Chevy Volt Dissed - Compared to 56k Modem

In fact, other controls in the Volt are designed so poorly they’d get a Microsoft engineer fired.

That's my favourite comment

 

I personally liked this part:

"The vehicle’s silent running in parking lots can sneak up on pedestrians, and blowing the horn would likely scare them to death, so Chevy has included the ability to make the horn quack like the AFLAC duck to warn of the Volt’s approach. It’s a neat idea, but having the horn control on the headlight dimmer means regularly quacking the horn accidentally when switch from high to low beams. "

I can see a "white trash repair" where someone rigs an animated duck to the front of the car that moves whenever hitting the "aflac" control. And if it were me, I'd probably drive around constantly doing it while LMAO in the drivers seat because I would find it very comical.

 

120 volts at 15 amps = 1800 watts
1800 watts * 10 hours = 18 kWh
18 kWh / 33.4 kWh per gallon of gas = 0.53 Gallons of gas

All this before it gets into the Volt. In other words, GM has zero control over it.

26 miles on 0.53 gallons = 49 MPG. Not too bad in my opinion.

Don't blame your computer for being slow when you hook it up to a 56k modem.

 

My computer also has an included 10/100 ethernet port. If the Volt had level II and III charging included as well, comparisons to 56k would be moot.

You can get a level II charger for $700

 

Halogen headlight is so wrong on a $41k car.

 

The official EPA label said that Volt need 12.9 kWh to charge and travel 35 miles. 12.9kWh of electricity can power a fridge for two weeks. Volt will not qualify for the Energy Star sticker for sure -- if EPA considers the Volt an appliance.

33.4 kWh per gallon of gas assumes 100% efficiency converting gasoline into electricity. In reality, it is not equivalent.

 

At least you could cruze for hours with a 56k modem ..... cruzing for hours with the Volt, not so much!

 

"33.4 kWh per gallon of gas assumes 100% efficiency converting gasoline into electricity. In reality, it is not equivalent."

Sorry if I was unclear. 33.4 kWh per gallon of gas is a unit conversion, NOT an energy conversion. The Volt is not actually turning electricity into gasoline.

My point is that if you fill up your gas tank and it takes 10 hours for the pump to give you 1/2 gallon, you aren't going to drive very far. Blaming the car rather than the pump seems unfair.

 

ev's are in their infancy. you have to start somewhere. until gm backs out of the market, i applaud their efforts. and thast's the only thing about gm i applaud.

 

"If the car is only designed to run on one type of fuel and it takes 10 hours to load the equivalent of 1/2 gallon, then it is a design issue. "

Well, I would consider it a concept issue, but I take your point. Good thing the Volt takes two other types of fuel then isn't it.

[If you only have a phone line, 56k is FAST. I remember 300 baud modems!]

 

Yes, it should be LED. Weight and power savings.

 

How ironic, if GM hadn't lobbied so hard for the EVSE bullshit back in the 90's you would be able to just plug it right into your 220V socket. never mind, the rest of the world is unaffected

 

So many people forget these simple things. It takes a lot more electricity and CO2 and water to make gasoline ;-) They are starting to make it from electricity and natural gas in GTL refineries but this is less efficient then just burning it in a combined cycle plant and powering a BEV or PHEV.

Excellent concept for phev. Remember the volt can be charged faster, but its still not that fast. Even a leaf at 30 minutes fast charge is slow. You could only let it charge on 220 or higher voltage but that would be a concept problem. A PHEV can quickly fill up with gas instead. I doubt we will ever get a charging infrastructure up for all the drivers ;-)

Then maybe the prius should be too, at least as an option without having to pay for a radio upgrade that can't properly navigate my ipod and leather.

 

Like the $350 LED brake lights

... thanks but no thanks.

 

I still think The Volt is getting some unfair criticism. Now I admit a built in prejudice. I want to see alternative vehicles be as succesful as possible. Even grounded and realistic criticism automatically parlays into the general publics psyche. They read the Volt isn't ready? Then they believe ALL alternative automobiles aren't ready. I think it hurts development and advancement.

My fear all along was that Chevy wasn't learning from the succes of Prius. Toyota built an alternative vehicle. But an "affordable and useable" alternative vehicle.

So the Volt to many isn't too affordable, and we are discovering drawbacks to the reality of it's useage. Okay...but I'd still rather focus on what's right about it. This comment from the article makes little sense to me.

"And the complication is that because it takes so long to achieve your 26 miles of range on the charger, it can be tough to keep the car at or near a full charge."

That whole statement makes no sense to me. The Volt is not a HSD like full Hybrid. The idea with The Volt was never to create a vehicle that maintains it's full charge. The concept has always been an "electric" vehicle inwhich for most short, day to day tasks could be used as an electric...and charged of course when NOT being used.

Further criticism about the charge time on a 120 outlet? I think that was never presented either as the most efficient way to charge The Volt. I would think most owners would want the 220 outlet...which will recharge The Volt in the usual timeframe of a night when you are asleep.

I'm not saying The Volt doesn't have issues, I'm just concerned at a developing "Burn The Witch!" attitude that seems to be attaching itself in some cases unfairly.

Casual comparisons of The Volt and aspects of Volt useage to electronically ancient but familiar outdated forms of technology, that has nothing to do with vehicles or electric cars, seems clever...but also misleading.

10 years from now, The Volt might just be an asterisked footnote in GM and automotive history. But I'd hope not. And it doesn't help if there is a self destructive agenda being forwarded.

 

Ouch. At the 41 cents per kWh I pay PG&E here in california, that's $7.38 to charge a volt with enough juice to drive 26 miles. I get just about double that in my prius on one gallon of gas which would cost me well over $14 per gallon equivalent in electricity that I'd pay for gas which is currently $3.71 / gallon where I live in California.

 

Per Chevrolet Volt Standard Equipment

2011 Chevrolet Volt: Halogen vs LED/HID Headlights
"Our 2011 Chevrolet Volt has LED daytime running lights."

LED Headlights (posted by a gm-volt.com moderator)

From 2011 Chevy Volt Photos | Chevrolet, click on 1st picture of 2nd row: "Volt comes with standard Daytime Running Lamps that feature LED illumination."

 

PG&E is giving you a hint to decrease your energy use to get out of the expensive tiers. Conserve, install solar heating, be happy.