GM Chevy Volt

[ggr]

Being able to charge at work would let you make 65 miles easily in EV mode. Shows how as charging infrastructure builds up it gets easier to get away with smaller battery packs...

Beware. Where I work, there were 3 EV-reserved parking spots, and there was me (Roadster), a Kewet, and a converted Porsche 914... all happy. Within a month of the Leaf being released, there were 17 Leaf owners all coming to work earlier and earlier to try to get a charging spot, and a couple of bad outcomes when someone got the "Your kid is sick, please pick him up now" phone calls. Now there are more, and faster, chargers, and life has settled down again, but I only get to charge at work about every second or third day.

 

[Dave EV]

Beware. Where I work, there were 3 EV-reserved parking spots, and there was me (Roadster), a Kewet, and a converted Porsche 914... all happy. Within a month of the Leaf being released, there were 17 Leaf owners all coming to work earlier and earlier to try to get a charging spot, and a couple of bad outcomes when someone got the "Your kid is sick, please pick him up now" phone calls. Now there are more, and faster, chargers, and life has settled down again, but I only get to charge at work about every second or third day.

All easily solved by charging a nominal rate slightly more than what it costs to charge at home. Then people will only charge if they need to.

For example - as a Tesla Roadster owner do you really need to charge at work unless you commute nearly 100 miles each way?

Give something away for free, and even if it's just $0.50 worth of electricity, people will plug in whether they need it or not (never mind that it's probably cheaper for most of those EV drivers to charge at home off-peak rather than charge at work during peak hours).

BTW - where do you work in San Diego that has tons of EV chargers? I'm guessing Qualcomm?

 

[ggr]

BTW - where do you work in San Diego that has tons of EV chargers? I'm guessing Qualcomm?

An accurate guess, yes. Although "tons" would not be an accurate description. I think there are 6 on our main campus, and a couple in satellite areas, for about 7,000 people. There are 23 people subscribed to the mailing list used to coordinate the use of the chargers, but there are others who don't pay attention to the list.

Greg.

 

[goyogi]

Does anybody here actually own a Volt? I am curious to hear how owners feel about it.

I own one. I bought it as an interim car till I got the Model S. At the time the Model S was not a solid reality and I wanted to get off gas as quick as possible. It has good power. Well engineered as far as the gas engine/electric motor combination. Brakes need improving since they combine regen and friction which I dislike. There are also huge blindspots with the large C-pillars. Model S has better visibility but not the best I've seen. People comment on how the interior is surprisingly well done especially for a chevy.

 

[DrTaras]

Even though I am a proud conservative, I will be the fist to criticize the harsh treatment that the republican party has given electric cars.

+1

Let's pray that this is the turning point in the Republican war on Electric cars (at least on the Volt)
http://video.foxnews.com/v/15298569...help-win-the-war-on-terror/?playlist_id=86912

Thank you for this.

 

[J in MN]

Does anybody here actually own a Volt? I am curious to hear how owners feel about it.

I've had one for about a year now. Overall I am very happy with it. People love the exterior, the interior is very nice and range is better than advertised (35 miles winter, 50 miles summer on an 80% highway commute). It is a huge improvement over the Prius that my wife now drives while we wait for the S, and a much nicer car (although a lesser EV) than the LEAF.

I really like the blended braking - I think this is a HUGE miss on the part of Tesla. (Blended is a bit of a misnomer - the point is that you can increase regen braking with the brake pedal, without having the friction brakes engage.)

Visibility wise the A-pillar is the biggest obstacle. My biggest concern is rattles, which were made worse after the driver door window regulator failed.

 

[Alfred]

Let's pray that this is the turning point in the Republican war on Electric cars (at least on the Volt)

http://video.foxnews.com/v/15298569...help-win-the-war-on-terror/?playlist_id=86912

There was just yesterday a lengthy article in a Swiss Newspaper about a change of direction of Fox News. According to that article Ailes has initiated a more moderate conservative stance for several reasons. In the background also Rupert Murdoch's position has been mentioned as possibly having had an influence. Ailes is credited with a fine sense for the public mood and said to be taking Fox off extreme positions in line with sinking public support for extreme positions. If someone is interested, I can mail him the article as a pdf - in German.

 

[FalconNinetyD]

BTW - where do you work in San Diego that has tons of EV chargers? I'm guessing Qualcomm?

That was my guess. Between dadaleus in Solana Beach, you in Encinitas (I assume you are a Model S reservation holder) and me in Carlsbad, we'll have most of north county coastal covered...

 

[FalconNinetyD]

We just picked up the Volt we ordered (wife's car) this past weekend. It was made after the first week of February, so it's eligible for the green California HOV stickers.

I've only driven it for about 25 miles so far, but I'm impressed with it. I was originally pushing my wife to get a PI Prius, because the 100,000 miles on her 2nd gen Prius were so trouble free, but that 15 mile range was just too short. Though she works from home most days of the week, about 4-5 times a month she needs to go up to the office about 55 miles away, so the PI Prius wouldn't save much gas on that trip since the gas engine kicks in at freeway speeds.

 

[GSP]

If she can plug in at her destination, then drive 40 of the 55 mi return trip on electric, the Volt will use less gas than the PIP.

Also, on the 26 days/month she is not commuting 110 mi round trip, she can drive pure electric. A very nice benefit compared to the PIP, or any other gas car.


GSP

 

[dpeilow]

Former president George H.W. Bush buys a Chevy Volt as conservatives rethink car's image | Motoramic - Yahoo! Autos

 

[vfx]

I think Bob Lutz and (ex) company are pulling some strings.

And the Volt won its first Republican presidential endorsement from George H.W. Bush, whom according to a Chevy manager in Houston just took delivery of a Volt as a birthday gift for his son Neil Bush. (Another Volt buyer this month: Obama's former auto czar Steve Rattner, who tweeted that he'd bought a silver one and loves it "even though not financially savvy.") Obama has already pledged to buy one once he leaves office, giving GM a bipartisan set of presidential endorsements.

 

[Arnold Panz]

It looks like a small backlash within the conservative movement is occurring against the Volt haters, but may be too late.

Chevy Volt Electric Car Backlash -- Huffington Post

My concern is that Telsa gets the same treatment on Fox News when the Model S comes out this summer because of the gov't loans, especially if there are any problems whatsoever that they can latch onto. The fact that the law under which the loans were granted was signed by Bush probably won't deter them because of their hatred of anything related to Obama and energy conservation.

 

[dsm363]

I think the 'American power' argument is the best one for this crowd. If they come back at you with the pollution argument just remind them that they don't believe climate change is real so it shouldn't matter.

 

[Arnold Panz]

I think the 'American power' argument is the best one for this crowd. If they come back at you with the pollution argument just remind them that they don't believe climate change is real so it shouldn't matter.

"Funding our enemies" by buying oil is a great argument for conservatives on why EVs are awesome even if they don't believe in climate change, but Fox is a propaganda channel, so they just want to make people angry about Obama and bailouts and such, and aren't really interested in "facts", as Bob Lutz painfully found out (about ten years too late).

 

[JRP3]

I'd also like to know the actual status of the bailout, I know some companies have paid some of it back.

 

[dpeilow]

Chevrolet Volt Recalled for Defective Fox Channel on XM - WOT on Motor Trend

Foolrida not the only ones having trouble receiving XM

 

[MitchL]

Well done.... the article is just good enough to get you to read it, consider if it may really be true, and then look at the date just to be sure!

What other wonders will we find on the internet today?

/Mitch.

 

[EVNow]

"Funding our enemies" by buying oil is a great argument for conservatives on why EVs are awesome even if they don't believe in climate change...

I've tried that - but they seam to also be convinced that if oil companies are allowed to drill everywhere, we have enough oil in the US to last centuries without needing to import anything.

 

[jerry33]

I've tried that - but they seam to also be convinced that if oil companies are allowed to drill everywhere, we have enough oil in the US to last centuries without needing to import anything.

In addition, a number are convinced that oil does not come from fossilized plants but wells up from the earth's core so there is an almost inexhaustible supply. And many of the people who hold that view are supposedly university educated people. None seem to be concerned about the loss of the eco-system from "drilling everywhere". My guess is that we'll have to see the rivers start catching on fire again before people are willing to take a stand. New York being underwater from melting the last polar ice should do it too.