Spoolin

iTrader: (8)

I'm excited about this car. It's not for everyone but it will be incredible for certain people and their specific commuting styles. I hope people see the value of this car and hope it does well.

TriShield

Not debunked.

Motor Trend drove the car how it is engineered and intended to be used - by charging it overnight.

It can be used as a standard car but the entire point of it is to charge it and it can provide a nearly fuel and emissions-free commute with a backup if you run out of juice.

TriShield

There's a lot of hate leveled at the car because of the current admin bailing out GM so the car is a lighting rod for partisan hacks, plus it appears many people simply don't understand how a car like this actually works or what it is intended for.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

This is great, really really great. As long as there is enough electricity to go around. All the tree hugging idiots don't realize that it causes pollution to create electricity. I love when people think they see a golden horse....then Dooh, reality hits.

Firebirdfan

Nuclear powah!

BanditTA

iTrader: (3)

Yes, but much like a waste water plant the government regulates them 10x what they do to you and I. Meaning, in years to come standards will be more and more stringent. The government can force substantial monetary fines on plants when out of compliance, something they rarely do to you and I.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Totally kills flexibility for a very slight benefit. Weight kills fuel mileage while accelerating but not while maintaining speed.

Gaunt

iTrader: (11)

I agree with you, but think of it as consolidation.

It seems like it would be easier to make a few hundred or a few thousand energy producing plants to be "cleaner" than many millions of cars on the road.

You are shifting the burden of clean energy usage to the power producers, not the consumers.

That may be a grossly simplified and/or naive view (easier said than done to get off coal produced energy), but it at least looks like a path forward, no?

-Ross-

iTrader: (2)

This is my post in another Volt thread in the lounge.

Some info on the Volt and it's real world costs. (It's knocking the 200mpg+ claim, but somewhat proves it still gets amazing mpg.)

http://blogs.insideline.com/straight...then-what.html

A quote of mine from another thread about the Volt. Feel free to correct me if my numbers seemed skewed. I feel I was pretty conservative with my estimates.

Wnts2Go10O

iTrader: (12)

people are pissed because they cant use theyre toothfairy math and knock on the car.

the gas engine is backup only, not the primary.

Wnts2Go10O

iTrader: (12)

the Volt is being advertised for the person who commutes 40 miles or less not someone who drives 300+ miles a day..

if you only use so much gas over that distance, it is a legitimate number

though, how the hell do you live in apt and pay 200+ for power?

Blakbird24

iTrader: (24)

You'd be surprised. The last apartment I lived in was gas heat, but in february my heat bills regularly reached $300. I can definitely see $200 with electric heat.

It's pretty ridiculous because the house I have now is nearly 2.5 times the size of that apartment, and has gas heat, yet I have still not paid more than $160 for gas in the coldest months. I must have had a real POS furnace in that apartment.

Brandon331

iTrader: (9)

I like the idea of this car...I hope I can afford one in the future b/c it would be a great town car/ commute to work for I only commute 30 miles a day. So this would be perfect and when I want to go some where long distance I can always break out the v6 f-body lol or my v8 it depends on the trip

$750 L98

iTrader: (7)

This is Tejas, and yes, I pay $200 a month for power in a 1 bedroom apt.

And again, my point was that in a hybrid, 40 miles or less is not 40 miles or less. Ever driven a 15 mile commute in a big city? Think about AC, radio, lights, etc, draining that battery for hours at a time in traffic.

I don't doubt the validity of the claims when used in certain scenarios, I just think that the claims are deceiving when they are not explained.

While you say I need to be reminded of the market it targets, you also need to remember that that market is very impressionable and believes what they are told on a whim. I can easily see the "sheep" masses angered when they don't understand why they only get ~20 or less miles off of battery during their gridlock commutes before the gas motor kicks in.

Again, let me reiterate that I am not contesting the validity of the claims, or the cars ability to achieve a calculated 127mpg.

I just do not agree that the mileage should be calculated or represented as it was.

If I subscribe to that type of math, if I drove no more than 40 miles a day, charged the car at work and at home. my mileage would be infinite (not tabulating the power charge from work or home).

How is that logical?

FWIW I don't drive 300 miles a day either, but I do have family I visit in Houston quite often. I drive more on the order or 60-90, excluding trips, store runs, etc.

Blakbird24

iTrader: (24)

The problem with this type of car is that there really is no way to objectively and accurately represent the real world efficiency of the vehicle in terms that the general public will understand. We are used to MPG, anything else is just confusing. So this (slightly) less confusing data is what we end up with.

$750 L98

iTrader: (7)

I definitely agree MPG is about all the general public would understand, I just wish it was dissected a bit better in testing for people like me that like to tabulate the little hidden expenses or applicability to my situation I suppose.

Either way, for a good chunk of short commuters it out to work out decently, and I am hoping it wipes that stupid grin off the smug prius owner's faces lol!

But for me I just prefer small diesel powered cars if I were to go "alternative". Admittedly I loved my Mercedes diesel 240d as dog slow as it was, but so far my own stubborn preference dictates I refuse to drive anything that doesn't shake my teeth loose, make a lot of noise and go really fast.

kain01

Car and driver ran the car over 154 miles and ran it aggressively if you consider their test driving aggressive, and still managed 74 mpg. That's electric and gas mixed, plus they could have went another 150 miles before recharging the battery or refueling. I have what is considered by most a long commute of 33 miles to work. Which means I could drive it to work and back, every day, and only refill on gas maybe once a month. The Leaf, once your out of juice, you're stranded, nothing short of a tow truck is getting you home. This car changes the game for every manufacturer out there.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...test-road_test

Irunelevens

The leaf is a purely electric car and makes no pretenses about being anything else.

$750 L98

iTrader: (7)

I wonder if the leaf comes with a hand crank generator to recharge it when it dies, or possibly a peddle generator? Actually, that would be kind of neat lol

kain01

The Volt is purely a hybrid car and makes pretenses at being electric.