The 2011 Chevy Volt!
#1
The 2011 Chevy Volt!
#3
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
I drove one here in San Antonio during a special GM event. It is basically what I would call a 'Super hybrid.' It CAN run in EV mode, but continually goes back and forth. During the short drive I had, it averaged 45-49 MPG. Great, but no better than a Prius for double the price of a base Prius.
I suspect that Toyota will introduce a pure EV version of the Prius about the time the Volts start to trickle in. Toyota already has a pure EV version of the Prius available in Japan; don't know why it isn't sold here yet.
And, Volt production will be limited to only a few thousand cars for the entire year. Toyota could easily outproduce the GM production for the year in only one month.
Don't mean to dash anyone's expectations, but if you are expecting 160-200 MPG, you are REALLY going to have to do some tricky driving techniques to get any where near that mileage.
Joe
I suspect that Toyota will introduce a pure EV version of the Prius about the time the Volts start to trickle in. Toyota already has a pure EV version of the Prius available in Japan; don't know why it isn't sold here yet.
And, Volt production will be limited to only a few thousand cars for the entire year. Toyota could easily outproduce the GM production for the year in only one month.
Don't mean to dash anyone's expectations, but if you are expecting 160-200 MPG, you are REALLY going to have to do some tricky driving techniques to get any where near that mileage.
Joe
#4
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
I drove a Volt for a week. 45 mile commute one way. I was able to plug in at work and home. I would use about .25 gallons in the morning commute, none on the way home each day. By the end of the week, my average mpg was well into the triple digits. It only goes into charge sustain mode AFTER you've used your 40 miles of EV. Down to about 40 deg F or so, getting 40 miles of EV is not that hard. Of course, you won't get that in the dead of winter if it's parked outside, but every car's mileag goes down in winter.
The Volt-bashers like to focus on the mpg AFTER the EV runs out (and I can get 40 mpg in charge sustain mode around town, about 37 on the highway at 70 mph), but you have to average 40 miles of no gas into your 37-40 mpg. If you drive highways a lot, sure, the effect of the 40 miles EV is lessened. So maybe the Volt isn't for you. But what it can do will fit a big swath of the population.
Few thousand cars? Okay, 10K in year 1 while they're spooling up, but they will be at 60K in year two and more after that.
The Volt-bashers like to focus on the mpg AFTER the EV runs out (and I can get 40 mpg in charge sustain mode around town, about 37 on the highway at 70 mph), but you have to average 40 miles of no gas into your 37-40 mpg. If you drive highways a lot, sure, the effect of the 40 miles EV is lessened. So maybe the Volt isn't for you. But what it can do will fit a big swath of the population.
Few thousand cars? Okay, 10K in year 1 while they're spooling up, but they will be at 60K in year two and more after that.
#5
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
I'm not bashing the car; just reported what I experienced.
If you make every post that you don't like personal, you will chase other users away from this forum because they won't want to read you venting.
If you make every post that you don't like personal, you will chase other users away from this forum because they won't want to read you venting.
#7
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
I drove a Volt for a week. 45 mile commute one way. I was able to plug in at work and home. I would use about .25 gallons in the morning commute, none on the way home each day.
The Volt-bashers like to focus on the mpg AFTER the EV runs out (and I can get 40 mpg in charge sustain mode around town, about 37 on the highway at 70 mph), but you have to average 40 miles of no gas into your 37-40 mpg. If you drive highways a lot, sure, the effect of the 40 miles EV is lessened. So maybe the Volt isn't for you. But what it can do will fit a big swath of the population.
Few thousand cars? Okay, 10K in year 1 while they're spooling up, but they will be at 60K in year two and more after that.
#8
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
GM just announced 1000 new engineering openings in their battery program. Get hired, and opportunities to drive a Volt (and their other PHEV/hybrids) will surely follow. Many of these folks will be working on optimization and taking cost out of battery packs, which are the single most expensive component in an EV. So go to GM online and submit a resume! Like anything else new, costs will drop dramatically. These cars will be near break-even cost-wise by 2nd gen, and stand-alone profitable by 3rd gen.
I'm sure hypermilers could get mid-40s in charge sustain mode in city/urban driving, and near 40 on the highway without too much trouble.
I'm sure hypermilers could get mid-40s in charge sustain mode in city/urban driving, and near 40 on the highway without too much trouble.
#9
for all you prius lovers...
...a pure EV car will NEVER be able to do what a Volt can. Try to drive a 100% EV car from Colorado to California and see how far you get. the VOLT CAN do this as a hybrid a pure EV will not do this at least on current technology.
#10
Re: The 2011 Chevy Volt!
Try to drive a 100% EV car from Colorado to California and see how far you get. the VOLT CAN do this as a hybrid a pure EV will not do this at least on current technology.
With the Volt you would be stopping every 300 miles or so for as long as it takes to gas up, with the Leaf of course you would be stopping every 75-100 miles to charge the batteries. It would take longer to fuel up of course, but like I said, technically it could be done.
Of course that would be silly.
Purely electric cars are meant for commuters and urban dwellers. They have their niche.