Consumers in Bay City Skeptical about Expected Price of Chevrolet Volt, but Praise its Technology

BAY CITY, Mich. — President Barack Obama received his first up-close look at the 2011 Chevrolet Volt earlier this week and now visitors to the General Motors Powertrain plant in Bay City are getting to do the same, The Bay City Times reported.

The vehicle, which GM says can drive about 40 miles on battery power alone and then uses a small gasoline engine connected to a generator to power the electric motor, is on display until 6 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Bay City's GM Powertrain plant, 1001 Woodside Ave.

But many spectators on Friday said they are concerned with the extended-range electric vehicle's price, which is expected to be about $40,000.

"The concept seems good, but the price seems a little high," said Rich McLaughlin, of Monitor Township. "Maybe that will come down."

McLaughlin, who was at Bay City plant on Friday viewing the four-passenger vehicle, said he likes the car's appearance and the technology is innovative, but not enough to buy the vehicle if it came out tomorrow.

Brian Essenmacher, a GM calibration engineer for the Volt, drove the vehicle from Milford to Bay City.

When asked to compare the handling of the Volt to another car, Essenmacher compared it to a Pontiac Grand Prix.

"The acceleration — to me — it feels like a Grand Prix,” said Essenmacher, who is at the Bay City plant to help with any questions consumers may have about the vehicle. "It gets up and going."

When Essenmacher pushed the ignition — or power — button on the car for The Times, the dominating features are two LCD monitors, one in the center of the instrument panel and the other — a touch screen — in the middle of the dashboard.

The instrument panel monitor performs all the tasks a regular instrument panel performs, but also features a variety of other features, including a brake and acceleration monitor measured by a green ball moving up and down.

"It’ll raise up if you're accelerating hard (and) it’ll turn brown," Essenmacher said. "You try to keep that green ball where it’s at.”

But even with the Volt's high-tech gadgets and gas mileage, many spectators agreed with McLaughlin about the expected price of the vehicle being too high.

"I think it’s too much money, even though the government is going to give you $7,500," said Mark Breza, of Frankenmuth, referring to the U.S. government planning to offer a $7,500 tax credit to anyone who purchases a Volt — in an effort to promote eco-friendly technology and the corporations that engineer them.

Breza, a self declared "car nut," said he hopes as the technology becomes more mainstream the price will lower, maybe as his daughter looks for a new vehicle.

"Being a young driver, I want something I can afford and this (the Volt) is a good idea, but if they are trying to get young drivers to buy newer cars, they have to make it affordable,” said Ashley Breza, 19.

In August, it was announced the Bay City plant would be getting a $37 million investment from GM to begin production on engine components for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Chevrolet Cruze.

The Bay City plant will produce connecting rods and camshafts for the Volt starting Dec. 1, according to Mark Pervine, assistant plant manager. .

"So far everything is on track," said Pervine, referring to pre-production of the Volt components. "We’re getting everything qualified. Everything is right on target here in Bay City."