Chevy Volt

[nemelek]

An article from Forbs.com that I read recently. Don't know how much is true but I found it interesting.


Chevy Volt: The Car From Atlas Shrugged Motors
Patrick Michaels, 03.16.11, 6:00 PM ET
The Chevrolet Volt is beginning to look like it was manufactured by Atlas Shrugged Motors, where the government mandates everything politically correct, rewards its cronies and produces junk steel.
This is the car that subsidies built. General Motors lobbied for a $7,500 tax refund for all buyers, under the shaky (if not false) promise that it was producing the first all-electric mass-production vehicle.
At least that's what we were once told. Sitting in a Volt that would not start at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, a GM engineer swore to me that the internal combustion engine in the machine only served as a generator, kicking in when the overnight-charged lithium-ion batteries began to run down. GM has continually revised downward its estimates of how far the machine would go before the gas engine fired, and now says 25 to 50 miles.
It turns out that the premium-fuel fired engine does drive the wheels--when the battery is very low or when the vehicle is at most freeway speeds. So the Volt really isn't a pure electric car after all. I'm sure that the people who designed the car knew how it ran, and so did their managers.
Why then the need to keep this so quiet? It's doubtful that GM would have gotten such a subsidy if it had been revealed that the car would do much of its freeway cruising with a gas engine powering the wheels. While the Volt is more complicated than the Prius, and has a longer battery-only range, a hybrid is a hybrid, and the Prius no longer qualifies for a tax credit.
In other words, GM was desperate for customers for what they perceived would be an unpopular vehicle before one even hit the road. It had hoped to lure more if buyers subtracted the $7,500 from the $41,000 sticker price. Instead, as Consumer Reports found out, the car was very pricey. The version they tested cost $43,700 plus a $5,000 dealer markup ("Don't worry," I can hear the salesperson saying, "you'll get more than that back in your tax credit!"), or a whopping $48,700 minus the credit.
This is one reason that Volt sales are anemic: 326 in December, 321 in January, and 281 in February. GM announced a production run of 100,000 in the first two years. Who is going to buy all these cars?
Another reason they aren't exactly flying off the lots is because, well, they have some problems. In a telling attempt to preserve battery power, the heater is exceedingly weak. Consumer Reports averaged a paltry 25 miles of electric-only running, in part because it was testing in coldConnecticut. (My engineer at the Auto Show said cold weather would have little effect.)
It will be interesting to see what the range is on a hot, traffic-jammed summer day, when the air conditioner will really tax the batteries. When the gas engine came on, Consumer Reports got about 30 miles to the gallon of premium fuel; which, in terms of additional cost of high-test gas, drives the effective mileage closer to 27 mpg. A conventional Honda Accord, which seats 5 (instead of the Volt's 4), gets 34 mpg on the highway, and costs less than half of what CR paid, even with the tax break.

I'll stick with my Yaris.

[Shinare]

If true, that's reVOLTing... (*rimshot*) :)

[Black_griffin6]

Personally, I think the Volt is a bit of a scam. 40 grand for a car that in reality, only has a similar range as our Yaris? I would rather get a top spec Prius for that money, you'd be getting more for your money imho.

[severous01]

if only it were electric only with a real generator ONLY backup. it's a lot easier on an engine to be at max torque and not have to keep going up/down in rpm...it's most efficient at max torque, and you can also build your alternator to turn at one speed for maximum output at that rpm...

[thebarber]

omg 25 miles of electric only? ya, that'd still get me to/from work in the winter...ftw

[STC]

Do you think "Greeners" are being scammed...

My signature says it all...

Cheers!

[severous01]

like the sig...i started reducing my speed and turned off my ac. i dont get over 2500 (or close) rpm and i stay under 60 almost at all times. i got 46mpg last fillup. i got new tires now though and am curious how they will effect my mileage. i only stepped up to a 195 so i doubt much, but everything helps. i always fill up at about the 350 mile mark and got 7.7 gallons. it was an amazing feeling.


i'd like to see an air powered car come to the US. korea has one, it's 15000us and it's powered by air cylinders under the car. i work as a mechanic so shop air is always free for me. that would just be awesome. no heat but plenty of free AC as well...high pressure to low always creates cold.

[carnageehw]

The Chevy Volt was doomed after it unveiled it's "real world" look. The original concept car looked great. Like a smaller Camaro. A lot of people including me loved the look. Then, out came the Prius-knock off "realistic" version and enthusiasm died.

It's been a steady stream of disapointment after disapointment since.

[deathwisher]

Well with Mitsubishi (i-MiEV) and Nissan (Leaf) bringing out their full electric cars this year. Who would even bother looking at GM's V(B)olt.

I've seen a few i-MiEVs being tested in Downtown Vancouver and they are cute little cars. It may still be a while for these to be a popular car to buy due to cost but, it sure is more realistic than Volt.