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Warning

6K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  wdfifteen 
#1 ·
I had my Volt in the shop for the airbag inspection and they gave me a Chevy Malibu overnight. I haven't driven a gas vehicle in over three years! (Converted a Chevy S10 to electric) Driving the Malibu was actually scary. I felt the engine vibrating, sounded like it was going to die even though nothing was wrong, and it cost me $8.24 in gas to drive what would have cost me pennies in my Volt.

I could've used a warning that not driving the Volt would result in creating of poisonous gasses, empty wallet, and not to worry so much about the hundreds of noisey, vibrating moving mechanical parts required to keep a gasoline vehicle running.

Seriously though, it was a weird feeling being behind the wheel of a gas vehicle! Thanks for that Chevy!
 
#3 ·
I know what you mean. It's weird going back, for sure. I have a VW Eos convertible that I loved - I didn't trade it in when I bought the Volt, but I'm thinking I may have to sell it - as much as I liked having the convertible, I'm just enjoying the Volt that much more.

It'd be nice if someone would offer an electric/EREV convertible... I suppose I could buy a C4 corvette and try to convert it, but converting has all those places to go wrong, and the result is usually not nearly as polished as my Volt. :)
 
#6 ·
Here is a nice write up that speaks to the weird sensation when going back to ICE:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...s-secret-advantage-theyre-just-nicer-to-drive

Electric Cars' Secret Advantage: They're Just Nicer To Drive

here are the reasons that electric cars have a secret advantage:

  • Tons of torque: Electric motors develop their peak torque (or "turning force") from 0 rpm, meaning that the cars they propel tend to have great acceleration from a stop.
  • Sounds of silence: When electric-car makers suppress or silence the motor whine, electric cars are remarkably quiet--so much so, regulations will require them to emit noise at low speeds.
  • Smooth, calm, vibration-free travel: A reciprocating gasoline engine vibrates constantly, changing as it revs up and slows down; transmissions make their own noises as they match a narrow band of engine speed to road speed over four to nine different ratios. Electric cars don't need any of that.

Anyone who spends a day in an electric car, then returns to one with a combustion engine, will suddenly become aware of all kinds of noises and vibrations we've trained ourselves to ignore as part of normal driving.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Well, Volt owners don't pay $100k for their cars like Tesla owners. But more importantly, GM doesn't do service on your car - and actually can't by law in most states. The service is being performed by a dealer, a third party that GM has little control over who generally doesn't particularly like EVs and has little or no incentive to keep a fleet of loaners to improve your experience.

(For Tesla, the loaner car program actually helps the factory, too - it gives them a way to balance production loading and schedule, and those cars are sold as well, generally straight from test drives within a few months of arrival to be replaced by new loaner cars.)
 
#11 ·
I know what you mean. I had a Malibu loaner for a week. That feeling of it is going to die is weird, because it does. At the stoplights, etc the engine vibrates just before it shuts and and starts up again.

I hate that and love the Volt.
 
#12 ·
I too had a 2015 Malibu as a loner for a few days. Almost new, had 3000 miles on it. Engine made lots of strange noises stopping and starting at traffic lights. The tach was weird too, had a real 0 rpm and another "0 rpm automatic" mark to indicate engine stopped by itself in auto mode. Hard to go back to a normal ICE car.....
 
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