GM Targets San Francisco and Washington, D.C.,

GM Targets San Francisco and Washington, D.C., As Chevrolet Volt-Friendly Cities WASHINGTON — General Motors said it is working with "key stakeholders" in places like San Francisco and Washington, D.C., as it plans for the next phase of getting the electric Chevrolet Volt into the hands of consumers. GM said it is addressing such issues as "consumer incentives to make this early technology more affordable; public and workplace charging infrastructure; consumer-friendly electricity rates and renewable electricity options; government and corporate vehicle purchases; supportive permitting and codes for vehicle charging; and other incentives such as high-occupancy-vehicle lane access." However, it did not spell out specifically how any of these things would work or when they would be implemented. "We know plenty of work still remains, both within and outside of GM," said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president for Chevrolet. "But today's and other recent announcements underscore the comprehensive work being done to bring the Chevrolet Volt and other electrically driven vehicles to market — and they also highlight why we are so optimistic about the ultimate success of the Volt." GM's latest statement on the Volt included word from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom that the city is "acting now to make sure the charging infrastructure will be available to support these vehicles as soon as they are ready for sale." GM said it is working with a broad group of utilities to establish an infrastructure for the Volt and similar vehicles. Source : www.whatcar.co.uk (2/3/2009)