California Volt Drivers Get Carpool Lane Access

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Starting in March, the Chevrolet Volt will be eligible to use the HOV lane on California highways. The catch? You have to buy a new Volt to use the carpool lane.

General Motors added a secondary air-injection pump to the Volt’s catalytic converter in order for the Volt to meet certain emission requirements. The Volt will also qualify for a further $1,500 in tax credits as well as the HOV lane sticker. Any Volts sold before the new package comes into effect are shut out, and GM has been strategically reducing allocation of the cars to prepare for the launch of the revised Volt.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Volt 230 Volt 230 on Jan 30, 2012

    /will it now be called the HOT lane?

  • Carlson Fan Carlson Fan on Jan 30, 2012

    Get rid of the HOV lane and put light rail in.

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Jan 30, 2012

    If Chevy can't move 3000 Volts by Q1 2012, I suspect the Volt will eventually suffer a painful death. GM is having trouble getting this albatross to fly. The Prius has always been HOV-qualified, and the Volt missed the mark by being a dirtier vehicle than originally planned. The Volt is to the Prius what Mahindra trucks are to the F150 (too late and too little). When the Volt disappears, HOV lane discussions will be moot, because tree huggers from CA to DC will be rending their clothes, asking "Who Killed the Electric Car 2.0?"

    • See 3 previous
    • Geozinger Geozinger on Jan 31, 2012

      @SCE to AUX I'm sure they could sell 10K units in three months. There would be a bit of a waiting list, though. IIRC, the whole Volt and related Ampera production was 12K(?) in 2011. I doubt they'd make 10K Volts in three months. GM still builds Malibus there, too. I don't think there are many GM plants that are single platform only anymore. We'll see how Californians react to this news.

  • Herm Herm on Jan 30, 2012

    The Prius lost its HOV qualification..

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