Manchester Man One of Missouri's First Volt Owners

Ron Thompson, a retired Boeing engineer put his analytical skills to work when he and his wife were looking for a third car to transport them around town. A fan of technology, Thompson researched vehicles with hybrid drivetrains (gas and electric), all-electric vehicles and the Chevrolet Volt (which is powered by an electric motor with a gasoline engine for a backup to extend the range of the car.

According to GM, the Volt will travel about 41 miles on a single battery charge before the gas engine takes over. The vehicle is recharged via a regular electric outlet

The Volt has been highly touted by General Motors as its car of the future. It went on the market last spring but was only available on the East and West Coasts. It's taken this long for the Volt to be available in the St. Louis area and  some local dealerships finally have received a handful of the cars, including , 759 Gravois Bluffs Blvd., Fenton. Which was music to Thompson's ears. He had been asking about the Volt for months. After doing his research and analysis, Thompson decided the Volt was the car for his future.

Thompson may be the first Volt owner in Missouri, having purchased a pearl white colored model from Jim Butler Chevrolet in Fenton last week. A Jim Butler dealership spokesman couldn't definitively say that Thompson is the first Missouri Volt owner, only that he is one of the first in Missouri to purchase the electric vehicle.

"This is the wave of the future and you want to support the new technology, so this is what it came down to," said Johnson, who lives in Manchester. After exploring the other hybrid or electric vehicle options he said "There was no big advantage in buying those instead of the Volt."

One thing that impressed Thompson was the innovative, new engineering of the Volt from the ground up, including specially designed "Fuel Max Tires" that are classified as providing lower rolling resistance than normal tires.

Thompson  the Volt's computer systems keep track of the vehicle's operating systems and will issue warnings when things may be going awry. One vehicle monitor will even keep track of when the gas tank is filled and if the gas gets too old, will engage the gasoline engine to burn off some of the old fuel.

There are so many computer monitors abourd the Volt that during a recent drive around the neighborhood, an unexplained warning ding kept going off. Thompson, who is still getting used to all of the Volt's features, said he has yet to dig into  the owner's manual in depth.

Thompson said the vehicle fits his lifestyle perfectly.

"It's great for running errands, visiting friends, going back and forth to church, things like that," he said.

The base price on a Chevy Volt is $39,995, according to sales representative Brian Leith of Butler Chevrolet, who pointed out there is a $7,500 government rebate available to those who purchase a Volt. Thompson said the sticker price on his Volt is $46,200 but said it is loaded it is loaded with features, including Bluetooth technology, USB ports in the console, special paint on the exterior, heated seats, and a variety of other options.

Butler Chevrolet still has some Volts available for those who want to "plug in" to the new electric technology. Leith also said the dealership also will have a demo Volt for those who want to get a taste of the future.