The Chevy Volt was supposed to show the return of the American car company to relevance. Only one problem. Umm, is it an electric car or not? 

American car companies have a reputation for being behind the times and building what one might describe as pieces of crap. Well, quality has improved dramatically the last 20 years, but what about being behind the times? Well, they are. GM, however, was supposed to put this concept to bed by being one of the first to launch an electric car on the general market. 

The car in question is, of course, the Chevy Volt. It is a sharp looking car. It was described as being all electric with a range of 40 miles or so. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but most of us drive less than that in a day. Well, the car is about to be released to the market and the reviews are in. What is the primary topic raised by reviewers? Is it an electric vehicle or not?!

The issue with the Volt is its bizarre power set up and drive train. It has a large electrical engine, a small one with generator and a small 1.4 liter engine. The rather obvious question is why is there a small gas powered engine? Doesn’t this make it a hybrid, not an electric car? The debate has become so fierce it isn’t funny. GM argues it is not a hybrid because the gas engine can’t propel the car on its own. Others argue an electric car should be powered entirely by electricity. 

So, who is right? Beats me, but it doesn’t really matter. This was an opportunity for an American car company to show that they finally “got it” and were producing a car. Instead, most people see this as a case of bait and switch by GM. While it might technically be defined as an electric car, it certainly isn’t one in the spirit of the phrase. 

Instead of this being a glorious launch for GM, it is a boondoggle. One can’t help but think the more things change…the more they stay the same.