2017 Chevy Bolt at CES 2016

Who? GM or Wired?

 

gm. or maybe musk. i can't remember, maybe someone has better recall.

 

Might have been more Musk than GM.

 

maybe. i just remember the quote. does sound like gm, but maybe more bob klutz.

 

Zythryn, never have I stated or implied I was anti-EV, in fact I actively pursued getting one in 2014. Had the Honda Fit EV been "allowed" in Texas, chances are I would have one (even with the "for lease only" restriction)...and I tried everything to get one here. Still, with eyes wide open, it would not be practical as a do everything primary replacement for any of our vehicles. It would get me to work and back with little buffer for traffic and that's it. I live and work in the DFW area of Texas (not in the sticks) and have seen 3 different EVs on the road here (though seldom) over the years, the Tesla S, Leaf and i-MiEV...and driven/checked out the last 2. While I am more fortunate than most, the Tesla is not practical by any means for the average wage earner, the i-MiEV was a piece of junk and the Leaf still restricts travel. The charging infrastructure here is far from practical, convenient or cheap for everyday use...as in most of America at present.

When the Bolt does hit the market I will check it out, but at proposed $37,000 for the "base model" it had better do more than blow smoke up my rear...especially being a GM...which I would only buy a truck from at present. I support and encourage people to experiment with these vehicles, but they are niche market vehicles for a reason. As for "early adopters", everyone that has an EV is an early adopter by any definition one twists. They are emerging technology/market vehicles.

And for the record, why should I (or anyone else for that matter) have to plan a trip around where one can charge. Right now I just get in the car anytime and take the most direct route...(local and long distance)...and can/have towed with both Prius (Prii ) and the Corolla.

Glade you enjoyed you trip and that's still a nice car.

 

Chevrolet Bolt Chief Engineer Takes Us Inside GM's 200-Mile Electric Car - Video - Inside EVs

 

(this is a basically repost of part of what I posted in another forum)
I only skimmed the article. It really irked some Leaf folks, esp. one guy who'd been driving a mass market EV, his Leaf, for almost 5 years. His complaint (and I agree) was that it hardly mentions the Leaf. Hello? It's the best selling EV in the world (at ~200K units worldwide (Nissan Sells 200,000th Leaf Just Before Its Fifth Anniversary) and US, so far. I'd consider the Leaf to be the first mass market EV and it's been selling since Dec 2010.

At what point will Bolt sales exceed the Leaf, if ever? At what point will Bolt installed base exceed Leaf, if ever?

I did see the Bolt at CES at Chevy's booth. Looks pretty decent to me.

I was annoyed that in the latest TWiT podcast, one of the guests (Serenity Caldwell), said that (for some unknown reason) that it needed 100 more miles of range. Why? Does she drive 300 miles/day, every day?

Later on, she wanted 250+ miles. Uhh..... well, let's see, I've been driving an 84 mile range at 100% charge on the EPA test EV (a 2013 Leaf) for about 2.5 years as my daily driver. My Prius (aka range extender) is almost never driven anymore.

It will be real interesting to see what the real EPA range rating is on this. Even if it's only say 170 miles (just throwing this out there, I have no idea if it'll hit the 200 GM's talking about), at the price they're claiming, starting at $37.5K before tax credit, if it's reasonably reliable, it will be a game changer.

It'll be interesting to see how Tesla Model 3 pans out as well as the next gen Leaf (NOT the 107-mile range '16 Leaf SV and SL).

 

I don't believe I ever said you were "anti-ev".
You just are making broad generalizations about EVs as they relate to you and stating them as affecting all EVs and affecting far more people than yourself.

When you said that you can't drive "anywhere" without an overnight stay. That wasn't accurate and was highly misleading.
More accurately, it sound like you can't drive to one location using your favorite route.

I don't have any doubt that an EV doesn't work for you at this time.
All I ask is that you qualify you statements so as to not mislead others, for whom an EV may work perfectly.

merged.

No, Musk didn't laugh at them.
He did dismiss the importance of the ex Tesla employees Apple had hired.

Remember, Musk's stated goal is to replace ICE vehicles with electric ones.
He has stated, numerous times, that Tesla can't do this by itself.
He has stated that he would be happy to see an EV from Apple.

 

okay, must have been gm then. someone said, it's not as easy to build a car as they think, or something like that.

 

I have no doubt someone said that.
It likely is true as well, just as it was true for Tesla before they built the Model S.

Most likely, the person who said this, thought that because it was more difficult that [company X] thought, they couldn't do it.
This is where the logic of those statements falls apart. While some people might not do something they find out is harder than they thought, some people step up and do it anyways.

If I had to guess, I would guess Lutz, but I don't know.

 

Lutz might have said it in that documentary "Who killed the Electric Car?"

 

I used myself as an example, but market sales volume is what speaks. If as you suggest higher costs/TCO, travel limitations and lack of infrastructure does not exist, then you are wrong. EVs are not ready to replace Hybrid and ICE. We could go point for point on this forever, but suggest we just agree to disagree on this topic...for now. 10 years from now...we shall see.

 

was that after the apple announcement?

 

I'm NOT saying travel limitations don't exist for anyone.
I AM saying any travel I have wanted to do has had no restrictions.

While you are a member of the larger group of buyers, all buyers do not have the same requirements as you.

 

What about restrictions with the ev in cold weather? Must have to keep a close eye on the battery capacity dropping in frigid temps.

DBCassidy

 

...and the proposed Bolt (subject of this thread) will still be an over-priced, restricted use, niche market warm-and-fuzzy toy for the well-to-do.

 

Still confident the TCO would be in the realm of what you are driving now.

 

Yes even better

 

frodoz, please use actual math to show us how the TCO would be a lot higher than your current Prius.

 

Would like to see it also......