so i looked at the first picks in this thread and it looks like the volt we actually got fucked a camaro and the image on pg.1 is what their love child was.

6/3/2011 3:52:12 PM

good article praising the volt

I still think the price is too damn high. I can buy a lot of gas for the 30k between the price of a decent used Honda and one of these.

6/29/2011 11:31:46 PM

http://wraltechwire.com/business/tech_wire/news/blogpost/9884623/

Quote :

"I still think the price is too damn high. I can buy a lot of gas for the 30k between the price of a decent used Honda and one of these."

comparing a used car to a new car is pretty pointless

instead, compare the $32.5k (after tax credit) volt to the comparably equipped(minus the electric engine) new civic. it's still pretty lopsided, but at least it's a fair fight

http://www.befrugal.com/tools/electric-car-calculator/

7/20/2011 12:53:40 PM

^interesting link. I compared the Volt to a Jetta TDI and with my driving habits (17,000 miles a year) it would take 14 1/2 years to break even.

Great idea!

[Edited on July 20, 2011 at 1:57 PM. Reason : f]

7/20/2011 1:56:56 PM

Quote :

"I compared the Volt to a Jetta TDI and with my driving habits (17,000 miles a year) it would take 14 1/2 years to break even."

did you update the fuel prices though? when i did it for my driving (with updates prices) i got more like 8-9 years.

while it doesn't seem like a great idea to you, it must be obvious to you that some people make car buying decisions for reasons other than saving money or reaching break even points.

it'll be interesting to see how fast these break even drop over the next 4-5 years.

7/20/2011 2:06:55 PM

Ah good point. Additionally I had adjusted the gasoline price, not the diesel price

Figuring $5.00/gal for diesel it would take 5 years to break even.

7/20/2011 2:26:29 PM

where are you at that diesel costs $5 per gallon? or are you figured that everything will be headed up in the coming years?

7/20/2011 2:38:30 PM

Just figuring worst case scenario. In the long run I think fuel prices will stabilize a bit and fluctuate close to historical values (adjusted for inflation).

7/20/2011 2:52:02 PM

saw one today in the lowes parking lot

hideous

7/20/2011 5:17:56 PM

Somehow i missed this, but it appears that GM approved voltec-based Caddilac Converj plug-in for production. THis thing is promises to be what Volt should have been all along, sexy, upscale coupe. So now GM can sell volt to govermnent and hippies and the rest of people can actaully feel like they got their money's worth

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/08/cadillac-elr-confirmed/#more-38152





http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/cadillac-converj-hits-production-as-elr-escapes-concept-purgato/

[Edited on September 9, 2011 at 3:13 PM. Reason : [old]]

9/9/2011 3:10:45 PM

With other proper electric cars such as BMW i8 now confirmed to be slated for production, is this going to be the second hot-rod era, with enthusiasts modding electric cars to make them faster than gas-powered cars? In that case I wonder what will the aftermarket scene looks like.. after some initial softare hacks to take off any limiters, there's not much one can do other than swap out the entire motor, i would imagine. Or are we going to see "Edelbrock High-Performance Motor Winding" and "Energizer hi-capacitance ultracapacitor boosters"?

9/9/2011 3:22:47 PM

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/rimac-an-e-v-dark-horse-heads-to-frankfurt/

Quote :

" A 23-year-old entrepreneur and automotive designer from Croatia named Mate Rimac will reveal an electric supercar at Frankfurt to rival the 1,000-horsepower Bugatti Veyron, which is the most powerful combustion-engined car on the road Read more: Rimac Concept One: Croatia Quietly Builds a 1,000-Horsepower Electric Supercar | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World "

That would be a pretty bold claim for any automaker or custom shop, let alone a 23-year old founder of a brand new company from a country with no automotive industry.




[Edited on September 12, 2011 at 9:21 AM. Reason : We will find out more tomorrow]

9/12/2011 9:07:15 AM

^^maybe for stop light racing? Seems like most of the EVs coming out have only one forward gear which will only get you so far.

9/12/2011 10:58:32 AM

With almost contant torque throughout the rpm range and being able to revolve at much higher RPMs than a gasoline engine, I can see them going pretty far without a gearbox.
6sp gearbox with a clutch is available on at least one electric motorcycle so far, where it is more essential

9/12/2011 11:18:49 AM

Quote :

"When you need four digits and a coma to specify the amount of horsepower your car puts down, you know you're talking about something very, very special indeed. Such is the case for the Concept One, the first car from virtual unknown manufacturer Rimac Automobili. The firm (which is Croatian, not Italian, by the way) has created this machine and given it four electric motors. They combine for an astounding 1,088 horsepower but, perhaps even more importantly, enable torque vectoring across all four wheels -- varying the power at each corner to pull the car around turns"

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/13/rimac-automobili-unveils-1-088-horsepower-concept-one-electric-s/

Concept One unveiled at Frankfurt! Testament to the power of start-up mindset combined with rapid prototyping technology available these days.


Fisker also showed a five foor hatch following the sedan (although i still like the sedan better, hatch has a viper-esque clown shoeflavor to it)





[Edited on September 13, 2011 at 12:24 PM. Reason : .]

9/13/2011 12:14:27 PM

^I don't understand the recent fascination with shooting brakes. Nobody seems to like them except designers.

Quote :

"With almost contant torque throughout the rpm range and being able to revolve at much higher RPMs than a gasoline engine, I can see them going pretty far without a gearbox."

The Tesla Roadster's acceleration above 90 tapers off quite a bit and doesn't even belong in any conversation comparing it to other sports cars comparable in price. I mention the Tesla b/c it's the only well known and mildly successful EV sports car. It was also originally supposed to have a transmission with 2 forward gears but they could never get it to work.

9/13/2011 12:55:33 PM

talk about off topic

9/13/2011 2:51:37 PM

I saw my first Volt-in-the-wild today, was gonna post a pic in the Exotic thread but then i saw another one 10 mins later.. so it will have to go here instead

9/26/2011 1:21:37 PM

Ive seen two in about a month span.

I think they are hideous.

9/26/2011 2:34:41 PM

I dont think they are hideous, but they sure do not look their worth. They will make fine fleet vehicles. Gonna have to wait for the cadillac version for something i'd be spending $Texas on (if one of the other manufacturers don't beat them to the lot)

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 4:30 PM. Reason : .]

9/26/2011 4:29:59 PM

Yeah, they scream designed-by-committee fleet vehicle to me. Shame, too. A little more radical bodywork and they could have had a real winner. I'll bet they sell more Azteks than this thing.

9/26/2011 4:39:39 PM

lol, not a damn thing "exotic" about the Volt. A little rare at first, sure. BTW I've seen 3 so far around Raleigh and saw one on a dealer lot in Charlotte this past weekend.

9/27/2011 12:18:29 AM

I saw one in garner.

9/27/2011 1:49:03 AM

^^it has an unconventional powertrain, it is currently available in limited numbers, and it is selling for double the price of other vehicles of comparable performance. sounds like an exotic to me but i guess same can be said about luxury golf carts

9/27/2011 8:18:23 AM

Prius plug-in hybrid has been revealed by Toyota.

I bet it will outsell the Volt 10:1.

9/27/2011 8:20:43 AM

I bet it will look just as boring and have a useless EV-only range.

9/27/2011 8:31:42 AM

^^^ [no]

^[yes]

[Edited on September 27, 2011 at 8:36 AM. Reason : Prius is already ugly as sin. At least the Volt looks better]

9/27/2011 8:36:05 AM

electric-only range is 14.3 miles. and yes, still ugly.

and yes, it will still sell.

9/27/2011 8:48:49 AM

9/27/2011 8:57:40 AM

The concept of the volt is awesome. The gas engine isn't a part of the drive train. i love it.

10/4/2011 9:55:11 AM

Oh hi! Welcome to page 9 of this thread

10/4/2011 10:24:27 AM

Passed one today that had some vinyl graphics on the side that said "Plug In Electric Vehicle" and had a cartoon picture of a plug. Do they come form the factory like that for the showroom or did someone actually pay a vinyl shop to make that sticker for them? It smugly screamed "LOOK AT ME" IMO.

[Edited on October 4, 2011 at 10:40 AM. Reason : l]

10/4/2011 10:30:25 AM

I think huge vinyl stickers are premissible on the first batch of these things. It lets people outside the technology and car circle to take notice that such vehicles are becoming available. Otherwise people will just take them for a regular hybrid. Yes, there is a potential for smugness if the driver is an asshole, but otherwise i dont see anything wrong with it. People may see one in parking lot and ask the owner how is it working out for them, and the owner can act as an advocate for the technology.

[Edited on October 4, 2011 at 10:59 AM. Reason : tags]

10/4/2011 10:59:16 AM

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2012_toyota_prius_plug-in_hybrid-first_drive_review

Quote :

"The new batteries can be fully charged in three hours from a simple household 110-volt outlet or an hour and a half from a 220-volt plug."

Quote :

" Assuming costs go down, Toyota says lithium-ion batteries could be considered in the future for the many other hybrids found throughout the Toyota and Lexus lineups. Still, we consider this just another rest stop on the way to bigger and better technologies."

10/4/2011 11:37:21 AM

Quote :

"I think they are hideous."

indeed, as is the prius, but clearly for those engaging in conspicuous conservation, that's a selling point (IOW, why the prius has outsold the civic hybrid and it's not even close).

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/04/21/conspicuous-conservation-and-the-prius-effect/

10/4/2011 11:42:37 AM

Somehow that did not help Honda Insight

10/4/2011 2:36:14 PM

^I think it's less than stellar gas mileage and low quality interior hurt it's sales. Oh look, another flop from Honda. Who have thunk it?

Quote :

"Is the Chevy Volt a sales flop? General Motors has repeatedly claimed a sales target for 2011 of 10,000 units for the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt sedan. But, nine months into the year, they've only shipped 3,895 off the lot. In fact, in September sales numbers, released an hour ago, GM sold only 723 Volts. Will GM fail to meet its own sales predictions? ... To give you an idea of how few vehicles that is, here are just a few of the GM vehicles that sold better than the Chevy Volt this month: Cadillac Escalade - 1,527 Chevrolet Colorado Pickup - 2,171 Chevrolet Avalanche - 1,861 Chevrolet Suburban - 5,246 Buick Lucerne - 1,068"

Ouch. Also, the comments are freaking hilarious:

Quote :

""Not exactly" a shock. I bet they weren't amped when they saw the numbers. What do you expect in the current market? There is too much resistance to spending right now. They're going to have to lower the impedence to buying one of these if they want to increase the sales frequency. It's one of those things that make you go "ohm". Somehow, I think this is why Volts aren't exactly buzzing off the showroom floor. Is this story a shameless plug? Watt is their problem? Hey! HEY! who ruined my electrifying commentary?! Conversation just arcing all over the place, The surge in sales of other vehicles have led me to believe there's a battery of problems here. They were using 'resistance' as an electrical term. A play on 'volt'. Nonetheless, I'm sure it still hertz. "

full article here: http://jalopnik.com/5846097/is-the-chevy-volt-a-sales-flop

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 10:54 AM. Reason : lol]

10/5/2011 10:54:03 AM

Inductive charging may one day power/recharge cars as they drive down the highway, allowing EVs be equipped with smaller battery packs.
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/wireless-chargers-could-turn-ev-racers-into-life-size-slot-cars

10/6/2011 1:27:28 PM

^^ i know you'd take great pleasure in dancing on the grave of any electric/hybrid car that you deem economically unviable, but don't get ahead of yourself here

Quote :

"Up to now, the Volt has been available for sale in only seven test markets including New York, California and GM's home state of Michigan. Even so, Volts have found homes in all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii, said Peterson. Some people can't wait for them to be available in their own states. They want the cars so badly they're buying them and shipping them across oceans and continents. Now, GM is getting ready to sell the Volt at 2,600 Chevrolet dealers across all 50 states and getting geared up for that has meant drawing Volt sales down to a trickle, he said. First, GM closed the Detroit factory where the Volt is built for four weeks to upgrade it so it can turn out Volts faster. That extra production capacity was needed because, in addition to selling across the U.S., the Volt will also go on sale in Europe and Asia. In all, GM expects to sell 16,000 Volts by the end of this year, a figure that includes a Europe-only version called the Opel Ampera."

Quote :

"Phil Gott, an industry analyst with IHS Global Insight, agrees with Peterson that the Volt's current lagging sales status is no indication that demand for the car is flagging."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/chi-chevy-volt-sales-dont-have-expected-spark-20110929,0,2327696.story

10/6/2011 3:03:16 PM

Quote :

"but clearly for those engaging in conspicuous conservation, that's a selling point (IOW, why the prius has outsold the civic hybrid and it's not even close). "

That's definitely part of it--the distinctive look makes it a moderately-priced status symbol of sorts. Toyota has confirmed with their own research that the "Prius-look" helps it sell.

...but part of it is that it is hands-down the yardstick in terms of fuel efficiency (aside from the 1st-gen Honda Insight, which is only 2-seats and kinda dated and old, and not nearly as nice of a car). Specifically with regard to the Civic hybrid, I think the Prius also has significantly more interior room. Not too many people give a shit that the Civic drives better--even I wouldn't care in this market...not if the Civic was less efficient and less practical, anyway. That's not what those cars are about.

10/7/2011 12:33:28 AM

Tesla Model S test drive.. not the best video review but it shows the car in action

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/06/tesla-model-s-test-ride-and-factory-tour-video/

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 12:05 PM. Reason : could not embed properly]

10/7/2011 12:04:25 PM

what's the deal with that phony wood trim though? his cas is supposed to stand for technological advance and the best they could come up with on the dash trim is some fake-ass wood colored plastic? And people are calling Volt interior cheaply done? at least that one had semi-futuristic looking materials in it /rant

10/7/2011 12:41:32 PM

my uncle is the service manager at black chevrolet in greensboro and had one of these the other night. it is a cool little car and actually has some power.

10/8/2011 9:39:10 PM

^? It's slow and weighs over 3500 lbs. How's that small?

synapse, I'm merely observing Though I think it's saying something when plenty of dealerships have them in stock. Kinda negates the excuse of any production snags.

10/9/2011 11:56:06 PM

i saw the hybrid car episode of south park and it reminded me of this thread.

10/10/2011 5:22:23 AM

I test drove a Volt and a Cruze back-to-back.

I liked the Cruze better.

10/10/2011 9:52:02 PM

I ate an apple and a cheeseburger back to back. I liked the burger better.

10/11/2011 2:57:22 PM

^ when they get nearly the same mpg and are similar in size..

not really apples to cheeseburgers... more like apples to pears.

10/11/2011 3:06:43 PM

Depends on what your goal is. Chicken salad vs chicken nuggets is the best food analogy I can think of.

10/11/2011 3:16:29 PM

that's a good one... especially if you include the fact that with the mayo in chicken salad they're equally bad for you and both somewhat bland overall.

10/11/2011 3:24:50 PM