I don't know that the Volt is an electric lemon, but the price tag -$41,000, and possibly $20k above that - is outrageous for that class of automobile that can be had for $15,000. And with a range of 40 miles on a charge, I'm not sure anyone in the middle class will be pining for one. It seats only 4 people. By comparison, i bough my Yukon XL that seats 8 for $38,000 a few years ago. The price of the Volt will be reduced with a $7,500 tax credit, which is being called an electric-car subsidy as a handouts for the rich. (via Insty) With that backdrop, here's the video of 'The Truth About Cars' Editor Edward Niedermeyer:
NYC/NJ Moron Meetup -- Saturday, March 10
4 hours ago
Wow! I didn't know you could get on nation news and talk as an expert about a car that you have never even seen in person never mind driven.
ReplyDeletePeople want this car because they want to drive on electricity. They don't want their dollars going overseas to oil exporting nations who are hostile to us and support terrorist organizations (Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, etc.) Did you do any cost benefit analysis on gasoline vs electricity? You seem content to drive in a fuel hog like the Yukon XL (current MSRP is $41,490 - 15 MPG city, 21 MPG hwy), which will put a nice hole in your wallet when gas jumps to $4 and $5 per gallon ($104 and $130 per fill up respectively). At $3 per gallon it will cost you $78 to fill the tank of your Yukon. Electricity is cheapest at night and these cars can be programmed to wait until the lowest rate before charging. The serial hybrid car (the Volt is a great example) is a perfect car for our times. Every night I plug in, I get that first gallon of gas over again - and cheap (~ $0.60 per gallon). I drive less than 40 miles a day so I will be using all electricity.
Unlike you - the expert - I actually HAVE test driven the Volt and found that it is an exceptional car, with excellent amenities. I have ONLY owned foreign cars to this point (VW, Toyota, Subaru) and will be purchasing my Volt, my first American car, in November. In the 2012 model year, the car will be better (improvements in battery and software, etc.) and cost less as scales of production ramp up.
I personally think you owe Chevy an apology and you should go and drive the car before you open that hole in the middle of your head that lets the rest of us know there is nothing inside.
Harrier
Also - it is misleading to say that they Volt can only go 40 miles on a charge:
ReplyDelete" And with a range of 40 miles on a charge, I'm not sure anyone in the middle class will be pining for one."
The fact of the matter is that after 40 miles, the internal gasoline engine starts up automatically and provides electricity as long as you have gasoline in the 9 gallon tank. Which means you can drive it just like any other car from coast to coast. The best thing about that is that the engine is always running at its most efficient, a very narrow band of RPMs, unlike regular cars which use gears to attempt to keep the engine in that band.
Greetings all!
ReplyDeleteWell, these are interesting times! Time has passed and it seems that just about everyone else in the automotive world cant say enough about the Chevy Volt. Motor Trend Car of the Year, Car and Driver top ten, Automobile car of the year. If the Volt is a lemon then this news is like lemonade.
Personally, I think you (and FOX News) owe GM and the Volt an apology Mr. Niedermeyer. All 10,000 of the initial build are already sold out and the car has not even been delivered to customers yet. People who drive the car continue to rave about it.
As to the additional cost, I personally am willing to spend a little extra to drive on energy that is produced here, like the energy from my solar panels. Even if it came from our grid, it would be a 100% improvement over using foreign oil. AS time goes on and the price on the Volt comes down, more people will be able to afford one.
Don't worry Sir, there is still time to amend your opinion. I eagerly await your new assessment... providing you actually drive the car before hand.
Harrier
Dude - read the dozens of Volt posts on here since August.
ReplyDeleteI can't find the one about how the Volt is North American Car of the year, Motertrend Car of the year and Car and Driver top 10....
ReplyDelete