Then I tried to add a comment and it wants me to login…do I even have a login? Why do I have to login to leave a comment?
Anywhoo…the Volt would be a major success if launched in 2008. I think it will be a modest success if launched in 2010, but it really comes down to what the competition does in the meantime (didn’t Lutz just say GM had the technology to go hybrid in 2000?)
Frankly I’m afraid GM is overpromising and what they actually deliver will be much more expensive or offer less battery range leading to a PR blackeye. But if they are the only all-electric people can buy in 2010 they will do okay.
Wierd - I would have thought that passwords were synched - a new account is really required?
I think that the Volt will be a disaster. Too late, too hyped and with the quality that GM is known for. It’ll need a major overhaul to be a reasonable car. A parallel hybrids are the way of the past - they are too inefficient - a time when there was tons of energy - and offer small energy savings over a series hybrid. Sure the Volt is supposed to be a series hybrid - but with a monster turbo engine it’s just insane. The only way to build a series hybrid is with a small IC engine which can provide heat for the cabin. It’s a pity that the Zero Carbon Car didn’t get built that way - but at least they used a 10kW IC biodiesel engine for battery charging.
I’d rather buy a hybrid from a company that has a track record. I’m not into exotic batteries unless they’ve got a good track record - in a COLD climate.
I’d rather have a lead-acid battery based hybrid that is suitable for around town. Then I’ll rent when I need to go on a trip. A friend who sized their furnace on the small side (for better efficiency) summed it up - Our car isn’t big enough for vacations - so for one week a year we rent. Dito with the furnace - for most winters it’s just fine and on rare winters it’s not quite enough for a day or two.
I’d never touch a new car as it is anyways. Nothing can make up for miniscule fuel savings when one has to pay >$10k premium for it. But then my family puts 60mpg and 5x our energy costs. We want to build a “green” home or a co-housing project, but my bet is that taxes will go up and dwarf any tiny energy savings.
Sorry about the need to re-reg on the discussion board. The software running the blog (WordPress) and the software running the board (phpBB) are two completely different projects, and as far as I can tell, there’s no way to make them share a user DB. (If someone can find a way, let me know.)
The Volt is intriguing, for several reasons. Right now it’s winning the PR game, hands down, even with Lutz shooting off his big bazoo far more than he should. But that’s just a short-term phenomenon, and the real questions are: How long before we see a PHEV Prius?, and which of the potential EV’s (Mitsu, Subaru, Nisssan, so far) will show up and in what form?
March 21st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I couldn’t figure out how to vote
Then I tried to add a comment and it wants me to login…do I even have a login? Why do I have to login to leave a comment?
Anywhoo…the Volt would be a major success if launched in 2008. I think it will be a modest success if launched in 2010, but it really comes down to what the competition does in the meantime (didn’t Lutz just say GM had the technology to go hybrid in 2000?)
Frankly I’m afraid GM is overpromising and what they actually deliver will be much more expensive or offer less battery range leading to a PR blackeye. But if they are the only all-electric people can buy in 2010 they will do okay.
March 21st, 2008 at 2:38 pm
You have to register and login in order to change anything on the board–leave a comment, vote, start/write your own topic, etc.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Wierd - I would have thought that passwords were synched - a new account is really required?
I think that the Volt will be a disaster. Too late, too hyped and with the quality that GM is known for. It’ll need a major overhaul to be a reasonable car. A parallel hybrids are the way of the past - they are too inefficient - a time when there was tons of energy - and offer small energy savings over a series hybrid. Sure the Volt is supposed to be a series hybrid - but with a monster turbo engine it’s just insane. The only way to build a series hybrid is with a small IC engine which can provide heat for the cabin. It’s a pity that the Zero Carbon Car didn’t get built that way - but at least they used a 10kW IC biodiesel engine for battery charging.
I’d rather buy a hybrid from a company that has a track record. I’m not into exotic batteries unless they’ve got a good track record - in a COLD climate.
I’d rather have a lead-acid battery based hybrid that is suitable for around town. Then I’ll rent when I need to go on a trip. A friend who sized their furnace on the small side (for better efficiency) summed it up - Our car isn’t big enough for vacations - so for one week a year we rent. Dito with the furnace - for most winters it’s just fine and on rare winters it’s not quite enough for a day or two.
I’d never touch a new car as it is anyways. Nothing can make up for miniscule fuel savings when one has to pay >$10k premium for it. But then my family puts 60mpg and 5x our energy costs. We want to build a “green” home or a co-housing project, but my bet is that taxes will go up and dwarf any tiny energy savings.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Sorry about the need to re-reg on the discussion board. The software running the blog (WordPress) and the software running the board (phpBB) are two completely different projects, and as far as I can tell, there’s no way to make them share a user DB. (If someone can find a way, let me know.)
The Volt is intriguing, for several reasons. Right now it’s winning the PR game, hands down, even with Lutz shooting off his big bazoo far more than he should. But that’s just a short-term phenomenon, and the real questions are: How long before we see a PHEV Prius?, and which of the potential EV’s (Mitsu, Subaru, Nisssan, so far) will show up and in what form?