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    spitvenom's Avatar
    spitvenom Posts: 1,266, Reputation: 373
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    #1

    Aug 11, 2009, 12:29 PM
    230 mpg
    So Chevy is saying the Volt that comes out in 2010 will get 230 MPG!! Of course it is $40,000 but with everything First Generation models are always expensive. But imagine the possibilities in a few years. Price WILL come down mileage will go up. Now the EPA hasn't tested the Volt yet but I could careless what they have to say. They rated my 2010 Honda Insight at 45 mpg and currently I am getting 52.3 mpg (and I drive VERY fast).

    So before you say well your electric bill will go up from plugging it in. You are right it will go up but it will go up .35 cents a day!! That is pretty amazing!

    http://www.philly.com/philly/classif...tydriving.html
    ETWolverine's Avatar
    ETWolverine Posts: 934, Reputation: 275
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    #2

    Aug 11, 2009, 01:02 PM

    IF it works as stated, AND can handle heavy city stop-and-go traffic, AND can carry a family of 5, AND has the speed and acceleration to handle highway driving, AND if it will be safe, it'll be a great car.

    That's a lot of "if"s.

    So far, no electric car has lived up to those expectations. Hybrids have, but not straight electric cars.

    But if this one can do it, it'll be the one that corners the market, at least for a while, till everyone else catches up.

    Good luck.

    I have never said I was against the development of electric cars. What I have objected to was the stated REASON for their development: Global warming.

    Now... if you tell me that the reason for developing this vehicle is that people will want to drive it, great. I'm all for it.

    If you tell me that we need to do it as a matter of energy independence, I'm right there with you.

    But don't tell me that we need to develop it in order to save the planet from a myth.
    spitvenom's Avatar
    spitvenom Posts: 1,266, Reputation: 373
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    #3

    Aug 11, 2009, 01:06 PM

    You know what I have said. The only green I was thinking about when I bought my Hybrid was the green in my bank account.

    The save the planet with this car will be a good marketing tool. But if I was them I would show a picture of the car with a graphic that reads "230MPG Enough said!"
    ETWolverine's Avatar
    ETWolverine Posts: 934, Reputation: 275
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    #4

    Aug 11, 2009, 01:07 PM
    By the way... if I buy a Volt and it has mechanical problems, what happens next? Can I go to my corner car guy to fix it? Is there anyone outside of Chevy that knows how to repair a Volt? Or am I stuck with a GM servicer, regardless of cost?

    An important issue for car buyers to inquire about.

    Regular combustion engine auto repair people are going to be lost on an electric motor car.

    Elliot
    spitvenom's Avatar
    spitvenom Posts: 1,266, Reputation: 373
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    #5

    Aug 11, 2009, 01:59 PM

    I would imagine that it comes with a warranty. As more of these vehicles comes out more people will get familiar with them and in a few years your corner guy will be able to fix.

    You know I bet when the car first came out someone was talking about how they just bought a car. And someone who still owned a horse said wait until you have to get it fixed then tell me how great your car is.
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #6

    Aug 11, 2009, 02:07 PM

    Amazing and very cool. What's the sticker price?
    galveston's Avatar
    galveston Posts: 451, Reputation: 60
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    #7

    Aug 11, 2009, 02:31 PM

    I haven't seen one.
    How tiny is it?

    How can it be rated for MPG if it is all electric?

    Will it have an air conditioner?

    I live in Texas, and there is NO WAY I'm going to ride without A/C!!

    If it's the size of a smart car, I wouldn't ride around the block in it. Think about what will happen if it tangles with an H2.

    I'd rather see the manufacturers develop some hydrogen technology.
    450donn's Avatar
    450donn Posts: 1,821, Reputation: 239
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    #8

    Aug 11, 2009, 08:43 PM

    What everyone fails to take into this high mileage equation is the cost of building those batteries, and the cost of disposing of them when they die. And they will die! So this wonderful Volt thing will seat two comfortably, and gets 230MPG on what? That 35 cents that someone cited is hypothetical and will vary greatly depending on what part of the country you live, and what time of the day or night you recharge. Then again with the majority of electricity in this country produced from coal how much extra coal will need to be burned to achieve the recharge of all these phony cars? So at the end of it's life what is the net effect on the environment?
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #9

    Aug 11, 2009, 08:51 PM
    Wonderful bit of spin there but another unnecessary and irrelevant Detroit response. These people should really think about what it is they are trying to do, because all I see is someone following up on the profit motive with gulliable people

    The world doesn't need another electric appliance, it needs to rid itsself on reliance on them. What ever happened to converting water into fuel, that one still lost in the archieves of the oil companies?
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #10

    Aug 12, 2009, 04:55 AM

    Yeah Clete the steam engine was wonderful 19th century technology. But let me ask you something... even if HHO fuel cell technology wasn't the scam and urban legend it is (it takes more enegy to perform the electrolysis than it generates )... don't you think clean potable water is going to be an even scarcer resource in the future than oil ?
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
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    #11

    Aug 12, 2009, 05:06 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by galveston View Post
    How can it be rated for MPG if it is all electric?
    How to calculate mpg for the electric GM Chevy Volt?

    Quote Originally Posted by galveston View Post
    Will it have an air conditioner?
    Yes: How Will Air Conditioning Affect the Chevy Volt's Electric Range? | GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

    Quote Originally Posted by galveston View Post
    If it's the size of a smart car, I wouldn't ride around the block in it.
    It's about the size of a Civic: Chevrolet Volt | GMtv
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #12

    Aug 12, 2009, 05:17 AM

    Volt's 230 mpg/gal claim is an excellent marketing strategy but the question is ;will it live up to the hype ?

    Here is what the EPA said :

    EPA has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM. EPA does applaud GM's commitment to designing and building the car of the future - an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs. We're proud to see American companies and American workers leading the world in the clean energy innovations that will shape the 21st century economy.

    The costs numbers were crunched at Atlantic Magazine . You need to drive it 158,000 miles to break even .
    GM's Volt Offers Amazing Mileage, But At What Cost? - The Atlantic Business Channel




    It is a nice looking car
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
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    #13

    Aug 12, 2009, 05:31 AM
    It's a new product. Early adopters will pay more. The price will go down as the technology reaches some form of economies of scale. Good independent reviews are indeed needed to offset the marketing spin from the big corporation.
    spitvenom's Avatar
    spitvenom Posts: 1,266, Reputation: 373
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    #14

    Aug 12, 2009, 06:31 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by 450donn View Post
    What everyone fails to take into this high mileage equation is the cost of building those batteries, and the cost of disposing of them when they die. And they will die! So this wonderful Volt thing will seat two comfortably, and gets 230MPG on what? That 35 cents that someone cited is hypothetical and will vary greatly depending on what part of the country you live, and what time of the day or night you recharge. Then again with the majority of electricity in this country produced from coal how much extra coal will need to be burned to achieve the recharge of all these phony cars? So at the end of it's life what is the net effect on the environment?
    It looks to be the same size as my insight which fits 4 people comfortably. The price tag is $40,000.00 but like I said First Gen anything is always expensive (example the Iphone) but the next Gens will probably be cheaper.

    I have no idea what impact it makes on the environment but as I said in my previous post I don't care. I think it is a nice looking car. I actually already know one person who is chomping at the bit to buy one (he is a geek like me). I gave the 35 cents a charge because I was using my off peak hour rates from PECO. They assume most people will probably charge it over night. Or just plug it into your neighbors outlet and it is free (JUST KIDDING).
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
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    #15

    Aug 12, 2009, 06:34 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by spitvenom View Post
    Or just plug it into your neighbors outlet and it is free (JUST KIDDING).
    As I run to register my new startup: lockable outdoor plugs. :)
    spitvenom's Avatar
    spitvenom Posts: 1,266, Reputation: 373
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    #16

    Aug 12, 2009, 07:11 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by NeedKarma View Post
    As I run to register my new startup: lockable outdoor plugs. :)
    You know I could see that being a problem unless they have some weird plug that has to be installed at a persons house.
    ETWolverine's Avatar
    ETWolverine Posts: 934, Reputation: 275
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    #17

    Aug 12, 2009, 07:28 AM

    I can just see the next great new excuse for being late to work:

    "Sorry I missed the meeting. My extension cord broke."
    NeedKarma's Avatar
    NeedKarma Posts: 10,635, Reputation: 1706
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    #18

    Aug 12, 2009, 07:36 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ETWolverine View Post
    I can just see the next great new excuse for being late to work:

    "Sorry I missed the meeting. My extension cord broke."
    Or I ran out of gas! LOL! Oh wait...
    450donn's Avatar
    450donn Posts: 1,821, Reputation: 239
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    #19

    Aug 12, 2009, 07:47 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by spitvenom View Post
    It looks to be the same size as my insight which fits 4 people comfortably. The price tag is $40,000.00 but like i said First Gen anything is always expensive (example the Iphone) but the next Gens will probably be cheaper.

    I have no idea what impact it makes on the environment but as I said in my previous post I don't care. I think it is a nice looking car. I actually already know one person who is chomping at the bit to buy one (he is a geek like me). I gave the 35 cents a charge because I was using my off peak hour rates from PECO. they assume most people will probably charge it over night. Or just plug it into your neighbors outlet and it is free (JUST KIDDING).
    You don't care?
    You should care where all the materials for those batteries comes from. There is a hugh dead zone up in Canada around the mine. Then it takes hugh amounts of energy to refine and transport the materials to China for further refinement. Then it is returned to NA to be made into batteries. Which are now toxic materials and will need to be disposed of in a hazardous materials land fill for all eternity to worry about. There is no common sense in this sort of fool hardy technology. I am all for making things better for the environment. But just because it looks green on the surface does not make it so when you take into account it's total foot print on the environment. This has already been proven again and again with the Prius and the Honda hybrid car.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #20

    Aug 12, 2009, 08:02 AM

    Yes you would think that enviro-friendlies would be appalled at the strip mining at the lithium(for lithium-ion for future tech batteries which are less toxic ) ,and nickel ,and cadmium mines (both toxic in landfills ) .

    The supply of lithium is very limited and most of it will be an imported mineral... from South America and China.

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