Volt price being dropped.

[FenwickHockey65]

Losses won't be as bad now. The cost of the tech is coming down due to so many automakers jumping into the ring, and GM has ELR launching soon which will help offset it with a higher MSRP.

[DaveA]

Two words: Range anxiety.

I flew out to Baltimore yesterday (I'm in Boston) to pickup a Camaro (2013 2ss vert for those interested). The sales guy picked me up from the airport in a Volt. While I'm a gaz guzzling type of driver, I'm interested in the technology more so to get other people onto electric so I can drive gasoline cars that much longer. We chatted a lot about the Volt on the 45m drive from the airport to dealership. He told me average range is 40-55 miles. I can tell you this. He told me he drove to the airport on gas and switched over to electric to drive me back. It was on a full charge. We didn't make it back to the dealer (again, 45m, but true mostly highway) without the charge running out and going back to gasoline.

What's the point?

When we got to the dealership he plugged it in. He told me a full charges takes 4 hours. Yessterday was his day off. Was he going to wait around for 4 hours? I was there 5 mins and left with my new car. Maybe he was staying around for an hour and maybe that's enough to get him home (to charge again), but what's the point? I don't get it.

I guess to me the point is to get the technology started and improve upon it from here. To me it needs 100+ miles on a charge and absolutely still a gas engine. I spoke to my wife about the vehicle and she was horrified by the idea of driving 50 miles and then having to stop for 4 hours. When I explained the gas engine to her, she asked the same thing: What's the point?

Getting one for commuting seems silly. The thousands of dollars you will pay each year for car, especially adding in insurance and excise tax, will buy you a lot of gasoline for your guzzler. Of course, there are other reasons for a commuting car and I get that. I myself am keeping my wife's tiny little Aveo (bought her a Kia Sorrento 7 seater) as a commuting car but not really for gas savings (again, it's mostly negated by insurance, maintenance, excise) but to keep mileage off my Camaro and to keep it off the roads during New England winters.

Rant over!

[FenwickHockey65]

Umm...I'm not sure if I just don't understand you, but the point is to PREVENT range anxiety.

The problem with all pure EVs is the minute your batteries are running low, you have two options: Find a charging station, and you better hope you own a Tesla and you're close to one of their Supercharger rapid charging stations, where you're still going to be stuck sitting around for a half hour to an hour (more if all charging bays are taken up), or you're going to be stuck on the side of the road with an expensive paperweight.

And if you don't happen to own a Tesla (Leaf, Focus Electric, Spark EV, etc), now you're stuck sitting around for HOURS waiting for your car to recharge.

To prevent that, GM installs a gasoline-powered generator to give you a few extra hundred miles of range if need be. Batteries are dry, car seamlessly switches to gasoline. Gas tank runs dry, just refuel and drive another couple hundred miles. You never have to stop and sit around waiting for your batteries to recharge until you reach your destination.

Volt is actually 100% ideal for commuting simply because the EV-only range is sufficient for the majority of Americans to get to work and back with a side trip along the way. Sure, Leaf and Focus Electric offer more EV-only range but the minute your batteries run dry because you got stuck in a traffic jam on the way home, or you had to go a longer alternate route because of construction, you're stuck. Forgot to charge your car last night? You're not going to work today, unless you fight with your significant other about dropping you off.

The fact is this: Volt is the only electric car that gives you any flexibility at all. It can be your only car in the household if you want. You can use it for commuting or go on road trips.

[snizzle]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Umm...I'm not sure if I just don't understand you, but the point is to PREVENT range anxiety.

I've always wondered why GM did not play this point up more in the media in comparison to the Leaf and other pure EVs.

The Volt is perfect as our nation as a whole does not have the infrastructure in place yet for pure electrics.

[DaveA]

You're right and it's a great feature, but I would again argue: What's the point? Why even have the electric part of the car if you are relying on the gas engine?

I guess for the right people it can work.

My main point was they need to increase the distance you can go on a single charge before it becomes practical.

[arod55]

My wife leased one and she loves it. Very comfortable and she averages 83 MPG., also here in Cali you can drive in the car pool lane with one person as long as you get California stickers.

[STOCK1SC]

Originally Posted by DaveA

Two words: Range anxiety.

I flew out to Baltimore yesterday (I'm in Boston) to pickup a Camaro (2013 2ss vert for those interested). The sales guy picked me up from the airport in a Volt. While I'm a gaz guzzling type of driver, I'm interested in the technology more so to get other people onto electric so I can drive gasoline cars that much longer. We chatted a lot about the Volt on the 45m drive from the airport to dealership. He told me average range is 40-55 miles. I can tell you this. He told me he drove to the airport on gas and switched over to electric to drive me back. It was on a full charge. We didn't make it back to the dealer (again, 45m, but true mostly highway) without the charge running out and going back to gasoline.

What's the point?

When we got to the dealership he plugged it in. He told me a full charges takes 4 hours. Yessterday was his day off. Was he going to wait around for 4 hours? I was there 5 mins and left with my new car. Maybe he was staying around for an hour and maybe that's enough to get him home (to charge again), but what's the point? I don't get it.

I guess to me the point is to get the technology started and improve upon it from here. To me it needs 100+ miles on a charge and absolutely still a gas engine. I spoke to my wife about the vehicle and she was horrified by the idea of driving 50 miles and then having to stop for 4 hours. When I explained the gas engine to her, she asked the same thing: What's the point?

Getting one for commuting seems silly. The thousands of dollars you will pay each year for car, especially adding in insurance and excise tax, will buy you a lot of gasoline for your guzzler. Of course, there are other reasons for a commuting car and I get that. I myself am keeping my wife's tiny little Aveo (bought her a Kia Sorrento 7 seater) as a commuting car but not really for gas savings (again, it's mostly negated by insurance, maintenance, excise) but to keep mileage off my Camaro and to keep it off the roads during New England winters.

Rant over!

And here lies the problem with the car, people don't understand how it works and think you have to charge it up to drive it. Good God i could have come up with a better ad campaign for this car than GM has. If they would have marketed the car correctly there would be lines at the door to get one. It's an outstanding vehicle from every review I have read but when I hear people on the message boards as well as tv hosts spreading the same falsehoods it just frustrates me to no end. THE VOLT CAN OPERATE ON A CHARGE AND WHEN IT RUNS OUT THE VEHICLE HAS A GASOLINE ENGINE THAT TAKES OVER TO CHARGE THE BATTERY SO YOU AREN'T STUCK WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF JUICE!!!!!! Maybe that will help.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by DaveA

You're right and it's a great feature, but I would again argue: What's the point? Why even have the electric part of the car if you are relying on the gas engine?

I guess for the right people it can work.

My main point was they need to increase the distance you can go on a single charge before it becomes practical.

But you're not. Like I said, most Americans can drive to work and back on the EV range. It already is practical, in fact it's the most practical electric car on the market.

Increasing range = larger battery = higher price. You're already paying for basically two powertrains in one car. Volt offers a good balance of both worlds.

[upflying]

Funny observation about range anxiety.
Yesterday I was driving northbound on I5 about 25 miles south of Sacramento. I noticed a Tesla S parked on the shoulder with two occupants inside anxiously looking at the traffic approaching from behind.
Didn't take mind reading to know what their problem was. Classic Kodak moment, wish I had a camera.

[derklug]

GM has done a good job of getting the point across that the Volt is an electric car that can use gas to extend it's range, but some just tune out at "electric". My wife would be a perfect Volt owner, she rarely travels more than 35 miles a day. The biggest drawback was the price, which would make the payoff point somewhere into the second owners time. $5k cheaper brings the payoff point into her ownership. On a side note, I will use all of the fuel she saves.

[Grabber]

As a Volt owner, I'll chime in.

My wife lives 10 miles from work (16 before) and she NEVER uses gas. We pay maybe 30 bucks more a month in Electricity, however, we don't fill her car up unless we take longer than normal drives, etc. When gas kicks in, she still gets nearly 40MPG on the street and closer to 43-45 MPG on the highway cruising around 60 MPH. On a good day, including the EV range and the Gas, you can get over 425 miles in one shot. Not to mention the car drives EXTREMELY well, handles amazing, the brakes are phenomenal, great sound system and other features.

In making her choice, she was looking at the Cruze and Malibu Eco. Both cars did not ride/drive smoother, handle as well and give us the excitement. The Cruze was sluggish and was very small on the interior, and the Malibu felt exactly like the Cruze except it had a bit more room on the inside and had a sleeker look to it.

The Back-up Camera, Free-on star for 3 years (Only in a Volt) Bose Sound system, badass Navigation and overall great car gave us what we needed to make a choice.

Most people that own Volt's don't always charge their car and run on the gas engine which still has a longer range than the higher fuel capacity Cruze and Malibu on gas plus the EV Range.

The charging time is a bit slow, however, in our situation, plugging it in at night and unplugging it a couple of hours before leaving for work ends up working out great. Now, if you are solely relying on the electric and not wanting to use the gas, well, there is something wrong with that person.

Anyone that wants to pass judgement on a Volt and has not driven one or rented one for a day (Most dealerships do this) please do so before hand.

[Diode Dynamics]

Originally Posted by derklug

GM has done a good job of getting the point across that the Volt is an electric car that can use gas to extend it's range, but some just tune out at "electric". My wife would be a perfect Volt owner, she rarely travels more than 35 miles a day. The biggest drawback was the price, which would make the payoff point somewhere into the second owners time. $5k cheaper brings the payoff point into her ownership. On a side note, I will use all of the fuel she saves.

Yes!

Nick C.

[toesuf94]

I am considering one for my next car. After the Escalade is paid for and safely ensconced in the garage...a Volt would fit my needs perfectly...or maybe the ELR? Hmmm.