Indy racecar driver and Volt owner, Simona de Silvestro toured the Hamtramck plant while she was in town for the Belle Isle Grand Prix. Together with a group of local Volt owners, Simona and team took a tour around the plant and saw how the various parts of the vehicle come together. The group even had the opportunity to see the battery being installed into a Volt coming down the assembly line.

Simona’s racecar is a Chevrolet-powered nuclear clean air energy car and she is openly vocal about sustainability. She was able to easily relate to the Volt owners, especially owner and Ann Arbor, Mich., resident Matthew Grocoff. This was Matt’s first time visiting the plant, and he was impressed to see the vehicle assembly process from start to finish.

“You know the future of the automotive industry has arrived when you meet a race car driver whose personal vehicle is an electric Chevrolet Volt!” said Grocoff.

For Simona, choosing the Volt as her everyday car was an easy decision. “As a racecar driver, I like to get off the line quick, and you get that with an electric car and with the Volt in particular because there is so much torque!” said Simona.

This plant visit provided a great opportunity to connect Simona, who is a spokesperson for Chevrolet, to her fans and Volt advocates. It was also a great way to say thank you to our local Volt owners who have contributed to various programs throughout the past year.

Detroit-Hamtramck (DHAM) has built more than three million vehicles since the first car came off the line in 1985. DHAM is among the most environmentally friendly assembly plants in the industry and is currently producing the Chevrolet Volt, 2012 Opel Ampera, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, 2014 Chevrolet Impala and the 2014 Cadillac ELR.

Check out the video of their visit!

The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV is one of the most efficient and affordable electric vehicles available, it also features new apps and enhanced technology to help drivers stay connected while on the road.

The Chevrolet MyLink system provides easy access to music, media and apps, along with additional information about the vehicle’s electric power, all while you’re on the go.

New features, such as Siri in Eyes Free Mode, turn the Spark EV into a home office on wheels. Drivers can schedule meetings, retrieve text messages and make calls, without ever having to take their eyes off the road or hands off the wheel.

Spark EV owners also can take advantage of OnStar’s RemoteLink app to check battery level, efficiency statistics, or even schedule a charging time. The RemoteLink app includes the Spark EV Waypoint tab, which allows drivers to quickly plot a route to their destination and find charging stations along the way.

Other apps available include Pandora®, Stitcher SmartRadio™ and TuneIn through the touch-screen radio.

With all of the outstanding options and great design, the Spark EV is pure, electric fun that customers will love to drive. The Spark EV will be available at select Chevrolet dealers throughout California and Oregon beginning mid-June 2013.

The Chevy Volt has earned its place as a fuel-saving, innovative vehicle, and GM employees were some of the earliest adopters. Most GM employees have heard Volt owners compare lifetime miles per gallon and the furthest distance driven on a single charge, but what else do employee Volt owners love about their cars? The answers may surprise you.

One of the top-mentioned favorites is the Volt’s sport mode.

“I love putting the car in sport mode; it’s great to have an electric vehicle and not have to compromise performance,” said Brian Siskoy, performance engineer, Active Safety.

Of the five employees interviewed for this story, almost all of them mentioned sport mode as a top feature. One of four programmable drive modes, it gives drivers more aggressive feedback, a heightened response and an increased “wow” factor.

“It’s great to be at a light next to someone and shock them when I take off in sport mode,” joked Jim Bucan, senior Manufacturing engineer.

The Volt’s hatchback is another beloved aspect of the car. The Volt offers 10.6 cubic feet of trunk space, thanks to the hatchback.

Lisa Leblanc, Quality Data analyst, explained: “I had a Saturn Outlook before my Volt, and thanks to the hatchback it really hasn’t been a difficult transition. I have plenty of room.”

Speaking of having plenty of room, Bucan mentioned that the leg and head room he has while driving the car is very surprising, considering he stands tall at 6 feet 4 inches.

What’s left to love?

“I just love the opportunity to talk to people about the car and answer their questions,” said Matthew Poxon, IT Security analyst.

Paul Tanghe, Software Application specialist, knows a thing or two about selling the greatness of the Volt to others.

“When I brought my Volt home, my wife was hesitant to drive it because she just didn’t really understand the car,” explained Paul.

“After a few weeks she finally drove the car to work and adjusted easily to the technology. Now I can’t get her out of it! I think it’s safe to say that when her current lease is up there will be two Volts in our driveway.”

Another message that came through loud and clear during the employee interviews was the Volt’s affordability. “I did a cost comparison based on 80 miles per gallon and realized the Volt would be the same price as another car I was considering,” said Siskoy.* “I am excited to say that my actual lifetime MPG is currently 230, so I am saving a lot more money than I expected.**

*EPA-estimated 38-mile range based on 98 MPGe (electric); 342-mile range based on 35 MPG city/40 highway (gas). Actual range varies with conditions.

**Based upon the 2013 Volt’s EPA label, Volt owners will save $6,850 in fuel over 5 years.