The Volt: GM is, slowly but surely, screwing it up...

[efusco]

First word started leaking that the price of the Volt may well approach $40,000.

Then they announced that instead of 11 gallon fuel tanks and approximate EV + gas range of 630 miles (a nice marketing point at least) that it'll now have a 6-7 gallon tank and 400 mile EV + Gas range.

And now the straw that'll break even my back...it'll only be a 4 seater b/c of the design of the battery.
The Volt will be a four-seat sedan. Most sedans these days squeeze in at least nominal space for a fifth passenger but to do that while allowing room for a battery pack running along the center of the floor would have required more headroom. That would have meant raising the roof a little which would have hurt fuel economy.

The first two points were disappointments, but not deal breakers. The last, for me, clearly is. I have to have room for my entire family of 5...if I can't fit them in there I'm better off with the Autera EV or something like that as a daily commuter. Looks like I'll be holding out for a decent EV range on the Prius III PHEV. I can't tell you how disappointed I am by this turn of events. It seems that GM's completely forgotten that they need a broad market to attract enough people to make this a success.

[Austin50mpg]

Leave it to GM. The Volt will probably look like an angry kitchen appliance also. I used to love GM and put several hundred thousand miles in the driver seat of a few GM products. Now I would rather my VIN number start with a J. Who would of thought of such a thing 30 years ago.

[Tideland Prius]

interesting.... so they're planning to use the "transmission" tunnel to hold the batteries? Not under the rear seats or in the trunk?

[hill]

Oh come on Evan, don't give up yet ... I'll bet the bank they'll make a few more "changes" before Mama bird Lutz kicks the chick out of the nest

[usbseawolf2000]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

interesting.... so they're planning to use the "transmission" tunnel to hold the batteries? Not under the rear seats or in the trunk?

Nope. The pack will have the same T shape as EV1's. The pack is supposed to weight around 400 lbs. Imagine putting that in the trunk and under the rear seat. Yea, I know!

The lack of practicality prevented Insight from being a success. I thought that lesson was learned already.

[micheal]

Originally Posted by efusco

First word started leaking that the price of the Volt may well approach $40,000.

Then they announced that instead of 11 gallon fuel tanks and approximate EV + gas range of 630 miles (a nice marketing point at least) that it'll now have a 6-7 gallon tank and 400 mile EV + Gas range.

And now the straw that'll break even my back...it'll only be a 4 seater b/c of the design of the battery.
The Volt will be a four-seat sedan. Most sedans these days squeeze in at least nominal space for a fifth passenger but to do that while allowing room for a battery pack running along the center of the floor would have required more headroom. That would have meant raising the roof a little which would have hurt fuel economy.

The first two points were disappointments, but not deal breakers. The last, for me, clearly is. I have to have room for my entire family of 5...if I can't fit them in there I'm better off with the Autera EV or something like that as a daily commuter. Looks like I'll be holding out for a decent EV range on the Prius III PHEV. I can't tell you how disappointed I am by this turn of events. It seems that GM's completely forgotten that they need a broad market to attract enough people to make this a success.

I hate to say I told you so, so I won't do it. It is unfortunate that the vehicle that we hope to buy no one is making (yet). For me it is a hybrid minivan or Mazda 5/MPV size vehicle (dangit it Toyota bring over the Estima!). I'm not as anxious for an EV yet, since we currently rent and would have a hard time plugging in at night, but it sure seems like we are going to have wait awhile.

[tochatihu]

Originally Posted by usbseawolf2000

The lack of practicality prevented Insight from being a success.

I don't agree there. The Insight was (is) a functional 2-seater. But so much aluminum kept it from being a financial success for Honda.

[Tideland Prius]

Originally Posted by usbseawolf2000

Nope. The pack will have the same T shape as EV1's. The pack is supposed to weight around 400 lbs. Imagine putting that in the trunk and under the rear seat. Yea, I know!

The lack of practicality prevented Insight from being a success. I thought that lesson was learned already.

400lbs?!?! God... and the Prius is 99lbs? <sigh> GM... That's why you never criticize people in life if you don't know what you're talking about.

"Oh the Prius is too complicated, the Malibu is simple" --> We have made a hybrid which as four clutches

"Hybrids haul around unnecessary weight which is useless on the highway. Their battery packs are heavy" --> We have a Volt with a 400lb battery x2

Originally Posted by tochatihu

I don't agree there. The Insight was (is) a functional 2-seater. But so much aluminum kept it from being a financial success for Honda.

I agree with him. It's the cost of the aluminium monocoque that drove up the cost of the Insight.

[usbseawolf2000]

Originally Posted by tochatihu

I don't agree there. The Insight was (is) a functional 2-seater. But so much aluminum kept it from being a financial success for Honda.

It was not like Honda couldn't meet the demand and Insight was selling like hot cakes.

The demand was not there because it was a 2-seater and not practical for mass market.

Insight was designed for a small market with exotic material that was not mass market ready (cost restriction). The same can be said to Volt too.... aluminum frame was for Insight as the Lithium battery pack for Volt. I can see a lot parallels.

[DeadPhish]

From Popular Mechanics a side view of the new Li-ion pack. You can get a relative feel for the size and shape. It's HUGE.

Chevy Volt Plug-in Car Batteries Ready for 2010 - GM Technical Center - Popular Mechanics