AND 
VIDEO: Volt Vehicle Line Executive Frank Weber On Driving the Volt – “It’s Like Flying”
In this inspired video clip, Frank Weber, GM’s Volt vehicle line executive, discusses public acceptance for electric propulsion.
He notes people will see the obvious benefits of petroleum free driving; no emissions, and quietness, but also goes on to extol that electric propulsion “opens a new dimension in driving performance and experience.”
He says electric propulsion gives you torque at zero RPM and sheer propulsion with no noise.
He analogizes driving the Volt to driving a “high-end luxury car with a massive, noise-isolated, combustion engine.”
He also says environmental friendly cars were sacrificial in performance, but that the Volt breaks that paradigm.
The Volt’s torque, he notes, is equal to a 250 hp V6 engine, despite it actually being 150 hp. He says “it is like flying,” and people, he feels, will learn about it and be surprised.
He talks about the current production-intent Volt/Cruze mules driving around, and the eagerness of the GM senior leadership to drive them, and when they do, initial smiles are seen within 30 seconds.
Weber is certain that electrification is the future not just for petroleum independence but for driving performance and advised that GM has positioned the Volt “rather on the sportier side” to make the transition to electric vehicles as easy as possible for people to accept.
[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkTCAED7s5A]
119 Responses to “VIDEO: Volt Vehicle Line Executive Frank Weber On Driving the Volt – “It’s Like Flying””
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I’ll bet it is
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I’m looking forward to when the rest of us can drive one!
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 pm
A small bit of this excitement in Rick Waggoner’s presentation would have gone a long way. You know it’s bad when the engineers are delivering a lot more excitement than the CEO.
In any event, he has me jazzed. Can’t wait to get mine!
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
The Chevrolet Volt: Greased Lightning 2.0
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Alright, it feels like flying. I can see that.
New poll : which will the average person be able to buy first, a Chevy Volt or a private jet?
NPNS. =D~~~~~——–…………………………
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Like flying? Bring on the electric Cadillac.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Woo hooooo, less gloom and doom. More Volt stuff, that is why we are all here. Thanks Lyle….Ps. the sun WILL come up tomorrow!!!
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Other test drives have mentioned the solid feel and low vibration characteristics of the Volt.
Here is an update on the personal goal of fueling my families Volt for free. We own a condo and have a garage for plugging in. I have installed a new smaller water heater. And have lowered the factory preset temperature. The water is still very hot, just not scalding. I have changed ALL of our in home light bulbs to coil type. We lowered our home electric heating thermostat from 70 to 68 degrees. It’s plenty warm upstairs where we sleep.
By doing these things we save about $20-$25 a month on the electric bill. And we can now add a Volt to the grid without being an additional drain on the system. It’s all good.
A daily 10 second plug-in is much preferred to a 5-8 minute exit for a $10 Chevron top off.
=D~
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I saw a video once of an Ev-1 beating some car off the line (I don’t remember)… Electric motors have full torque at 0rpm, which makes it quite fast over short distances.
EDIT: Here it is. Epic electric win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nENO9aCU8I4
Sorry for bad quality.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Just have one thing to say .
I can Fly I’m a pilot . Got Licence and all .
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
It is posts like this one that make the next twenty three months seem so far away…….
I hope Lyle get to test one soon, so we can all drive a Volt vicariously through his post!!!
It would also be really cool if GM uses Lyle’s list to sell some of the initial Volts.
Go GM. Go GM Volt Team!
NPNS
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I know it just frosts me every time I think about it, it could have been here already (ev1) JGTFVWOTR (i added an F because I’m pissed)
This is all coming, its really exciting, I just wish it was here now
NO PLUG NO SALE, (my house) =D~~~~~~~~~~~(my volt)
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
#8 Dave K. Says: “A daily 10 second plug-in is much preferred to a 5-8 minute exit for a $10 Chevron top off.”
————————————————————————————–
5-8 minutes – I wish I could gas up that fast. First, I generally have to go a little out of the way to get cheap gas, then I usually have to wait in line a little. I probably average 15 minutes.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Joe is this the race?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaL2tYC0Zuw
For grins listen to this PR on the GM Impact the precursor to the Volt. Very similar talking points.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_A98NOWmUw
Here’s the EV1 chirping it’s tires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGhLhvW9b14
It was a great car that is no more, may it rest in pieces.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Wagoner, as others have stated, should ‘fly’ one of these to Washington for his next meeting. The Volt seats four, so maybe he can convince the Chrysler and Ford execs to take shotgun.
It is nice to hear other benefits of the Volt being touted. The reduction in moving parts and systems (transmission), lower maintenance and repair costs, could be a logical next step.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
hi Dave G #13,
“A 15 second plug-in is much preferred to a 15 minute exit for a $15 Chevron top off.”
Anyone have a towel to wipe the gasoline off my hands?
=D~
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:46 pm
The waiting list here is my only sign up toward a Volt. Has anyone else gone to a local dealer to sign up in advance for their car?
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:10 am
hi jbfalaska #17,
“… gone to a local dealer to sign up …”
____________________________________
This is a good question. I saw one post that mentioned he had something worked with a dealer. My thoughts are that the first 10,000 Volt will be going to celebs, heads of state, and international concerns.
The priority is in areas of higher fuel prices.
The big cities of America and Canada will get plenty of Volt deliveries in time. My realistic goal is 2012. That’s about 40,000 more miles on the current ride.
=D~15/15/15
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:11 am
They should have sent Weber (accent and all) to Washington while Wagoner stayed home and looked at the books.
Not that I’m for the bailout, I’m just sayin’….he would have went over better.
Hell, Krusty the clown would have went over better.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:12 am
GM definately needs to hit on these points when it makes its case to congress. In my opinion, the Volt is the only reason GM should be saved. It will be good for the entire country when these cars are mass produced both enviromental and economically.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:17 am
hi carcus 319,
“Krusty the clown would have went over better.”
______________________________
Is that Krusty the Cream Doughnut clown?
I’m off to work, see you tomorrow.
=D~15/15/15
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Frank Weber did a great job on that video. Of course he didn’t give us all that spit and polish that those slick CEOs give us but isn’t that the charm? Keep up the great work Frank!
All that effort will be worth it. That goes for each and every person that is putting their heart into this project. It is brave to put 100 percent into something that just might reject you. Hats off to you guys and gals.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:39 am
again sorry, Question :
Whatz differnce between Cruze and Volt (at platform level ) ?
Correct me if i am wrong ( looks there is less info about cruze out ).
As i understood, Both work on same platform where one has battery and charging where other dont have. So the same driving exp: should be with cruze also.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:48 am
““the Volt opens a new dimension in driving performance and experience.”
To all the doubting Thomas’ this is why the Volt will sell well because people will actually enjoy the driving experience.
If car buyers are only interested in price, they can buy an ill fitting and underpowered Prius to commute each day to work. But for a few more bucks they can get the smooth ride of a Volt. Its my guess the Volt will drive like no other car in history and at 3500 lbs it won’t feel like a tin can on wheels.
Its always been my observation that most people are willing to pay a few more dollars each month for quality cars that have automatic transmission, power brakes, power steering etc.
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Frank Weber mentions the electric motor equaling 250 hp for a 3500lb Volt and gives it lots of jump.
A Dodge Dakota V8, 4.7 L engine is rated at 250 hp and has great acceleration at 4500 lb.
So a 3500 lb car would have even more.
Once we test drive one of these, we’ll never look back.
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:18 am
And yet it has a 0-60 of 9 seconds. Not quite the 250HP V6 equivalent he claims.
I am looking forward to driving an electic car to see how this instant torque actually feels.
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:18 am
I have a V6 2 door (fairly small) Audi convertible that does 0-60 in 8.6 seconds with a top speed of 110 or something (I’ve never gone above 90). Basically the Volt will have the same power as my car. My car is even a 4 seater like the Volt. The Volt is almost exactly the same specs I’m running now but with electricity.
Point is. GM is not trying to go for the fastest 0-60 time in the world like the Tesla Roadster tries to do, or give it an SUV’s seating capacity, or flashiness of a convertible, they just want a general vehicle for a mainstream demographic base. I think this is smart. I’m pumped.
I bet a lot of people will have to get used to the dead stop acceleration. Right now with a gas engine, you can creep forward an inch or two, but with this, pushing the gas pedal at all will probably move you a foot or two easy.
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:04 am
From the article: “…the current production-intent Volt/Cruze mules driving around, and the eagerness of the GM senior leadership to drive them, and when they do, initial smiles are seen within 30 seconds.”
————————————————————————————–
This could be a big deal. Right now there isn’t much consumer attraction to any particular type of vehicle. The lure of big SUVs is gone, but nothing has come along to replace it. There is no type of car that most people just feel like they just have to own. If E-REV cars become desirable for their driving experience, that could fill this void nicely, and move the Volt from niche to mainstream fast. Let’s hope…
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:23 am
GM needs to go chapter 11 than receive bailout money.
Once GM sheds excessive Union cost, excessive dealerships, golden parachutes and exec pay they could start making a profit from selling their regular cars until their second generation Volt actually start to bring in money to the company. Once that happens than one at a time all the other vehicles could than be converted over to electric one by one.
If/when GM puts out their second generation Volt that will be the car I buy. First gen cars will have “bugs”
Even first gen Prius had problems.
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:52 am
The Volt Team might need to re-think the seatcovers.
We’re gonna need DAM (Drool Absorbent Material).
GO VOLT GO !
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November 24th, 2008 at 8:07 am
#26 GXT says
“And yet it has a 0-60 of 9 seconds. Not quite the 250HP V6 equivalent he claims.”
========================================
Mr Weber is talking about the feel of the Volt as it starts up from 0 rpm. He said is is quiet yet very strong, the equivalent of a 250HP V6 in a luxury car, or even better. It is the characteristic of an electric drive, he said.
Mr Weber is not talking about a comparison to a 0-60 time in an ICE car. He is saying that an electric car is different, from a standing start, and that people like it. You are discussing cats as if they were dogs. The bark is not as loud, but acceleration off the line is much faster (and the claws are a lot sharper).
It is a great video that reminds us all of why we were interested in this car in the first place.
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November 24th, 2008 at 8:09 am
So, It’s like flying: (choose one)
(1) in a giant corporate jet while begging to taxpayer money
(2) in your own personal Cessna
(3) in a hot air balloon
(4) in a hang-glider
(5) in a (golden) parachute
(6) while on a hallucinogen
(7) while in great pain taking your last breath
(8) into the light…
(i’m betting on #8)
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November 24th, 2008 at 8:15 am
0 to 60 in 9 seconds….
And this guy is talking torque…
He is as delusional as GM management.
Lets hope there is a sport mode to cut that time to 6 seconds.
9 is a life time…and at $40K….well …disappointing.
The EV-1 did 0 to 50 in 6.3 and in the 8 second range to 60.
Sheeesh….
The parallel hybrid variant featured a de-stroked 1.3 L turbocharged DTI diesel engine (Isuzu Circle L), delivering 75 hp, installed in the trunk along with an additional 6.5 hp DC motor/generator; the two motors drove the rear wheels through an electronically controlled transaxle. When combined with the AC induction motor which powered the front wheels, all three power units delivered a total output of 219 hp, accelerating the car to 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 7 seconds. A single tank of diesel fuel could keep the car running for 550 miles with a fuel economy of 80 mpg.
Progress????
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November 24th, 2008 at 8:20 am
joe Says:@9
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I saw a video once of an Ev-1 beating some car off the line (I don’t remember)… Electric motors have full torque at 0rpm, which makes it quite fast over short distances.
EDIT: Here it is. Epic electric win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nENO9aCU8I4
Sorry for bad quality.
***********************************************************************************
Lyle please note:
Evidently we have two people registered with the name Joe. One is “Joe” with a capitol letter and the other is “joe” w/o a capitol letter.
Lyle, could we have that changed????
Thanks, Joe
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November 24th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I’d be willing to bet with GM employees working round the clock they could cobble together a Volt prototype (body and all) to drive to Capital Hill with their new plan. Why not show Congress what American know-how can accomplish? Nothing says “we’ve got a plan” than to show up in an all-electric vehicle.
On another note, talking comparing ANYTHING to flying is just a horrible PR move in light of jetgate.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:05 am
0-60 in 9 seconds. Volt will indeed be so slow that you will be the last one to the gas station!
Come on guys! GM is inventing a whole new platform here. Volt is just the first vehicle they will introduce using this platform. One day (if GM survives) they will have trucks, vans, sports cars, luxury cars and on and on.
Don’t get hung up on this one car’s speed characteristics and assume this technology is not for you or that this project is a failure. Give them time to get it all started here.
Remember your first cell phone or computer?
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:07 am
“like flying?” In one of those corporate jets I suppose.
If a Volt mule tried to go over the grape-vine, would it be able to maintain the posted speed limit speed? We know it can move out from the toll booth, low speed torque being better than an ICE, but what about the grape-vine?
Why have no independent folks been allowed to drive the mules?
I am available and you could send your corporate jet to pick me up.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Well it is getting a little deep at GM. Give us the steak not the sizzle.
Take Care
Arch
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:14 am
#33 vincent says
0 to 60 in 9 seconds….
And this guy is talking torque…
He is as delusional as GM management.
Lets hope there is a sport mode to cut that time to 6 seconds.
===========================================
Please give the citation for 0-60 in 9 seconds.
Second, please keep in mind that 0-60 (in whatever time) is a reference number from a test track, where most of us never go. Real people rarely accelerate 0-60 outside of occasional freeway on-ramps. On the other hand, what real people do frequently is accelerate from 0-30, and they do that often. If one wants to compare responses seen by actual drivers in daily driving, you have to compare 0-30 times. Here the Volt will be superior.
Another mistake that one makes when one uses old methods of comparison is this one: you ignore the profound change in perception that occurs when the car accelerates quietly. Mr Weber talks about it, so please listen. To move away from the stoplight quickly may be an exciting experience if it involves a lot of noise, but to do so quietly is a much more powerful experience if as when it can be done quietly. With quiet, it is like Star Trek.
Try it and you’ll like it.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am
#15 D Lo
Seeing Wagoner pull up in a Volt would be awesome, and would probably help them get their bailout too. Plus, it’d garner tons of positive publicity after all the negative publicity around the private jets. They should seriously do this.
In reality, there’s no way they’ll drive 1000 miles in a Volt. For one, his time is too valuable. For two, they probably wouldn’t trust it yet. Realistically, he’ll be chauffeured in a gas hogging limo, and then he’ll switch to driving a volt for the last 20 miles.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Re #15 D Lo #40 Cautious Fan says
“Realistically, he’ll be chauffeured in a gas hogging limo, and then he’ll switch to driving a volt for the last 20 miles.”
==============================
Yes, quite right that the last segment will be short. Even if it is only the last 10 miles, it still will be dramatic and exciting and will pull a lot of favorable news coverage.
(I remember the Governor of NC, who almost crashed his demo car, and hope Wagoner remembers how to drive.)
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:26 am
To save GM, they need to drive all of the Volt test vehicles down to DC (no corporate jet this time). They need to get Congress out in the mules and driving all electric. They need to show them just how far they’ve come and give them reason to work on getting loans and restructuring packages together. This should be a part of their long term viability plan.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, a video is worth 1000 pictures, but a test drive may be worth Billions of dollars of loans.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
#42 Gsned57 said
A picture is worth a 1000 words, a video is worth 1000 pictures, but a test drive may be worth Billions of dollars of loans.
===========================================
Yes, and if not now, when?
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:30 am
#38 Arch remembers the saying “sell the sizzle not the steak”
We’d sure all like some steak too, but what has to happen is selling, and GM really does need the sizzle, at this particular moment.
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Read the last paragraph.
http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=941&pageid=21&pagename=Energy
Take Care
Arch
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:34 am
#37 Van says, regarding test driving the Volt
I am available and you could send your corporate jet to pick me up.”
===============================
Van, after they get you, could you ask them about a 2nd stop?
If you will call ahead, I can be at the airport.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Regarding any comments on the Volt’s 0-60:
…and there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. The root of the problem. Americans are so consumed by the ubiquitous 0-60 acceleration time that the urban purpose of this vehicle has been eclipsed. First of all, in a city who needs to accelerate to 60 in 4-5 seconds to realistically get anywhere? Minivans do that same 0-60. Hell, Priuses do about that and I don’t see people turning away from them. If 0-60 is so detrimental in the Volt, then buy a Camaro. It wasn’t made for that. This car is truly not going to be all things to all people. It wasn’t made to go fast as a bat out of hell, because if it did and AER suffered, then everyone would gripe that it didn’t get 40 miles per charge. So the 0-60 is 9 seconds…so freakin’ what? If you want an E-Flex sports car, let GM get all the bugs out of the Volt and then tell them you want one. If the Volt is a ssuccessful as we are hoping it to be then that will be the 1st chapter in a new, long book. But please don’t get hung up on 0-60 times. If it’ll do what they said it would, that’s all that matters.
And I know some smart-@$$ will say “but what if I need to pass a truck on the interstate?” If a Chrysler Town and Country can do it, then a Volt will. Geez. Whiney crybabies…
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:22 am
What would be really great is for GM to allow a major car magazine editor to drive one of the Cruze mules with Volt intent components. We could then get a real feel for the car and its technology. I am sure GM is doing a good job, but a real world look at the car and the technology from a outside vehicle expert would be an interesting read.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Yeah, I think taking a volt mule to DC is a good idea. Get some congress members on a test drive.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Having driven an EV (Ford Ranger EV), I understand what he is talking about. It’s a whole different experience, and is very difficult to compare to an ICE powered car. It’s the experience that got me hooked on EVs, from a performance perspective, with the environmental advantages adding to the passion later on.
As far as the acceleration goes, simply equating torque to 0-60 doesn’t work. Tractors have tons of torque, but aren’t that fast. Niether are big rigs. There is a lot more involved in what makes a vehicle accelerate quickly. Gearing, weight, efficiency, strain on the battery pack, rpm range, etc… The battery pack in the Volt is fundamentally different from the EV1, which affects possible acceleration, so that’s not a valid comparison either. Some cars that don’t have lots of low-rpm torque accelerate very quickly as well. Where the electric motor shines most is with passing power. Any rpm, any speed, the torque and acceleration is there.
What the electric motor offers is that shove in the small of your back when driving a big lazy V8. It’s that feeling that, no matter how fast you are going, when you put your foot down you accelerate. The acceleration is constant, no matter your speed or rpm. It just doesn’t really ever drop off, it just pulls and pulls. All that with the smoothness and lack of noise… intoxicating. Kinda like the love child between a V8 and a rotary, but different.
For all the doubters… there is just no way to explain in words, and no comparison that does any justice. You just have to drive one.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:36 am
#17 jbfalaska said “The waiting list here is my only sign up toward a Volt. Has anyone else gone to a local dealer to sign up in advance for their car?”
===================================
A NC dealer (Chris Leith Chevy of Raleigh NC) has been putting together a list and soliciting names for it. On what basis I have no idea. They have a web site you can google.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Now folks know why the EV1 had a waiting list a lot longer than GM would admit (after they even admitted it, they denied it for a long time).
Or a Rav4-EV, or a S-10EV, or …..
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Where did Weber make this talk?
Is there any way we can see the whole talk, not just this segment?
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:43 am
I liked everything except when he justified the Chevy badge at the end, saying this was meant to show broad customer appeal. Now, I think we all know that 35 to 40 thousands dollars for a family sedan is going to limit your customer base.
I bought a Chevy Avalanche new in 2004 and thought I was going to die, spending over 30 grand. I couldn’t believe I just spent that much on a truck (needed to pull an 8000 pound camper), so how will people rationalize spending 35 to 40K on a 4 person sedan?
Don’t get me wrong, I plan on buying one!!! Have to sell the truck and camper first, but hey!
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I did see some video on Ford’s Fusion hybrid car. They are saying they are going to beat the Camry hybrid by about 5 mpg. That will put the Fusion around 38 mpg. GM needs to get on the same type of hybrid program for the Cruze, Malibu and Impala. Buy, rent or lease the technology from Ford, if that is what it takes. Trade Volt technology for Ford’s hybrid technology. All three of them need to get working on all fronts to increase efficiency and improve quality to get back into the favor of buyers.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:45 am
#48 N. Riley says
What would be really great is for GM to allow a major car magazine editor to drive one of the Cruze mules with Volt intent components. We could then get a real feel for the car and its technology
============================================
Or if they felt they couldn’t do that, they could ask Lyle to drive one and give his comments.
It would be a friendly review, but it would have independence also.
(Lyle has demonstrated both sides.)
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:45 am
isnt a Toyota Prius 0-60 over 10 seconds?
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:48 am
#54 jabroni says
“I liked everything except when he justified the Chevy badge at the end, saying this was meant to show broad customer appeal. Now, I think we all know that 35 to 40 thousands dollars for a family sedan is going to limit your customer base.”
=========================================
Still, they have sold a lot of trucks and SUVs at $35K or more at Chevy dealers, and we don’t yet know the real asking price, after rebate.
Let us not be too quick to judge as so much is yet unknown.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:52 am
#57 kdawg asks “isnt a Toyota Prius 0-60 over 10 seconds?”
==============================
TheAutoChannel.com review says the Prius is 11.7 seconds.
People may accept slow if they have to, but if they have a choice?
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I don’t understand why people get so bent out of shape about 0-60 times, it’s a very poor indicator of real world performance. 30-50 times are much more relevant, and vehicles with good 0-60 times aren’t always the same cars with good 30-50 times.
I find that my car (VW Golf, 0-60 in about 10 sec., nothing great but not entirely slow either) is perfectly fine because it has better than average mid-range acceleration. That’s one of the reasons why I like european cars, in comparison to asian, because they typically have broader torque curves. This means more usable power, especially on the highway. I don’t typically feel the need to shift out of 5th to pass on the highway, whereas in most asian cars I’ve driven of similar size and power I would have to downshift because the torque and horsepower peaks are higher in the rpm band. I can also sit in a higher gear around town without the need to downshift. Even though my 0-60 isn’t as good, my rolling ‘point and shoot’ acceleration is much better.
What this means for EVs is that, since they have exceptionally broad torque ‘curves’ (really more of a plateau), they will feel more powerful in everyday driving than the 0-60 time would suggest, and in fact will have more usable power where you need it 99% of the time.
We drive cars, not numbers. Numbers don’t capture the whole picture.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Yes – if Wagonner is chaufeured by Lutz in a Volt to DC on Dec 2 (1 week to get one set up) – that would be the most f%&$ beautiful thing to see. At least from Ronald Reagan (20 miles?).
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:03 am
The price for the first Volt will be high but that is the price for being the first in your neighborhood to own a Volt. Mr Waggoner please take a Volt to Congress. You have no choice but to save GM for that is the only way to get us off of oil. Thankyou Mr Weber for a great description. I can hardly wait for my Volt.
Take Care,
TED
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:17 am
As long as there are enough people willing to buy a Volt at the price GM sets, such that the first year or two of production is sold out, then the actual price GM sets is largely irrelevant.
This is because the first couple years of production will get the ball rolling so that increasing volumes of EV components can bring the price down for the Volt customers who are more price sensitive. In addition, the success of the Volt will likely spawn more variants of the EREV platform, some of which will be lower in cost, and also increase EV component volume. The depreciating nature of vehicles also ensures that pre-loved Volts will be on the market eventually at substantial savings.
At this point, it looks like there are more than enough people who are willing to shell out the 40g to sustain a couple years worth of production, opening the door to economies of scale for the rest. We will all get our very own Volt in time, at the price we want to pay, though some sooner than others.
As Einstein so eloquently put it, “Time is the only thing that keeps everything from happening at once.” Sometimes for better, sometimes, like when we are eagerly awaiting something of value, for worse.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:22 am
The Volt is expected to sport 150 hp in 2011, but the Prius is expected to sport 160 hp in 2009. So I expect the Prius will be nearly as quick off the line as the Volt, with zero to 60 times around 9 seconds. Time will tell.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am
#23 Unni – “So the same driving exp: should be with cruze also.”
Just to be a jokester, yes except for handling and acceleration and noise. Handling should be better because the weight of the battery lowers the center of gravity. The ICE on the Cruz won’t be able to deliver the HP of the Volt electric motor. Plus you have the torque at zero rpm and no noise. Consequently it would not be accurate to say the driving experience would be the same, though both might be fine.
kgurnsey & kdawg & RB – “0-60 times on the Prius”
The Prius times are not relevant here — at all. The battery on the Prius is so small that if you accelerate strongly the ICE kicks in immediately. In order to stay in EV mode you need a very light foot, which will increase the times appreciably. Plus once you get over 25 mph or so (can’t remember) the ICE will kick in regardless of the acceleration.
The new Prius is supposedly a bit faster than the current one but: (1) you’re comparing EV acceleration to ICE acceleration; and (2) the characteristics of the acceleration will be completely different.
The big issue with the Volt will be the EV range. You can run through 8kWh very quickly if you’re into dusting other cars at stop lights. GM understand this, and this is why the range extender is so important – it removes this issue.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Monday November 24, 11:11 am ET
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rushing to rescue Citigroup, the government agreed to shoulder hundreds of billions of dollars in possible losses at the stricken bank and to plow a fresh $20 billion into the company.
_____________________________
Huh??? Citygroup stock was at $33 just three weeks ago. All kinds of wheeling and dealing Wall Streeters were making big profits. One CNBC talking head said, “I’m up $3 today and I think it’s going much higher”.
Citygroup has since dropped to $6 a share. So they now need a bail out? WHAT!!!
If I find out who favors this vote, and gives away our tax money, I swear I will vote them out of office.
=D~
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:30 am
#8
Dave K
Get one of these
http://www.freewatt.com/
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Regarding the 0-60 time, I wonder if the switch from green leaf to sport mode effects it and if it does, which mode was the car in when it did 0-60 in 9 seconds.
As for me, I couldn’t care less which mode it was in unless in green mode a scooter could take it from the line.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:31 am
All the talk about 0 – 60 is stupid. The last thing I am concerned about is whether I can beat some idiot off the line at a stop sign or red light. It is stupid for us to spend time worrying about a couple of seconds. What is worth worrying about is getting the Volt produced and in sufficient quantity to make a real difference in the automotive world. We need to get past our hot rod world and stay on target talking about a game changing vehicle like the Volt.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I think that the Chevy brand is appropriate, not because of the price, but because of the image. If it were put out as a Caddy, no matter how cheap the price the image would be one of exclusivity.
Branded as a Chevy, even though the inital prices are likely to be a bit on the high side, it’s still affordable for many normal people. As the prices come down in time the image will still be one of the Volt for the masses, that was always meant for the masses, and not just for the elite.
If the Volt started life as a Caddy, then the eventual Chevy versions would just be cost-engineered cast offs of the the toys the elite get to play with first. By starting life as a Chevy, GM is saying that the intent of the Volt all along is the working person first, mass volume from day one, even though it may take some time to get the price point entirely there. It strikes me as a long term image branding issue, as opposed to a short term price based one.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:36 am
hi Mitch #67,
Thanks for the link.
=D~15X15X15
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Anyway, it has been my experience that the car that is fastest at the stop sign or stop light is the one that accelerates into the intersection just in time to get hit by some driver running the red light that just went red on his lane. It is not always smart to jump out into the intersection to soon. Of course, some of us will never learn. I agree with “RB” that ii is 0 – 30 that we should be concerned with, not 0 – 60.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am
#66 Dave K – “If I find out who favors this vote, and gives away our tax money, I swear I will vote them out of office.”
Take a deep breath. First, the money has already been appropriated, it’s part of TARP. Second, the shareholders are being diluted so they (collectively) have lost their shirts. Third, you can’t fix a completely screwed up financial system, or fight a war for that matter, without having some people unfairly benefiting. This is just a sad fact of life.
My questions are more along the lines of whether Citi needs to get rid of current management (I vote yes) and kill the sports stadium in NY (I vote yes again).
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Wagner would not have to drive from Detroit to Washington, DC. GM could get a team of engineers to drive the car to DC, then Wagner could take over and drive it to the Capitol steps. The engineers could have a pace truck and other vehicles in case there was a problem. They could do this without any pre-notice in case things went wrong. At the same time GM could have another Volt delivered to DC in a covered van ready to be use by Wagner if the one coming by road had problems. It would be easy for GM to do this and it would work out either way. So, come on GM use your heads this time and get some good publicity for a change.
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November 24th, 2008 at 11:51 am
@ N Riley:
While I agree completely that stop light drags (even when you’re just racing yourself) are not smart, in a 10 sec 0-60 compact, I find that I’m leaving most people behind at the soplights with 1/4 to 1/2 throttle and only shifting at about 4k rpm. As such, 0-30 times are also not very relevant. Like I said earlier, it’s the 30-50, or passing times, that are the most relevant and when you actually need much of the power the engine produces.
@ DonC:
I’m not sure what post of mine you were replying to… I don’t think I mentioned the Prius at all, since, as you pointed out, it’s not an EV. I think we are very much in agreement about the lack of comparability between ICE and EV (re: my original post). I also agree that acceleration and range are very much linked, which also affects the kind of acceleration GM decides to give the Volt, which is one of the factors that could be added to the list I wrote about in my original post regarding torque and acceleration.
In engineering, it’s all about compromise.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
#71 Dave K
No problem. I plan on getting one as I need a new furnace, the electrical generation will recharge the Volt at night.
From my research, it is 95% efficient in electrical generation vs the 30% that you get fromthe grid (meaning that fromthe generating station to your home 70% of the electricity is line losses.)..further improving energy independance.
It will cost, but I have a natural gas well on my property that I am NOT selling, and revamping the home to use it.
Essentially I will have free heat and electricity…
BITE ME BIG OIL!
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
#56 RB
I definitely want Lyle to drive one of the Volt mules or a pre-production Volt. It would be great for him and us. But, at the same time, it would be good to get a totally outside opinion from someone who knows cars and how to test drive them. That person could be someone who has tested the Tesla electric car and could give some comparisons against the Volt test drive. Hopefully GM would get some real good publicity out of the test drive. But, there could be a down side if the test drive proved bad. I don’t think it would. GM should be able, at this juncture, to trust their technology to an outside view.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I really found reason of GM down, Its mgmt : They are trained to assess cars, not do management. so mismanagement happens.They should be testers and not mgmt
0- 60/90 in x seconds :- does it matter because only place i accelerate in real life is merge to high way. I don’t race when i am starting from a traffic light. Please understand its not a race car. We need a good car not a race car and these were the principles which put GM in to current TRAP. good commuter car is what we need and if it gives a V6 performance and meets good safely ratings, looks , quality of materials, convenience, style ,economy, comfort and durable , people will put it extra dollars if they are convinced that this is use full for next 25 yrs with less maintenance.
If V6 side is done, let GM do the AWD version now and can push SUVs with EREV :- an environmental friendly EREV HUMMER is not too far !!
Once again : America use gas: Gas price UP.
America in recession : Gas price down
America economy up and back : Gas price UP
All American money to GULF: economy down.
again America in recession
Do we need these cycles again or we need E-REV.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I believe it’s supposed to be “It’s like flying” not “Its’ like flying”.
Cheers
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
i brought up the Prius 0-60, because this is some information the average person seems to know about cars. So say an uninformed person is looking to buy a new effiecient car.. they will ask the dealer questions like whats the MPG, whats the HP, whats the 0-60 time. Its just one of those basic questions wether legit or not. So if the Volt is to compete w/the Prius.. i wanted to see how the #’s compared, basically just as selling points to people who are not engineers or gear-heads.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
76 Mitch Says:
From my research, it is 95% efficient in electrical generation vs the 30% that you get fromthe grid (meaning that fromthe generating station to your home 70% of the electricity is line losses.)..further improving energy independance.
——————-
I thought line losses were only about 5%?
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
#45 Arch
Thanks for the link. That paragraph is troubling, for sure. Hope the story has it wrong.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Lyle, we need a thread about driving the volt down to the Dec 2nd pleading … uhhh proceeding. How F’ing cool would it be to see the big 3 execs drive their EV’s down to DC.
You’re pleading for you life why not do it with style. How much do you want to bet that at least one of the 3 (probably all) will just end up taking the corporate jets again. ridiculous.
Stop in Illinois, stop in ohio, stop in Pennsylvania, stop in Maryland, and get to DC with some excellent press coverage.
There are certainly risks and downsides, but just thinking about it makes me wanna fight and makes me want the American auto industry to fight. It feels so American to me. Maybe it’s just lunch sitting funny but I’ve been thinking about this for the last 4 hours and still seems good
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
#68 old man said:
Regarding the 0-60 time, I wonder if the switch from green leaf to sport mode effects it and if it does, which mode was the car in when it did 0-60 in 9 seconds.
As for me, I couldn’t care less which mode it was in unless in green mode a scooter could take it from the line.
Careful who you disparage there, I am an old geezer too, but I drive
a 2500 watt (about 3 and a half horsepower ) electric scooter. I am
almost always the first vehicle to the other side of the intersection when the light turns green. Yeah, when some guy in a rice rocket sees the word “electric” on the side of my scoot and and feels his third leg too short, he romps it and can beat me. My scooter weighs about 330 lbs. and I weigh 220. So moving 550 lbs with a 3.5 hp electric motor gives enough acceleration for routine traffic. So a 25 hp motor would give decent acceleration for a 3500 lb vehicle. The Volts 150 hp. motor will be downright fun. Of course a lot of that horsepower is geared for a top of speed of 100 mph whereas my top speed is only 40. I can still pop my head back when I max the throttle at speeds less than 34. Above 35 is pure laziness though. In any case, the performance limitations built into the Volt will be about protecting the drive electronics and the battery from overcurrent damage. You can overdrive an electric motor for short times and get scary performance, but your electronics can fry in milliseconds.
If you want an electric hot rod, learn to hack or upgrade the controller in your new Volt and hold on tight. Some good sticky tires will help too. Just don’t expect Rick Waggoner or Bob Lutz to fix it for you under warranty.
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November 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
#82 Kdawg
I would assume thermal efficiencies are ignored in the 95% figure, and factored in in the 30% figure.
From Wikipedia…..The worlds most efficient coal plant has a thermal efficiency of 46%…typical automobile engines are closer to 25%.
This is part of the reason why buying electricity from a large provider is cheaper than running your own generator, and why the ICE should not recharge the battery. It’s more efficient to get the juice from a giant coal plant, even factoring in line losses.
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
#84
Think I will get a sign for the back window I DO NOT RACE SCOOTERS
Glad to see another geezer that wants our world off oil
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
#77 N. Riley on outside reviewers
=============================
Good comments. I agree.
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
#75 kgurnsey
Sorry, my bad. I confused your post with another one. But yes, we agree that comparing the Prius and the Volt would be apples to oranges. , Having experienced your Ford Ranger EV you can attest to this first hand.
#85 Cautious Fan – “It’s more efficient to get the juice from a giant coal plant, even factoring in line losses.”
Good point. The line losses are really very small. I can’t remember what the actual number is but the line losses are something like 2%, which is very small indeed.
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
#82 Kdawg,
#85 Cautious fan
The free watt I linked to in #67, is a one of a kind micro CHP (combined heat and power) The Honda (I know ironic isn’t it) generator is a high efficiency unit, that runs on natural gas… and the waste heat is distributed to the home, so even the thermal waste is collected.
Transmission line losses are huge, even counting the thermal efficiency at 50% we are still losing 50%.
The Freewatt is more efficient at generation, and the heating plants themselves are 95% AFUE as well.
I am also going to install photo cells on the roof with a battery storage system for summer recharge as well.
Go to the site and look around..it is really a cool idea that as soon as I saw it thought..goes hand in hand with the Volt
Check it out at http://www.freewatt.com
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November 24th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
If GM survives to produce the Volt, consumers may have to take a back seat to fleet purchases from Utility companies. Utilities are talking about putting in big orders for electric cars.
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
It is also known as the EV Grin.
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Obama has signaled he supports a bailout for Detroit. From the AP:
At a news conference, Obama was critical of the Big Three automakers, saying he was surprised they did not have a better-thought-out plan for their future before asking Congress to approve $25 billion in emergency loans.
He said once he sees a plan, he expects “we’re going to be able to shape a rescue.”
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Has anyone encountered a Chevy dealer that’s excited about the Volt? The biggest one in my county won’t even respond to my inquiries about when they might start a Volt waiting list.
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
@ Mitch:
While it is true that, using conventional thermal generation, only about 30% of the energy in the fuel gets to the end user. Where you are incorrect is that only 3-5% is lost in transmission. The majority (65%ish) is lost in the conversion of fuel to electricity. There are large scale cogen plants as well, which are essentially the same thing as what you are talking about, that achieve roughly the same levels of efficiency (minus the 3-5% line losses). Cogen is not a new technology by any means.
The problem is not the transmission, it’s the initial source of the electricity. Cogen is still a non-renewable fuel based power source, albeit a more efficient one. If your grid used mostly wind, solar, and low impact hydro to generate electricity, you’d be better off pulling from the grid to power your home and charge your EV, from a renewability and climate change mitigation perspective. That, and geothermal is a much better way to produce heating and cooling, as it is also efficient, renewable, and non CO2 emitting.
Cogen is a big step forward in efficiency, but the long term solution is to get rid of cumbustion altogether, which is why I would not be investing in a cogen unit for my home.
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I’ve never considered acceleration when buying a car.
Only reliability and mpg.
Now instead of mpg it needs to be electric.
I could use a new vehicle.
How much longer do I have to wait?
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November 24th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
@ Rob:
Most dealers I know don’t get excited about what’s coming in a couple of years, they get excited about what they can sell off the lot.
Car enthousiasts may get excited about what is coming in the future, but dealerships aren’t car enthousiasts. They are a business, and one based on sales. Sales isn’t about being an enthousiast either, it’s just about convincing people, mostly non-enthousiasts, to buy stuff. In sales, it’s not about the product, though rudimentary product knowledge is important, it’s mostly about the people. You need to know how to interact with people successfully more than you need to be enthousiastic about the product. In car sales, everybody’s paycheck depends on selling what’s out on the lot right now.
Even the best dealership I know, staffed with several car nuts, sells off the lot first. It’s just necessary to stay in business.
Dealerships will sometimes even supress news of something better coming down the pipe, so that they can sell off thier current inventory. I expect that, only when they have actual units to sell, or at least show off in order to bait and flip, will the Volt even register on most dealership radars.
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November 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
#93 Rob
I would expect most Chevy dealers don’t know enough about the Volt yet to even answer simple questions and certainly don’t want to start a wait list until they know more. Plus, I would imagine they are trying to figure out how they are going to make any money after the sale because of the reduced maintenance cost associated with the Volt. I would expect they are a little pissed at GM for the future lost revenues.
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November 24th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Gee, I hate to say this as it is the LAST fact we are all waiting for but how much is the VOLT? The last sentence was, Chevy was chosen to show the Volt is not a rich man’s toy (paraphrase) but a car for everyman.
Great, but at $40,000 besides the Corvette, won’t the Volt be the most expensive Chevrolet a person can buy? It’s a shame the MSRP can’t be $28K or $29K With the $7500 tax break that WOULD make it a Chevrolet price!
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November 24th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Quiz: A banker and a Car Dealer walk into a bar. The Banker says he needs a bailout because he owns too many non-performing mortgages. The Dealer looks across the street at his lot lined with $50,000 SUVs that get 14 MPH. A guy runs by saying Stupid is as stupid does.
If the bank is Downey Savings, and the guy is Tom Hanks, what brand name is on the SUVs?
Answer: (a) GMC; (b) Hummer; (c) Chevy?
And the follow-up question, why is the dealer not interested in folks looking to buy the Volt in 2012? File this one under you do not win today’s football game with tomorrow’s touchdowns.
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November 24th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
#39 I have had sports cars since a teenager. Out side of that, sports car or not… if I am spending 40K the power better be there. If I’m spending Honda Civic money I will not complain. But even a civic hits 60 in 7.7.
I’m sure you’re the one I pass (cautiously) and either get a look from your type or you speed up when one passes or brake checks if someone isn’t doing exactly the speed limit.
The point is that 40K better have power….
GM needs a winner.
If GM thinks flying is 9 seconds they blew it again.
Loose the management team now. They suck!
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November 24th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
#89 Mitch
From wikipedia…”Transmission and distribution losses in the USA were estimated at 7.2% in 1995 [2]” Not sure where that 50% figure comes from that you quoted.
I’d be doubtful of any home system claiming to beat the efficiency of a large generator, even given the transmission losses. Large centralized generators have significant economies of scale.
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November 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
#92 DonC
While Obama saves america’s backbone, I hope he’ll support a bailout for the companies that make dial-up modems and all the newspaper businesses too. And don’t forget about the company that makes those huge phone books that people don’t use much anymore. I bet they could use some help coping with changing markets.
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November 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
The Prius… …Plus once you get over 25 mph or so (can’t remember) the ICE will kick in regardless of the acceleration.
_____________________________________
42 MPH is the upper threshold and that has been repeatedly posted in response to numerous incorrect & vague quotes like that. Makes you wonder what else is wrong…
The lack of a FAQ here for quick detail & spec checking reveals an obvious shortcoming.
Is anyone finally going to do something about this? For crying out loud, it has been almost 2 years now and basic understanding problems continue. I thought Volt supported was going to be taken seriously.
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November 24th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
It’s hard to know what to say. I only devoutly hope that, by some miracle or another, that the Volt will get here before it’s too late.
With apologies to Casey at #12, the bottom line is:
NFP NFS!
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November 24th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
#27 omnimoeish Says: “I bet a lot of people will have to get used to the dead stop acceleration. Right now with a gas engine, you can creep forward an inch or two, but with this, pushing the gas pedal at all will probably move you a foot or two easy.”
I wonder if they are going to design “creep” into the Volt software? My Ford Escape Hybrid has it. At a stop the ICE is usually off or if it’s on, it’s supplying power to charge the battery or run the AC, not drive the wheels. In either case if you take your foot off the brake pedal the vehicle “creeps” foward (using the electric motor) just like a normal automatic transmission ICE vehicle would. I have read that the engineers did this on purpose to make it seamless to move to the hybrid from a normal ICE car. It may also be that they want you to keep your foot on the brake to keep the brake lights lit up for the traffic behind you. It also make it easy to make small movements like when parking in a tight parking spot/garage. So there is another thing Lyle can report on when he gets to do test drive.
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Except that flying is not quiet.
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
LJGTVWOTR N_PN_S
Start your own stimulus plan, BUY AMERICAN!
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
107 Koz:
Amen.
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November 24th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
I found the following dealership count numbers online in a statement dated 2006:
GM
- 7,600 dealers in the United States
- 800 dealers in Canada
- 300 dealers in Mexico
- 19,400 outlets overseas which include dealers, and authorized
sales, service and parts outlets.
_________________________
USA, Canada, Mexico 10,000
The rest of the world 20,000
_________________________
In late 2010: 1-3 dealerships world wide will have a CHANCE of attaining a Volt to sell by years end. All of these will sell in one day.
In 2011: Production will be ramped up to 7000 Volt a month. So by spring of 2011 your local dealership will have ONE Volt to sell each two or three months. And it will sell in one day.
In 2012: Volt production should reach full capacity of 9000 a month. A gallon of gasoline will again cost $3. In Europe petrol will be twice this price. Your local dealership will have one Volt to sell per month.
_________________________
I expect a European E-REV Cruze/Flextreme production facility to be in business by 2012. And an Australian E-REV Holden small truck facility to be in business by 2012. And I feel GM will start with an initial price of $40,000 and lower the price by 3% per year for 4 years. $40,000~$38800~$37600~$36500
http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/Volt_world.jpg
=D~
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
#93 Rob
Yep. Do not expect any Chevy dealership to be excited to sign you up to sell you the 1 Volt they will get 2 years from now. They need sales NOW! Existing dealerships will be lucky to be in business then and if they are, they will be lucky to get 1 Volt to sell in 2011 based on GM’s production goals. 10,000 in 2011 limits problems, but GM needs to make 100,000 in 2012 and 200,000 in 2013! The market will be there!
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Perhaps somewhere in the great beyond, Zora Arkus Duntov sees in Mr. Frank Wagner and team the group that will rescue his beloved Corvette from its pavement-ripping but soon to be obsolete V-8 power to electrifying acceleration for decades to come.
But first things first…survival of GM. Volt. Then perhaps…
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
#106 OhmExcited Says: “Except that flying is not quiet.”
Depends on airplane and how fast you’re going. Actually the F-16 is pretty quiet on the inside just not so much on the outside
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
#john1701a – “42 MPH is the upper threshold and that has been repeatedly posted in response to numerous incorrect & vague quotes like that. Makes you wonder what else is wrong…”
42 mph? When I test drove a Prius and I know I couldn’t go 0-30 mph without the ICE kicking in. In fact the first couple of starts it probably kicked in at 15 mph (smooth transition so a bit hard to tell). Whether the ICE was kicking in at 25 mph or 27 mph or whatever, I don’t know. But it sure wasn’t anything close to 42 mph.
I’m sure you might be able to get that number higher if you weren’t accelerating but that would be a different question. I also understand that the Asian and European versions have a special EV mode which NA versions don’t. Perhaps this is the difference.
I have seen some published reports that you can theoretically go 35 mph in EV mode. Haven’t seen anything like 42 mph. But if Toyota has confirmed your 42 mph figure then that would be the number. Do you have a cite for this?
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November 24th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
It seems many want the Volt to fit them personally. Has to be sport car performance ,why don’t they make a 2 seater, why don’t they do this, why don’t they do that, why can’t they sell them for less, etc etc etc.
Face it, it will NOT be for everyone ! You may have to buy something else. It will appeal to millions and you may not be in that group.
If it doesn’t fit your style, just wait there will be other EVs coming, all sizes, prices, colors whatever.
Also for help on the price, check out GM credit cards. Used for a few years or until your Volt is ready, can cut big $ off the price.
37,536 on the waiting list.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Maaan … I can’t wait til my local Chevy dealer has some Volts for people to test drive. I’ll probably be one of the first people to take it for a spin on day one.
Frank Weber has a way of making the Volt sound like a high quality masterpiece kind of car. I guess it’s that German accent. Germans have that reputation for being “meticulous and fussy engineers” you know. Frank reminds me of one of the engineers in a Porsche commercial that they had a few years ago.
When it comes to car designers and engineers that’s what you want … guys that think of the car they are developing as their “baby”. They want to work their tails off to make it the best it can be. GM needs ALL their designers and engineers to be like this.
Porsche has had a bunch of good commercials for their cars over the years. I hope GM hires some really good advertising people for the Volt. I like how Porsche commercials make you feel confident about the quality and workmanship of their cars.
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
DonC #113
Does it really matter without a plug, Even if you have the patience and disregard for those behind you to accelerate slow enough not to engage the ICE, the battery charge may have reached the depletion point. Here in Miami, there is rarely enough spare charge the battery of an RX400h to do more than back out of a parking space with the AC straining. Does the “potential” max velocity from the traction motor matter anyway when every single inch traveled is still powered by gasoline? No plug, no sale.
The Prius has had its place and will continue to have one, but in its current form that place will be with people willing to settle for 1/2 or worse gas mileage for the vast majority of drivers.
NPNS LJGTVWOTR
Start your own stimulus plan, BUY AMERICAN!
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November 25th, 2008 at 12:22 am
I have seen some published reports that you can theoretically go 35 mph in EV mode. Haven’t seen anything like 42 mph. But if Toyota has confirmed your 42 mph figure then that would be the number. Do you have a cite for this?
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It’s been published so many times, the reality that you even have to ask here is frustrating to no end. WHERE IS THE FAQ STUFF LIKE THIS!!!
Just go on to my website and watch the 2001 & 2004 Multi-Display videos. Both models have always had that ability. With a warmed emission-system and a flat road, cruising along at 40 MPH with the engine off (0 RPM) is no big deal. Once acceleration is complete, it automatically transitions over to electricity.
That’s why Prius should be Volt’s strongest supporter. It simply makes no sense to be fighting the thing pushing the hardest to increase the use of electricity in vehicles. Look around. Roads are still dominated by engine-only cars & trucks. Wake up people! Get the priorities straight.
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November 25th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Dear GM,
I’m ready with my deposit even in these uncertain times.
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November 25th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Random GM news (I’ll put this a thread behind to not mess up the ‘mojo’ of the current one):
“GM’s plan administrator indefinitely nixes further employee purchases of automaker’s stock ”
—DETROIT (AP) General Motors Corp. workers will be unable to buy GM shares through two employee savings programs indefinitely because the plans’ administrator believes additional investments are not appropriate based on the automaker’s financial situation
GM said in a regulatory filing Tuesday that it had planned to register additional shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission and expected to lift the blackout in the week of Nov. 9. But State Street Bank and Trust Co., which independently oversees GM’s employee stock fund, said any more investments by plan participants are not appropriate “due to GM’s recent earnings announcement and related information about GM’s business.”
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081125/gm_employee_stock.html
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