Comments on: Review and Poll of the First Journalist Chevy Volt Test Drives http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:24:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: bernie http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/#comment-159093 bernie Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:30:29 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2128#comment-159093 Im looking forward to the day (hopefully in less than 10 years) when i can charge up my electric vehicle in my garage with a roof full of solar panels. Thereby eliminating two evils My electric company and Exxon. ====================================== I have the electric PV in place, did not pay any electric from Sept 08 until June09. Pushed electric to grid during day and comsummed it at night. It will be interesting to see what FPL works out with state when we get smart grid. Will they trade more than even since I'm producing electric during peak cost and using it at minimum. Can't wait to get my Volt to go with it. (G) Im looking forward to the day (hopefully in less than 10 years) when i can charge up my electric vehicle in my garage with a roof full of solar panels. Thereby eliminating two evils My electric company and Exxon.
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I have the electric PV in place, did not pay any electric from Sept 08 until June09. Pushed electric to grid during day and comsummed it at night. It will be interesting to see what FPL works out with state when we get smart grid. Will they trade more than even since I’m producing electric during peak cost and using it at minimum.
Can’t wait to get my Volt to go with it. (G)

]]> By: Richard http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/#comment-159090 Richard Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:03:24 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2128#comment-159090 I would agree with having 3 mode. Max efficiency Normal and Sport. Computer running every thing as far as the ICE is concerned. Let the Driver pick. While you are at it make a Mode to charge a stranded EV. Of course that might not be practical because, I bet every Different EV is going to have a different Plug. Or the Safety concerns are going to be to great. Wouldn't that be good PR for Chevy Volt. I would agree with having 3 mode. Max efficiency Normal and Sport. Computer running every thing as far as the ICE is concerned. Let the Driver pick. While you are at it make a Mode to charge a stranded EV. Of course that might not be practical because, I bet every Different EV is going to have a different Plug. Or the Safety concerns are going to be to great.
Wouldn’t that be good PR for Chevy Volt.

]]> By: Matthew B http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/#comment-159079 Matthew B Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:07:40 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2128#comment-159079 <blockquote cite="comment-159031"> <strong><a href="#comment-159031" rel="nofollow">JEC</a></strong>: Steel, If your going to look at TCO, there is no way that the Volt can win this game today.You have to factor in the other issues: 1) Maintanence:Remember the Volt gets to have the luxury of both a BEV and ICE.I see no way that you can expect that maintanace will be less over the life of the car.Ever price out one of those electric motors?How about the power electronic section, these are going to be very expensive.    </blockquote> The Prius already disproves every one of the elements of point 1 you're making. The engine used the way the Volt does lasts far longer. Idling and start / stop usage are hard on an engine. The Volt engine won't ever idle and will start and stop a lot less. The motor? Failures of the motors will be very, very rare. Think of some of the motors you own... how long do they last? The power electronics? A few of those fail on the Prius, more than the motor; but failures are still far from common.

JEC: Steel,
If your going to look at TCO, there is no way that the Volt can win this game today.You have to factor in the other issues:
1) Maintanence:Remember the Volt gets to have the luxury of both a BEV and ICE.I see no way that you can expect that maintanace will be less over the life of the car.Ever price out one of those electric motors?How about the power electronic section, these are going to be very expensive.
  

The Prius already disproves every one of the elements of point 1 you’re making.

The engine used the way the Volt does lasts far longer. Idling and start / stop usage are hard on an engine. The Volt engine won’t ever idle and will start and stop a lot less.

The motor? Failures of the motors will be very, very rare. Think of some of the motors you own… how long do they last?

The power electronics? A few of those fail on the Prius, more than the motor; but failures are still far from common.

]]> By: Matthew B http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/#comment-159078 Matthew B Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:00:56 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2128#comment-159078 <blockquote cite="comment-159013"> <strong><a href="#comment-159013" rel="nofollow">Geronimo</a></strong>: Really, just $27.5K ?What state are you in ?Plus, GM has not finalized that $40K.Perhaps they will make it $39K for PR reasons, or warranty optimism…   </blockquote> Oregon. The rule is $2500 plus $417 per kWh of battery capacity up to a total of $5K. The stupid part is while one part of the state is handing out rebates, the highway department is busily figuring out how to tax fuel efficient vehicles by the mile. I figure just let electric vehicles use the roads for free and call that the subsidy.

Geronimo:
Really, just $27.5K ?What state are you in ?Plus, GM has not finalized that $40K.Perhaps they will make it $39K for PR reasons, or warranty optimism…  

Oregon. The rule is $2500 plus $417 per kWh of battery capacity up to a total of $5K.

The stupid part is while one part of the state is handing out rebates, the highway department is busily figuring out how to tax fuel efficient vehicles by the mile.

I figure just let electric vehicles use the roads for free and call that the subsidy.

]]> By: Red HHR http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/21/review-and-poll-of-the-first-journalist-chevy-volt-test-drives/#comment-159033 Red HHR Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:39:19 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2128#comment-159033 How about a full blown cross country road test? Yes the Volt is made for the 40 mile commute, with a safety net. In that regard I have no doubt that it will be a wonderful machine. Lets say I buy one of the first ones on EBay for 55+k in SoCal and have to drive it home. Would I be happier in a Prius, or HHR? Could the Volt replace the second (vacation) car? Lutz said the Volt should do 100mph no problem. With narrow tires and heavy weight snow should not be too much of a problem for the Volt. However I would stay off of dirt roads in the spring. In mud, I think the Volt would sink. Other than that I think the Volt would be multifunctional. How about a full blown cross country road test? Yes the Volt is made for the 40 mile commute, with a safety net. In that regard I have no doubt that it will be a wonderful machine. Lets say I buy one of the first ones on EBay for 55+k in SoCal and have to drive it home. Would I be happier in a Prius, or HHR? Could the Volt replace the second (vacation) car? Lutz said the Volt should do 100mph no problem.

With narrow tires and heavy weight snow should not be too much of a problem for the Volt. However I would stay off of dirt roads in the spring. In mud, I think the Volt would sink. Other than that I think the Volt would be multifunctional.

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