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Old 05-07-2010, 10:10 AM   #47 (permalink)
bennelson
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Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by texanidiot25 View Post
It is not a hybrid in the traditional sense....... The gas motor is only there to power the batteries, not the wheels......The Leaf to my knowledge is just a two-seater...... Made for much longer commuting than the essentially city-only Leaf............
In the end, my apple is just better than your orange.
Hey! No spreading mis-information please!

1) The Volt IS a Hybrid - if you want to get really technical, it's a "plug-in serial hybrid". The engine ONLY runs electricity to the electric motor - you still have to plug it in to recharge it.

2) The Leaf seats 5. It is a 5 door (four doors plus hatch.)

3) As for "Made for much longer commuting..." - If your commute is 50 miles each way every day, I would consider that fairly far, but it could still be done with the Leaf. I would NOT consider 100 miles to be "city only".
Three-quarters of all Americans commute less than 40 miles per day. A Leaf can do 100 miles. Therefore, the Volt is really aimed at people who have a need to go farther than 100 miles per day, or have "Range Anxiety". - Essentially using the fear of what a car may or may not be able to do, to sell more of a certain style of car.


I do agree with the apples and oranges statement. Volt vs Leaf are two different styles of cars. However, for many people the Leaf will be a very good choice.



References:
Chevy Volt OFFICIAL page
Nissan Leaf Official Page

Please note that GM-Volt: Chevy Volt Electric Car Site has a disclaimer at the bottom saying that it is in NO WAY related to GM. It is a private page which is a rumor-mill/fun place to talk about the Volt.
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