Well, that's the question that Car and Driver asked recently. Since they unveiled the "production" unit of the Volt, there's been some heatlhy discussion about the promises the Volt makes and what it will actually deliver on.
GM promises that the batteries in the Volt will maintain their 40-mile 0-gas range for 10 years. And they promise 40 miles of no-gas driving, at that.
What do you guys think? Will the Volt really get there? Is it the game changer GM is saying it is?
Oh I don't think it's hyped. I think GM has done a very good job being specific about exactly what the Volt will be able to do. Not too long ago they revealed that they had to change the body design of the Volt (which is why it looks much more Prius-like now than the initial sporty concept) in order to decrease the drag and get the all-electric range up to the claimed 40 miles per charge. They're also going to have the batteries under warranty for 10 years, so they'd damn better well last that long.
They've also been forthright about the cost of the car, saying that it might be closer to $40k than the initial $30k projections.
There was also recently a story that Applied Sciences is working on a carbon nanofiber battery that will increase the Volt's all-electric range to 80 miles (potentially for the second generation version of the car). GM has given the company $500k so far, so they're clearly interested in this possibility.
So I think it's safe to believe that GM will deliver on the promises made regarding the Volt, because they've been very careful about revealing when expectations about any feature of the car have changed. The future of the company is basically riding on this car, so they have to be careful about not failing to meet expectations.
Well...November 2010 is still a pretty long way away. I'm sure as we get closer, GM will tweak certain things here and there. And undoubtedly, some of the specs will be rereported. Of course, it will be most interesting to see how their claims measure up once the car is in consumer hands.
GM certainly can do this. I drive a GM made electric vehicle today. It is a Chevy S10 Electric. It is not very aerodynamic, not light (~4300#), and has an older generation battery technology (NiMH) and still gets about 50 miles range on all electric. So if they are required to make the Volt due to consumer demand, competition, and/or emission standards, GM can deliver. If they don't someone else will.
The recent government incentive of $7500 for the Volt (and other plug-ins with 16kWh battery packs) will help make the price more affordable. Transportation is currently #2 CO2 producer, we need to do something. Not everyone can walk, bike, or bus. The freedom to jump behind the wheel and drive is a part of American culture that is not going away anytime to soon, so PHEVs are good way to maintain that freedom without it choking us to death.
My hope is that I can have the freedom to choose a full electric option at a reasonable price. For my use the added "range extender" with the exhaust pipe and require support systems like radiator, gas tank catalytic converter, etc. is extra baggage.
I would love to apply my $7500 government credit to a company that includes a full electric choice. So far Aptera is the only affordable competitor that has taken my deposit ($500 returnable escrow) and given a reservation number.
I would love to apply my $7500 government credit to a company that includes a full electric choice. So far Aptera is the only affordable competitor that has taken my deposit ($500 returnable escrow) and given a reservation number.
Wow! That's really exciting that you have a reservation on the Aptera. Do you know when you'll get to test drive?
Wow! That's really exciting that you have a reservation on the Aptera. Do you know when you'll get to test drive?
Wow, that is cool!
I've always thought that thing looks like a space-pod from 2050, not a car. You're sure to turn heads.....
The Oregon Gov just announced his new 2009 plan and it has a $5000 tax credit for plug-in cars. Add that with the $7500 federal credit and now (in Oregon) you can get the $37,000 Volt for just $24,500. Now the price delta with a Prius (or new 2009 Insight) is not that big.
http://www.kgw.com/video/video-index.html?nvid=297387
