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Steve Wozniak May Swap His Tesla For A Chevy Bolt (siliconbeat.com)
An anonymous Slashdot reader quotes a San Jose Mercury News article about "Apple co-founder and electric vehicle fan Steve Wozniak."
Woz posted a picture of himself, smiling, next to a new, white Chevy Bolt. General Motors gave Woz the fully electric sedan for an extended test drive. He liked it. "I expect to be switching cars soon!" Woz wrote in a photo caption.
The battery-powered Bolt is due for release late this year. The four-door hatchback has an advertised range of 200 miles per charge, with a sticker price around $37,500. The EV will compete head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3. The Tesla entry-level sedan, expected to start at $35,000, will be released late next year.
It's interesting to read Wozniak's later comments on the post. "A lot of things wrong with the Tesla model S are done correctly (my opinion) in this car... It gets down to my product ideas of balance and getting the most from the least. Try to make things simple and affordable but very adequate. This car hits my sweet spot."
And in response to the obvious question, Woz replied "Maybe one Segway would fit. And a seat can be folded down."
The battery-powered Bolt is due for release late this year. The four-door hatchback has an advertised range of 200 miles per charge, with a sticker price around $37,500. The EV will compete head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3. The Tesla entry-level sedan, expected to start at $35,000, will be released late next year.
It's interesting to read Wozniak's later comments on the post. "A lot of things wrong with the Tesla model S are done correctly (my opinion) in this car... It gets down to my product ideas of balance and getting the most from the least. Try to make things simple and affordable but very adequate. This car hits my sweet spot."
And in response to the obvious question, Woz replied "Maybe one Segway would fit. And a seat can be folded down."
As someone who'd love an electric car, I'm already out of the running with a family of four children. I don't have the cash for a "second" car - it make better financial sense for me to spend that cash on gasoline.
That said, I was salivating over the Model 3. The Bolt looks good, and is a step in the right direction, but it's a MUCH smaller vehicle. Plus, as a Chevy owner, I don't hear ANY stories of how my car's manufacturer goes above and beyond to support me. Shoot, my car company even declined to honor a transferred warranty from the previous owner (I paid my fee) and then later declined to honor a voluntary recall because my vehicle was beyond their mileage limit by 100 miles.
Seems like all I hear about Tesla is "we're working to become awesome" and from their owners "it's true, they are awesome." Aim for that level of satisfaction, Chevy, and I'll purchase an Acadia.
I fail to see how the Bolt is even a competitor to anything that Tesla makes, when you exclude the price. There are a number of factors that make the Bolt inferior, which range from its build quality, given that it is a Chevrolet, to the lack of nation-wide supercharger stations to the dealer-centric ordering process.
It gets down to my product ideas of balance and getting the most from the least. Try to make things simple and affordable but very adequate.
I'd love to see more MPG stats on flywheel vs battery hybrids. Flywheels are much more efficient, but realistically have much lower energy storage capacity than batteries. Flywheels, CVT, and a small engine might be a way to get the most from the least $ right now: the Bolt's battery costs GM about $9k.
When I'm trying to decide which car I should buy, the first people I look to are billionaires. Since their lifestyles and mine are so similar, and since they're obviously so much smarter than I am, I just assume that their decisions are the correct ones.
I don't respond to AC's.
Don't you have enough of him?
And in response to the obvious question, Woz replied "Maybe one Segway would fit. And a seat can be folded down."
I'm trying to see the obvious here, but all I can come up with is "Do you have any random comments? About the car, life, universe or anything?"
Can't say I care at all tho, other than to note the silly trend in Woz stories. If Chevy made a 4WD offroad capable Bolt, I'd have one. Same with Tesla. That's why we have different manufacturers - who knew?
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
Still waiting on infrastructure. GM isn't investing, and CCS chargers generally seem to have much lower availability than Tesla charging stations. By the looks of that map I could drive from Toronto to Montreal hopping between superchargers; I can't do that with a Bolt and CCS, it's a complete dead zone between here and there.
Electric still seems kind of niche unless it's a second car or you never leave the city, in any case.
Flywheel instead of battery? You realize we are talking about real life cars, right, not your Hot Wheels...
The entire point of Tesla was not to dominate the market for EVs, it was to make EVs a real thing that people could buy. With multiple companies making affordable EVs, it means that Tesla is succeeding in its goal. This is a good thing!
The only thing left is to edge gasoline vehicles out of the market and move energy generation to something renewable.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Why is Wozniak's opinion relevant ?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8y9PQ8Z0T04Es1uwFV6biA
First, if you've got one in most major cities there's an EV/Carpool lane on the freeways you get to use. So if you've got the scratch for one you can cut your commute in half. Second, a lot of the emissions regulations are based on car companies having/selling a certain amount of low or (in this case) zero emission vehicles. This lets car companies sell gas guzzlers like the Charger/Impala and still meet the regs. The extra cost is (mostly) offset by tax incentives (e.g. you and me paying for it).
As usual, the most cynical answer is correct. Is there a law for that?
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Bolt: eco
Tesla: ego
Now that the other Steve is dead, wonder how long before Apple hires this Steve (or tries to).
I mean if their best idea is "Courage" for removing the analog headphone jack
I hired a Tesla Model S with Insane mode for a day so I could properly try it out and do all the things one does with a car in normal use. While it does feel like driving a spaceship and is absolutely phenomenal performance-wise, I'm not going to buy one for a number of reasons. Chiefly, the user interface is atrocious and it's impossible to safely do anything with the main screen unless you are pulled over. I also found the rear seats to be very low and hard to get in and out of and Tesla's paint color options are sad.
I'm looking forward to hiring a Bolt for a day so I can properly try it out as well.
Ideally, I'd get a Tesla drivetrain in a BMW or Mercedes coach.
How can anyone place their trust in a BMS from a company that just had to recall 4.3 million vehicles because they cannot even write reliable software to control their airbags and seat belts?
The EV will compete head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3.
Not when the Tesla has a nationwide network of charging stations that dwarves anything the Chevy can use, it won't.
Not when it comes with "Chevy quality" (cough gag), it won't.
Not when the Tesla looks like this, and the Chevy looks like this, it won't.
Not when it costs a few thousand dollars more for an inferior car, it won't.
GM, you keep using this word "compete". I don't think it means what you think it means.
So no thanks from me.
no thanks, we'll keep our '15 Golf TDI SportWagen... after the CARB/EPA folks engineered the penalties and Green Initiative, we first got $1,000, which paid for a 10-year paint job on our house... come Fall, we'll get another check for nearly $5,000 and 18 months later, another check for nearly $2,000
this means we got a high-powered diesel station wagon that gets 47mpg highway, 38mph city for $18,500 brand new!
this car has been the best equipped, best handling, and most 'torquey' vehicle i've ever owned! it's 'pre-tuned' at the factory!
and after we get the money, we'll spend a grand or so to 're-tune' the vehicle for even more horsepower!
the nearest vehicle that comes close is a BMW 328 diesel wagon for nearly $50,000!!!
w00t!
progressivist libtools are such fools - simply unbelievable!
The problem with electric cars is that windshield wipers are horrendously expensive to replace. With my previous car windshield wipers were way less than 1% of total maintenance over five years. My Leaf is about to turn 5 years old and windshield wiper replacements 75% of my total maintenance costs. This is outrageous!
-rd
My windshield wiper blades are 100% of my 38,000 mile Tesla maintenance cost.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Sorry this is silly. Fat has about the same specific energy (J/kg) as other hydrocarbon fuel (eg gasoline.) Woz is what, 50 lb overweight? That's about 6 gallons of oil he is hauling around. Nowhere near a single tank of gas for a car.
excellent sarcasm! sadly perhaps too excellent...lol
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
and one significant caveat. BMW has very little early life maintenance costs....passed on to the owner. The dealers are just eating the actual costs.
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
Cool story Woz, no one fucking cares
I really miss all of the fun times sitting at the dealer waiting for oil, etc. Changes. My last ICE car (and it is my last ICE car) had "free" maintenance for 48,000 miles (if your time is worth nothing).
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Really. A billionaire worries about his car? Doesn't he have people for that?
Last picture I saw, he was well over 50 lbs beyond obese.
I'm 6'2", 250. Nobody has ever called me fat. Yet my BMI is 31, so I'm obese. Unless he's lost weight recently, he's well beyond me. 100+lbs
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
The only downside I see with the lower maintenance schedules of EV's is already showing up in ICEs thanks to longer oil life.
My current 2012 Honda Insight is roughly 10 months between oil changes. My wife's 2011 Kia Soul is averaging 7500k between changes.
That's a long time to never see a mechanic. Wheels get out of alignment, tires lose pressure (though newer sensors are helping this), etc. Cars themselves aren't designed to never be serviced, even if the bulk of service requirements are removed with EVs...other things do need checking from time to time at more frequent intervals than a 1-2 year inspection cycle.
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
...to another.
Didn't he have an airplane accident? Perhaps he's limited somehow with regards to possible exercise now.
Ezekiel 23:20
I thought most moderns cars had a service reminder built in, or the check engine light was programmed to go off at set intervals or something like that?
Obviously you're being facetious, as the Leaf uses tires like any other car. It also has regular pneumatic brakes too, although with regenerative braking you shouldn't go through pads very fast unless you brake really hard a lot.
Better known as 318230.
Yet my BMI is 31, so I'm obese.
You are overweight. For statistical purposes, your data goes in the obese category.
If you want a more accurate assessment of your individual health, you could get a few tests, but start with the easiest - your waistline.
Or just look in the mirror. The "I'm not obese just a bit chubby" line won't help. There is no big health difference between 29.9 and 30.1.
Nobody has ever called me fat.
Not to your face, and all of us are fat now so nobody notices. Go back 30 years in time, and you'd look fat.
(yes, 2017 is the newest model).
Only issue I have is that the Android based dashboard system regularly reboots while I'm driving. It does this 3 to 4 times per week. When it does, the regular radio continues to work, but everything else stops. That includes: media playing, Bluetooth hands-free phone connection, XM satellite radio, navegation system, etc.
Being to the dealer 3 times already and it still rebooting at random times.
Dude, you know you are supposed to check the tire pressure yourself right? Like, at least once a week? That's why they have air pumps at service stations.
I'm 6'5" at 250 LB, and I'm fat. Of course no one calls us fat, lest they want the shit kicked out of them.
Well sure, if I was 6'2" 250 lbs at age 7, I'd look fat in my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajamas...
Then you eat less...
Pneumatic brakes? Those are for buses and other heavy vehicles. I think you mean hydraulic.
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
See subject: It made him wealthy. Not by crookery, but by brain power. So much for "stupid polock" bs, eh? He is the guy that REALLY put Apple on the map, not Jobs (who imo was nothing more than a salesman blowhard by comparison).
* I don't mean to "speak ill of the dead" but that's how I see it...
APK
P.S.=> He makes me PROUD to be of polish decent... apk
So something about the drivers' seat.
"Hey! I don't know what it does yet, but there's a button on here that says 'Spread 'Em and Get 'Em'!!" -- The Drew Carey Show
You're FAT!
Just another day in Paradise
Care to name an auto company that hasn't had a million vehicles recalled? No, I didn't think so.
Just another day in Paradise
10km/day for 2000 days is only 20000km. The tyres are just fine. It's the same reason gas was rationed during WW2. No need to ration tyres if your car can only go so far as your energy storage will allow.
Saying your Honda Insight goes 10 months between oil changes doesn't mean anything without stating how many miles you drive and what type of oil you use. Synthetics used in modern vehicles not subject to severe conditions can go 7500-15k miles and up to a year change interval.
Wheels are easy to check for basic alignment. Does the vehicle pull one way or another? Are the tires wearing evenly? If the answer is no and yes respectively, then your alignment is fine.
If you rely on visiting a shop to check your tire pressure, you're a poor owner. It doesn't matter how mechanically inept you are, every car owner should know how to check tire pressure (and not just rely on a TPMS) and how to correct pressure if it's not correct.
All cars have issues; would you rather a car where they try to hide the defects rather than fix them?
And you think most drivers are that attentive?
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
Yet my BMI is 31, so I'm obese.
You are overweight. For statistical purposes, your data goes in the obese category.
Me too, but only by the simple number spit out by a calculation that is not intended as the end-all be-all health metric. Statistically speaking it doesn't matter and I don't care.
However, I would like to mention that beyond a simple waistline measurement, getting a DEXA scan can be a good idea if you have any concerns. In my area you can get them for $100-150 or so from sports medicine places. It will show you quite accurately how much fat and where it is located on your body.
I may be "heavy", but if the scan comes up with 8% body fat in all the right places I'm not at all worried about BMI "calling me" obese. And that's really my take on people that get upset about it - they act as if the calculation just insulted them and maybe their mother too. Maybe I should even fatten up a bit, I hear some talk that 10% is ideal.
Another easy test, if you like to swim, is the float test. I can't float, even if I completely fill my lungs. If I was ever in a plane crash over water that would be a distinct disadvantage if there weren't so many fat people to cling to...
I agree with your final sentiment about "all of us are fat now", to some extent. It's very sad that our official government advice is based on politics instead of science, and that so many people blindly accept those guidelines as if they were correct. I wouldn't presume to give dietary advice to anybody I didn't know personally, since people tend not to be genetically identical. As for 30 years ago, I may have collected more gray hair and scars, but I still take care of myself so then, as now, I wouldn't "look fat" to you. (Think Olympic gymnast / weight-lifter body-type.) Not many obese people are regularly doing hand-stand push ups, are they? Anyway, I see the internet as a great tool for future generations to learn and master the art of maintaining their bodies to last their entire lifetime. That kind of resource just didn't exist for us.
"A lot of things wrong with the Tesla model S are done correctly (my opinion) in this car... It gets down to my product ideas of balance and getting the most from the least. Try to make things simple and affordable but very adequate. This car hits my sweet spot."
That's great, but I'd love some details. I've never driven a Tesla or a Bolt, so I don't know much about them. I'd love to read an engineer's opinion about their strengths and weaknesses, but this vague quote isn't helpful at all.
I just sit on them.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
Go back 30 years in time, and you'd look fat.
True just going back 20 years to my wedding pics.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
That's the part that many people miss (and I say this as someone who's struggled with weight before and lost ~85lb). If you burn less energy (because you have a super-efficient metabolism, or a hovaround, or whatever), that just means that you don't need to take in as much energy. That can get difficult socially, but its certainly not a reason to just "give up and be fat," when you're not happy at that weight.
You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
I'm 6'2", 250. Nobody has ever called me fat
Hey, guy who is 6'2" and weights 250 pounds. I didn't see you? Because you're eclipsing my office light. I just wanted to say, I really liked the way you suplexed that guy into the radiator last week. Made. My. Day. Oh, your weight? It's perfect! You know, not everybody could have ripped that toilet out of it's moorings like that. Yes, I know that loud flush was very startling.
Do you work out?
Actually, tires themselves will fail on their own at around 5-10 years or so. Nitrogen filling may slow down the rate of decay. The tread inside separates.
If each Chevy Volt pulls $250k from tax payer pockets, I'd hate to think about what the Chevy Bolt costs me when famous people by them.
It's true that Tesla has never had a recall affecting 4.3 million vehicles. It's also true that Tesla has not produced 4.3 million vehicles over its entire history. Here are some recalls that Tesla has had:
Tesla recalls 90,000 Model S sedans to check possible seatbelt defect: https://www.engadget.com/2015/...
Tesla Recalls 2,700 Model X SUVS to Fix Third-Row Seats: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/...
Tesla Model S Gets Official Recall For Possibility of Fire Associated With Charging Adapter: http://insideevs.com/tesla-mod...
The last of those was a software problem that was fixed by an over the air update. So Tesla's record on software is not flawless.
Tesla Motors. But the fact that the company has only shipped about 150,000 cars to date has something to do with it.
Did they buy another company to do this? There's no way Chevrolet could have achieved this level of competence so quickly. Will be interesting to see the crash reports when they come out. What kind of proprietary software will this thing be running? I know they have Apple garbage in some of their models. Just hope it's not connected to Apple Maps!
Tesla didn't hire Steve Wozniak to do PR, Chevy did.
Tesla didn't give Wozniak a free car.
At 6'2" 250lbs (187cm, 114kg) you're either fat or a body builder... Possibly somewhere in between, but unlikely.