dropped along with the property value, why because the Union contracts continue to call for more with no true sacrifices. The Local, State and Fed Gov are all run the same, increasing budgets with no concerns because they think there is no bottom of the money barrel.

@uaw makes me sick .... you are 100% absolutely correct --- I just wish the other dim bulbs who support obama and his gov't policies ( which are basically the policies of the last 75 years or so), could see through all this populist hype/inequality /dont worry the gov't will fix everything BS

UAW

Gas has doubled since Obama took office.

Gas has gone up, but it is still lower than when it peaked during the Bush years. Gas is up right now because of the current situation in the gulf of Hormuz. This has nothing to do with obama.

You mean the days, when if you didn't work you got nothing, is that what you mean.

Sorry handouts are not progressive, like the $7500 subsidy on every volt.

We have bigger things to worry about - like the $8.4 Million tax break Mitt Romney got on his income (20% of 42 million).

This tax break for just one person is more than total subsidies for all Volts sold in 2011.

This administration hides faults with GM cars and has Congressionlal hearings on made up faults with Toyota. Now I see why GM got back on the top. I'm tired of the lies from all politicians but I am really tired of the lies from this administration just to prove how good they are when they are, in fact, failures. Just like their Volt and Solyndra.

I fail to understand why the GOP continues to demonize green energy options.

I guess they have to continue to pay homage to big oil.

Washington teapugs have lost their minds. They would wreck America to beat Obama. What a bunch of losers.

@Bennie123

Sorry handouts are not progressive, like the $7500 subsidy on every volt.

or the $20 Billion that oil companies get in subsidies, which is about 330 times the subsidies given to Volt owners.

The fact that this was kept quiet for so long by the government is truly disturbing. That the administration pressured the NHTSA to sit on the information for political reasons unfortunately does not surprise me one bit. Obama has been touting this technology and pushed the Volt in particular. To have it come out that the car had problems right after the bailout would have cost Obama dearly in a political sense. This leading the way technology was part of the justification Obama used for his support of GM and for it to come out that the technology was flawed would have left Obama with egg on his face and raised serious questions about the wisdom of the bailout. They took time to all get their story straight to minimize the damage before announcing the defect and it still has done damage to GMs reputation. Imagine if this had come out from the NHTSA before GM had a fix ready. It could have ended up killing the Volt entirely.

I love my Volt. It is a beautifully engineered car. I couldn't be happier with it.

Kudos to GM. I haven't owned an American Car in 16 years and this one is gorgeous.

The detractors might try fetching the facts before speaking.

I hope to see many more choices of vehicle in the future based upon this technology.

@JS in SD

The fact that this was kept quiet for so long by the government is truly disturbing.

That is just your speculation. I can say Romney has $100 million hidden in offshore accounts, but unless I can prove it, it's pure speculation.

@JS in SD

Repugs lied about WMD, took us to war which alone is responsible for 50% of our deficit.

All this over a car. You know what? If you damage a gas tank, the gas can catch fire. If you damage a chemical battery, it can catch fire.

You guys on the right are all going to have early heart attacks if you don't find some peace with the fact that conservatism is giving way to progressivism. The desperation of these attacks does not make your party look very Grand, but it does look pretty Old.

"I'm concerned that the intended effect of this hearing is to undermine technology that is critical to both protecting the environment and ensuring the success of the U.S. auto manufacturing industry," Kucinich said.

Bingo! It's the EV1 all over again.

Guess the threat to their buddies in the Oil industry has sparked this witch hunt and they want Americans hooked on Oil until it runs out so their buddies can milk every last cent out of their Oil, that's why We have lost the edge on the Electric car technologies, they have their buddies in congress protecting their interest ... Can't tell me GAS in not more flammable then the batteries are yet no one question that ... Wake up people your GOP protecting their masters ... Kissing that azz ...

Of course it became political. That's why state-owned businesses are a bad thing.

Hardly any Volts have been sold, so it's obvious that the government's push for it has been premature - just like Obama's push for big taxpayer 'investments' (with no chance of any return on investment) in companies like SOLYNDRA has been a dismal failure.

The story of 'Midas Touch' was about everything King Midas touched turning to 'gold'. I wonder what the opposite of that would be, so we can call it the 'Obama Touch'.

There's a reason that the government shouldn't get involved in 'investments' - they don't have a clue about what makes businesses successful.

The issue here surfaced after crash testing. Ordinarily, when crash tested vehicles are dragged off to the yard, they are drained of any leaking fluids to prevent any hazards. If there is a clear short circuit situation, battery cables are disconnected. The problem with the volt is that the batteries contain an enormous amount of energy, not all that different than a full gas tank.

When a crash damages the volt battery or wiring and there may be an unnoticeable amount of "power leakage", over time the damage will heat up significantly and can ignite. If a regular car battery is damaged or feeding a low level short, it will quickly drain all its power without any ill effects. The Volt battery is something entirely different because its power will not quickly drain as its power level is monsterously huge by comparison to a starter battery.

The issue here is not one of driver safety, but one of procedural handling of wreck damaged Volts by wrecking and salvage people involved in dealing with wrecked vehicles. The issue is about the stored energy and how to deal with it. For a century, the biggest concern was the danger of the energy stored in fuel, gasolene or deisel. The Volt, and most hybrids I might add, pose a different situation in that the energy stored is electrical energy in batteries. This is a problem, but not a driver hazard. The issue is about adequately adjusting to this different form of energy storage.

The situation is being blown out of proportion. Many people who do not understand the issue are running with "car fire" like it is a direct correlation to something like the Pinto fires from ruptured gas tanks. It is not the same thing or even comparable. However, some who are exploiting this know full well the difference, but are capitalizing of the basic lack of knowledge in the general public. "Car fire" sounds like an eminent danger. That's not what we're talking about here, but the GM haters want it to sound like that. This wasn't "withheld", I heard about it a very long time ago. But a consumer warning wasn't issued, nor was it appropriate to do so because no extraordinary risk is associated with driving these vehicles.

The "problem" arose when scrapped Volts from the collision safety tests smoldered and erupted in flames in the bone yard. All electric and hybrid cars are supposed to have their batteries removed when they are scrapped, just like the 12 volt batteries are supposed to be disconnected and removed. This is nothing more than a Darrell Issa (biggest crook in CA) political sideshow. A high school drop out wrecking yard worker could have predicted that live electrical circuits in a wreck will eventually cause a fire. CA needs to fire Issa in Nov. The same goes for all the rest of the Rethuglicans in Congress--fire 'em all!

don't waste your volt....plain bob 2012...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5MtAmT24g

Romney

I really get tired of the old line of Bush lying about WMD's. What did the Clinton's do for 8 years before bush got to Washington DC? If it were lies, why didn't Senator Clinton speak up?

duh every Car Truck on the road has fire risks. AKA a gas tank. Lets see a slower burning Battery or an Exploding gas tank. See my point.

My Van uses gas and I am not getting rid of it. Just because it could blow up. I have seen more than one car on fire due to a gas leak. And I thought the GOP wanted smaller Government (no oversight)

So why on this is the GOP big Brother pushing an oversight agency to look into the possible Chevy Volt battery fire?

Cant have it both ways GOP

This would never happen if we just let the GOP take us back to the days of the horse and buggy.

The GOP doesn't want us to go back to the horse and buggy, can't sell gas that way.

They would rather go back to the Muscle Cars of the 60's and 70's along with leaded gas.

@ Romney, Did you forget the Clinton's talked about Saddam and WMD's before Bush but I guess the Dems do not lie.

Repugs lied about WMD, took us to war which alone is responsible for 50% of our deficit.

Romney - I am staunchly against the Iraq war but it wasn't just Republicans who were at fault. Democrats voted for the war and its subsequent funding all these years. Being partisan and not recognizing ALL who were truly responsible for Iraq doesn't bolster your point. Failing to realize how this war happened will only lead us to be susceptible to it happening again, no matter what party you align with.

So if a volt did catch fire after a crash everyone would have been fine with that? Are you mad that they are checking up on a car for our safety? What the hell are you mad about? Safety?

Gingrich vs Romney = Alien Vs Predator.........So people with all the hypothetical answers.......What do you think we should do? You speak as if you understand manufacturing and yet know nothing....What do you want to compete with? 35 cents an hour wages in China? What's your great big idea on how to compete in the global economy? Cause you offer no practical solution unless you want to do away with the middle income class and push the poor into squalor......If GM fell do you know how many companies that would have been affected? All the support parts and services that many companies and many manufacturers supply and provide to the automotive industry 100's of thousands of jobs lost........all at the same time...sounds like the GOP supporters would have created that welfare state they "say" they are so afraid of. Just dumb and I would have dropped a few "f" bombs in this cause you are coming off as kind of stupid....YOU DON'T HAVE REAL ANSWERS.....Just word vommit...... The GOP is getting desperate......So desperate they will grasp at anything......even this......You guys are the bane of humanity.....I AM THE 1% and I support the 99%.......Everybody should pay their fair share for the good of the whole, not the few. I wish I believed there was a GOD so that these selfish ingrates where one day punished for their crimes against OUR fellow human beings. I feel such disgust after I read such ignorance......Just disgust.....

Steve-2081387 "Gas has doubled since Obama took office."

That's not true.

In January 2009, the average price was $1.84, and now it's $3.39, so it's only gone up by 84%. lol

Of course, when the average family of four burns about 1,800 gallons per year, that's an extra $2,700 per year for gasoline. Aren't we glad that we get that extra $15 per week in payroll tax cuts (that will make Social Security and Medicare go bankrupt sooner).

I wonder if Obama's moratoriums on drilling and huge amounts of new regulations has anything to do with the increase in prices?

Hardly any Volts have been sold, so it's obvious that the government's push for it has been premature

Yet another misconception. Of the limited production runs of the Volt to date ALL have been sold and there is a huge waiting list. The same is true for the Leaf.

Really need to stop listening to US fake news sources and look into it yourself.

Seriously.

Romney = (Corporate) Welfare Queen

Not sure where you learned math:

We have bigger things to worry about - like the $8.4 Million tax break Mitt Romneygot on his income (20% of 42 million).

This tax break for just one person is more than total subsidies for all Volts sold in 2011.

Actually, the tax break for all Volts sold is $7,500 X 8,000 cars = $60 million, which is a lot more than the tax break you say Mitt received of 20% X $42 million = $8.4 million (although I'm not sure why this matters).

I best you were happy with the WMD lies that cost us 10000 lives and $7 Trillion in deficit.

The total estimated cost of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars isestimated to total $2.3 trillion from 2003 through 2017.

Repugs lied about WMD, took us to war which alone is responsible for 50% of our deficit.

For 2011, Obama's budget for both Iraq and Afghanistan was $159 billion. The deficit for 2011 was projected to be $1.56 trillion. That means both wars account for about 10% of the total deficit.

Check your facts.

Romney = (Corporate) Welfare Queen "Repugs lied about WMD, took us to war which alone is responsible for 50% of our deficit."

Nice try at a 'spin'.

Defense spending for 2009 increased by only $42 Billion over 1999 (inflation adjusted), but the Deficit for 2009 increased by $954 Billion vs 2008.

The Volt is a joke. It goes 44 miles on a 10 hour charge.

Do the math!

From the stories I have read about the volt, the issue I have is that every one that was crash tested caught fire, albeit a few days later due to battery fluid leaks. That is why they are redesigning the battery containment system and adding fluid sensors to monitor the presence of fluid.

This is why it's risky buying into new technology. Not everything can be accounted for during initial testing.

Has any of the Romney clan served in the U S military, and not the Mormon church, I know none of his 5 adult male kids have served, This Romney clan is a bunch of Vultures only take from our country and gives nothing back

armurray,

It isn't so much about the electrolyte in lithium ion batteries as it is about energy leakage through short circuits causing heating. A damaged battery might leak some electrolyte, but more significantly it will dissipate energy in the form of heat. Some electrolytes in these batteries are flammable, but they are far less volatile than gasoline. Some electrolytes are non-flammable. The sulfuric acid in typical lead acid batteries can react and cause fires too.

There are ways to improve these batteries with different electrolytes and measures to harden them to prevent damage. With any new technology, there is a learning curve and things improve over time. As you noted though, the batteries don't serve any immediate hazard to drivers. The key is that they be adequately contained and properly addressed if damaged in an accident and most definitely the should be disconnected from the car's electrical systems. Careful inspection and removal if any damage exists is also a good idea.

Current Volt batteries use a flammable electrolyte, but it isn't anything close to gasoline. Volt batteries are about 360 volts, so they do present a handling problem if the appropriate precautions aren't taken. The Volt is loaded with "first responder" labelling to identify these dangers. You don't want to just cut into these cables. But you want to be careful cutting a standard battery cable too. A standard battery likely won't electrocute you but could cause a significant release of energy if done wrong. The Volt battery at 360 volts does pose some electrocution risk but it also presents a much higher energy discharge if not treated properly.

The Volts are different than standard gasolene vehicles, that is no doubt. But they just need to be treated a bit differently after a wreck. The same is true of a propane or a hydrogen powered vehicle. This is just part of the learning curve and not some inherent flaw. This is being blown out of proportion for political reasons.

To all the Volt owners, Prius owners too! Please have your fires in the FAR RIGHT HAND LANES!

Roy......I don't think you understand basically anything.......The moretoriums have been lifted for over a year now.....regulation.......What is wrong with you? they dumpmed 100's of millions of gallons of oil into the gulf.......Financially crippling the gulf coast tourism economy...your right ....lets not regulate them.....LOLZ.......You must be crazy......If you knew anything about the leases in the gulf and that most of the leased areas where never drilled in and that large oil companies took the lease rights to cut out competition without actually using those drilling rights.......Open a book man....you definantly need to.......Educate yourself instead of being a robot for the media.

@ROY WILSON-336103

Steve-2081387 "Gas has doubled since Obama took office."

That's not true.

In January 2009, the average price was $1.84, and now it's $3.39, so it's only gone up by 84%. lol

Way to friggin' cherry pick data, Roy. You'd make a heck of a politician since you're not lying. But you're certainly not telling the whole truth either. You'd make it seem like gas prices were wonderfully low under Dubya. Of course, you didn't say that, but your presentation of data ALLUDES to that. Well played.

However, if you'll remember, the whole economy crashed around that time causing crude oil prices to plummet. Once a global economic apocalypse was averted, gas prices stabilized back to Bush era levels (which, at their highest, was about $4.12 a gallon). Any speculation as to what Bush policies led to his ever increasing gas prices, especially since it was about $1.95 when Dubya entered office?

Let's look at gas prices in a little bit better context, shall we?

http://gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx (click on the "6 year" tab to see that crazy gas prices were not just suffered under Obama.)

Remember, folks: CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING!

ROY WILSON-336103

I wonder if Obama's moratoriums on drilling and huge amounts of new regulations has anything to do with the increase in prices?

Um, nope: http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/

From the link:
"We talked to Fadel Gheit, a former Mobil Oil executive who is now a senior energy analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. Asked about the impact of the deepwater moratorium, Gheit said the moratorium had a “negative impact on production, but not as much as the politicians would like us to believe.” The impact of the moratorium on gas prices? “Nothing. Zero,” he said."

The Volt runs over $100,000 a piece once you take in the subsidizing and other Federal help.

I wouldn't mind having one, but the price is too high right now. I also don't see the resell value being good on them either seeing the cost of battery replacements.

And the oil companies get billions in corporate welfare, when you add in the cost of US military resources to keep the oil coming from the Middle East, the true cost of gasoline is about $20/gallon.

I thought it was the conservative position that competition drives down the price of goods. Why aren't you jumping up abd down asking for more competition?

Frank---------You love that term corporate welfare don't you?

Firs, they provide jobs and pay taxes and fees.

The dem welfare does not nothing except hand money to the people that Obama buys votes from, with the entitlement programs.

@Bennie123

Firs, they provide jobs and pay taxes and fees.

Using your logic, people people on welfare also pay taxes (sales tax) and create jobs (farmers, grocery stores etc). See, I can spin anything, just like you.

Bennie--Your repeating the perpetual crap of your teapug party. You boys haven't a clue. Just parroting the crap you hear from faux news. YOU and your kind are killing this country with your hypocrisy.

i ain't volt'n...fer it or against it...

bennie

Not all corporation pay taxes. Most of you right wing nuts believe that Social Security is an entitlement program. The majority of people who receive ss. have been putting money into it all their lives. What do you call giving the oil company's $10 billion of taxpayer money every year? You can thank those same oil companies for our high gas prices and our new number one export, OIL. If we would use that same oil here. The gas prices would drop like a rock. But that wouldn't benefit the oil companies would it?

flnobody if you are arguing that social security is a tax then corporations pay a lot of taxes. They have 6.2% of social security on wages and 1.45% on medicare of wages, not mentioning federal unemployment, state taxes, state corporation licenses, state income taxes, not all federal deductions are same as state deductions, city and county b&o taxes, property taxes on all assets, etc. So your liberal argument is flawed, corporations have to pay a lot of taxes. The problem is most liberals never have ran or owned a company and do understand about all the taxes that a business has to pay, they think that corporations only pay income tax.

What do you call giving the oil company's $10 billion of taxpayer money every year?

They don't. They just stick their fingers in their ears and go"lalalala". But you mention a measly 2700.00 that actually goes to the taxpayer, and they go crazy.

It's sad as hell, but there it is.

Poop on your shoes? That's job security and unemployment reduction...all those people hired to scoop @!$%# out of the streets.

@!$%#...I should have said poop again...number two? Crapola? Ship high in transit?

I thought it was the conservative position that competition drives down the price of goods. Why aren't you jumping up abd down asking for more competition?

There isn't a lot of competition because the product is not profitable. That's why the government has to fund it, because the technology isn't capable of producing a product that is cheaper than existing products. Simple basic supply and demand. (that's also why there are only 8K on the road)

huntington

What I said was:

Most of you right wing nuts believe that Social Security is an entitlement program. The majority of people who receive ss. have been putting money into it all their lives.

Now if you see the word tax in any of that. Go get your eye's checked.

As far as all these taxes you say they pay. They don't all do that either. States, local governments are always giving company's tax exemptions or waivers to move here. It seems you are the one that is flawed.

To all Volt owners and Prius owners too! Please have your fires in the FAR RIGHT HAND LANES!

AMEN!!!! American Man-3095653

@uaw makes me sick .... you are 100% absolutely correct --- I just wish the other dim bulbs who support obama and his gov't policies ( which are basically the policies of the last 75 years or so), could see through all this populist hype/inequality /dont worry the gov't will fix everything BS

The dem libs will vote for Obama, no matter what, as long as he keeps the entitlements coming.

The $100,000 Volt is a joke. I have never seen one on the road here in our city of 400,000 people.

@Dasvet

The $100,000 Volt is a joke. I have never seen one on the road here in our city of 400,000 people.

Romney got $8.4 Million in tax breaks. and I have never seen him on the road here in our city of 400,000 people.

Ah the conspirators. UAW makes you sick? Try rereading your comments. The would make any sane person sick. Lies and conspiracies are all you boys have.

The $100,000 Volt is a joke. I have never seen one on the road here in our city of 400,000 people.

where do you live, Tyler?

Seriously, the vehicle DOES NOT cost 100K. I have no idea where that absurd figure came from. It is 40K with a 7500 tax credit and its worth every penny.

fire extinguisher extra?

I have a gas car and I carry 2 Fire extinguixhers

Romney got $8.4 Million in tax breaks

And President Obama received $1.2 million in tax breaks over the same 2 year period.

No matter how you spin it, the simple truth is whoever occupies the White House in 2013 will be a 1%er...

U.A.W.mms, You sound like someone who tried to get one of those G.M. jobs but failed to qualify. You complain about unions and appear to know little about them.

I am rather surprised that people are upset about subsidies for the Chevy Volt; all housing is subsidized by the US government through the mortgage deduction. How come no one complains about that?

In general I thought that Republicans were for lesser taxes, which is what a government subsidy is, so why the sudden problem with the Chevy Volt?

@Byron,

because its not THEIR program.

8.4 million tax break??

He paid his taxes just like everyone else. I guess you don't know that long term capital gains is taxed at 15% to stimulate investments into companies.

So no tax break sorry to break your liberal heart but your lies don't hold water.

"I hope he fails!" That seems to apply to GM and the Volt as well. The terrorists might as well head for the beach when we have insiders like the GOP working for the failure of American businesses and the president America elected.

Mr sick their were over 100 millions votes for president in last election. The UAW has has about 75,000 members. Say 75% voted for Obama. I don't think they have enough voting power to effect the results.

Taxpayers were on the hook more with GWB's TARP bail out of financial institutions...didn't hear much complaining there. At least with the auto bail-out we took partial ownership so we could have control and get tax payer money back, instead of shoving it all in a big sack with a $ sign on, giving it to a banker then saying...do whatever you want with it, if you make some money on it, please pay us back. But then, back then, deficits didn't matter because we had an (R) in the WH and "WE WERE AT WAR!!!".

RICH, What do you know about unions? I've been in one over 30yrs. and I know this much. Just after GM was bailed out the UAW was threatening a strike if they didn't get a pay raise. The got it. The laborer's Union in Chicago did strike for a pay raise during a huge Stimulus funded road project. They got it. Go ahead and say that the workers had it coming because they may or may not had a recent pay raise,but the fact is the residential union construction workers took a 25% decrease in pay here, without a vote. We didn't get it. Plus not to mention the last time the Fed bailed out the auto industry was Chrysler. They at least had Lee Ilocca on board to run the company, how did Chrysler repay us? They charged a thousand dollars over sticker price for the newly introduced Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager.

hypocrisy -

Taxpayers were on the hook more with GWB's TARP bail out of financial institutions...didn't hear much complaining there. At least with the auto bail-out we took partial ownership so we could have control and get tax payer money back, instead of shoving it all in a big sack with a $ sign on, giving it to a banker

The facts don’t lie and they dispute much of your post.
The TARP bailout has cost U.S. taxpayers $245 Billion. $243 Billion has been paid back as of a year ago. The taxpayers have been paid back over 99% of their money on TARP and according to the Obama administration, the program will eventually make about $20 Billion off of interest for taxpayers, making the program profitable for the government.

As for the auto bailout, it cost $80 Billion. $56 Billion has been paid back so far, meaning the program is still upside down by $14 Billion and taxpayers have been paid back about 82%. The program is expected to pay back about 5% more, meaning taxpayers will still be on the hook for over $10 Billion, roughly 12% of the overall cost.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was against both bailouts and have been especially surprised at how successful TARP has been at recouping taxpayer money. Having said that, I still believe the government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers, whether that be bailouts of industries or subsidies to Volt owners, Solyndra and Big Oil.

Rich, Never applied at any auto manufactures and seriously the only required qualifications are probably a family member being in the Union. As an FYI, I was doing some work onsite at a new dealership and was asked for my Union card from an Electrician. Because I was non-Union, I had to leave and return late afterhours when they were not there, thus taking me away from my family all because the Union folks would not work side by side with me. Yep these American workers were unwilling to work side by side with another. Talk about discrimination!! They would not work side by side with me well now I chose to not support Unions as they did not support me.

Wade, you fail to include all the alive past UAW workers as well as all of their spouses along with any person in their families who may be able to vote and the numbers increase. We all know Obama is all about the Unions, he continues to push for more and more for them as the 85% of the folks not in them continue to be overburded with the increased costs and taxes they bring.

are you volt'n ...fer it or against it...

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

Wilsonaide stated

Obama can't be that stupid!

I reply - How can you be so certain ?

Wilsonaide stated

England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

and again, I reply - How can you be so certain of the collective IQ of the US as compared to the countries you mention?

You conveniently forgot to mention the hundreds of billions of dollars given to the investment banks. You should do a little research into how much of the money has been repaid, how much money the government made on the loan and how many jobs were saved in the automobile industry.

Sichuan

The jobs were saved using your money, you now pay the wages of the people whose jobs were saved.

Sichuan, okay lets talk about it, mr Obamite .

TGm still owes the taxpayers 35 billion and the price of Gm stock will have to double to get that back.

That doesn't count the money he stole from GM stockholders to hand 10% of GM to the UAW.

Aig still owes the taxpayer 113 billion and FMac and Fmae, are about 100 billion behind.

Looks to me like you had better do the research or are you one of those that will vote for Obama no matter what as long as he keeps the freebies coming?

They are paying it back stupid

Lets not forget that GM and it's employees are tax payers too. GM and it's employees have been paying taxes for over 100 years. So that tax paying money is theirs too. I didn't see my taxes go up after the government help GM . So I guess it really did cost us any more in taxes to save GM and two to three million tax paying jobs. Sounds like a win win to me

R-sticker.....Short, simple, correct and to the point.....Yes and research the interest the US government is making off these loans.....It has acually been working out better than they expected.

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

We don't have to do anything to discredit the inept quasi socialist in the white house.

he is doing a wonderful job of doing that all by him self.

If you like the Volt so well, you pay the $7500 subsidy on each one, we the taxpayers are tired of paying for Obama's screw ups.

ROTFL..NO... Alimmj It's called personal experience..something redumbicans don't have... Like Healthcare I pay privately out of my own pockets for PPO Medical & Dental 125.00 Almost the same amount of money my previous employer was taking out... tell me that would have happened under the old healthcare system.. All you guys do is listen to talking points or lies about the subjects but have no real world experience..YOU WILL LOSE 2012

@alinnj "Reality check: The companies own independent tests revealed that a fire could occur in an accident, where the batteries are damaged ---".

So what. There are tests where fire could occur in an accident where a car's gasoline tank is damaged.

Hey Beanie123 I didn't see you crying when our government was give 7500 subsidy on the Toyota Prius BUILT IN JAPAN. The Volt is built in United States. Didn't hear you crying either when governments cash for clunkers programwas give money to people buying cars built overseas. I guess its ok with you that our gov supports non tax paying workers in other countries . But it's not ok for our gov to support our tax paying workers. How many of those non tax paying workers will be regularly spend their pay checks in U.S. supporting the tax paying workers here ? My guess is none.

The TDI passat gets nearly the same MPG without dangerous batteries and a 4 banger that gets 36 mpg. (36 mpg in charge sustaining mode)

300 mile road trip

Passat TDI uses 7.14 gallons of fuel (42mpg)

VOLT= 35 miles electric =.388 mge or 12.60 kw-hrs

+ 265 miles @ 36 mpg = 7.36 gallons of fuel or a total 7.748 vs 7.14(passat)

City driving all electric VOLT rocks at 95 mge EPA

Gas 3.07/gal..... Diesel 3.36/gal ...... Electric .12 kw/hr.

Cost to drive 300 miles = Passat $23.99 vs. VOLT $24.10 ($22.59 +$1.51)

Cost to drive 50 miles (city) = Passat $4.80 vs. VOLT $2.16 (all electric)

IMO BioDiesel + Hybrid tech is the best overall solution and straight gas models should be replaced with diesel. America needs to start using Diesel more. The F-150 in a Diesel 4.4L could get over 24 city and 28+ hwy and with a 2-3L 30 city and 40 hwy.

Didn't this article say there were only 8000 on the road? Okay well if 160 million tax payers are paying $7500 a car, you're only forking over $0.38 for ALL 8000.

Sound the alarms! What a "travesty".

ECONOMY-----You don't call , the taxpayers having to lay out $7500 subsidy on every Volt a problem?

Good, you pay it then, we don't want to.

Hey Bennie once again I haven't seen my taxes go up because of volt subsidy. I think your problem is more that you don't like the way government spends your tax money. I guess you must like what they are doing with most of your tax paying money. Like building billion dollar bridges to no where. I like how they blow up sand dunes and mountain tops using million dollar bombs and 500,000,000 million dollar jet fighters.

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

What? Are you planning to drive more than 300 miles without stopping to refill? The Volt does have a gasoline engine that can power it, for those rare times you need to drive further than 35 miles on cheap electricity.

Rare times you have to drive more than 35 miles, where do you live?

In the loop in Chicago.

I drive 42 miles one way to work you asinine person.

And it is 27 miles to the grocery store.

There is a good reason why the dem libs have zero credibility

I drive 42 miles one way to work you asinine person.

And it is 27 miles to the grocery store.

Why would you set your life up like this? Not very smart I would say, but money makes people go a bit crazy. Besides, the majority of people drive less that 30 miles a day. Fact. Your mileage may vary, but has no bearing on that fact.

Turn off the Faux "News" people. Your brains are crusting over.

I'm calling bull. If you live in the loop, chances are Bockwinkel's is either below you or a short walk away.

And if you can afford to live there and you really do drive 42 miles to work, it's time to move.

Cheap electricity? I wish! Do you know how your electricity is made? Mostly from coal, nuclear, etc. It's a catch 22...you drive a car meant to reduce greenhouse gases, but which runs on fuel (electricity) made mostly from plants that emit greenhouse gases or, in the case of nuclear power, most Dems hate.

That's slowly changing, iamfree. My entire town is powered by wind, and the only reason natural gas is still in most homes is because most of the homes are a century old.

No outages since the wind farm went up, and the farmers are enjoying the money from the lease, not to mention the bottling plant, the plastics factory... it's possible, is what I'm saying, to live comfortably with clean energy.

Cheap electricity? I wish! Do you know how your electricity is made? Mostly from coal, nuclear, etc.

And that coal is mined right here in the US. It employs countless Americans. When it comes to burning Arab oil or AMERICAN coal, I will pick coal every time.

Besides, and I know you will not accept the truth of this, even if you use coal to run an electrical plant. the EV is still 40% more efficient at using that energy. So, in effect, it uses less energy, pollutes less, and makes the economies of Virginia, W. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky.....

And one more thing. Look up off peak power usage, you will be very surprised at just how cheap that energy is.

And, btw, turn off Faux "News" they are steering you down a very dark and misinformed road.

Even with the current dirty grid electric cars produce 60% less greenhouse emissions than gas cars. Furthermore the grid is rapidly improving, the contribution of coal to the grid has fallen by 20% over the last 8 years, a trend which is increasing. Electric cars are already 60% cleaner with the current grid and once on the road get better and better as the grid improves. Gas cars only ever get worse from the second you drive them off the lot.

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

Jim

Ever wonder how that coal gets to the power plant, could it be on a train powered by a diesel locomotive?

Ever wonder how that coal gets to the power plant, could it be on a train powered by a diesel locomotive?

Actually, what you call a diesel locomotive is electric powered with the diesel running a generator to power the electric drive. Just like a Volt. Look it up.

Why has the locomotive industry converted to hybrid tech? It saves them millions and is more efficient.

They did it decades ago.

You guys hawk for Arab oil, I'll support American coal every time if the conversation is picking the lesser evil. And that's what it boils down to.

Hydrogen is not the answer and it wasn't when Bush did his little photo op either. The car they presented cost millions and only got around 100 miles to a gallon. We are decades from having practical hydrogen systems. The very nature of hydrogen, the fact that no container can hold it for very long is one of the worst.

Also, the platinum filters in the systems cost millions and must be replaced constantly. That's were we are right now and there are many other problems.

EVs are viable now.

My mistake. The above post should read, "100 miles to a tank full" Or, "no better than an EV".

Why do the Republicans hate America?

They love money and power. Nothing else matters.

That would explain why the report issued by the Issa committee reads like a Teapublican talking-points memo, or maybe a radio script for Limbaugh. It's full of misleading statements, distortions, and outright lies.

The drivel is here at:
http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Reports/OGR_Staff_Report_-_Volt_Battery_Fire_-_Updated.pdf

FRANK-------- I will be kind your information is incorrect, they are not the largest builder in the world.

And it has not been decades, since they were.

Wasn't the republicans that stopped the pipeline and it isn't republicans that won't allow drilling

I'm thorough being kind you lie a lot.

We like Americans just fine, it is the lefty handouters we despise with a depth and intensity that is not quantifiable.

Not just Obama, all of you entitlement seekers.

Entitlement seekers..why must stupid ppl vote against there own class Bennie.. Redumblicans hate foreigners yet you want to keep relying on the same ppl you want to destroy for Oil..Tell me how that makes sense.. Oh It doesn't

I will be kind your information is incorrect, they are not the largest builder in the world.

It is. They surpassed Toyota at the end of last year.

Hey Bennie, YOU are wrong. GM was the largest auto manufacturer in the world through most of the 20th century and up until Toyota took the top spot in 2009. GM regained that top spot middle of last year. I know the concept of facts are new to you, but please don't interrupt us adults when we are speaking.

Kind of like the Volkswagan Beatle? That sucked so much it is one of, if not the most, sold car in the entire history of cars.

Libby, the taxpayers did not pay subsidies on it either.

You go right ahead and force us to change, let's see how it works out for you.

"End of patience" day is approaching and and the people like you are not going to like it, when it gets here.

The chevy volt: a government car produced by government motors by union bosses protected by a communist community organizer. What could possibly go wrong?

Wow, 4 inaccurate statements in one sentence. That has got to be a record. The just plain in your face ignorance of some Americans is really astounding.

And, and, and, he's a Muslim too. Unreal.

We Americans basically like the status quo, and are not easily motivated to change. Sometimes it requires being forced to change in order to look out for our own good.

You have described the mindset of the conservatives.

Progressives, on the other hand, embrace change as we understand it is inevitable.

Wow, 4 inaccurate statements in one sentence. That has got to be a record. The just plain in your face ignorance of some Americans is really astounding.

And, and, and, he's a Muslim too. Unreal.

...while we're at it, lets remember that he associates with terrorists, hates America, and was born in Kenya. [/sarcasm]

You go right ahead and force us to change, let's see how it works out for you.

Is that some kind of threat?

Bennie, you might as well try to stop the Earth from revolving as try to stop change from happening.

"End of patience" day is approaching and and the people like you are not going to like it, when it gets here.

Another threat, or is the Rapture at hand?

--ROFLMAO love that comment People like Bennie forget their conservatives allowed us to be called terrorists even when a born in the US citizen. Bennie better be careful what he says lol He might find himself in gitmo but hey at least he can take heart in the fact that he wont be waterboarded.....

Fair number of conventional vehicles have crappy interior designs, too.

GM did fail, taxpayers were robbed to reincarnate it, now we'll be saddled with their garbage until they officialy move all sales to China.

You'll be buying a Chinese one in a few years. It's only a matter of time, brfore China surpasses us in technology. Because we don't reinvest in ourselves. We are turning into toothless backwards flops. Go to a college campus and you'll notice 50% of them are foreigners.

Typical redumblicans b**ch & complain but don't have a solution..if Obama would have let the American company go you all would have been mad at that.. So if Americans GM make crappy cars who do you want to build them for us..Complain Complain Complain just to F'n Complain

Nobody is questioning OBummer why he killed government investment in hydrogen as a fuel, cheap, non polluting and all internal combustion engines can be retrofitted to use it.

England, Norway, Japan and China have invested billions. Norway even has produced cars and has filling stations that fill up hydrogen vehicles.

Why has Obama killed investment into the fuel and why has no U.S. industry kept up with what the rest of the world is doing with hydrogen.

In less than 10 years, the U.S. can be energy sufficient, oil will drop to $20 a barrel and we have a fuel to replace coal and oil. Electric generating plants will produce electricity much cheaper and we stop paying $400 billion a dollars in oil imports.

Why isn't or hasn't Obama invested in this renewable energy source instead of electric solar panels and the like.

Hydrogen can come from water and when it burns only water vapor is the by product. No carbon emissions, no pollutants and all we want comes from water.

Obama can't be that stupid! England, China, Japan and Norway can't be that smarter than the U.S.

Yea, what is more American than forcing the taxpayers to bail out a failed company so that it can keep producing crap and then also having the same taxpayers susidize the crap and then attempting to hide the fact that it is crap?

Apparently you don't understand the meaning of shame.

Lefty, do you mean, do we have no shame because we don't like paying a $7500 subsidy on each one of those pieces of garbage?

We have no shame for not wanting to buy apiece of garbage and certainly we have no intention of buying a piece of garbage to give jobs to the handouters in the UAW

Lefty, do you mean, do we have no shame because we don't like paying a $7500 subsidy on each one of those pieces of garbage?

Do you like giving oil barons millions in subsidies? How about the hidden costs of shipping, refining, and militarily protecting that oil?

Hint: This is where you turn off your ears and refuse to listen to the truth.

Tell, me though. Why do you protect unbelievable subsidies for corporations, but balk constantly at normal taxpayers getting them? The oil barons actually TAKE tax monies as revenue, the TAX BREAK you get when buying an EV is taken off your personal income tax.

How do you support giving everyone's money to a corporation over getting YOUR MONEY back?

I'd like to hear just one of you answer that.

have they no shame?

In a word: NO.

Yea, what is more American than forcing the taxpayers to bail out a failed company so that it can keep producing crap and then also having the same taxpayers susidize the crap and then attempting to hide the fact that it is crap?

Let's let the US companies fail. they when all of the industries are gone to other countries we can just deport all of the newly-unemployed workers.

That's easy to say, but there are only a couple submarines to debug, while there are thousands of Volts scattered all around the country.

Electric cars will eat your Camaro's lunch right now, but w/in 3-5 years it won't even be close. Internal combustion is passe'.

Electric cars will eat your Camaro's lunch right now, but w/in 3-5 years it won't even be close. Internal combustion is passe'.

Said the Libtard who wants others to drive electric cars as long as they are not required to.

Troll!

Willing:: maybe you should research a little before throwing out your expert opinion!! The Tesla electric car has acceleration in the Farrai range easily beating all the American metal. They had to delay introduction of the Tesla car due to the high torque of electric motors breaking the transmission. The world record holder for the fastest quarter mile on a motorcycle is held by an electric bike.

Wow, they really have you brainwashed.