Comments on: GM-Volt.com Chevy Volt Mule Second Test Drive and How it Compares to Current Hybrids

By: barry

barry — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:59:28 +0000

as a skilled tradesman formerly employed by a lithium car battery maker,
i need to point out the realty of our winter climate resulting in the requirement for a heater/defroster that doesn’t drain out most of the EV charge before it even leaves the parking lot. in desperation, our engineers discussed using a liquid fueled heat source-which leads me to conclude that we may wind up back to the small combustion engine/generator/battery/electric motor system wherein the engine is liquid cooled, thus providing easily routed waste heat.

By: GeorgeB

GeorgeB — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:16:05 +0000

Last!

By: statik

statik — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:56:45 +0000

#179 GXT said:

Why not a hybrid Vue, Statik? Or a hybrid Highlander? Etc.?
=================

I did look around at hybrids. I know it is kind of a oxymoron to always be buying green, doing the solar panel thing and looking to buy a full EV to get off gas…then do this isn’t it?

Couple things. My wife…not so ‘concerned’ about environmental things…or EVs (sadly). She just wants something to pull a trailer a few weekends of the year. And I wanted something, reliable, fairly inexpensive (relatively speaking) with RWD and a V8 with juice to spare. That combination in a hybrid…almost impossible.

I did look at the Highlander, and actually that was choice #2 for me… the towing capacity drops in hybrid drops, but still a good number, 3,500lbs. What I didn’t like was the 3.3L V6, putting out 206HP (although with the electric motor it still apparently rates at 270), and the torque is practically non-existant at just over 200. The SRX is 320HP/315lb.ft in comparison.

I never even started to look at the Saturn Vue, no offense to Nasaman and his love for the brand, but for what I want, it is pretty useless. 4 cyclinder, about 170 HP/160 torque. Pretty cheap build quality inside and out…bad performance, FWD, etc.

The only hybrid that really does the job, isn’t much in the way of ‘hybrid’, but I did check it out for laughs. The Cadillac Escalade hybrid (or the Yukon-alike cousin). V8 (332HP/367), tows 5,800lbs.

Couple issues though, A) still only gets 20MPG B) I’d feel like a jackass driving it….which brings us to C) Pricing, in Canada it was $84,000 (thats AFTER they took of over $10K on the MSRP), plus taxes, etc the bottom line was like $96,000…c’mon (in the US it lists it as $75,000-$85,000). I’m not paying 100K to tow a trailer around a couple weekends of the year. (The Yukon priced out at around $80,000 (all-in), in the US it starts around $55K + taxes)

That really is the problem in this segment. If you need something to tow, V8 juice, RWD…you have next to no options in a SUV/Crossover, and if there is a hybrid to fit the bill…crazy expensive.

By: GXT

GXT — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:55:28 +0000

“it is truly in a different league altogether than any hybrid sedan on the road today”

Lyle, you know there are other hybrid sedans on the road other than the Prius and the insight, right? You know the Insight is about half the price of a Volt, right?

By: ron

ron — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:52:01 +0000

Wow, this thread got long fast! Congrats to Statik on the new Caddy. Glad to hear the Volt is still stirring up this much passion!