Chevy Volt Deathwatch - DOE puts funds on hold

[cycledrum]

So, in the late 90's, GM comes out with the EV-1, teases customers with lease units for a few years, pulls them back in, crushes all of them, then they squander the technology and do nothing with it ...

meanwhile, Toyota capitalizes on the battery improvements resulting from the EV-1, produces the Prius which dominates sales of every other HEV.

Last Summer, we get GM bragging, during the Olympics commercials about the Chevy Volt, coming in only 2 years ... yayyyy!

Is GM in business to perform experiments or to 'Move Forward' producing cars?

[PriuStorm]

Originally Posted by cycledrum

Is GM in business...?

Stop your question right there...

It's an ironically sad ending to GM, who would otherwise have dominated the world market had they not made such stupid decisions regarding the EV1.

[Frayadjacent]

Y'all upset about 10 billion? Anyone tell y'all about the few TRILLION we gonna be in debt in a few short years?

[ewhanley]

Originally Posted by Frayadjacent

Y'all upset about 10 billion? Anyone tell y'all about the few TRILLION we gonna be in debt in a few short years?

I am not referring to the political aspects of the money, but rather the inefficient engineering and production required to spend $10B in capital to develop and produce one model of vehicle. Seems like the wheel is being reinvented when a prius with an aftermarket battery kit can essentially provide the same features as the proposed volt. $10B would buy all GM common stock several times over.

[joe1347]

Originally Posted by ewhanley

I am not referring to the political aspects of the money, but rather the inefficient engineering and production required to spend $10B in capital to develop and produce one model of vehicle. Seems like the wheel is being reinvented when a prius with an aftermarket battery kit can essentially provide the same features as the proposed volt. $10B would buy all GM common stock several times over.

And for about half the price. Better yet - replace the aftermarket battery with a 100 pound factory (Toyota) installed 5Kw-hr lithium battery for a 75mpg plug-in using technology available pretty much today.

[DaveinOlyWA]

sorry, but i see no real reason for any company to pick up the technology. its one of several ways to get to where they are going and its pretty obviously not the best way. let it die. they had their chance. there are tens of millions of workers right now making major sacrifices on the job with cuts in pay and benefits. there is no reason whatsoever that gm should continue on as they have

[taggart]

If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas (Don Meredith, I believe).

If GM was serious about the volt, why didn't they just go out and buy a company like Tesla? Seems that would speed things along and put them closer to the front, where they've claimed they wanted to be. Probably too late now, but I can't imagine the price being anywhere near $10 billion.

[Shawn Clark]

Originally Posted by Frayadjacent

Y'all upset about 10 billion? Anyone tell y'all about the few TRILLION we gonna be in debt in a few short years?

Yep, Dubya and the GOP already added 4 trillion over the past 8 years (reversing the debt reduction that preceded him). And they left us a legacy of trillions more in debt to reverse their foul ups.

Folks like me predicted this back in 2000. I had hoped I might be wrong.

[rfruth]

GM Ditches Volt for Geo Metro Hybrid? [video] : Gas 2.0

[Frayadjacent]

Adding a $10k Hymotion battery unit leaves the Prius (base $22k) at half the price of a Volt?

.5 x $40,000 = $20,000

$22,000 (base Prius) + $10,000 (Hymotion battery) = $32,000

$32,000 =/= .5($40,000)


Even with the Hymotion battery, you can't do freeway speeds without the engine being used (at least most/some of the time).

The Volt's method of operation is superior, IMHO. The cost is the primary factor that will differentiate it. Cost of operation is also a factor. Right now, my cost of operation would be very close to what I spend on gas with the Prius. If/when gas prices go higher and my utility rates stay the same, the comparison will shift.

Originally Posted by Shawn Clark

Yep, Dubya and the GOP already added 4 trillion over the past 8 years (reversing the debt reduction that preceded him). And they left us a legacy of trillions more in debt to reverse their foul ups.

Folks like me predicted this back in 2000. I had hoped I might be wrong.

With the current administration racking up $10-12 trillion in it's first four months and gambling on a better economy to foot the bill... I shudder to think about what 8 years would be like.

I also have plenty of evidence of warning about the clusterf*** of the housing bubble bursting well before Bush took office, and even during his administration that was shouted down by the likes of Barney Frank (there is no pwobwem!). There's plenty of blame to spread around, but that's a different discussion.

I will, however, continually posit that trying to spend our way out of our problems is like Churchill said - standing in a bucket and trying to lift ourselves up by the handle.