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The Northwoods River News: 4/14/2012
Shining light on hunger
CANtastic teams compete to make the best structure for the food pantry
Baked beans, marshmallows and Ramen noodles are items normally found in a kitchen but to the six teams competing in CANtastic on Saturday, these and other non-perishable food items are the building materials necessary to help shine a light on hunger. 
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CANtastic teams compete to make the best structure for the food pantry
| Monica Baltich Reporter |
Baked beans, marshmallows and Ramen noodles are items normally found in a kitchen but to the six teams competing in CANtastic on Saturday, these and other non-perishable food items are the building materials necessary to help shine a light on hunger.
The third annual CANtastic event hosted by the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry, combines the giving spirit of area businesses and organizations with a healthy competition as the teams use donated food items to create masterful sculptures in a matter of a few hours.
Bill Vancos from the food pantry said he is excited to get this year's competition underway and thinks the theme this year will challenge the competitors.
"This year they have to build based on the theme 'shining light on hunger' so we have someone doing a campfire and a lighthouse, so I think the teams are really working hard," he said. "It's such a good time and there's bantering between the teams and they really put a lot of effort into it."
Megan Aus and Will Lukas are the leaders for the Rhinelander GM/Toyota team who will be attempting to build a scaled down 1967 pick-up truck. Aus said their team has been preparing for weeks to make sure they get the structure just right.
"We really took inspiration from the truck and the headlights because of the theme, so we took measurements and scaled it down and wanted to be as detailed as we could," she said. "We've collected close to 600 cans and some ramen noodle boxes that we're using as our main building materials and it's harder than you think because you never notice the size of cans until you need to build something and if they're off by like a 1/4 of an inch it throws it off."
Lukas said their strategy was to get accurate measurements and be as prepared as possible so they can go into the competition confident and efficient.
"Well, we chose the vintage '67 truck because it was a little boxier and therefore a little easier to shape but we even brought in an architect to design, I mean we're pretty serious competitors," he said. "We've done a couple dry runs and we have about seven volunteers but we're taking this as a learning experience since we've never done this before."
Aus said she is looking forward to competing and thinks this is a unique way to give back to the community because it's hands on and something people will enjoy watching.
"We were inspired to do this because we've done food drives last summer and at Christmas and we saw this as a unique way to get our employees involved," she said. "But we're all excited to get going on Saturday morning and our strategy is to take pictures during our practice and then hope it doesn't fall down when we build it."
Jennie Jaskie is the team leader for the Associated Bank team. She said they are taking on the campfire which they have found to be a little tricky to create.
"Well, we call ourselves the Fire Brigade and our creation's name is 'fire up for food' and we will be using food that you could cook over a fire like baked beans, marshmallows and things like that," she said. "We're working on getting that 3D effect which is a challenge but its a fun way for us to give back and our families will be helping out too so it's just a positive thing for everyone."
The competition starts at 9 a.m. this morning in the former Family Dollar store where the teams will have three hours to complete their structures.
Rhinelander Area Food Pantry's executive director Guy Hansen said pantry officials knew the event would be successful when they started it three years ago but he always looks forward to the teams enthusiasm and dedication to the project.
"We've been very fortunate to have people in the community who help us and this event is just a fun way for them to donate," he said. "We earn between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of food every year and the teams are only limited by the amount of food they want to buy."
Once the teams have finished, the structures will be on display for two weeks to be viewed by three judges and voted on by people in the community.
"All of the food they used will be donated to the pantry but for two weeks people can vote on their favorites by putting a food item in the bin next to the one they pick," Hansen said. "The winning teams will then get a trophy made from food items so really they're competing for bragging rights."
This year's teams and planned CANtastic structures include a lighthouse by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and UW-Extension, a campfire by Associated Bank, a sun and more by the Key Club, a truck with headlights by Rhinelander GM/Toyota, a camping lantern by Bethesda Lutheran Communities and a flashlight by CHAMPS. Prizes are awarded for judges' choice, people's choice and most cans used following the theme.
Vancos said he encourages people in the community to stop by and watch the teams hard at work and to vote as many times as they want for their favorite team.
"We have been so blessed to have people in the community who want to give back," he said. "Come down and look at them and enjoy what people have done and vote for the favorite so they can get their bragging rights but also help the pantry in a fun way."
Monica Baltich may be reached at monica@rivernewsonline.com.
Bill Vancos from the food pantry said he is excited to get this year's competition underway and thinks the theme this year will challenge the competitors.
"This year they have to build based on the theme 'shining light on hunger' so we have someone doing a campfire and a lighthouse, so I think the teams are really working hard," he said. "It's such a good time and there's bantering between the teams and they really put a lot of effort into it."
Megan Aus and Will Lukas are the leaders for the Rhinelander GM/Toyota team who will be attempting to build a scaled down 1967 pick-up truck. Aus said their team has been preparing for weeks to make sure they get the structure just right.
"We really took inspiration from the truck and the headlights because of the theme, so we took measurements and scaled it down and wanted to be as detailed as we could," she said. "We've collected close to 600 cans and some ramen noodle boxes that we're using as our main building materials and it's harder than you think because you never notice the size of cans until you need to build something and if they're off by like a 1/4 of an inch it throws it off."
Lukas said their strategy was to get accurate measurements and be as prepared as possible so they can go into the competition confident and efficient.
"Well, we chose the vintage '67 truck because it was a little boxier and therefore a little easier to shape but we even brought in an architect to design, I mean we're pretty serious competitors," he said. "We've done a couple dry runs and we have about seven volunteers but we're taking this as a learning experience since we've never done this before."
Aus said she is looking forward to competing and thinks this is a unique way to give back to the community because it's hands on and something people will enjoy watching.
"We were inspired to do this because we've done food drives last summer and at Christmas and we saw this as a unique way to get our employees involved," she said. "But we're all excited to get going on Saturday morning and our strategy is to take pictures during our practice and then hope it doesn't fall down when we build it."
Jennie Jaskie is the team leader for the Associated Bank team. She said they are taking on the campfire which they have found to be a little tricky to create.
"Well, we call ourselves the Fire Brigade and our creation's name is 'fire up for food' and we will be using food that you could cook over a fire like baked beans, marshmallows and things like that," she said. "We're working on getting that 3D effect which is a challenge but its a fun way for us to give back and our families will be helping out too so it's just a positive thing for everyone."
The competition starts at 9 a.m. this morning in the former Family Dollar store where the teams will have three hours to complete their structures.
Rhinelander Area Food Pantry's executive director Guy Hansen said pantry officials knew the event would be successful when they started it three years ago but he always looks forward to the teams enthusiasm and dedication to the project.
"We've been very fortunate to have people in the community who help us and this event is just a fun way for them to donate," he said. "We earn between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of food every year and the teams are only limited by the amount of food they want to buy."
Once the teams have finished, the structures will be on display for two weeks to be viewed by three judges and voted on by people in the community.
"All of the food they used will be donated to the pantry but for two weeks people can vote on their favorites by putting a food item in the bin next to the one they pick," Hansen said. "The winning teams will then get a trophy made from food items so really they're competing for bragging rights."
This year's teams and planned CANtastic structures include a lighthouse by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and UW-Extension, a campfire by Associated Bank, a sun and more by the Key Club, a truck with headlights by Rhinelander GM/Toyota, a camping lantern by Bethesda Lutheran Communities and a flashlight by CHAMPS. Prizes are awarded for judges' choice, people's choice and most cans used following the theme.
Vancos said he encourages people in the community to stop by and watch the teams hard at work and to vote as many times as they want for their favorite team.
"We have been so blessed to have people in the community who want to give back," he said. "Come down and look at them and enjoy what people have done and vote for the favorite so they can get their bragging rights but also help the pantry in a fun way."
Monica Baltich may be reached at monica@rivernewsonline.com.
WJFW Newswatch 12: 2/6/2012
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Watch News clip here. RHINELANDER - According to a recent survey, employee wellness programs lead to better attendance and increased productivity at work. The push for healthier employees is led by large corporations, and according to the survey, they're starting to see returns on the investment. Smaller companies are trying to catch up, including some here in the Northwoods. Superior Diesel kicked off an employee wellness program two years ago. They partially subsidize YMCA memberships, host wellness challenges a few times a year, and bring in health and nutrition experts to help employees make lifestyle changes. General manager Brian Wendt says his company started the program because of rising insurance costs. He's hoping to see a reduction in claims as employees shift to healthier lifestyles. "We have seen a return. We can't put a dollar figure to it yet, but over time we feel that there's going to be a definite advantage to the organization," says Wendt, adding that employees have been more collaborative since the program started. Jenny Mork is an accountant at the company, and she co-chairs the Health and Wellness Committee. The committee creates company-wide challenges with prizes like a Wii Fit, brings in wellness speakers, and helps employees track their progress. Mork says the program has created a sense of support, and that's led to changes in and out of the office. "We'll have meetings like, "Let's go walk this trail. We can get extra points." And everyone has a camraderie to get together and do that," Mork says. Rhinelander GM & Toyota started chipping in for their employees' YMCA memberships two months ago. Marketing manager Megan Aus says she's been a big advocate for the program, and hopes it will make a difference personally and professionally. "We really do value what our employees do here and they spend a lot of time in our actual building, so if they are able to get a better discount at making their life outside the company better, we just felt like it was a no-brainer to offer something like this to our employees," Aus says. Sales manager A.J. Turgeon says it's part of a healthy work atmosphere. "The company encourages a balance of being healthy mentally, physically, and anything Rhinelander GM can do to encourage that, they're willing to do that," Turgeon says. Aus says about 25 percent of their employees are members, and she hopes more will enroll. "Being active, you have a lot more clarity and you're able to focus a little more at work. So when people come to me to ask about our program with the YMCA, I'm definitely a big advocate of just at least having them check it out for a month or so," she says. That can lead to long-term change. "You'll definitely have more energy, you'll be happier, it'll keep you more active and it's all positive," Turgeon says.
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The Northwoods River News: 1/19/2012
Students explore new technologies in automotives
GM-Toyota visited RHS with Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius
Environmental science students at Rhinelander High School (RHS) got a chance Tuesday to take a look under the hoods of a 2012 Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt and take a peek at where the automobile industry is going and how they're helping the environment.
Representatives from Rhinelander GM-Toyota spoke to several classes Tuesday about the new and innovative technologies used in making hybrid and electric cars more environmentally friendly.
GM-Toyota's marketing director Megan Aus said she was impressed by the types of questions the students asked and was happy to see they were so interested in how the cars worked.
"I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the caliber of questions they asked, I think they were intrigued from an automotive stand point, and they asked if there were reusable materials in the car, that sort of thing," she said. "I could tell they were excited to know more about the new technology, it really seemed to spark their interest in the advancements made in automotives."
Aus said the idea came after they conducted a similar presentation with the automotive technician program at Nicolet College.
"They had a very positive response when they got to check out the Volt, our electric car, and see how different it is from the cars they were learning to work on," she said. "And since we do have both Toyota and GM as well as some connections with the high school, we decided to create a program for the younger students since they probably wouldn't normally have had a chance to see one of these vehicles."
Junior Zach Jorgensen was in the first presentation group and said he has a great interest in working on cars and said getting to know more about hybrids and electric cars will be helpful.
"I knew a little bit about them already but it was good to be able to talk to them about it since I might work on cars in the future and I'll probably have to work on these types of cars," he said. "It was good that they came out here to talk to us because it shows that they care what we think and that we know about them."
Sales manager for GM-Toyota Eric Adams said he enjoyed talking with the students and said he thinks it was helpful to clear up some of the misconceptions that come along with the Prius and the Volt.
"Some misconceptions are that they are expensive to maintain, which the opposite is true because they last as long as a car and the savings you get over time makes it worth it," he said. "We also told (the students about) the difference between the cars because the Prius is a hybrid which has an electric and a gas motor for better mileage and the Volt runs solely on an electric motor giving off no emissions."
Both Aus and Adams said it was important to talk to the high school students because they are the future car buyers and it's important for them to know about the technology that is changing the automotive industry.
"I think there are a lot of misconceptions on anything new and by teaching them about the battery power technology and how far the Prius has come since it first came out, they will know what options are out there," Aus said. "I mean people who are shopping for cars now don't always understand about these cars so we want to make sure the students are informed."
Monica Baltich may be reached at mbaltich@lakelandtimes.com.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=50255&SectionID=6&SubSectionID=47&S=1
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GM-Toyota visited RHS with Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius
| Monica Baltich Reporter/Photographer |
Environmental science students at Rhinelander High School (RHS) got a chance Tuesday to take a look under the hoods of a 2012 Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt and take a peek at where the automobile industry is going and how they're helping the environment.
Representatives from Rhinelander GM-Toyota spoke to several classes Tuesday about the new and innovative technologies used in making hybrid and electric cars more environmentally friendly.
GM-Toyota's marketing director Megan Aus said she was impressed by the types of questions the students asked and was happy to see they were so interested in how the cars worked.
"I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the caliber of questions they asked, I think they were intrigued from an automotive stand point, and they asked if there were reusable materials in the car, that sort of thing," she said. "I could tell they were excited to know more about the new technology, it really seemed to spark their interest in the advancements made in automotives."
Aus said the idea came after they conducted a similar presentation with the automotive technician program at Nicolet College.
"They had a very positive response when they got to check out the Volt, our electric car, and see how different it is from the cars they were learning to work on," she said. "And since we do have both Toyota and GM as well as some connections with the high school, we decided to create a program for the younger students since they probably wouldn't normally have had a chance to see one of these vehicles."
Junior Zach Jorgensen was in the first presentation group and said he has a great interest in working on cars and said getting to know more about hybrids and electric cars will be helpful.
"I knew a little bit about them already but it was good to be able to talk to them about it since I might work on cars in the future and I'll probably have to work on these types of cars," he said. "It was good that they came out here to talk to us because it shows that they care what we think and that we know about them."
Sales manager for GM-Toyota Eric Adams said he enjoyed talking with the students and said he thinks it was helpful to clear up some of the misconceptions that come along with the Prius and the Volt.
"Some misconceptions are that they are expensive to maintain, which the opposite is true because they last as long as a car and the savings you get over time makes it worth it," he said. "We also told (the students about) the difference between the cars because the Prius is a hybrid which has an electric and a gas motor for better mileage and the Volt runs solely on an electric motor giving off no emissions."
Both Aus and Adams said it was important to talk to the high school students because they are the future car buyers and it's important for them to know about the technology that is changing the automotive industry.
"I think there are a lot of misconceptions on anything new and by teaching them about the battery power technology and how far the Prius has come since it first came out, they will know what options are out there," Aus said. "I mean people who are shopping for cars now don't always understand about these cars so we want to make sure the students are informed."
Monica Baltich may be reached at mbaltich@lakelandtimes.com.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=50255&SectionID=6&SubSectionID=47&S=1
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The Star Journal: 1/15/2012
Rhinelander GM donates $10,000 for zamboni
Rhinelander GM recently made a donation of $10,000 to the Rhinelander Ice Association to aid in the association's efforts to purchase a new Zamboni ice smoother for the Rhinelander Ice Arena. Shown making the presentation on Jan. 10 are, from left, Rhinelander GM owner Mike Aus, presenting the donation to Rhinelnader Ice Association board member Mike French and Rhinelander Ice Arena Manager Brett Aylesworth. Photo By Craig Mandli
http://www.starjournalnow.com/news/115-sj-news--zamboni-donation-jcpg-253461-137345343.html
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The Northwoods River News: 1/5/2012
Rhinelander Ice Association gets a Zamboni
A new machine is resurfacing the ice at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.
The Rhinelander Ice Association, with assistance from Rhinelander GM/Toyota has purchase an electric Zamboni 552 which made its debut at this week at the RIA.
Zamboni is to ice resurfacing machines as Band-Aid is to bandages and Kleenex is to facial tissue. But the RIA had a different brand over the last few years, a Finland-made UKKO?Ice Cat.
RIA manager Brett Aylesworth said that he stumbled upon an offer he could not refuse with the new Zamboni.
"We were able to find an incredible deal on this machine and we got it at a good price, which allowed us to upgrade,"?he said. "We were kind of looking to make the move because our current one is a foreign make, made in Finland. Sometimes it's difficult to obtain parts and parts are rather expensive."
Aylesworth expects the Zamboni will equal or surpass the performance of the Ice Cat.
"An ice rink's product is ice,"?he said. "So the better ice you can make, the better off you are. This machine should give us a consistent nice sheet of ice. The Zamboni, everyone's familiar with it. There is a dealer in Somerset that can help us repair it. The main thing is, it will make an awesome sheet of ice. It looks awesome with a nice green and white paint scheme."
Shimkus Auto Body supplied the paint scheme for the new resurfacer and Northland Orthopedics, which was a major sponsor of the old Ice Cat, will have its decal on the Zamboni as well.
As for the old Ice Cat, Aylesworth is looking for a buyer.
"We have it on the market to sell,"?he said. "We anticipate that hopefully we are able to sell it and get some money back out of it to invest on this new one. We don't have a buyer right now, but certainly looking for one and hope to find one."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at jeremy@rivernewsonline.com.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=196&ArticleID=50059
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A new machine is resurfacing the ice at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.The Rhinelander Ice Association, with assistance from Rhinelander GM/Toyota has purchase an electric Zamboni 552 which made its debut at this week at the RIA.
Zamboni is to ice resurfacing machines as Band-Aid is to bandages and Kleenex is to facial tissue. But the RIA had a different brand over the last few years, a Finland-made UKKO?Ice Cat.
RIA manager Brett Aylesworth said that he stumbled upon an offer he could not refuse with the new Zamboni.
"We were able to find an incredible deal on this machine and we got it at a good price, which allowed us to upgrade,"?he said. "We were kind of looking to make the move because our current one is a foreign make, made in Finland. Sometimes it's difficult to obtain parts and parts are rather expensive."
Aylesworth expects the Zamboni will equal or surpass the performance of the Ice Cat.
"An ice rink's product is ice,"?he said. "So the better ice you can make, the better off you are. This machine should give us a consistent nice sheet of ice. The Zamboni, everyone's familiar with it. There is a dealer in Somerset that can help us repair it. The main thing is, it will make an awesome sheet of ice. It looks awesome with a nice green and white paint scheme."
Shimkus Auto Body supplied the paint scheme for the new resurfacer and Northland Orthopedics, which was a major sponsor of the old Ice Cat, will have its decal on the Zamboni as well.
As for the old Ice Cat, Aylesworth is looking for a buyer.
"We have it on the market to sell,"?he said. "We anticipate that hopefully we are able to sell it and get some money back out of it to invest on this new one. We don't have a buyer right now, but certainly looking for one and hope to find one."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at jeremy@rivernewsonline.com.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=196&ArticleID=50059
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The Northwoods River News: 12/8/2011
Rhinelander GM & Toyota conducting food drive
River News staff
Rhinelander GM-Toyota has had a long successful relationship with the community and is trying to give back during the holiday season by conducting a food drive to aid the local food pantries.
According to the company's marketing director Megan Aus, anyone an stop into the business and leave a donation of a non-perishable food item that will be given to area food pantries to help those in need, especially during the holidays.
"We've been doing this for the last couple of years and we've had some really good success with it," said Aus. "I can't tell you off hand how much we've contributed in the past through this effort, but it has been considerable."
Aus said making the business a drop-off site for food pantry contributions is also part of Chevrolet's on going promotion "Chevy's Giving More." Aus said that when members of the public drop off a food contribution they can also register to be a winner of an Ipad, a Kindle Fire or a $50 Visa card. "And if they drop off a contribution at our Detail Pros they can earn a dollar off a detail job," said Aus.
"We just like to give back to the community and everyone is especially anxious to help during the holidays." Aus said that during the summer the business also conducted another food drive to aid the pantries during the summer and fall. "We just want to help the community and this is just one way we can do that."
Rhinelander GM-Toyota is located at 1935 N. Stevens St.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=78&ArticleID=49775
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River News staff
Rhinelander GM-Toyota has had a long successful relationship with the community and is trying to give back during the holiday season by conducting a food drive to aid the local food pantries.According to the company's marketing director Megan Aus, anyone an stop into the business and leave a donation of a non-perishable food item that will be given to area food pantries to help those in need, especially during the holidays.
"We've been doing this for the last couple of years and we've had some really good success with it," said Aus. "I can't tell you off hand how much we've contributed in the past through this effort, but it has been considerable."
Aus said making the business a drop-off site for food pantry contributions is also part of Chevrolet's on going promotion "Chevy's Giving More." Aus said that when members of the public drop off a food contribution they can also register to be a winner of an Ipad, a Kindle Fire or a $50 Visa card. "And if they drop off a contribution at our Detail Pros they can earn a dollar off a detail job," said Aus.
"We just like to give back to the community and everyone is especially anxious to help during the holidays." Aus said that during the summer the business also conducted another food drive to aid the pantries during the summer and fall. "We just want to help the community and this is just one way we can do that."
Rhinelander GM-Toyota is located at 1935 N. Stevens St.
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=78&ArticleID=49775
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The Northwoods River News: 10/30/2011
Chevy Volt makes its Northwoods debut
By Kyle Rogers
River News Reporter
It's kind of like a spaceship. That's how Megan Aus, marketing coordinator for Rhinelander GM, might describe the 2012 Chevrolet Volt before showing a prospective test driver how simply pushing a blue "power" button gets the car started. Aus isn't far off. With its aerodynamic design, LCD displays and the absence of an audible sound from the electric motor, driving the Volt often feels like floating through space rather than operating a motor vehicle.
The new electric car from Chevrolet was recently released to the entire country after its 2011 model had only been available in eight states. The Volt has been at the Rhinelander GM for about a week and sales manager Eric Adams said there has already been a fair amount of interest. The dealership has sold one Volt and there are about 15 names in the logbook of people who have come in to test drive the vehicle.
"They're starting to see the commercials. There's a lot of interest in this one particular car," Adams said. "It's a mixture of the high gas prices and the electric technology itself. That's the future of vehicles. This is the only electric vehicle in the Northwoods. There's a lot of buzz. People are looking to see if this something they can drive everyday."
The Volt is a little different than other hybrid vehicles on the market. It's completely electrical, with a gas powered generator kicking in to run the electric motor once the battery becomes depleted. The Volt is able to travel about 40 miles on the battery power alone, Adams said. The car has another 300 miles in it once the gas generator is needed.
"Most of the time you will be driving on full electric," Adams said.
The Volt comes with a charger that can revive the car's battery in 10 hours. Adams said at the dealership, there is a charger that can replenish the battery in four hours. That charger is available to the public as well, but a professional electrician needs to install it. The charger the Volt comes with can be plugged into any household outlet.
"I'm sure we will see all the major manufacturers have electrical vehicles soon," Adams said.
Nissan currently has its Leaf, which is supposed to have a battery that can last for 100 miles. It doesn't have the additional range that the Volt's gas generator is able to provide, however. GM also has plans to release an electric version of its Chevy Spark in 2013. Many automakers have plans to have at least one plug-in electric car on the market by the end of 2012.
"I think it's the wave of the future," Adams said, adding that along with more electric vehicles, he sees more businesses probably having charging stations (likely most prevalent in bigger cities). "As more people come and look at it, and see the value in it, we will see this technology expanding in more vehicles. As far as sales, I can't say what will happen, but there is interest in it."
Before the arrival of the Volt in Rhinelander, Adams said the dealership kept a list of people (about 10 to 15) who had inquired about the vehicle over the last several months and wanted to be kept updated on when the Volt would make its Northwoods debut.
The Volt has a hefty price tag of around $45,000 which includes all the fixings though it does qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit and has the long-term benefit of the fuel savings. While it's too early to say how many Northwoods drivers will take to the new technology of the Volt, sales consultants at the Auto Center, which owns both the GM and Toyota dealerships, said hybrid sales have been good in recent years and show that gradual growing interest in electric technology.
Chad Tabbert, a sales consultant with the Toyota dealership, said Prius sales in the Northwoods have been strong.
"We sell a lot of them," Tabbert said. "It's one of the hybrids that pays off (up here in the Northwoods)."
Tabbert said the gas mileage the Prius gets is more conducive to the highway travel that area drivers will often find themselves doing. Sales are streaky, and the summer months when car sales are at their peak have passed, but Tabbert said the dealership on average makes four or five Prius sales a month. Since 2001, more than one million Priuses have been sold in the U.S.
It's the continued growth of this type of technology that led Nicolet College auto technician instructors Jon Werkmeister and Paul Marquardt to develop a hybrid curriculum at the school. The new classes were first offered in the spring, and the hybrid curriculum is now integrated into Nicolet's auto tech degree. Marquardt said he has nine students currently in his introductory course that looks at the general maintenance of hybrids as well as safety. He hasn't yet, but Marquardt said now that the Volt has arrived, he has plans to make an appointment with the GM dealership to show students some of the differences between Chevrolet's new car and other hybrid vehicles.
"The hybrid technology will actually tie into a lot of the technology the Chevy Volts have," Marquardt said. "We don't have a lot of service information on them right now because they're so new, but the high voltage (aspect of them) works into what we're doing now with hybrids."
Aus, the GM dealership's marketing coordinator, said the Auto Center is also currently working on setting up an event involving Toyota's Prius and Chevrolet's Volt for students in engineering classes at Rhinelander High School.
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By Kyle Rogers
River News Reporter
It's kind of like a spaceship. That's how Megan Aus, marketing coordinator for Rhinelander GM, might describe the 2012 Chevrolet Volt before showing a prospective test driver how simply pushing a blue "power" button gets the car started. Aus isn't far off. With its aerodynamic design, LCD displays and the absence of an audible sound from the electric motor, driving the Volt often feels like floating through space rather than operating a motor vehicle.The new electric car from Chevrolet was recently released to the entire country after its 2011 model had only been available in eight states. The Volt has been at the Rhinelander GM for about a week and sales manager Eric Adams said there has already been a fair amount of interest. The dealership has sold one Volt and there are about 15 names in the logbook of people who have come in to test drive the vehicle.
"They're starting to see the commercials. There's a lot of interest in this one particular car," Adams said. "It's a mixture of the high gas prices and the electric technology itself. That's the future of vehicles. This is the only electric vehicle in the Northwoods. There's a lot of buzz. People are looking to see if this something they can drive everyday."
The Volt is a little different than other hybrid vehicles on the market. It's completely electrical, with a gas powered generator kicking in to run the electric motor once the battery becomes depleted. The Volt is able to travel about 40 miles on the battery power alone, Adams said. The car has another 300 miles in it once the gas generator is needed.
"Most of the time you will be driving on full electric," Adams said.
The Volt comes with a charger that can revive the car's battery in 10 hours. Adams said at the dealership, there is a charger that can replenish the battery in four hours. That charger is available to the public as well, but a professional electrician needs to install it. The charger the Volt comes with can be plugged into any household outlet.
"I'm sure we will see all the major manufacturers have electrical vehicles soon," Adams said.
Nissan currently has its Leaf, which is supposed to have a battery that can last for 100 miles. It doesn't have the additional range that the Volt's gas generator is able to provide, however. GM also has plans to release an electric version of its Chevy Spark in 2013. Many automakers have plans to have at least one plug-in electric car on the market by the end of 2012.
"I think it's the wave of the future," Adams said, adding that along with more electric vehicles, he sees more businesses probably having charging stations (likely most prevalent in bigger cities). "As more people come and look at it, and see the value in it, we will see this technology expanding in more vehicles. As far as sales, I can't say what will happen, but there is interest in it."
Before the arrival of the Volt in Rhinelander, Adams said the dealership kept a list of people (about 10 to 15) who had inquired about the vehicle over the last several months and wanted to be kept updated on when the Volt would make its Northwoods debut.
The Volt has a hefty price tag of around $45,000 which includes all the fixings though it does qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit and has the long-term benefit of the fuel savings. While it's too early to say how many Northwoods drivers will take to the new technology of the Volt, sales consultants at the Auto Center, which owns both the GM and Toyota dealerships, said hybrid sales have been good in recent years and show that gradual growing interest in electric technology.
Chad Tabbert, a sales consultant with the Toyota dealership, said Prius sales in the Northwoods have been strong.
"We sell a lot of them," Tabbert said. "It's one of the hybrids that pays off (up here in the Northwoods)."
Tabbert said the gas mileage the Prius gets is more conducive to the highway travel that area drivers will often find themselves doing. Sales are streaky, and the summer months when car sales are at their peak have passed, but Tabbert said the dealership on average makes four or five Prius sales a month. Since 2001, more than one million Priuses have been sold in the U.S.
It's the continued growth of this type of technology that led Nicolet College auto technician instructors Jon Werkmeister and Paul Marquardt to develop a hybrid curriculum at the school. The new classes were first offered in the spring, and the hybrid curriculum is now integrated into Nicolet's auto tech degree. Marquardt said he has nine students currently in his introductory course that looks at the general maintenance of hybrids as well as safety. He hasn't yet, but Marquardt said now that the Volt has arrived, he has plans to make an appointment with the GM dealership to show students some of the differences between Chevrolet's new car and other hybrid vehicles.
"The hybrid technology will actually tie into a lot of the technology the Chevy Volts have," Marquardt said. "We don't have a lot of service information on them right now because they're so new, but the high voltage (aspect of them) works into what we're doing now with hybrids."
Aus, the GM dealership's marketing coordinator, said the Auto Center is also currently working on setting up an event involving Toyota's Prius and Chevrolet's Volt for students in engineering classes at Rhinelander High School.
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