CLOVIS, Calif. (KMPH) -
The Chevy Volt is the ultimate green machine that so far isn't very popular in the Valley. So when Brett Hedrick told Automotive News he only needed two Volts despite being offered six more by the factory, Fox News wanted to know why.
The environmentally friendly Chevy Volt was unveiled in 2011. In the past six months, it has been under heavy scrutiny by federal investigators. They determined the electric car didn't pose a greater "fire risk" than gas-powered vehicles.
After Hedrick's Chevrolet refused its full allotment, red flags started popping up.
"I think they thought I didn't believe in the Volt anymore, but I do and I actually took two," said Brett Hedrick, with Hedrick's Chevrolet. "So it was a supply and demand issue. So it was kind of funny it did make national news."
Brett Hedrick says the Volt is a sales success in San Francisco and Los Angeles. But he says the Valley will likely be the last place in California to accept the electric car. He says there are three different buyers for a Volt. "One is that person concerned about the air -- the green buyer. Number two is the person who really likes technology and number three is just pure economics."
Under normal driving conditions, the Volt has a 40-mile range on its battery. Then an onboard generator propelled by gas keeps it going for another 300 miles.
Republicans on a House Committee have raised questions about whether the government's partial ownership in General Motors created a conflict of interest as it probed the electric car.
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., just wanted to know if the Volt is safe. "You'd be comfortable with your wife, your children, la de da and everybody riding in it? Is that right?"
"Absolutely," said David Strickland, Head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Members of the House Committee also complained about the government subsidies attached to the Volt. The sticker price in the Valley is $42,000. But the federal government offers a $7,500 tax credit. California offers $1,500.
