Comments on: Chevy Volt Close-up: it’s Electric http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Thu, 24 May 2012 22:53:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Leon http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16828 Leon Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:30:26 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16828 I'm a conservative, generally against the global-warming crowd (a topic for another discussion), but I am totally for the Volt. I feel we need to get off oil for political and economic reasons (have you seen the Island that the UEA is building, from scratch, on oil money -- sick). Anyway, I think this will go down like this: Both the supply and demand for oil is very inelastic (except supply can be elastic in the down direction, as oil wells can be shut off if not profitable) meaning that a small change in either supply or demand will have a big impact on price. That said, if the Volt (and its ilk) is successful (by success I mean replacing 1-2% of passenger vehicles) the price of oil will drop dramatically. But with the specs I’ve seen, the Volt can still be competitive even when compared to cheap gas. But it’s going to be a balancing act, when oil prices spike, Electrics will be more favorable and will help drive the price of oil back down. Has anyone checked out the MDI compressed air powered car? Very interesting. Someone (or a couple people) earlier compared ICE vehicles to horse and buggy, predicting that once electrics take hold the ICE vehicles will die out quickly. I don't think it'll be that fast, as electrics are not anywhere near able to pull loads (think horse trailers, utility vehicles, 18-wheelers, trains, airplanes, etc). So ICE will be around for a long time I predict. But what the Volt will give me is a choice. And us (anti-global warming hysteria) conservatives LOVE choice. If something bad happens and gas is not available (this happened in a few places after Katrina) the country would literally come to a stop. If I have the ability to switch to all electric (my commute is just about 40 miles) then I can get to my job. Plus, with the extended range I can make the longer trips. Absolutely the holy grail! So, I (conservative) want the oil producing countries to pound sand, the greens want to halt global warming; and the Volt is the answer to both. I'm all for it, strange bedfellows and all. Someone I know used to say "buy American", thinking he was a patriot. I told him I was going to buy the best car for the best price -- made him blow his top. Then I asked, isn't it possible that both philosophies can result in buying the same car (i.e. American)? His approach assumes from the start that American cars are not the best. I say that given fair competition, America can produce the best. Anyway, about a year ago I switched from a 97 Pontiac Bonneville to an 03 Nissan Sentra. The Bonneville made it to 160k, and an old Nissan I had years ago (a 1981 Datsun 210) made it to 360k, and was still running (I only got rid of it because I could finally afford something nicer). The sentra will easily last until 2011, and I would love to go back to an American car (they are more comfortable and stylish). I’m a conservative, generally against the global-warming crowd (a topic for another discussion), but I am totally for the Volt. I feel we need to get off oil for political and economic reasons (have you seen the Island that the UEA is building, from scratch, on oil money — sick).

Anyway, I think this will go down like this: Both the supply and demand for oil is very inelastic (except supply can be elastic in the down direction, as oil wells can be shut off if not profitable) meaning that a small change in either supply or demand will have a big impact on price.

That said, if the Volt (and its ilk) is successful (by success I mean replacing 1-2% of passenger vehicles) the price of oil will drop dramatically. But with the specs I’ve seen, the Volt can still be competitive even when compared to cheap gas. But it’s going to be a balancing act, when oil prices spike, Electrics will be more favorable and will help drive the price of oil back down.

Has anyone checked out the MDI compressed air powered car? Very interesting.

Someone (or a couple people) earlier compared ICE vehicles to horse and buggy, predicting that once electrics take hold the ICE vehicles will die out quickly. I don’t think it’ll be that fast, as electrics are not anywhere near able to pull loads (think horse trailers, utility vehicles, 18-wheelers, trains, airplanes, etc). So ICE will be around for a long time I predict.

But what the Volt will give me is a choice. And us (anti-global warming hysteria) conservatives LOVE choice. If something bad happens and gas is not available (this happened in a few places after Katrina) the country would literally come to a stop. If I have the ability to switch to all electric (my commute is just about 40 miles) then I can get to my job. Plus, with the extended range I can make the longer trips. Absolutely the holy grail!

So, I (conservative) want the oil producing countries to pound sand, the greens want to halt global warming; and the Volt is the answer to both. I’m all for it, strange bedfellows and all.

Someone I know used to say “buy American”, thinking he was a patriot. I told him I was going to buy the best car for the best price — made him blow his top. Then I asked, isn’t it possible that both philosophies can result in buying the same car (i.e. American)? His approach assumes from the start that American cars are not the best. I say that given fair competition, America can produce the best.

Anyway, about a year ago I switched from a 97 Pontiac Bonneville to an 03 Nissan Sentra. The Bonneville made it to 160k, and an old Nissan I had years ago (a 1981 Datsun 210) made it to 360k, and was still running (I only got rid of it because I could finally afford something nicer). The sentra will easily last until 2011, and I would love to go back to an American car (they are more comfortable and stylish).

]]> By: james http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16704 james Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:04:12 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16704 that should have read because the price of smokes is high, due to taxes. that should have read because the price of smokes is high, due to taxes.

]]> By: james http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16703 james Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:03:14 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16703 actually, i known of a lot of people who smoke one pack a day instead of two or three because the price is high. i know one guy who was going to buy duty free smokes, and then decided against it, because, since they would be so cheap he would smoke more. a gas tax wouldn't be a sin tax, that's just silly, but a minimum gas price by tax or whatever, would stimulate more green tech. the price of the car is only one aspect. aniti -oil, while i agree that a "gas" tax may work, i am doubtful as to whether the feds would actually divert the funds to the places they are needed. but, still think the plan may be valid to help bring green tech to the front. they do curtail use of water when there are shortages. and you get fined if you use more than you are supposed to. actually, i known of a lot of people who smoke one pack a day instead of two or three because the price is high.
i know one guy who was going to buy duty free smokes, and then decided against it, because, since they would be so cheap he would smoke more.
a gas tax wouldn’t be a sin tax, that’s just silly, but a minimum gas price by tax or whatever, would stimulate more green tech. the price of the car is only one aspect.
aniti -oil, while i agree that a “gas” tax may work, i am doubtful as to whether the feds would actually divert the funds to the places they are needed. but, still think the plan may be valid to help bring green tech to the front.
they do curtail use of water when there are shortages. and you get fined if you use more than you are supposed to.

]]> By: Anti-Oil Jihadi http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16674 Anti-Oil Jihadi Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:16:53 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16674 Scott, if the extra taxes were diverted towards ethanol and nuclear power, not into the governments pockets, would you be for it then? I'm not saying our roads and highways don't need improvement, they do. However, increasing taxes (if the price drops to a certain level) is only part of the issue. How that money is spent is the other part. death to oil Scott, if the extra taxes were diverted towards ethanol and nuclear power, not into the governments pockets, would you be for it then? I’m not saying our roads and highways don’t need improvement, they do. However, increasing taxes (if the price drops to a certain level) is only part of the issue.

How that money is spent is the other part.

death to oil

]]> By: OptimisticMF http://gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16655 OptimisticMF Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:12:57 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/24/chevy-volt-close-up-its-electric/#comment-16655 Whatever dude. Whatever dude.

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