Chevrolet Invites Students Nationwide to an 'Electric' Education

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Nov 01, 2010, 11:31 ET

DETROIT, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

Chevrolet holds educational presentation live at the home of the Volt - Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant
Teachers and students across the country invited to participate online
Presentation derived from new lesson plan co-developed by GM and curriculum developer specialists and sent to schools across the country

Middle school students in grades 5-8 from around the country are invited to become electrified on the prospects of the future of transportation in an interactive presentation featuring the Chevrolet Volt, the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle with extended-range capability.

Chevrolet's presentation – titled "The Power of the Plug: How Electricity Will Change Our World Again" – covers the properties of electricity, how it is generated and how it can change personal transportation. It is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. EST on Nov. 9. Schools can register now to participate online and watch the presentation live via a video web cast at "The Power of the Plug" Registration. Registration must be completed by 5 p.m. EDT Nov. 5. Teachers who register will receive instructions on how to join the webcast and submit questions live, as well as a lesson plan developed by the General Motors education team. Classrooms that do not pre-register still may access streaming video at http://chevroletvoltage.com or on the Chevrolet Volt Facebook page.

The presentation will take place at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, the home of the Chevrolet Volt. Students from Detroit and Hamtramck area schools are scheduled to visit the facility and take part in an interactive discussion with members of the Volt team. It will be followed with a live question-and-answer session, where the Volt team will interact with the online participants and students in the live audience.

"Students in classrooms today will be designing and engineering the cars of tomorrow," said Tony Posawatz, Chevrolet Volt vehicle line director. "We're reinvesting in our students of tomorrow today with an educational curriculum focused on the next generation of automotive technology. Education is electric!"

Chevrolet's presentation links to the Michigan standard for introducing chemistry and electricity concepts in the classroom and also will be recorded for teachers who wish to share it with their students at a later date. Teachers can access an educational digital magazine at http://gm.com/education/electrification or at http://chevroletvoltage.com.

The electrification education program also features a Teacher's Guide, three worksheets, a classroom poster and a take-home brochure. It also offers student articles that are grade-level appropriate for K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 on science, energy and environment topics, with quizzes and games to reinforce learning concepts.

"There is one page of the digital content that shows and compares nine different energy sources that are currently being used in this country to produce electricity and another page that compares the actual energy mix of six different states," said Lynn Walker, a Wisconsin eighth grade science teacher. "I will be able to use these pages to look at and show what is already being done here in the United States,"

Said Todd Dickinson, a science teacher and coach at Walnut Creek Middle School in West Bloomfield, Mich.: "We are constantly looking for new ways to engage students, like manipulatives and real-life examples. ""With this new digital magazine, I can use a laptop and projector or digital whiteboard for a class presentation, or I can assign an activity for students to do independently without printing a single piece of paper.

"Delivering this lesson over a webcast can encourage teachers to continue improving their methods, and expose those outside the classroom to what's happening inside classrooms today," he said.

Chevrolet has partnered with schools across the country to help educate students on the benefits of electricity and its future use in powering automobiles. Chevrolet has held similar educational seminars earlier this year at Harvard-Westlake Middle School in Los Angeles; at Howard University Middle School in Washington D.C., and at the National Science Teachers Association National Conference on Science Education in Philadelphia.

On a fully charged battery and tank of gas, the Volt has a driving range of hundreds of miles. Because the Volt can use gasoline to create its own electricity as you drive during extended-range mode, long trips are possible. The Volt is powered only from electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery for a typical range of 25 - 50 miles depending on terrain, driving technique, temperature and battery age. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas engine-generator seamlessly engages to extend the driving range. The Chevrolet Volt starts production at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck facility in early November and will be sold in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington D.C. Quantities will be limited. The Volt will be sold nationwide about 12-18 months after start of production.

The Volt's Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price is $41,000 ($33,500 net of the full federal tax credit, which ranges from $0-$7,500) including a destination freight charge of $720. GM expects to offer qualified lessees a price as low as $350/month with $2,500 down at lease signing, including security deposit based on current conditions, which could vary at time of delivery. The benefit of the $7,500 tax credit is included in the reduced lease payment, with the tax credit going to the lessor. The lease term is 36 months with 12,000 miles per year.

For more educational programs from GM, please visit http://gm.com/education.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly" solutions, such as the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model that is expected to deliver up to an estimated 40 mpg highway, and 2011 Chevrolet Volt that will offer 25-50 miles of electric driving and an additional 310 miles of extended range with the onboard generator (based on GM testing). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SOURCE General Motors