Published December 14, 2012
By Jeff Cobb
For the past two years since the Chevrolet Volt's launch, it has topped Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction survey meaning this is one car with its share of fans.
There's no telling who is Volt fan number one, but one of the more ardent ones is MrEnergyCzar, a peak oil advocate who spends his own time and money to raise awareness for the Volt as one part of his arsenal of preparedness for the effects of oil production having crested past its prime.
Based in New England, MrEnergyCzar has actually converted his entire household and lifestyle in response to the peaking of cheap easy oil which he says may result in rising fuel prices, and a potentially rude awakenings upon the social and economic landscape of America – and the world.
Now, not unlike Paul Revere – albeit with communication tools not dreamed of by that alarm-raising New England silversmith and patriot – MrEnergyCzar is sounding a consistent message to a less homogenous audience on Facebook, Twitter, his own Web site, other social media, and YouTube.
This said, he is a "practical prepper," not wishing to portray a fanatic's stance in awaiting the coming of doomsday. Rather, more like someone following the scout's motto of "be prepared," he has adjusted where he sees necessary in order to adapt to living in the vulnerable oil-dependent suburbs while staying insulated in the face of changing times.
"I'm more self-reliant and energy insulated than an extreme survivalist," says MrEnergyCzar.
Anyone familiar with his story knows he was an early adopter of the Volt in 2011, which he powers by energy generated by his home photovoltaic solar array – and fortunately for him – a no-cost charger at work.
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His reason for liking the Volt is it’s an electric vehicle for the most part, able to travel up to 40 or 50 miles without needing gasoline, but it has a range-extending generator too, so – unlike a pure EV – longer distances are as practical to contemplate as they would be for any gas car.
We’ve embedded three of the latest samples of his attempts at consciousness raising in a world where, frankly, so much information and misinformation is competing to be heard that some people do not know what to think.
Having no such ambiguity in his worldview, MrEnergyCzar has begun his own news channel on YouTube in addition to other efforts. His out-of-pocket endeavor is a strong indicator that he means what he says, and he is refining his message as he goes.
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Also included are a sample of his regular question-and-answer session as well as a tutorial on an aspect of the Volt as part of his work to inform and engage with a rising following.
Nor are we the only ones to notice, as Clean Technica also grabbed some of his videos recently and made a post out of them.
MrEnergyCzar is not sponsored by anyone including General Motors, and we do not know if GM would be open to that, but there’s little doubt this is a character with more than average plausibility.
And for now, the Volt is his favorite car for the money. No doubt he likes other fuel-saving vehicles too, such as Tesla’s Model S all-electric car, but for well under that car’s price, the Volt can meet his needs.
As GM planned it, the Volt anticipates average daily driving needs based on surveys that said a 40-mile or shorter daily trip distance was sufficient for the majority of Americans.
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The car has had its share of detractors as well, and MrEnergyCzar often gets to field harsh critics for daring to champion such a vehicle.
To us, this is just one more proof he is a person who means what he says. You can check out his videos, and let him know what you think, and if you like any of the messages, feel free to share with others who may benefit.
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