The Volt is a Joke

[S.C. Joe]

Recall the high mileage firgures GM used to brag about the Volt car was going to get? This is in English so you need to convert in to metric but there are many small cars running on pure gasoline that are getting better MPG in cold weather. Oh Thanksgiving in the USA was end of Nov but it still wasn't as cold as it is now outside. This was said today at the Detroit Auto Show.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/st...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-01-11-15-05-49

Lutz also said electric vehicles may not get the stated range on fully electric power because of weather, atmospheric conditions, terrain and driving habits. He said he had a Volt during the Thanksgiving weekend and got only 28 miles on full-electric power because of the cold weather.

"It varies a lot more than the range variation with a gasoline-powered car depending on your driving style," Lutz said.

 

[dondada]

all electric...28 mile is 45km...that won't cut it here...as well as florida if this weather keeps up...i think the 100km range is suitable for most drivers...burbs to city would cut it close though...hybrid seems like the better bet for this climate...i'd hate to lose power half way to work...great excuse though...

 

[S.C. Joe]

That was running on all electric. It will have a small gasoline motor for a back up. GM did say a 100% electric Volt is possible but of course did not give any date it be on sale. (likely never knowing GM)

There are all gasoline power cars getting better then 28 /45 and might be larger too. All this money GM keeps pissing away, and some blame Unions for GM downfall. Ford is Union too but is now doing much better, they have no electric car coming out either I believe.

 

[S.C. Joe]

.hybrid seems like the better bet for this climate...i'd hate to lose power half way to work...great excuse though...

I agree, Hybrid might well be it.

GM came out with a few Hybirds but not cars but big SUVs! They thought it was smart thinking. No need for Hybird cars, just oversize SUVs

 

[landscaper]

electric cars are nice but they do need to be charged up and what you are effectivly doing is pushing the emmisions back up the chain to teh powerplant

 

[S.C. Joe]

The power plants can be run on water like by Niagara Falls or coal or wind, even solar power.

Cars can not use power like that expect by batteries.

Electric cars might well be the answer once oil supplies start running out. That is 100 years from now, what is the big rush?

 

[S.C. Joe]

The Volt, Lutz said, eliminates "range anxiety" as the car gets close to depleting its batteries.

But there may be a market for pure-electric vehicles for people who travel less, or GM could need it to meet government fuel economy regulations, he said.


Oh so that is it, just to "trick" or get around the government fuel ratings, great.

 

[toughb]

The question I ask myself is where is all this electricity for electric cars going to come from. We often have power shortages in the summer.

My daughters Corolla advertises 52 miles to the gallon but in effect gets about 40. This beats a lot of the Hybrids and at half the purchase price.

...

 

[Tangwhich]

Please do a search for previous threads on this topic.. it's been done several times..

 

[S.C. Joe]

Don't forget these power packs have a life of around 8 years (this is coming from GM so real world might be 5 years, lol)

My 1992 Olds car(brought brand new) is still running fine with 162,000 miles. Nothing has been rebuilt, trans-motor. Just the water and fuel pump has been replaced, along with muffler, brakes, tires, etc.

Has a V6 and isn't quick but still can out gun many cheap 4 cyl new cars today. It gets low 20's MPG.

 

[S.C. Joe]

Please do a search for previous threads on this topic.. it's been done several times..

First I hear the Volt gets only 28 mpg, it was said today at the auto show.

 

[Tangwhich]

First I hear the Volt gets only 28 mpg, it was said today at the auto show.

My response was not so much to you as all the others posting stuff that's either false or not accurate..

Regarding the distances. It was never a secret that the volt (or any future electric car) will have reduced ranges in cold weather. My gas car uses more gas in the winter. It also depends on how people drive it, ie, speeding, fast start from a light, etc.. I agree it's lower than I would have personally hoped for, but this is the first generation of the car of the future (like it or not, electric cars ARE the future, it's unavoidable)..

 

[Tangwhich]

First I hear the Volt gets only 28 mpg, it was said today at the auto show.

Correction. It was 28 miles on a CHARGE, instead of the expected 40. BIG difference!!

 

[alexmst]

As regards the small gasoline engine that could engage if the battery runs down...if one goes months without ever using the gasoline engine, wouldn't there be problems with it when one did want to use it?

 

[realthing69]

As regards the small gasoline engine that could engage if the battery runs down...if one goes months without ever using the gasoline engine, wouldn't there be problems with it when one did want to use it?

I think gasoline goes stale if not used for long periods of time (a couple of months???) and may cause problems to the fuel system???

 

[stang]

The US auto companies, oil companies and US government have all been secretly holding back EV development.

 

[Tangwhich]

I think gasoline goes stale if not used for long periods of time (a couple of months???) and may cause problems to the fuel system???

I remember reading about this in an interview with a volt engineer. I don't recall the exact time frames, but they said it would be fine for many months. I would imagine they would recommend you running the fuel system once in a while.. perhaps the on board computer will tell you? I look forward to seeing that myself..

 

[S.C. Joe]

It might kick on every so often just to help charge the batteries.

My gut feeling is its going to be a flop. GM is only going to sell it in certain states too. With this weather this year if it repeats every year the Volt will soon be thought of that Yugo car. Expect with a higher price tag.

Would not be abit surprise if after a few years people will just stick a larger gasoline motor in it and throw the battery pack away. Aren't they talking over $1,000 to replace the battery pack / for not much more you can get a low mileage used engine and trans from the junk yards.

Now some areas have smog testing that might stop people from doing it. Then it just might be run on the gas motor all the time / so good bye battery pack, hello larger gasoline tank.

 

[Tangwhich]

It might kick on every so often just to help charge the batteries.

My gut feeling is its going to be a flop. GM is only going to sell it in certain states too. With this weather this year if it repeats every year the Volt will soon be thought of that Yugo car. Expect with a higher price tag.

Would not be abit surprise if after a few years people will just stick a larger gasoline motor in it and throw the battery pack away. Aren't they talking over $1,000 to replace the battery pack / for not much more you can get a low mileage used engine and trans from the junk yards.

Now some areas have smog testing that might stop people from doing it. Then it just might be run on the gas motor all the time / so good bye battery pack, hello larger gasoline tank.

The success of the volt won't change the fact that in the future, electric cars will be the norm. That's a certainty. GM are releasing it initially in California, Michigan and DC. It will soon after be available all over the US and in Canada. The latest word from GM is that it's probably going to be a little cheaper than initially expected.

The charging motor comes on when the charge level of the battery hits 30%

 

[t.o.leafs.fan]

This is a step in the right direction. Of course there'll be some issues with one of the first mass produced electric vehicles. To use the computer as an analogy, remember the Vic 20? Yeah it sucked but it was a starting point for things to come. Not many owned one, but as the technology improved more and more people came online. I can't wait for the day that I never have to again be held hostage by the monopoly that is the oil/gas industry. It's still probably a long way off but it's certainly coming.