Comments on: Cash For Clunkers Bill Passes Congress but Volt Could Arrive Too Late

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:05:21 +0000

When can I pruchase a new volt in Canada?

I am trying to limp myold cavalier along until it becomes availablle?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:25:33 +0000

I disagree with the idea of spending a billion dollars of taxpayer money to get rid of cars that will go away on their own by simple attrition. There has to be smarter energy and environmentally related ways to spend that money.

By: Lwesson

Lwesson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:18:38 +0000

Tom, I followed up at #112 but per Smith, while yes Smith was the icon of free trade… he was also of a mind set that saw the competition within the confines of, say, France vs England basically like peoples and cultures… . Enter third world amazingly bizarre cheap labor. Smith would NOT be in favor of disassembling a manufacturing base from a country, destroying jobs, making citizens subjects of third world living conditions and wages just because there was some place that had a bazillion people that worked in horrid conditions for little. This whole “free trade” mantra is getting a more open eyed review by economists.

Regards!—-Higgins

By: Koz

Koz — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:09:32 +0000

Statik #116

My bad. I should have been clearer here. I was backing you up with your comments dispelling Cascus1′s idea.

I do hope your a little wrong about the generator use in ER mode, though. You commented in some detail on this a few posts ago, referecing one of Andrew Farah’s comments. I posted a reply with some conflicting statements and info from Farah and GM. While it is a subtle difference, I expect they will be a little more agressive with the use of the battery in ER mode to get better mpg but still maintain the SOC in the 10% band they have stated. This will give them the ability to be similar in mileage and perhaps outperform the Prius in some situations under RE. Using the generator as you mention will leave them about 10-13% below the Prius’ mpg (extra loss of Mech>Elec>Elec>Mech vs Mech>Mech of Prius).

By: statik

statik — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:23:36 +0000

#97 koz said:

Statik #90

Guaranteed ICE runnning in EV mode is only with regrads to heating the battery in extreme cold. Of the many, many discourses from GM on this subject and simple logic dictates the ICE use in EV mode with regards to heating is only for extreme cold battery temps for short period of time.
======================

I agree with you Koz. I fully understand they have never said this would happen, and they have explained their intentions of the conditions where the ICE may turn on very clearly.

Thats why I prefaced my statement by saying, “I can’t believe they would do that. (I mean…I believe they could, but it would really surprise me). ”

Carcus1 just brought a thought about “how much to let the ICE help out in EV operation,” and maybe they would have “the genset working (at a low power setting) in order to manage the temperatures”…which kind of sounded like he was saying that could happen while the car was in operation (if temperatures of the pack dictated it).

…I was just getting way out in front of it, lol. I really don’t see the Volt’s ICE doing anything but prepping (and possibly maintaining) the battery in extreme conditions