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'Tomorrowland' movie will advertise Chevy Volt, E-NVs

Before the 2016 Chevrolet Volt arrives at dealerships, it's going to come to a cineplex near you. The next-generation hybrid and the EN-V electric networked vehicle concept will play bit parts in the background of the upcoming Disney movie Tomorrowland starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson. Chevrolet will run digital and television ads around the movie's opening, which is May 22 in the US. The Bowtie and Disney tie-up is another in their years-long collaboration, going back to the revamped Test Track that opened at Epcot Center in 2012, and Chevolet is also the official vehicle of Shanghai Disney. The press release below has more on the movie and the Volt, the movie trailer is above – there's no Volt in it, but there is a late-model Buick. Chevrolet and Disney See Possibilities in 'Tomorrowland' Film to help kick off marketing efforts for next-generation Chevrolet Volt DETROIT, 2015-03-26 – At their core, Disney and Chevrolet are entities of optimism, believing that with a little ingenuity, anything is possible. They will come together in the new Disney film "Tomorrowland" to imagine the possibilities. The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt and EN-V concepts appear in the backdrops of the present day and Tomorrowland. The film's U.S. debut is May 22. In Disney's riveting mystery adventure "Tomorrowland," a jaded scientist and an optimistic teen embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space. "Tomorrowland is a place where nothing is impossible, which is something that Chevrolet believes can exist in the here and now," said Tim Mahoney, vice president, Global Chevrolet. "The Chevrolet spirit reflects the hopes and possibilities of tomorrow in real instruments of change for today like the next-generation Chevrolet Volt." The first marketing efforts for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt will be tied to Tomorrowland. A television spot and digital advertising will debut in early May. The all-new Volt is an electric car with extended range, showcasing a sleeker, sportier design that offers 50 miles of EV range, greater efficiency and stronger acceleration. The Volt's new, efficient propulsion system will offer an estimated total driving range of more than 400 miles. With regular charging, owners can expect to average more than 1,000 miles between gas fill-ups. Chevrolet and Disney have a long history of collaboration around the globe.

2016 Chevy Volt ads strike frustrating, yet familiar, chord

Sometimes, it's hard to let go. In the six years that GM has been advertising and selling the Chevy Volt, one dominant message is that the car is an EV without any range anxiety. On the one hand, this is a positive thing: our car does something that other electric vehicles don't. Of course, there's another, more reasonable take on the message that EVs only equal limited range: don't promote this viewpoint if you ever plan on selling a pure EV. But, of course, this is exactly what GM is doing with a new ad for the 2016 Chevy Volt. Called Elevator, the spot (watch it above) compares driving an all-electric car with riding in an elevator getting stuck. Your Nissan Leaf might run out of electricity, the ad says, and that would be as uncomfortable as being trapped between floors. The main problem, of course, is that Chevy also offers the Spark EV and is getting ready to sell the Bolt EV. Does the company think that everyone will forget these anti-EV commercials when it come time to shop for a Bolt? Even worse, does GM think we've forgotten the Anthem ad for the Volt back in 2010? Apparently, so. Elevator isn't the only ad for the 2016 Volt that GM debuted today. The other, called Time Capsule (below), takes a swipe at the Toyota Prius. Trouble is, there are two easy ways to dismiss this ad as well. First, and most obviously, if GM is against using old technology, then why does it continue to shove a 100-year-old fossil fuel engine into almost every car it builds? Second, attacking the Prius for using 15-year-old tech – when said tech is still able to mop the floor with any hybrid from GM in the fuel economy race - is more like an admission of defeat than anything to be proud of. "Hey look, the Prius uses technology from the '90s," GM says. To which the observant viewer will ask, "Well, then why can't you build a 50-mile-per-gallon hybrid, GM?" It's also worth noting that Chevy has been on a misguided advertising streak as of late. We bashed their ads that suggested its Silverado is better than the F-150 because it uses steel instead of aluminum, too, especially since those commercials used shark cages and stupid superhero costumes in an attempt to make a point. Chevy, stop assuming we're all idiots. Please. Now, the 2016 Volt is a great car and I know that GM can make a darn good Volt ad (like this one), so seeing the company shoot solid fuel-efficient technologies in the back (again and again) is just frustrating.

Battery Show 2015: Genovation GXE Corvette EV designed for the 'Ring

The Genovation GXE all-electric Corvette has broken cover. At the Battery Show 2015 in Novi, MI, this week, the converted C6 Z06 Corvette that we first heard about back in August was tucked into a booth along the back wall. Don't let the demure location fool you. This is a muscle-y electric vehicle, ready to roar into the limited-run, expensive EV game. The Genovation GXE Corvette can go from 0-60 miles per hour in three seconds and has a top speed of 200 mph. The powertrain was designed and built in the US, and offers over 700 horsepower and over 600 pound-feet or torque. With a near 50/50 weight distribution, this is "a real driver's car," Genovation CEO Andrew Saul told AutoblogGreen. Saul said that the GXE was designed to do two hard laps at Nurburgring thanks to a 44-kWh battery pack uses the same sort of cylindrical 18650 cells that you can find in a Tesla. That translates to about 40-50 miles of fast, on-road driving, Saul said, or 150 miles on the New York City test cycle. That particular test, "simulates low speed urban driving with frequent stops," according to DieselNet. The car also has a 6-kW charger and a six-speed manual transmission and the adjustable regenerative braking levels can be controlled by paddles on the steering wheel. Of course, none of those performance figures have been proven yet because the GXE hasn't had a chance to hit the road. Saul said that it will take another three-to-four weeks to finish the build and then, finally, there will be a few weeks of road testing. This will include a quarter-mile run on a track as well as a trip to Nevada to do a several-mile top speed test. If all of that sounds like something you're interested in, then get ready to open your wallet wide and wait. Saul said that buying one will set you back $330,000 (just $290,000 if you bring your own C6 Z06). Genovation also won't be making all that many. Saul said he expects to put the GXE into limited production of under 200 units, starting off at maybe five or 10 a year. Featured Gallery Battery Show 2015: Genovation GXE All-Electric Corvette View 14 Photos Green Chevrolet AutoblogGreen Exclusive Electric exclusive corvette genovation