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Chevrolet Volt In a Gasoline-Only Scenario

Posted by kdawson on from the sing-the-auto-electric dept.

s122604 sends in a performance review of the Chevy Volt, paying particular attention to what happens after the initial plug-in capacity has been depleted. This reader adds, "The review indicates that the performance is adequate, and perhaps better than anticipated. If the Volt can deliver technically, especially with the possibility that it could retail for less than expected (WSJ subscription may be required), does GM have a potential hit on its hands?" "How well will General Motors' Chevrolet Volt drive once it gets past its 40 mile all-electric driving range and starts to rely on power generated by its gasoline engine? That's been a question for both critics and fans of the Volt, and with just 11 months to go before this car hits the market, I got the answer."

7 of 594 comments (clear)

  1. Oh great, another subdized vehicle... by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...that's still too expensive for Joe Shiftworker. Doesn't it just give you a warm fuzzy to see people driving past you in cars that you can't afford to buy because the Government gouged you so hard in order to give your tax money to the people who can afford to buy them?

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    1. Re:Oh great, another subdized vehicle... by WaywardGeek · · Score: 5, Informative

      New technologies almost always target the high-end first, and later move down to the middle and low-end products. That's because initially there are no economies of scale from high-volume manufacturing. As the high-end ramps to reasonable volume, technolologies, like the batteries, will drop in price, allowing cost effective medium-end offerings. Take a look at the Tesla cars. Their first (the Roadster), is > $100K. Their second is expected to be around $57K. They plan a third in the $35K range, but first, their Model S has to succeed.

      Anyway, the government is trying to help you get into a Chevey Volt, to the tune of about $7,000. Your price wont be $40K, you'll pay $33K. Given the performance and specs, it's not unreasonable, though if they could drop a few K, it'd sell a lot better. They'll also have a Cadillac version, but they plan cheaper versions in the future.

      --
      Celebrate failure, and then learn from it - Nolan Bushnell
    2. Re:Oh great, another subdized vehicle... by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'll type this really slowly to make it easy for you to understand:

      The government is not trying to help me get into a Volt. They're taking money from me in order to help someone else get into a Volt.

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    3. Re:Oh great, another subdized vehicle... by Beezlebub33 · · Score: 5, Informative

      If you are referring to the Clinton years. The deficits were high until the Republican takeover of Congress.

      This is simply wrong. Under Clinton the deficit got consistently smaller and smaller, starting in 1992. The Republican takeover occurred in 1994. See the CBO data. Or take a look at the following graph.

      And I would agree with those that think the gigantic spike in 2009 is really, really scary.

      --
      The more people I meet, the better I like my dog.
  2. On Hybrid Vehicles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How come all hybrid vehicles comes in the form of Gasoline / Battery ?

    How come there is no hybrid vehicle that is in the form of Diesel / Battery ?

    Do you know that diesel engines is much more efficient than that of the gasoline engine ?

    And if we are really into the "Green" thing, why must we stuck with the gasoline engine ?

    Why can't we change to Diesel / Battery instead, for hybrids ?

    Can someone who knows much more about this give some comments, please?

    Thank you !

    1. Re:On Hybrid Vehicles by dunkelfalke · · Score: 5, Informative

      The problem is that a Diesel engine is very heavy and expensive. Most hybrids are made for short trips so it would be a great waste of resources to carry around a heavy engine. Hybrid gasoline engines have a somewhat different cycle (Atkinson cycle) than normal gasoline engines (traditional Otto cycle) and thus are more economical. Add the weight savings compared to the heavier Diesel engines (especially with a particle filter) and you'll see why there are no Diesel hybrid cars - it just isn't worth it. Lorries, trains and ships are made for very long range and there a Diesel hybrid is much more practical, especially in the case of ships and trains where the Diesel engine is often only connected to the generator so it can be in its most efficient revolution speed the whole time and (because of the constant speed) have a very long life.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
  3. Re:I'd rather have more batteries by iangoldby · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The article explains this. Apparently their research shows that the 40 mile all-electric range hits the sweet-spot for most American commuters.

    Make the batteries bigger and you still have to have the gas engine for when you visit your cousin 300 miles away. Make the batteries smaller and you need to run the gas engine even for your daily commute.

    Sounds like the perfect compromise to me.