A testy test drive in Chevy’s new Volt

Its nice I will give it that. And we could use a short radius vehical for most of our driving. Needs the air conditioner going in humid areas of the country and that will effect economy. But the cost, that can be a problem. I can remember when new cars could be bought for under $2000 and a nice home could be had for under $20,000. Spending that kind of money would be out of the question for me. I usually end up buying used cars. When todays car become five or six years old they are going to be a huge expense to repair and have diagnosed. I have seen where replacing battery’s and controlers on 5-6 year old Hybrids can run $5000. What will that car be worth to me a buyer at that time period? Probably nothing I don’t think I would buy it knowing the expense coming up. I think in todays economy and the workforce incomes try to bring out a car with a under $10,000 price tag out the door. We are a nation now where some people get a college degree and maybe they earn a good income. Then there is the other larger group who don’t have that much spendability. This translates into a big market for the manufactures willing to fill that niche. Maybe a company like Tatu.

People will buy it to be good citizens, not because its the best car for the money. For several years, the government will have to provide larger incentives, to give this technology time to improve.

Sounds like a great car. Unfortunately, I’m a lowly paid social worker for a non-profit and this car costs more than I make in a year!!

BTW, I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!

I like the idea of hybrids, and even electric cars, but I don’t know of any case where the reduced driving cost justifies the increased up front expense. It usually takes a lot of miles for the decreased per mile cost to cover the increased up front cost. And there is the concern about how soon the battery pack needs to be replaced and at what cost.
Me, I can’t wait for the hydrogen cars.

What is it with people immediately complaining about the cost? Most people are quite prepared to spend more money for a car because it has a custom finish, a soft top, fast acceleration, or a prestigious name. The volt and the leaf have a feature much more important than these—independence from oil! Wait until gas goes over $5/gallon again and those who would rather pay more for other features will be sorry they did. What use is a fancy car if you cannot afford to drive it?

this car is better then others, but it is so expensive.

Perhaps we’re chasing mice, and letting the elephants run wild. Regardless of economy (and I’m not sure of that with electricity cost so high) this machine is a source of real bad air pollution…the kind that kills our forests and dirties our lives.

This machine runs on COAL! The vast majority of our electricity is produced by coal. It’s that simple. Even though I’m not a tree hugger this is unacceptable..

There will also be a problem down the road that can lead to blackouts. Our electricity delivery network is hopelessly inefficient now. Adding vehicles to it will simply cause it to crash.

And, number three: the person is correct who said they have just about “0″ residual value.

I feel that we should diminish our reliance on petroleum fuel, but let’s do it in a way that isn’t silly.

@rbhare: Fantastic point. Many of the environmental types who push for electric vehicles point out that the shift must go hand-in-hand with a serious ramp-up of alternative energy sources. Although there is also an argument that you get less environmental damage when you rely on power plants instead of individual gas tanks, because of efficiencies.

The cost is very, very relevant when it exceeds my yearly income by thousands. I’m lucky that my house is paid off, I’d not get into a huge car load for any reason.

One way or another we are going to develop alternative and cleaner sources of energy. Perhaps an electric car is the means to that end.

“Necessity is the mother of all invention”. I don’t remember who said that, but its true. Take for instance the lowly screw was invented more than a hundred years before the screw driver!

That does seem like a pretty nice car. Yet again, the price of it is not yet released. If you turn out not to have enough money for an electric car, an used car is always the best alternative. They are cheap, reliable, and if you want to save time and money, check out Carsala because people there will go through the whole car-buying process for you and guarantee you the lowest killer price.

Hi Will110256,

You may be right to worry about the batteries. No one really has long-term experience with lithium-ion batteries in cars. However, the Prius NiMH batteries have aged remarkably well. Actually they hardly age at all, or so it seems. The Prius keeps the charge in a limited range and that makes a huge difference. Have a look at http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-batteries-none-the-worse-for-wear-cga.htm

Unfortunately we are probably going to have something of a wait for hydrogen cars. Storing the hydrogen in the car is still a technical challenge , and a fuel infrastructure has to be built… but I do hope you get to buy one, one of these days!

Welcome to the world of the “haves” and the “have nots”. The “haves” will buy the car out of ecological guilt, even though they can afford $5 gas. The growing number of “have nots” don’t have the option.

This is the reality we’re dealing with. It’s not just about cars. Our options are quickly disappearing.

Before we hear too many comments like, “it’s just as dirty and bad because it runs on coal…”

1) Our electricity is a mix of coal, NG, hydro and small amounts of renewables.
2) The more EVs we have the more renewables we can add because the batteries smooth out the intermittent nature of solar and wind. Win-win.
3) It may be dirty coal but it’s OUR dirty coal. We have more than enough for a while (until we can make fully solar-powered grids). Not held hostage to OPEC’s tantrums.
4) The dirty coal is not being burned in the city with all the people.
5) EVs are several times more efficient so far less pollution to the driver than driving traditional vehicles.
6) EVs don’t idle! People never talk about this but imagine you are in NYC at a red light during rush hour and there is no sound. Just EVs patiently waiting and producing zero sound (OK, the A/C or heaters may be running). A gas engine is spewing out huge amounts of pollutants during idling because the engine is not running efficiently in this range.

So, before some of you shoot your post off, please address each of these points and you will find it impossible to make a good argument for your coal hate.

I feel your doom but it’s important for the doomers to remember that we don’t have to completely replace oil at once, we ONLY have to keep ahead of the decline.

Yes, I know that is still a massive undertaking but we need to think about what life can be like after we hit bottom.

According to some experts, the world population will have to go down to about 1 Billion people, just like it was before we found all that almost-free fossil fuel. This does make grim sense but it may be possible to improve our situation considerably by applying great sustainable technologies.

No, our technology is not going to save us completely but it will likely help quite a bit. Don’t forget that the sun provides enough energy in 10 minutes to equal what us humans use in a year.

After the painful transition, humans have a great chance at living excellent lives. It’s all about finding balance with nature. We have to think how our decisions affect things thousands of years down the road, not until the next election.

Anyway, all we can do is try. Much better than getting all gloomy and giving up. I may have to squeeze out my existence on a remote farm packing a shotgun but I dream of the turnaround. Hope is what we have!

Oh, what a cute little box. And it doesn’t burn the evil gasoline. Who cares if it uses electricity that is made by burning coal and causes even more damage. We don’t care about that. We’re Americans and we have the right to pollute the air if we want to. It’s our air anyway.

Face it. It is yet another attempt by car companies to sucker you into spending more of your money on a throwaway vehicle. If you absolutely have to have a car, buy a ten year old, or older, junker and have it redone. You’ll come out cheaper in the long run and still be able to burn gas. If you don’t know how to do that, tough shit. You should have paid more attention when you were growing up.

cmsix

None of these arguments will matter by the end of 2012. But, at least we will be saved from the Singularity.

I commute by scooter 124 miles a day, four days a week and use only about 8 gallons of gasoline. I can’t wait until technology or politics catch up to 5 dollar a gallon gasoline. Now is the time for everyone to do their part. We are in this together. Hummer dinosaur is on the extinction list and so is every oversized vehicle in use today.

All in all electric cars are an improvement in many ways, but THESE electric cars are not the answer.

An important point not yet made is that our cars are WAY TOO HEAVY and have MUCH TOO MUCH HORSEPOWER.

95% of the time people drive by themselves or with one other person. The vast majority of our cars should be lighter, 2 seater cars.

Oh, by the way, last time I checked the speed limit was 65 or 70mph in most places. A light car with 100 hp can easily do that with ample power to pass when needed.

Put some solar panels on the roof and keep that bugger outside on sunny days.

You know how much electricty your car will need to do the job? Not much at all. That’s the answer folks.

So why aren’t we hearing that?

It’s dirty because it should be generating electricity as it operates on the streets. 40miles? A joke? if not just another lonely country from GM; the original mess maker.
Unless american auto manufacters conmenst to build a workable total electric car they will go under as we the tax payers do not have the money to throw at them and even if emperor “obama” were to win another election (highly unlikely; in fact the odds of him winning a second term is lower than the first time around) there would be no money to give gm/ford/ or chysler to keep these pesky vultures alive.
Some company will began to mass build an electric car which works with a decent price just as ford mass built an automobile which worked with a decent price once.
People are sick of the gase/oil companies controling their lives, and to began constructing new oil wells when 80% of the present ones are just capped off is as mike said ludicatious (in mike language)

Every single new electric car gimic begans with “than a gas engines takes over” or you can charge it soon at the local indian store.
Either the price is out of range for a total electric car for anyone but the super rich or it needs a gas backup and both are doomed to fail.
The rich don’t give a dam what it costs and will leave in in the garage and drive that high HP gase product. The rest of us will stick to japanese products which work until someone honestly opens the door to electric cars.
Hydrogen sounds good but still if ya gotta go down to the gas station to fill R UP it’s the same ole same ole and gm, ford, and chrysler and the rest can shove that idea up their collective butts.
Automotive fanfactours may as well get used to the idea that gas stations are going to become a thing of the pass, and the sooner the better.
They better consentrate on building better electric cars and selling them and stay out of the oil business. Sucking up to oil companies will eventually get a company out of business.
They have done this planet and it’s occupant senough harm.

Did anybody actually read the part of the article that says GM has not yet announced pricing? The price in the article was for the Nissan Leaf – not the Chevy Volt. The Leaf is about $22,000 after Federal Tax incentives and less in California since they also have state incentives. The $20,000 range is actually low for new cars these days – not exactly limited to the “Super Rich”. These cars are excellent first steps – finally. Hopefully the Volt will be in the same price range as the Leaf – not higher. I look forward to future models that are better – but the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step. My drive to work is about 5 miles – living closer to work is another step you can take to save gas and $$$.

It will take Time a little time to discover, let alone admit publicly, that “green” is no more than marketing hype meaning “too expensive”. As you read the comments you come to realize that people who are in love with “green” will focus on anything that will prevent any real solution, unless it destroys the economy. And those are the only solutions they like. They will oppose coal generation, but will oppose nuclear just as much. Those same people will never pay the price to adopt the things they demand. They seem to enjoy being stressed, argumentative and backward. All they accomplish is to provide income and grant money to organizations that “oppose”. The real owners of those organizations appreciate their frenzied frustration and their money. Products that drive prices up will never be adopted by the vast majority of people on the planet, let alone here.

The pricetag seems a bit steep for a depression era economy. But then GM never was any good at reading the market – that’s why the gov’t had to bail them out. Some things never change, I guess.

In Minnesota, you can buy voluntary wind-energy credits. It’s a premium on your normal electric energy bill. If you bought these credits and powered up at home, you’d be oil- and coal-free (except for the production of the car).

If you live 5 miles or less from work, you have no need for a car. Walk or ride a bicycle. That’s much more “green” and infinitely less expensive. Even the best bicycles are rarely more than a couple thousand, and are overkill for the average commuter.

$500-800 vs $20,000+

The bike wins every time.

Now for myself, a person who drives 37 miles one way to work, the Volt or something similar may be a help. I would have to charge it at work, however, unless I wanted to burn gas on the return trip. I would want an electric car that will run for 100-150 miles per charge, under normal use. If that was the Volt’s capability, I’d be buying one tomorrow if possible… provided it’s not too slow. I feel unsafe in a car that can’t get up to 60 in less than 8 seconds, considering I deal with many highway merges in my normal day, with drivers that do not care about the next guy all around. No you don’t need a fast car in all situations, but something that gets out of its own way is definitely desireable.

What really bothers me about this whole story is the $7,500 federal tax auto maker continuous bail out. These money mongers should be required to make 95% USA made products before they can even be considered for federal money. Federal dollars should not be padding the pockets of NISSAN Japanese headquarters in Nishi-ku period. Yes they have a plant in the US it is assembly only. And they only have it here so they can skate on fair trade issues.
I am all for people spending their hard earned money on an energy efficient auto. Not because its green, because lets face it the energy consumed to make these cars is not green at all, but buy it because it makes sense buy it because you don’t think oil is going to last forever or buy it because you know you couldn’t afford $5 a gallon gas. If you have a 15 mile commute these vehicles make great sense.
I know this poorly written article didn’t cover any of the facts but the Volt gets a Total MPG = 50xM/(M-40) and 50 MPG on gas is acceptable for a first generation car. And anyone who poo poos this car should consider that a current electricity rates the car charge gets 40 MPC for the charged portion so if your old car could get 40 MPG and only pay 80 cents for the fist 40 miles why not beats paying an Arabian so he can pad a terrorist cells pocket. Also if your commute is 15 miles ad you do a bit of running around and stay under your 40 miles you can grive all month for $24 and will be taking a 300 mile vacation at the end of a couple months just to get rid of the gas in your tank before it goes bad.

I think the idea is to make the price comparable to a conventional new car. I’m not sure why you think that you will suddenly be priced into the new car market with an emerging technology.

$22,000 isn’t a bad price for a new vehicle. Bear in mind that early adopters of this technology will pay a premium, so the price will come down.

Any quality automobile is advanced enough that it requires expensive upkeep. Mid-life maintenance items such as timing belt and catalytic converter replacement are expensive, too. Repairs to engine control computers aren’t cheap either.

I am wary of GM’s build quality however. I routinely rent GM vehicles for business and greatly prefer the build of Toyota, Nissan, and Ford brands.

“Volt is the product GM’s on-again, off-again affair with electrics”

Learn to proofread! The quality of your writing is shockingly poor.

Lutz – you goofed! Why the heck did you put a *grill* on the front? You had a chance to make it look clean, slick, sexy – a date magnet, but nooooo, you had to go and put a grill there.

It’s called a skiamorph, like a bowsprit on a steamship. Good going, backwards-thinkers.

Gonna get myself a Tesla – no grill there….

In Florida and some other states(check yours) you are allowed to drive a slow electric some call a neiborhood vehical on streets posted 35 mph or less. A golf cart will do or you can get fancier. Needs to have a few things lights brake lights turn signals a windshied.
You have to buy a license plate, ok so far but then you need to have insurance. Insurance may be the deal breaker if your trying to save a buck. I don’t know if the insurance companies will charge more for this type vehical you can also check that out. If all that works out then it might be a answer for many. Quick trips to the grocery or a close job might work out good. They are only good for say 25-35 mph but they could fill a niche and you could find a used one for about $2500.

How is it possible Time’s ONLY article on perhaps THE most significant US car is reviewed on MARCH 30th and not after??? The car went on sale in December 2010, and TIME has NOTHING??? Are your editors in the stone age or what?

This car is a true game changer – TIME – you have missed the boat by a MILE!!!!

Don’t believe me? Pull up any car magazine and it is a big deal, including Motor Trends COTY for 2011.