General Motors Runs Volt Commercials on Fox Network

February 16, 2012

Is General Motors’ latest Chevy Volt commercial on the Fox network a proverbial case of speaking truth to power? Is it a case of the deeply criticized paying to air its perspective on a network which has been long on negative rhetoric against the Volt?

You decide, but as the new commercial is about “just the facts,” we’ll stick to that also.

The 30-second advert has run during The O’Reilly Factor time slot and possibly at other times as well since last week. GM has also been airing another Volt commercial on Fox as part of its efforts to get its message to Fox viewers.

According to GM Spokesman Rob Peterson, the company is gratified that after all the adverse press the Volt has received, it is a solid product and something the facts prove General Motors can be proud of.

GM executives have recently been quoted as saying the company’s overall intent is to essentially “relaunch” the much maligned gasoline-electric powered plug-in car.

Last year and into this year Fox and numerous other outlets reported allegations ranging from purported low demand, to Chevy dealers “gaming” the tax credit, to a couple house fires where Volts had been parked, and alleged battery safety issues.

In designing the Volt, Peterson added that GM took great care and established around 200 patents or more on technology that will benefit not just the Volt, but other vehicles from mild hybrids to full electric.

These vehicles, including the 2013 Spark EV, pending Volt-based Cadillac ELR, and even mild hybrids like the new Malibu Eco with eAssist are intended to reduce dependence on oil, benefit the environment, and are just some of the beneficiaries from the Volt’s development.

So the Volt is not merely a “halo” car, it was also a concerted effort that has spun off and will continue to spin off innovations that stand to improve many vehicles for the world’s largest automaker.

No doubt also GM is hoping the worst is behind it. Having walked through a gauntlet since its December 2010 launch, GM says the Volt is in position for a production run of as many as 60,000 units world wide this year, although because its sales have been hurt in part by media reports, GM has said it may trim this if needed.


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  • Volt 974

    About time. Fox I love you but you need to get the facts about the Volt.

    Matt Volt 974

  • AP

    As a conservative, I agree with much of the slant on Fox News, as opposed to the liberal slant everywhere else. But here they’ve been wrong, and completely irresponsible.

    Eric Bolling, the one who demonstrated the supposed issue in the Lincoln Tunnel, should be taken off the air. (Not just for this – he just isn’t very smart.)

    As a GM engineer, I can say this is the worst case of vindictive piece of journalism since NBC did the hit-piece on our pickup trucks by staging a fire.

  • AP

    BTW, I saw the ad this AM on “Fox and Friends.” Was glad to see it.

    And sorry for the poor grammar in part of the previous post.

  • limp

    Sooner or latter we must all face the real facts. First off, the sales of Volts has been and continues to be terrible. This can be verified by the fact the factory that produces them has been shut for, and I believe still, since Christmas. The big ramp up in production made last July is some 560 cars per week. That is approximately one car for every 5 dealers. There is some 6+ months inventory sitting on dealer lots. The car cost some $200,000.00 of government money each to include the $7,000.00 government tax credit. A figure not even GM denies. Please GM and all the other “Greenies”, please face reality and no pun intended, pull the plug!

  • Peter Bernacki

    OK that’s like running and add for Obama on Fox what is the point. The mentally challenged viewer-ship that watches fox are the last people that would buy anything green let alone a car, get real!

  • AP

    Peter, let’s not stereotype conservatives who care about the environment, like me. Some of us are even smart. There’s no reason to alienate people.

    Fox News is the only outlet without a liberal bias. But I have emailed them to complain that hit pieces like this do a disservice to conservatives’ credibility.

  • Limp

    Peter:

    You made the critical democratic/liberal mistake of completely abandoning the topic and getting verbally abusive. A liberal stands out a mile away. At least you didn’t make an absured statement that the Volt has been and continues to be in high demand.

  • Capt. Concernicus

    I’m sorry, but the Volt went from Green Car of the Year in 2011 to not even making the Top 10 Green Cars of 2012. Does anyone else see a problem with that? How does one go from being #1 to being nothing in one year? Oh it’s because of how much it weighs. I think GM purposely puts an extra 300lb. lead weight in each car just so that it has that “solid” feel to it.

    Anyway, my money is on the PIP. It’s much more useful than the Volt even though it doesn’t have the range the Volt has. That’s the ONLY benefit the Volt has over the PIP.

  • Leonard Mintz

    The hit piece on the Volt by Eric Boling is irresponsible at least and reprehensible at worst. To imply that he got stuck, out of juice, in the Lincoln Tunnel is disreputable, unless, of course, he was stupid enough to run out of gas too!

    My Volt is a few weeks short of one year old. Living in Massachusetts, I had to go to New Jersey last March to buy it. At just under 13,000 miles, my lifetime average MPG is 120, I have used 108 gallons of gas instead of the 775 gallons I would have consumed in the car I replaced. At $3.50 a gallon, and $30 a month for charging juice, I have saved about $2100 driving theg volt. If I keep the Volt for 6 years and save that much each year, the $44,800 plus sales tax ($47,000 total) minus the $7500 tax credit minus $12,500 savings minus $12,000 anticipated trade in leaves me with a cost of ownership of less than $2500 a year. Not bad! And that doesn’t calculate costs if, as predicted, gas goes to $$ or, heaven forbid, $5 a gallon!

    Oh! and it is fun to drive, corners like it’s on rails, has great pickup, is confortable. What’s not to like?

    The naysayers need to get real.

    By the way, I am not a greenie, I am a conservative, and I do like Fox, except for its stance on the volt. What did happen to fair and balanced?

  • Duude

    They need to fire their head of marketing. The volt isn’t being bought by the average middle class American. Therefore, advertising on any network is asinine. It reaches far too many people that won’t be buying it no way, no how. Better to target a more specific high income sector of the market.

  • Stan Smart

    I agree … watch Fox News but they are wrong on the VOLT. I can’t wait to see the Caddy “version”!

  • Jimmy Joe Jackson

    The Chevy Volt is not about politics… It’s about brilliant American engineering.
    It’s a more refined driving experience than any oil powered car I’ve ever driven, and each one on the road is redirecting thousands of dollars away from foreign oil and keeping it in the pockets of Americans.
    It seems that those who are the most outspoken against it have never actually driven one and are therefore unqualified to express their ignorant opinions.
    As a Volt owner, that’s MY opinion. :)

  • Khadgars

    Fox news isn’t news people, it’s propaganda. You can’t take what Fox does with the Volt and then suddenly say that their other news isn’t just as biased, because it is. Once you realize you’re watching a script, all of it becomes garbage. Coverage about foreign policy on Fox? You don’t think it’s completely scripted in the way they do the Volt? Of course it is.

    Anyway, good commercial. This is going to be an important year for the Volt, I love the car but they’re going to at least need to get close to 35-40,000 sales this year (US) to create some momentum and I think they will.

  • Capt. Concernicus

    Someone asked “What happened to Fair and Balanced on Fox?”

    I’ll tell you what happened. It would have to exist first. Although it’s the most watched news program out there, it consistently runs at the bottom of the pack when it comes to the quality of their news reporting. You can look it up.

    Anyway, the Volt doesn’t ride on rails. It’s slalom speed is 60.2mph and it’s skidpad is .77g. 0-60 is a 9.0-9.2 second run. Not exactly sports car like. Plenty of cars do better. So unless your last car was the Griswold family truckster station wagon then yes the Volt “seems” to ride on rails.

  • Rong42long

    Khadgars

    NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and especially MSNBC aren’t news. Their propaganda! Any one who thinks that ALL news outlets aren’t biased is very, very naive. They all have scripts for God’s sake. Do you really think that the anchors are winging it? Grow up! Get your news from many outlets both left, right and libertarian and then make up your mind.

    I saw the piece in question and though I am not a fan of government picking who to bless with money and who not to, the report was ridiculous and should elicit an apology. I was embarrassed for the guy doing the talking. That said, I see the same over the top crap from all the other outlets only on different subjects.

  • MrEnergyCzar

    Networks lose their credibility and viewership if they don’t get the news accurate to a minimum degree.

    MrEnergyCzar

  • VoltSkeptic

    limp states: “First off, the sales of Volts has been and continues to be terrible.”

    OK. The First model Prius US sales were ~5600, 500 less than Volt’s first year and for a car that sold for $20k (generously ~$24k in today’s dollars). Considering how hugely unsuccessful the Prius has been I guess that’s a bad model to follow by your standards and GM should just give up now.

    Sure the numbers are disappointing, but one has to have realistic expectations. The Volt is a BMW/Audi quality sedan and a completely new technology. It will take time for people to see the benefits just as it took time for Hybrids. Higher gas prices and awareness of how cheap it is to drive will help sales. But right now the car is too expensive for the mainstream buyer, until it comes down a few more thousand it will be handicapped.

  • Thomas J. Thias

    Your right Duude bout advertising. Gotta advertise just how little it can cost to drive The Amazing Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle:

    NCD ( Net Cost to Drive ) Bout $37.25 a week! ……..What?

    The Projection For MY 2012 New Vehicle/ US Sales is 14,000,000+ Units.

    This Amazing Chevy Volt EREV Net Cost To Drive Statement Is To These Buyers/ Leasers and to Those Looking to Aquire a 5 Year Old or Newer Used Car, Midsized, Near Luxury Automobile.

    http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Upscale-Midsize-Cars/

    Let’s try this one more time…………………**$5,364.00 NCD ?

    **$37.25 a week or less!

    We now know that the Volt Lease is back for model year 2012.

    We know that in most states the lessee pays a use tax only on the scheduled lease payments and NOT the MSRP or MSRP+.OR Sale Price!

    We know that the lease shows on the lessee credit report as total of scheduled payments only, thus not impacting household budget more then the typical $15,000.00 used car, at $299.00 a month with an average of 4 years old and minimal warranty remaining!

    We know therefore that the 3 year lease is ideal also because the turn in time may well happen as Volt Gen 2 arrives……….No 5-6-7 year contracts.

    We know that the Fed $7500.00 is captured by the Lessor, US Bank/ Ally Bank and they state, “Us Bank as the lessor holds title to the vehicle . The lessee receives the benefit of the tax credit as an ENHANCEMENT TO TO THE RESIDUAL VALUE…”

    …No side loans or other fancy arangements…the $7500.00 credit is a price reduction NOW!

    Chevrolet announced the MY2012 Chevrolet from $349.00 a month with roughly 7% up front…
    ( Almost $2,700.00 Stackable Lease Bonus Cash ( a lease rebate ) NOW!)

    http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car/

    Assuming base Volt with destination included at no more than MSRP.

    36 months at $349.00 per month =$12,564.00. Net over the 3 year lease!

    Now factor in the cost to plug in……

    Estimated cost to drive the Volt 40 miles a day at $1.20 a charge=$36.00 a month,

    http://www.lbwl.com/PEVintro.pdf

    Plus some gasoline…………

    With 78% of American Commuters driving 40 miles a day or so………

    http://www.bts.gov/publications/omni…pdf/entire.pdf

    ……………….then, here is the fuel costs that the Amazing Chevy Volt EREV will displace each month!

    Note, average consumer fleet average is 22 mpg, hwy/ city. Lets us 20 mpg for simplicity.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $4.00 that’s $8.00 per day or $240.00 a month.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $3.50 that’s $7.00 per day or $210.00 a month.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $3.00 that’s $6.00 per day or $180.00 a month.

    Let us use the $4.00 a gallon figure for now at $240.00 a month gas cost, again, set aside $40.00, plug in costs plus some gas!

    Not spending $200.00 a month for gasoline. $200.00 a month net cost to drive reduction equals $2400.00 a year or $7200.00 over the three year lease!

    $12,564.00 lease payment over 36 months minus $7200.00- gas not bought equals….

    $5,364.00 Net Cost to Drive the Amazing Chevy Volt EREV for 36 months!

    Divide $5,343.00 by 36 months and this equals $149.00 a month, Net Cost to Drive!

    One more step………..

    $149.00 devided by 4 weeks in a month equals……….

    $37.25 a Week or less-Net Cost To Drive N.C.D. per week. Folks, if my math is right then anyone looking to buy a $10,000 used car with most likely 80,000 miles on it, no warranty and 5-7+ years old can do a heck of a lot better in The Amazing Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle.

    I Just Love My Math! Make Sense ?

    ————————————-Plug It Not Pump It—————-]=

    The Amazing Chevy Volt EREV-Facts Guy

    http://www.twitter.com/AmazingChevVolt

    http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9525-The-Volt-White-Paper
    Reloaded 01-22-1011

  • Amazing Chevy Volt EREV-Facts Guy

    The Amazing Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle

    NCD ( Net Cost to Drive ) Bout $37.25 a week! ……..What?

    The Projection For MY 2012 New Vehicle/ US Sales is 14,000,000 Units.

    This Amazing Chevy Volt EREV Net Cost To Drive Statement Is To These Buyers/ Leasers and to Those Looking to Aquire a 5 Year Old or Newer Used Car, Midsized, Near Luxury Automobile.

    http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Upscale-Midsize-Cars/

    Let’s try this one more time…………………**$5,364.00 NCD ?

    **$37.25 a week or less!

    We now know that the Volt Lease is back for model year 2012.

    We know that in most states the lessee pays a use tax only on the scheduled lease payments and NOT the MSRP or MSRP+.OR Sale Price!

    We know that the lease shows on the lessee credit report as total of scheduled payments only, thus not impacting household budget more then the typical $15,000.00 used car, at $299.00 a month with an average of 4 years old and minimal warranty remaining!

    We know therefore that the 3 year lease is ideal also because the turn in time may well happen as Volt Gen 2 arrives……….No 5-6-7 year contracts.

    We know that the Fed $7500.00 is captured by the Lessor, US Bank/ Ally Bank and they state, “Us Bank as the lessor holds title to the vehicle . The lessee receives the benefit of the tax credit as an ENHANCEMENT TO TO THE RESIDUAL VALUE…”

    …No side loans or other fancy arangements…the $7500.00 credit is a price reduction NOW!

    Chevrolet announced the MY2012 Chevrolet from $349.00 a month with roughly 7% up front…
    ( Almost $2,700.00 Stackable Lease Bonus Cash ( a lease rebate ) NOW!)

    http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car/

    Assuming base Volt with destination included at no more than MSRP.

    36 months at $349.00 per month =$12,564.00. Net over the 3 year lease!

    Now factor in the cost to plug in……

    Estimated cost to drive the Volt 40 miles a day at $1.20 a charge=$36.00 a month,

    http://www.lbwl.com/PEVintro.pdf

    Plus some gasoline…………

    With 78% of American Commuters driving 40 miles a day or so………

    http://www.bts.gov/publications/omni…pdf/entire.pdf

    ……………….then, here is the fuel costs that the Amazing Chevy Volt EREV will displace each month!

    Note, average consumer fleet average is 22 mpg, hwy/ city. Lets us 20 mpg for simplicity.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $4.00 that’s $8.00 per day or $240.00 a month.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $3.50 that’s $7.00 per day or $210.00 a month.

    With the cost of a gallon of gas at $3.00 that’s $6.00 per day or $180.00 a month.

    Let us use the $4.00 a gallon figure for now at $240.00 a month gas cost, again, set aside $40.00, plug in costs plus some gas!

    Not spending $200.00 a month for gasoline. $200.00 a month net cost to drive reduction equals $2400.00 a year or $7200.00 over the three year lease!

    $12,564.00 lease payment over 36 months minus $7200.00- gas not bought equals….

    $5,364.00 Net Cost to Drive the Amazing Chevy Volt EREV for 36 months!

    Divide $5,343.00 by 36 months and this equals $149.00 a month, Net Cost to Drive!

    One more step………..

    $149.00 devided by 4 weeks in a month equals……….

    $37.25 a Week or less-Net Cost To Drive N.C.D. per week. Folks, if my math is right then anyone looking to buy a $10,000 used car with most likely 80,000 miles on it, no warranty and 5-7+ years old can do a heck of a lot better in The Amazing Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle.

    I Just Love My Math! Make Sense ?

    ————————————-Plug It Not Pump It—————-]=

    The Amazing Chevy Volt EREV-Facts Guy

    http://www.twitter.com/AmazingChevVolt

    http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9525-The-Volt-White-Paper
    Reloaded 01-22-1011

  • C Knepper

    Well…i watch Fox all the time, I am a true conservative, and I bought a Volt. I LOVE THIS CAR! I love Fox News too, but I must say they do slant toward a negative bias on the Volt. I saw Neil Cavouto do a interview that was embarrasing…..for Him. This car has become a political lightning rod, unfourtunately. Do what I did (and what most conservatives claim to do) and go drive a VOLT then then make a decision about the merits, or lack thereof, the car. Once I drove it it all made since to me…I don’t have to buy gas to live my life…unless I want to. So please everyone…stop using this car to beat eachother over the head and go drive one…if you want to, buy one. If you don’t like it don’t buy one. It is teally that simple.

  • Capt. Concernicus

    @ Amazing Chevy Volt EREV-Facts Guy,

    Your math has a MAJOR FLAW in it.

    —You do NOT subtract the gas you do NOT use from your monthly car payment. It’s simply NOT ADDED to the cost of your monthly expenses.

    It would be like me going to my credit union and telling them that I didn’t spend an extra $50 on gas this month like I did last month, so can you deduct that $50 off my car payment this month? That’s absurd! But that is what you are telling us.

  • The Amazing Chevy Volt EREV- Facts Guy

    “Capt. Concernicus Says,

    “It would be like me going to my credit union and telling them that I didn’t spend an extra $50 on gas this month like I did last month, so can you deduct that $50 off my car payment this month? That’s absurd! But that is what you are telling us.”

    Yes you are right Captain Concernicus. I will NOT go to Ally Bank/ Us Bank and tell them that I did not spend an extra $200.00 on gas this month, no I won’t. I will however brag that I did Not spent that $200.00 on gas this month thus effectively dropping my total cost to drive from the net $349.00 a month lease payment, plus $200.00 gas =$549.00 down to a cost to drive this month of net $349.00- no gas!

    I thus may save $200.00 a month, not buying gas,
    $2,400.00 a year, not buying gas,
    $7,200.00 over the 3 year lease, not buying gas!

    Assuming $4.00 a gallon gas as stated above!

    Plug it, not pump it! ————————————————]=