Photo: Chevrolet
It is good to see that some carmakers are actively involving customers in the long and elaborated process of developing a new car, after General Motors and Chevrolet reached for advice from actual owners in an attempt to make the next Volt a better EV.
Meet Sam Miller-Christiansen and his 2014 Chevrolet Volt which he describes as the best car he has ever owned. What’s more special about Sam is that he had the chance to speak his mind about what improvements should Chevrolet apply on the next-gen Volt.
What seemed like a good idea developed into a better one, shortly after the first-generation Volt was launched, when Chevrolet agreed to meet once a month with 12 selected Volt owners from across the country and discuss about how customer habits change when operating their Volts.
Basically, Chevrolet wanted to know what Volt features were appreciated by owners and what features needed to be removed or at least improved. Discussion was extended to social media networks, plug-in events and Internet panels and owner feedback shaped the trajectory for the new Volt’s development.
“I said that if they could improve the overall EV range, it would make one of my favorite cars even better. To my amazement, they’ve done it!” explained Sam Miller-Christiansen. Quite an obvious wish, if you ask us, but customers also had a lot to say about other features.
For example, some owners wanted the Volt to feature a quieter engine at lower speeds, a heated steering wheel and Regen on Demand. In addition, there were requests for more discrete charging notifications, customization of vehicle information depending on driver’s preference and last but not least, an available spare tire. Again, relatively down-to-Earth wishes.
What seemed like a good idea developed into a better one, shortly after the first-generation Volt was launched, when Chevrolet agreed to meet once a month with 12 selected Volt owners from across the country and discuss about how customer habits change when operating their Volts.
Basically, Chevrolet wanted to know what Volt features were appreciated by owners and what features needed to be removed or at least improved. Discussion was extended to social media networks, plug-in events and Internet panels and owner feedback shaped the trajectory for the new Volt’s development.
“I said that if they could improve the overall EV range, it would make one of my favorite cars even better. To my amazement, they’ve done it!” explained Sam Miller-Christiansen. Quite an obvious wish, if you ask us, but customers also had a lot to say about other features.
For example, some owners wanted the Volt to feature a quieter engine at lower speeds, a heated steering wheel and Regen on Demand. In addition, there were requests for more discrete charging notifications, customization of vehicle information depending on driver’s preference and last but not least, an available spare tire. Again, relatively down-to-Earth wishes.
Google News