Volt 2.0: Ruess "It will leap-frog... the competition"

The rumor is that the 200 mile EV will be a Sonic.
GM Will Reportedly Build Chevy Sonic EV With 200 Mile Range - HybridCars.com

 

Hmmmmmm.

When the Volt 2.0 comes out that means that the Volt 1.0 will be even cheaper.......

 

The Volt 2.0 needs to be several orders of magnitude more reliable that 1.0 or it will "leap" in the wrong direction.

Reports of all kinds of chronic problems abound on the Volt site.

 

The upcoming 2016 Volt is expecting to have a 5 seat capacity, longer 100% pure electric range probably over 50 miles per charge, possibly a little fuel efficient 3 cylinder direct fuel injection gasoline engine which should achieve 45 mpg or more when in pure gas engine mode.

Our current 2014 Volt is getting over 40 miles per charge and at least 40 mpg on just the gas engine. Last round trip was 105 miles, 47.8 on electric and the rest on gas. Gas engine mpg was over 47 mpg.

We also have a 2010 Prius which is approaching 120,000 miles its a great car with an overall true mpg average of about 53 mpg. I just don't know why Toyota is not making a real electric plug in Prius comparable even to the current 2014-15 Volt's.

 

The answer seems obvious: a car that can be expected to sell 100 - 200 a week is not profitable for Toyota.

 

"Never play leapfrog with a unicorn"
--John Peers, 1979.

 

why would an ev be considered a volt?

 

GM's long history of quality inexcellence and customer apathy compared to Tesla's approach to customer support and quality focus makes me wonder why the writer thinks "Tesla has awakened the bear". GM? Really? Why did the bear sleep all throughout the Prius years and bankruptcy?

 

Keep in mind people on such sites not having problems don't chime in to say so. The Prius has had various issues, and just going by the posts complaining about them would give the impression that the issues were more common than they actually are.

It's not, it was just revealed along with the new Volt at this closed presentation.

If GM gets a successful 200-mile EV to market, it will be because of Tesla's threat and their misreading of hybrids in the past.

 

thanks. too bad, a leap frog volt would get my attention.

 

The bear was fat, happy, lazy and tired. It likes living in a cave while the real world passes by.
DBCassidyTesla pressure on GM must be heavy to cause the Volt to "leaf- frog" the competition.DBCassidy

 

Poor answer. How does that fit with Toyota selling FCVs?
Luckily immediate profit was not a requirement for Toyota back when they undertook the release of the Prius.

 

Reality is, adding capacity is costly and requires compromise. Volt is struggling for sales, even with the help of a $7,500 tax-credit.

How is that an effective path to achieving profitable high-volume sales?

 

It is identical to the path Toyota took.
They introduced a hybrid car which was not profitable and didn't sell a lot.
They took what they learned from the first gen car, as well as input from drivers to produce an improved 2nd gen version of the Prius.
Sales accelerated, market share increased, profitable levels were reached and further improvements continued to be made.

I don't see why this path to success for Toyota won't work for GM. Why not give them the same chances since Toyota is no longer leading the way for electrification.

 

the same chance to go from gen I to gen II volt, like prius did? or go from volt to ev?

 

Gen 1 to Gen 2.
Regardless of what they say they are doing, we have seen too little to judge their future product.

We have seen the path Toyota laid out and executed so well with the Prius. It took some time to reach profitability, but in the long run, it worked.

 

I have pages upon pages upon pages of blog entries pointing out the differences observed over the years. I suggest you read them.

It's easy to come to a different conclusion without that kind of detail available, especially when looking back long afterward rather than reading about the history as it was unfolding.

 

FCV is a response to CARB. If CARB had been more technology neutral I doubt any car company would pursue hydrogen or fuel cells.

As for profit, Toyota is certainly capable of the decade view. But BEVs are not cleaner than efficient hybrids, they are more expensive to produce, and have more consumer limitations. There is no rational reason to make them other than the fact that a small and loud group of advocates want them (so long as they carry subsidies and perks.) If Toyota stops advancing PHEVs I'll be in your corner, but BEVs tend to be toys for the rich.

Consider the forces that determine what cars a company like Toyota makes:

1. Immediate profit
2. Long-term profit
3. Carbon and tailpipe emissions
4. Oil dependency
5. Consumer preference
6. CARB

HEV covers 1 - 5
FCV covers 4 and 6
BEV covers CARB somewhat, (4), and way less than 1% of (5) with perks and subsidies
PHEV is a work in progress, but to varying degrees covers all the bases.

Now look around you, country-wide. Merkins are tripping over themselves to buy SUV and truck petrol pigs. Until petrol doubles in price, you and I are pissing in the wind. Try not to blame Toyota for taking a reality check.