I am eager to throw stones at the volt, but its not for political or brand bashing reasons.
Its because I am disappointed with the execution of the design. When the volt concept rolled out it was edgy and sexy and cool.
Then they made it look like the prius.
At least they kept the serial hybrid power train...
oops no they redesigned that too.
I wanted Chevy to succeed with something different, new, and kick ass. Not some marginally improved prius clone.
I don't hate the Volt. I am also not interested in buying one for $40k. I will say that I hate the volt's website. I tried to find out how much HP the engine makes the other day and it took a long time. I had to wade through a whole bunch of useless crap like how I can plug in my Ipod, or how fancy the naviagation system is, or how great the cupholders are. If that's what sells cars (and I sadly think it is) then people in this country need to put down their Brawndo and get a clue. (Other websites for other cars from other manufacturers are similar - it's just that I most recently visited the Volt's page.) If you are building a car that in many ways is a entirely new idea for the market and has a lot of cool technology to make it work why do you have to sell it by touting the navigation system?
pinchvalve wrote: Another question. The average autocross is like 60 seconds. When will Chevy offer the option of a removable battery pack that instantly takes 1000 pounds out of the car, and leaves enough storage juice for 4 peak-torque runs? Volt SS with the track pack.
According to this article the battery pack is 385 lbs. Total weight of all electric components is probably 600-700lbs. A higher amp capable pack would be amusing. 
MrJoshua wrote:pinchvalve wrote: Another question. The average autocross is like 60 seconds. When will Chevy offer the option of a removable battery pack that instantly takes 1000 pounds out of the car, and leaves enough storage juice for 4 peak-torque runs? Volt SS with the track pack.According to this article the battery pack is 385 lbs. Total weight of all electric components is probably 600-700lbs. A higher amp capable pack would be amusing.
What about a "Quick-Remove" engine and fuel tank for a few quick AX runs?
the big problem I have with the volt is the price..
Why should I purchase that car when I can get a leaf for cheaper. or a prius.. or a used Fit/fiesta...
ignorant wrote: the big problem I have with the volt is the price.. Why should I purchase that car when I can get a leaf for cheaper. or a prius.. or a used Fit/fiesta...
Logic has very little to do with it.
And the Leaf is 100% electric... with a 160 km range.
Lesley wrote: And the Leaf is 100% electric... with a 160 km range.
exactly.. I have a feeling that who "need" the range extender are also those who "need" to drive an empty f150 to work everyday...
I don't understand why the folks who market the 100% electric cars don't also market a small "range extender" trailer with an on-board generator for those few times you might want to go on a long drive.
TJ wrote: I don't hate the Volt. I am also not interested in buying one for $40k. I will say that I hate the volt's website. I tried to find out how much HP the engine makes the other day and it took a long time. I had to wade through a whole bunch of useless crap like how I can plug in my Ipod, or how fancy the naviagation system is, or how great the cupholders are. If that's what sells cars (and I sadly think it is) then people in this country need to put down their Brawndo and get a clue. (Other websites for other cars from other manufacturers are similar - it's just that I most recently visited the Volt's page.) If you are building a car that in many ways is a entirely new idea for the market and has a lot of cool technology to make it work why do you have to sell it by touting the navigation system?
When I'm shopping for a daily driver car for my wife, the ONLY thing I care about is how easy it is to hook up an ipod or if she'd be able to figure out the navigation system. Every car isn't a dual-purpose track car beater. Car enthusiasts that actually go to the track probably make up about .5% of the car buyer market, and then generally only buy used cars. I guarantee you not a single person that's actually going to buy a volt cares how much HP it makes, but they will want to know about cupholders.
People buy appliance cars because they want cars that are appliances. When I buy clothes, I buy stuff that's cheap and covers my body. I'm sure my sense of style offends people that are fashion enthusiasts in the same way that their car choices are odd to us.
ignorant wrote: the big problem I have with the volt is the price.. Why should I purchase that car when I can get a leaf for cheaper. or a prius.. or a used Fit/fiesta...
For that matter, why tithe $500-600 per month into a new car when you can drive your existing car 20mpg car for roughly 3400 miles with that same monthly outlay?
Some people like new things.
Capt Slow wrote: I don't understand why the folks who market the 100% electric cars don't also market a small "range extender" trailer with an on-board generator for those few times you might want to go on a long drive.
Trying and failing to find the picture of the Honda Pilot EV with a Honda generator strapped to the back.
I did find this, though:
I won't lie, This guy was my inspiration:
Capt Slow wrote: I don't understand why the folks who market the 100% electric cars don't also market a small "range extender" trailer with an on-board generator for those few times you might want to go on a long drive.
Some EV companies do/did....I know that AC propulsion sold one for the Tzero
There's a guy on one of the Pontiac boards who is a GM engineer, and he just took delivery of a Volt. It's only been a couple days so the long term results may change, but this is what he had to say about it today:
Thursday, drove 9.6 miles to work, and then had to run to another local community to pick my wife up, to the movies and then home. Total EV range was 41.5 miles, the engine kicked on and I drove another 6.7 miles in "charge sustaining".
Friday, drove halfway to work and had to return home to get my phone (which I forgot ). Upon parking at work I had gone a total of 136.9 miles in the last 3 or so days, using .4 gallons of gas.
JoeyM wrote:Capt Slow wrote: I don't understand why the folks who market the 100% electric cars don't also market a small "range extender" trailer with an on-board generator for those few times you might want to go on a long drive.Some EV companies do/did....I know that AC propulsion sold one for the Tzero
Wow that looks awesome!
skruffy wrote: When I'm shopping for a daily driver car for my wife, the ONLY thing I care about is how easy it is to hook up an ipod or if she'd be able to figure out the navigation system.
My condolences.
35 mpg, recorded from a GM engineer. Not good
Not good at all
FlightService wrote: 35 mpg, recorded from a GM engineer. Not good Not good at all
uh it was .4 gallon not 4 gallons.
Just a couple thoughts on why GM may have done this. I'm not a GM engineer or employee, but I have about ten years of hybrid and skeptical public experience.
This is a pretty big leap in tech and I am glad to see an American company take it, but it puts GM under the microscope and any glitch that occurs will be blown up moreso than if it were Toyota or Honda, when any defect is forgiven.
If the leaf runs out of juice and strands ir's driver, the typical reaction would be that it's the price you pay to be driving the future. Now park you Volt in them same spot because to drove through the battery and need to let it recharge for a half hour and the reaction will be Typical GM, american cars are always broken, even though it will drive off in a litttle while and the leaf is still waiting for a tow.
As someone who has sat on the side of the road recharging an experimental bus I can almost bet that this is what led to GM deciding that they would find a way to link the motor to the wheels in as last resort. Somewhere an engineer on a long drive had to pull off and let the car recharge. While he was there he fielded a number of questions about the new car. Most feedback he got was negative about the car, electrics in general and GM in particular, so in an effort to keep people from seeing them on the side of the road and cut down on negative publicity they decided to change the drivetrain to allow the car to keep going.
how many people in the Volt's target demographic will ever get up to the 70mph speed where the gas motor directly links to the transmission? and how much range does all the added electronic comfort items take away? will they sell a stripped down version without this stuff?
The volt is just like all of those other cars like the prius, etc, it will save fuel when used for its intended purpose, which is a good thing, but many people will by it just to feel good and use it in a way that doesnt make sense (like driving 85 mph for a 60 mile comute on the freeway), and not really be better off than someone in a new fiesta or something. None of these types of cars are ready to be replacements for normal internal combustion powered cars, and IMO they may never be, but saving a bit of fuel isnt a bad thing either.
people down on this or comparing it to the Prius really don't know the difference in battery technology and charging technology going into this project. GM, even before the bailouts, was basically bankrolling a battery technology generation increase. NiMH wasn't/wouldn't be ready for what they wanted in a Volt.
And this isn't a wimpy small production run, GM is aiming for tens of thousands in production. Can you imagine the cost drop and range increase in 3 years if they move 50,000 a year?
And its not a tiny usesless micro. Its a small mid-sized 5 door.
And everyone who's driven one that i've read says it doesn't feel like a joke to drive; actually surprisingly tactile, especially compared with a prius.
GM is so far ahead, that Toyota has been madly rushing to make a plugin version of the Prius, and they're going to be a year behind GM.
They may be a year behind, but will they be $10-15k less than the Volt?
For the price of a Volt, I could get this:
(hotlinked from tigerracing/com)
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