The Volt: Saw it ~Touched it ~ took pics

[hill]

Originally Posted by priusuk2008

Hill, if ever there was a person who I would put money on to condemn GM at the first opportunity, my first choice would be you out of all the people in this forum. I've seen it many times where you pop up with your 2c worth and vilify GM (don't get me wrong, i whole heartedly agree with you !).

However.... after a few snackies and drink poohs and a touchy feely session with a model Volt you've gone all mellow... was this the fine wine or fine company, or have GM indeed made something rather nice ?

I know, the acid test question ? - Would you buy it if it were real and for sale? That ought to get you back on track.....

... and I presume in answer to Patsparks questions which you avoided twice, that the blonde in the photo is your husband..

I knew this was coming. No, I haven’t gone mushy. Far from it. What really took away some of my aversive feelings for GM were the nice folks of plugin-america at the party. After all, many of them were leaseholders on the EV1’s. I was just a one time rider & on the wait list. If prior EV1 leaseholders can soften towards (tho I’m sure not all have) GM for the criminal/waste they did by crushing electric cars built on the back of taxpayers, then heck, I can at least take a wait & see approach. I’d still be way too leery to take one of the early Volts, with GM’s reliability/quality issues, but I’d do the wait & see. Even so, if my spot (around 1,500) on the Aptera wait list comes up first? Then I’d go the aptera way, even though 4 wheels will get you a $5K tax credit. Fact is I sent out letters to the manufacturers (wishing everyone would) letting them know our family will not buy a new car until it’s got a plug … and not just for the EBH. I encourage others to make the same commitment if they can.

IMO the urgency to get ANYTHING on the road that plugs in is paramount. Sometimes things (like peak oil) get so desperate you realize you may have to sleep with the enemy. And yes, we are each others hot spouse in the pics

[txtabby]

What, no EV-1 at the event??? Oh, that's right, they 'don't exist' anymore...

[DaveinOlyWA]

oic... a car show... i thought you had seen one driving around...well that is what i am waiting for... but a demo is ok... now the real question...

was this the model that passed the wind tunnel test??

[Mormegil]

I also made the Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica. According to the GM rep, that Volt was a drivable show car. He said that is the final chasis / body design, but it didn't have the production battery in it, just a conventional non Li-Ion battery.

Of course he also said when the battery runs out, the ICE kicks in to FULLY CHARGE the battery - which contradicts the news reports that it keeps the battery at 30% charge. I was very specific, and even mentioned the news article, but he insisted this version fully charges the battery.

[hobbit]

Does the hot *brunette* still drive the rav4-EV?
.
_H*

[miscrms]

Originally Posted by hill

I knew this was coming. No, I haven’t gone mushy. Far from it. What really took away some of my aversive feelings for GM were the nice folks of plugin-america at the party. After all, many of them were leaseholders on the EV1’s. I was just a one time rider & on the wait list. If prior EV1 leaseholders can soften towards (tho I’m sure not all have) GM for the criminal/waste they did by crushing electric cars built on the back of taxpayers, then heck, I can at least take a wait & see approach. I’d still be way too leery to take one of the early Volts, with GM’s reliability/quality issues, but I’d do the wait & see. Even so, if my spot (around 1,500) on the Aptera wait list comes up first? Then I’d go the aptera way, even though 4 wheels will get you a $5K tax credit. Fact is I sent out letters to the manufacturers (wishing everyone would) letting them know our family will not buy a new car until it’s got a plug … and not just for the EBH. I encourage others to make the same commitment if they can.

IMO the urgency to get ANYTHING on the road that plugs in is paramount. Sometimes things (like peak oil) get so desperate you realize you may have to sleep with the enemy. And yes, we are each others hot spouse in the pics

Thanks for the perspective. I'm glad to hear the Plugin America folks are behind it. I think the Volt and its business plan have a lot of issues, but I'd still much rather see it made than not. If there are no other options, I would probably have to consider one. I fully expect the Toyota offering to be much more appealing though.

Rob

[zenMachine]

"... Except for its celebrity appeal, the Volt is about as relevant to the survival of GM, much less the world, as Paris Hilton is to the future of Western civilization."

Why the Chevy Volt doesn't matter - Sep. 23, 2008

[daniel]

Originally Posted by zenMachine

"... Except for its celebrity appeal, the Volt is about as relevant to the survival of GM, much less the world, as Paris Hilton is to the future of Western civilization."

Why the Chevy Volt doesn't matter - Sep. 23, 2008

So what you saw at the show was not a Volt, and certainly not a production car. It was a thing with a Volt name plate on it. But of course now a lot of people will believe they've actually built one.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by zenMachine

"... Except for its celebrity appeal, the Volt is about as relevant to the survival of GM, much less the world, as Paris Hilton is to the future of Western civilization."

Why the Chevy Volt doesn't matter - Sep. 23, 2008

Our future is in safe hands then?

[bruceha_2000]

Originally Posted by sdtundra

I remember some pictures of the 2010 Prius' dash posted a while ago, it looks just like the Volt dash, so maybe that was meant to mislead us? It's not the same exact layout, but they sure do look similar...

I sure as heck hope NOT!!!!! Two of the GREAT things about the Prius:
1) NOT having to look THROUGH the steering wheel to see the instruments.
2) NOT having a stupid console mounted 'right down left down' shifter

I'll be VERY mad if Toyota gets rid of the joystick shifter or the 'at the windshield / dash' display in any future Prius. Both are leaps in driving ergonomics.

I saw some pictures of the (released when??) Venza and I was VERY unhappy to see:

1) NOT a hybrid
2) Notched console mounted shifter IN THE WAY of the controls - between the driver and the climate control section of the console