Featured Dashboard summary March 2017

The gen2 Volt had a similar rollout, and going by posts here, so does the Prius Prime. That is just the nature of the beast when it comes to plug in car availability at this point in time. Going back not too many years, we were lucky to see a model become available outside CARB states, or even California itself.

I can understand the hate on a company, but can't see how a person can't separate that hate out when focused on an individual product. Then again, I admit to being weird.

eAssist has come a long way since BAS. A test sale of about a thousand pick ups with it is going on in California with this model year; the model's figures are up on Fueleconomy.gov. The eAssist option is only $500. Some start/stop systems alone can cost that much from others.

The hybrid battery warranty is an out growth of the federally mandated emission warranty and CARB programs and incentives. BEVs do not have any direct exhaust emissions. So the federal emission warranty does not apply, and I haven't heard of CARB minimum battery warranty requirements.

 

The DC area has some EV friendly lanes especially in VA where traffic is horrid getting into DC. Still after so long for the Bolt to be so limited. Is it hand crafted or something? Those are Porsche roll out numbers but Porsches come with more than 50 options (many hand done) and the options can cost as much as the car when totaled up.

 

In fairness, the rollout list I saw for the gen2 Volt was a photo from a slide presentation to dealers.

The Bolt, Prime, and other plug ins are being made in small numbers. The companies could likely pump out all the cars they will sell for the year in one quarter. If that was done, what would they do next, lay off all the factory workers except for a few to guard the cars sitting in the factory lot? Slower production allows for what is produced to better match actual demand in terms of options, and it also allows more in depth quality control.

 

Yes some few with grandfathered HOV plates in VA for hybrids/plug-ins could purchase Bolt (or any hybrid/plug-in) to use HOV lanes. That incentive for sales is quickly weakening as the HOV lanes are being converted HOT-3 (with no free HOV for hybrids/plug-ins)

 

As someone with a Prius close enough to occasionally drive to D.C., is there anything special needed to use HOT-3?

 

Green cars are out of luck in the new Virginia HOT3 system, currently on I495/I95 and coming to I66 in future years.

$$$ or 3 riders will get you onto HOT-3. You must at least have regular EZPass as EZPass is the only way to pay tolls, and you need a special Virginia EZ Pass with a switch so you can turn off the tolls if you have 3 passengers. We switched over from New Jersey EZ pass (which we had for many years) to the new VA EZ Pass when they added the HOT-3 to the DC Beltway.

In Virginia the HOT lanes are affectionately called the "Lexus" lanes because the tolls are quite high during rush hour (when you need to use it). In our area there is a successful car pooling system called slugging, which they are hoping spreads over to I66 when the HOT lanes go over there .

To the extent the HOV conversion to HOT-3 lanes will not be totally completed until 2020 or so, those hybrid/plug-in owners with grandfathered HOV plates still have some incentive to keep purchasing hybrids or EV's to keep their (dwindling) free HOV incentives. So there are still some limited incremental Hybrid/Plug-in sales in VA for HOV reasons, but presumably minimal as far as Bolt sales impact. However, DC and MD are very favorable for Plug-ins.

 

that may be the most confusing stretch of road from here to florida. and every year, with all the improvements, it's always backed up, early saturday afternoon.

 

I misread & thought HOT-3 included hybrids, not excluded them.

 

No luck there.
Virginia actually invented free HOV for hybrids, and for while was among the leading Prii sales states for this reason. By 2006 started cutting back as people were pissed at so many hybrids in HOV. Still good for a while on I66 though, if you are grandfathered.

Still free HOV for hybrids on some highways like Dulles toll road if you use it. But the biggies (I95 and I66) are in the process of changing over to HOT.

BISCO
It is still a traffic mess on I95 South due to the HOT lanes created new bottlenecks where the HOT lanes end. They are working to extend HOT lanes further South to fix the bottlenecks, which should help in a couple years. On the north end by I495 Tysons, Maryland is the bottleneck as they do not have HOT lanes, and from the days of George Washington, MD has had policy to limit access over the Potomac river (MD owns the Potomac over to the VA shore, much to the chagrin of Geo. Washington and even current day politicians.) Virginia should probably get credit for the HOT lanes trying to solve the problem, but that progress pretty much stops at the shore of the Potomac River. Also on the north end. Perrenial stick in the mud Arlington County did not allow HOT lanes, although the current Gov got that policy changed. So we still have much HOT lanes extension work going on. Bottom line is it was not a totally thought out project, rather by pieces and seeing if the bottlenecks can be fixed later. The purpose is to allow car pools or people willing to pay through the nose a fast track. Tends to be quite a few out-of-staters using the HOT lanes due to the high cost for daily use, but I have not heard any recent stats.

 

I think the only hate for the bolt is hate of BEVs or hate of gm, but there is a lot of that.

There is healthy skepticism from many of us that like plug-ins that the bolt will not sell very well once the model 3 has good availability, but that is more than a year out. For now go bolt!

I would say the bolt is better in just about every way than the ev1, other than in looks. It also cost gm much less to produce than the ev-1, although gm probably is still losing close to $9K/car in this initial roll out according to gm, this compares to a profitable volt at this point in time.

Range 238 bolt epa, versus what around 100 in easier than epa california but probably less for ev-1
Acceleration bolt 6.5 secs to 60, ev-1 9 seconds
seats 4 plus a munchkin in the middle for the bolt, versus seats 2
charging, well there is a much better charging infrastructure, including ccs and universal L2 for bolt, ev-1 just a few in california and you needed one at home.
Safety, probably no comparison crash tests for the bolt are much tougher.

Sure, bad mistake for gm to kill the ev-1 but bolt is better and should be judged on its own. Its problem is gas prices are low, and the future tesla model 3, prius prime, and volt are tough competition.

Lutz is gone, as are wagoner, don't hang that stuff on the bolt, but Marry Barra is nothing compared to Musk in getting people to believe in and love plug-in cars.

 

Finally sat all over in a Bolt and new Volt. Bolt is very well laid out, lots of headroom, front legroom and driver legroom is useful for very tall drivers because the steering wheel telescopes a lot, unlike the Prius. Very impressive and attractive. They had an LT priced over $39k and Premium priced over $43k, so Bolt will be for those looking for an EV.

Volt was very nice in driver's seat. Attractive and sporty looking interior. Back seat room? Ugh. Climbed in and quickly out. Need front seats scooted forward and short sitting height to get by back there.

 

how was the hatch space in the bolt?

 

chickens vs eggs ... best they both come into existence together. but hey - if GM sees wisdom in having their long distence ev's with sorely inadequate nationwide multiple charge station areas ... who am i to think otherwise. at least they finally got a car.
.

 

Answer:
All PriusChat users keeping an eye on the Prime forum.

 

Bolt has a tall hatch space with deep floorboard, plus there's a platform to put up, be even with folded rear seats. It was impressive.

 

wow, i have got to take a look at this car, thanks!

 

Sounds like the Sonic. I've looked at it from the other direction. As there being a level rear floor that was removable, and the under space is completely usable with the spare tire in a space under that one. In other words, the under floor space what can be found around the spare tire.

The HHR went one step further. The removable floor could be mounted half way up the rear seat backs. The under are wastall enough for shopping bags, and little or bulky stuff could go on top. The floor/shelf also had two sides; one flat and the other with two ares indented in with little tie downs.

 

I wonder if Toyota owns one yet ... for reverse engineering purposes. It's a pretty common industry practice for keeping up with the Jones's.

 

likely if toyota wanted to build one, it would be better and cheaper than bolt. but they don't.