GM Volt will retail ~$40,000

[TEG]

In any case, I try not to pay too much attention to the Volt.
The whole EV1 situation permanently soured me to their fortitude for this product segment. If the oil companies drop gas back to $2/gallon will the Volt get canceled as Hummer sales pick back up again?

The styling just doesn't work well for me either.

We shall see what real world gas usage ends up being for Volt vs next gen Prius as well.

Hopefully there are viable pure EV cars available when the Volt hits the market so I don't have to compromise with a another hybrid.

 

[Tdave]

The Tesla will save me $21,000 in gas costs over 8 years at 15k miles per year compared with my 20 mpg sports sedan at current gas prices. Other EVs will offer almost identical gas savings.

A $40k EV is a bargain.

 

[vfx]

What about battery replacement in 5 years?

My stats.
12,000 miles per year
20 MPG
600 gallons
$4.25 per gal
$2,500 cost per year
$12,750 for 5 years of use.

$20,000 for a new Tesla battery
How much will Volt's replacement be?

 

[GSP]

The Volt's battery will be guaranteed for 10 yrs or 150,000 mi. GM can't time the failures to all happen 1 mile out of warantee, so any given battery may last much longer. It also is likely to slowly provide less and less electric range, and require more and more gas/E85 to run.

A replacement Volt battery will likely be $10,000 to $15,000. Tesla hasn't announced the cost of their replacement batteries. I'll be suprised if they are less than $30,000.

I'd suggest continuing to drive the Volt until it no longer moves, then scrap it. This would not be pratical with the Tesla, or any other BEV.

So, the Volt is really the "cheapskate's performance EV."

GSP

 

[DDB]

What about battery replacement in 5 years?

My stats.
12,000 miles per year
20 MPG
600 gallons
$4.25 per gal
$2,500 cost per year
$12,750 for 5 years of use.

$20,000 for a new Tesla battery
How much will Volt's replacement be?

Freedom from petro...priceless.

 

[stopcrazypp]

The Volt's battery will be guaranteed for 10 yrs or 150,000 mi. GM can't time the failures to all happen 1 mile out of warantee, so any given battery may last much longer. It also is likely to slowly provide less and less electric range, and require more and more gas/E85 to run.

A replacement Volt battery will likely be $10,000 to $15,000. Tesla hasn't announced the cost of their replacement batteries. I'll be suprised if they are less than $30,000.

I'd suggest continuing to drive the Volt until it no longer moves, then scrap it. This would not be pratical with the Tesla, or any other BEV.

So, the Volt is really the "cheapskate's performance EV."

GSP

$10k-$15k is what I heard too.
Tesla is estimating $22k for battery replacement the last I heard, but that isn't the official price.

The Volt battery may seem costly for what you get, given it only gives 40miles/charge (8kWh used but 16kWh battery) compared to Tesla's 220miles (53kWh) (45%-68% of the price for 18% of the range and 15% of the used capacity), but it uses only 50% of its capacity. It uses from 30% charge to 80% charge. This means the battery has extra capacity, so that unlike the Tesla it shouldn't slowly decrease in range, given they can program it to use more of the battery capacity if needed; their 30%-80% charge should also help battery life. The advertised cell life also is a lot longer, at least twice as long in terms of shelf life, and more than 10 times in terms of cycle life.

 

[DDB]

$10k-$15k is what I heard too.
Tesla is estimating $22k for battery replacement the last I heard, but that isn't the official price.

The Volt battery may seem costly for what you get, given it only gives 40miles/charge (8kWh used but 16kWh battery) compared to Tesla's 220miles (53kWh) (45%-68% of the price for 18% of the range and 15% of the used capacity), but it uses only 50% of its capacity. It uses from 30% charge to 80% charge. This means the battery has extra capacity, so that unlike the Tesla it shouldn't slowly decrease in range, given they can program it to use more of the battery capacity if needed; their 30%-80% charge should also help battery life. The advertised cell life also is a lot longer, at least twice as long in terms of shelf life, and more than 10 times in terms of cycle life.

Good explanation; I understand the Volt to have an End of Life of 5 years, meaning you should be getting 40 miles at the end of 5 years, then you may expect range to decrease. I also understand from Lyle's posts (over at GM-Volt.com) that even once you have depleted the 30% range the generator can rely on the battery for extra juice if need be.

 

[dpeilow]

BREAKING: Is this the production Chevy Volt in Transformers 2? - AutoblogGreen

 

[TEG]

Some hints of the old Subaru SVX in the design...

Wrap around rectangular tail-lights,
Window glass that drops down into the door,
Sloping rear window with a sudden/flat/tall trunk area,
Slim/sleek headlights, etc...

 

[graham]

EVWORLD FEATURE: Volt Jump-starts GM: General Motors | China | International Markets

While the challenges are huge, so are the opportunities. GM, if it follows through with 2010 delivery of Volt, may emerge at the top of the hybrid heap. Designers at General Motors hope to produce a visually appealing car. Volt doesn't look like a hybrid. It doesn't look like a Prius. While not exactly the concept car, the images released do follow sight lines similar to many other American cars. Volt might be considered a hot car. Let's call it the Tesla effect. The high-end Tesla roadster blasted the reputation of electric cars as dowdy, slow, sluggish electric cars of the past. Volt could be considered a sports sedan. Marketing savvy coupled with innovation might bring forth a car America can love. Even if it is good for us!

 

[vfx]

NY Times Volt article:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/automobiles/14AUTO.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=automobiles

 

[malcolm]

Thanks for the link:-

Manahem Anderman, president of Advanced Automotive Batteries and an electric-car consultant, is also unconvinced. “Without three or four years to test battery life in both the laboratory and in the field, prudent engineering steps have to be bypassed,” he said. “Lacking long-term data, G.M. might have to include the cost of a battery replacement in the Volt’s price.”

Which is why they are playing safe and only operating the battery between 30% and 80% of maximum charge.

I know that the Tesla Roadster has an optional "Storage" setting where the car is left connected to the grid and maintains electrical charge (and presumably system cooling) at a level which is conducive to better battery calendar life.

I wonder if the same idea has also been arrived at independently by GM and is the reason behind the 30% minimum charge figure in the Volt, which is then maintained by the on-board generator.

Presumably this holding-charge will still be required to fluctuate around this value, otherwise the Volt's lift-off regen behaviour would change dramatically.

 

[dpeilow]

GM shows off production electric car | Register Hardware

 

[Kevin Harney]

This is an INTERESTING quote ....

The Volt is almost entirely battery powered, relying on a 16kWh lithium-ion battery for day-to-day usage

 

[TEG]

Minyanville - Market Commentary, Investing Ideas, Global Finance, The Economy

 

[malcolm]

This is an INTERESTING quote ....

The Volt is almost entirely battery powered, relying on a 16kWh lithium-ion battery for day-to-day usage

And along with the "no tailpipe" I think they are trying to pretend/spin that it's an EV.

I don't have a problem with this, people aren't going to be fooled and they will experience and (hopefully) grow to love 40 miles-worth of EV driving.

The Volt is just one big taster for BEV driving. Bring it on.

 

[TEG]

Bob Lutz on Colbert Report :tongue:

 

[vfx]

Like a Crock
New Rule: Like a Crock - 236.com - The Room

 

[dpeilow]

Is GM making the Volt in China as well? - AutoblogGreen

 

[dpeilow]

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site Blog Archive BREAKING: LG Chem and Compact Power Inc. to Supply Volt Battery Packs