GM has taken their showrooms on tour traveling to various locations giving people an opportunity to test drive their 2012 Chevy Volt electric cars. Haas Group International, a tenant in our office park hosted the event this week. The showroom was set up in the upper parking lot where several vehicles were parked next to information podiums, others were lined up to be test driven. As a thank you for participating you were eligible to enter a drawing for an iPad, and were given a free insulated tote bag.

Before the test drive you needed to show your driver’s license, and if you wanted to enter the drawing, complete an entry form. A wrist band was placed on your arm and then you stood in line for the next available car. It was like standing in line for a ride at Disney but much quicker! A rep sat in the passenger seat and I didn’t drive far but it didn’t take long to realize that the vehicles are definitely worth the investment. If not for the fact that it uses electric at less than $2.00 per charge, plugged overnight into a 110volt or several hours in a 220volt outlet. It was a smooth and quiet ride, had quick pickup and was not sluggish. The dashboard controls looked futuristic without being overly distracting. The comfort and roominess was amazing, my co-worker and back seat passenger is 6 feet, and she was comfortable, noting that her son who is 6’7, would also be comfortable driving this vehicle. We also gave a video testimonial which can be heard here.

GM is offering participating companies a discount and in addition to the government’s rebate program it is a great incentive to purchase if you are in the market. The wheels in my head were spinning because my 180 minute daily commute is costing me almost $100 a week in gas, and my son is eyeing my car as his own. If you get a chance stop by a Chevy/GM dealership and give it a test drive or if you’re lucky, they’ll roll up to an office park next to you.

This would have been a great birthday gift!