Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much?

Fibb222 · 02-08-2009, 01:17 AM

Interesting read:

Climate Progress Blog Archive Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much?

opinions?

**Tideland Prius** · 02-08-2009, 01:44 AM

Interesting... i'm not sure. There are Americans that will travel 40 miles to work on the highway (maybe not in this economy but they usually do).

Also Chrysler is showcasing a similar system in its Town & Country minivan at the auto show. They also call it an EV with Range Extender.

EJFB1029 · 02-08-2009, 01:44 AM

Every new product is over designed, nature of the business. GM needs the Volt, needs it to wow, needs it to show a new direction for GM, so naturally it will be over designed even worse. The price is what is unrealistic, they will get some buyers, but if they can't bring the price down quickly, the Volt won't have a long service run. But it will give GM lots of knowledge and technical expertise on making high mileage hybrids, which hopefully they can use to make low priced hybrids.

PriuStorm · 02-08-2009, 01:54 AM

I think for every person who say's '40 miles is too much', there's ten crying '100 miles isn't enough!' about the Aptera or the Tesla.

patsparks · 02-08-2009, 07:23 AM

GM may learn a lot from the Volt and then they will sell off the technology to an oil company.

blamy · 02-08-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PriuStorm

I think for every person who say's '40 miles is too much', there's ten crying '100 miles isn't enough!' about the Aptera or the Tesla.

I would think that a 300 to 400 mile range would be good and 500 even better. I don't want to go on a trip and have to stop every 40 / 100 miles to recharge! If any oil companies are sitting on battery technology then I think it is time for a CHANGE to quote someone who doesn't really seem to understand the meaning of the word! Allow the technology to be used for the good of the public and the country (not to mention the world) and screw the patents. They should only be good for a short amount of years anyways!

**TonyPSchaefer** · 02-08-2009, 10:08 AM

I have to agree with PriuStorm on this one. And, in my opinion, it's not a fact-based or statistical argument. Those who I have spoken with insist that less than 300 miles of battery time is worthless because it means that they will need to be constantly plugging the stupid thing in. They simply want to be able to drive about a week between charges. It has nothing to do with using the current technology or the fact that 40 miles is more than they daily round-trip commute.

Then they think I'm stupid when I say that I would be thrilled to tears if my Prius had as little as ten miles of EV capacity with regen ability.

mikepaul · 02-08-2009, 10:19 AM

Well, the Volt has that gas in the tank that has to be used before it goes stale, so 40 miles isn't awful. That'd cover my to-and-from on a workday plus some side trips.

Trick is, I really don't want a commuter car and a trip car. If I can get a 500-mile-range vehicle that uses no gasoline that'd be wonderful, but until that glorious day they'd better keep making the Prius...

**TonyPSchaefer** · 02-08-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikepaul

Trick is, I really don't want a commuter car and a trip car. If I can get a 500-mile-range vehicle that uses no gasoline that'd be wonderful, but until that glorious day they'd better keep making the Prius...

Agreed. I did see something on television in which people are trying to implement an idea I should have attempted to patent when I originally thought of it years ago. The batteries are easily accessible and replaceable. You don't buy the batteries but rather you lease them.

Drive into a fueling station and there are attendants who swap out your nearly drained battery for a new one in the time it normally takes to pump 15 gallons of gasoline into a conventional vehicle. They could check the charge level of the replaced battery and credit you the remaining dollar value towards the lease of the new one.

With an infrastructure setup such as this, a person could have their cross-country trip in their electric vehicle. Of course, I'm not so silly as to not recognize that it would require a whole new infrastructure being developed and would be many times more efficient if all manufacturers agreed on a single battery size, shape, type. Good luck with that happening.

hyo silver · 02-08-2009, 12:08 PM

I wouldn't say the EV2 is overdesigned - more like underproduced.

02-08-2009, 01:17 AM	#1
Fibb222 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 1,408 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 97 Thanked 80 Times in 69 Posts Friends: 1	Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? Interesting read: Climate Progress Blog Archive Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? opinions?

02-08-2009, 01:44 AM	#2
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,606 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 227 Thanked 344 Times in 243 Posts Friends: 23	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? Interesting... i'm not sure. There are Americans that will travel 40 miles to work on the highway (maybe not in this economy but they usually do). Also Chrysler is showcasing a similar system in its Town & Country minivan at the auto show. They also call it an EV with Range Extender.

02-08-2009, 01:44 AM	#3
EJFB1029 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Corpus Christi, Republic of Texas Posts: 4,517 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 184 Thanked 165 Times in 118 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? Every new product is over designed, nature of the business. GM needs the Volt, needs it to wow, needs it to show a new direction for GM, so naturally it will be over designed even worse. The price is what is unrealistic, they will get some buyers, but if they can't bring the price down quickly, the Volt won't have a long service run. But it will give GM lots of knowledge and technical expertise on making high mileage hybrids, which hopefully they can use to make low priced hybrids.

02-08-2009, 01:54 AM	#4
PriuStorm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Davis, CA Posts: 1,500 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #4 Thanks: 58 Thanked 33 Times in 23 Posts Friends: 8	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? I think for every person who say's '40 miles is too much', there's ten crying '100 miles isn't enough!' about the Aptera or the Tesla.

02-08-2009, 07:23 AM	#5
patsparks An Aussie perspective Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 9,202 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 122 Thanked 180 Times in 138 Posts Friends: 33	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? GM may learn a lot from the Volt and then they will sell off the technology to an oil company.

02-08-2009, 10:08 AM	#7
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 10,498 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 165 Times in 106 Posts Friends: 23	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? I have to agree with PriuStorm on this one. And, in my opinion, it's not a fact-based or statistical argument. Those who I have spoken with insist that less than 300 miles of battery time is worthless because it means that they will need to be constantly plugging the stupid thing in. They simply want to be able to drive about a week between charges. It has nothing to do with using the current technology or the fact that 40 miles is more than they daily round-trip commute. Then they think I'm stupid when I say that I would be thrilled to tears if my Prius had as little as ten miles of EV capacity with regen ability. __________________ Proud father of Priapus: the '04 Tideland BC9 with an OEM EV button and sense of self-righteousness Current Mileage Chicago Prius Group Website Chicago Hybrid Group on FaceBook Find me on faceBook

02-08-2009, 10:19 AM	#8
mikepaul Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 1,742 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Has GM overdesigned the Volt: Is a 40-mile all electric range too much? Well, the Volt has that gas in the tank that has to be used before it goes stale, so 40 miles isn't awful. That'd cover my to-and-from on a workday plus some side trips. Trick is, I really don't want a commuter car and a trip car. If I can get a 500-mile-range vehicle that uses no gasoline that'd be wonderful, but until that glorious day they'd better keep making the Prius...

02-08-2009, 12:08 PM	#10
hyo silver awaaay Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 10,726 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: Base Thanks: 47 Thanked 152 Times in 107 Posts Friends: 63	I wouldn't say the EV2 is overdesigned - more like underproduced.

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