Volt Question

Volt maintains a minimum, keeping the charge-level at about 30%.

Goes to show you though how poorly of a job GM has done to educate consumers about how their design works. 3 years later, even the basics are still far from well known.
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I love it! Great ad idea!

Of course it couldn't. But that's all it's worth. Thus my conclusion that GM wants it to fail.

Not yet. But a lot of otherwise intelligent people believe there will be.

 

I wonder if a person going into witness protection, could buy a Volt before entering witness protection, then enter the program (new name, move to new area, etc) and hide their Volt successfully when GM wants to come crush it?

 

I'm having a hard time believe what I'm seeing in this thread.

First of all, GM is going to build this car. Sure there are people who say otherwise, just like there are people who say that there is no such thing as climate change or that the Holocaust never happened or that the moon landings were faked. Well who are you going to believe?

Yes, GM made some huge mistakes regarding their EV-1 program years back. We all know it, GM knows it. They've admitted as much. They know they are late in the game and have to catch up. GM is still not doing too well financially, although things are looking up for them. Still, they wouldn't be spending all of this money on the Volt if they weren't planning a future with it.

For whoever said the Volt platform would never be able to be used in other types of cars, I guess they haven't seen the announcement of a Volt minivan.

As far as as pricing, they've already come out and said it would be in the $40,000 ballpark. So we have a good idea what it will cost. That will make it $32,500 after tax incentives. There are a lot of people who pay that much for a loaded Prius. So don't tell me there is no market for the vehicle at that price.

The biggest problem will be availability. They are only making 10,000 this year and maybe 60,000 the next year. But compare that to the number of EV-1's they made over the entire production of the vehicle. I think there were only like 1,200 EV-1's ever produced. I imagine it will be very difficult to get your hands on one at any price for a while.

Personally, I pre-ordered a Nissan Leaf already. But, I would not rule out the volt as a possible purchase in a few years when my wife is ready for a new car. By that time, it will probably be easier to get one.

As for the range. I realize that pretty much any electric vehicle made to date has exaggerated their claims of range. Whether it be an electric bicycle, scooter, or an actual car. But, I think GM and Nissan are really trying for realistic numbers here because they know as soon as the public gets their hands on these vehicles, with all the news coverage, people are going to try it out. And if people start coming back saying "I can only get 20 miles out of my car." then that is going to look really bad. Besides, we know the specifications of the battery (16 Kwh) and by everything we know, 40 miles sounds very realistic from that type of battery and what we know of the car. In fact, I'd bet 16 kwh could actually take you a lot further than 40 miles if you were travelling on flat roads at 30 mph.

So anyway, to summarize my thoughts:

1. GM WILL build the car
2. People will line up to buy the car
3. The range will definitely hit 40 miles
4. The price will be competitive with other high-end hybrids such as the Prius and Fusion.

 

john1701a - you are so right about GM's poor effort to inform.

As I read these post, my mind keeps reverting to how the Prius lost efficiency in cold weather. In many areas of the US ... that is 6 months out of 12!! I am very suspicious that the Volt will experience the same characteristic, thus reducing the the 40 mile range. Then the ICE starts ... but it must warm up to heat the catalitic converter to achieve low emissions ... just as the Prius does. I think GM's PR department has named the ICE a "range extender" when in reality it will be a range reducer.

With no suitable documentation to draw a conclusion ... at this point, I feel the Leaf is a much better EV solution than the Volt .... but for many drivers, neither is going to deliver the versitility, peace of mind, and practicality as the Prius. Only the Leaf uses no gasoline (and that seems to be ALL important with so many responders to PC) whereas the Volt cannot make that claim ... and I predict in cold weather the ICE will be running much more than GM is likely to admit.

 

if you get into a volt, you will be guaranteed to disappear within a few years.

 

bad analogy. we're not questioning things that have happened, we're questioning something that has not happened.

 

You and i usually never agree on anything regarding the volt, but I 100% agree with the education thing. I think it stems from GM not allowing the engineer (team) to speak to the public. Toyota allows the Prius team to post and clarify tech issues. When it comes to the Volt, it's always a PR person speaking (unless it's at one of the test drive events then an engineer is on hand).

If you watch the test drive events, you will understand how the volt works alot better than if you read the press releases.

 

The leaf is a real EV, which is both good and bad, depending on your needs.. The Volt is a PHEV despite any shenanigans with what GM calls it. I'm not saying that the Volt is a bad idea or a poor car, but despite all of the double talking it is really a plug-in hybrid.

Tom

 

I agree on the wording, but I think GM is trying to distance itself from the word hybrid because most consumers have been beat over the head the last 10 years about the fact that you DON'T have to plug in your hybrid. So, I can understand that.

As I said before, I have already pre-ordered a Leaf. But I think there is definitely a place in the market for the Volt. 40 miles range is fine with me. Heck, I'd be okay owning a pure-EV with a range of only 40 miles. But when you look at all of these web-forums out there with people who are far less technical that the people on this group, you'll find most people really do have range issues with 100 miles. They want that comfort that they can take the car on a long trip, even if that is something they never actually do. So the Volt will be good for those people. Then once they drive it for a few years and realize that they rarely go 40 miles, maybe the next car they buy will be a real EV.

 

That would be Alan Taub, VP of GM's R&D.

Either someone is lying (which doesn't say much for GM), or the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing in the same department (which doesn't say much for GM).

 

I anticipate it will be interesting to read comments from buyers of the Volt. I suspect there will be those that feel it does not live up to that which was advertised.

Another thought: Anyone researching a Volt purchase, will be well advised to test drive the vehicle at least 40 miles to evaluate the transition to the ICE. I can imagine a new owner that test drove a quiet, smooth, EV and never experienced the ICE phase. It could be the basis for complaints when they realize the realities of (what I suspect will prove to be) a flawed engineering solution.

 

Well, first you'd have to witness a crime. It would have to be a serious enough crime that the feds were interested. The perpetrator would have to be somebody so dangerous that the feds think you need protection. And the case would have to be a high enough priority that they felt it worth protecting you in return for your testimony, which would cost them a lot of money. In the mean time, while you were trying to get in touch with the feds and get into protection, the criminal might pop you on general principles. Or the feds might screw it up (would you trust them not to?) and the criminal could find you and pop you in spite of being in protection.

And all just so that GM would not crush a car that you'd paid $25,000 more than it's worth for?

Take my advice, buy a Leaf instead. Or stick with your Prius. It's safer than witnessing a crime committed by the kind of people the feds would give you protection to testify against.