Quote:
Originally Posted by bennelson
hey NHRABill,
I am also surprised at how divisive the VOLT has been.
Ecomodder is usually a very positive place, but I think that we have a lot of folks that are also very economical-minded, and range from driving as little as possible to save cash to driving the most gas-sipping car because they drive a zillion miles!
NHRABill, do you know Peter Crisitello? He's out in Jersey and is a member of the local EAA there. (He's also a Citicar guy.) He wrote a great blog entry on why he wouldn't buy a Chevy Volt. He's one of the first guys that I know personally who got to drive a Volt.
Overall, he liked a lot of things about the Volt, but felt really disconnected from the road, and didn't care for the interfaces between the driver and the car. Keep in mind that also collects Studebakers.
Euromodder: besides EV's having been around a long time, HYBRIDs have also been around since prior to 1900. But it isn't a matter of how long a technology has been around, it matter's how mainstream it is in terms of economy of scale for manufacturing.
We have been cranking out gasoline cars for the last hundred years, but have barely dabbled in EVs.
I do think that the price gap between the Volt and the Leaf is enough that I think a lot of people would choose the Leaf and the savings.
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Thanks for the comments Ben, and no I do not know Peter Crisitello. I am new to his scene and learnign as I go Electronics are not my specialty just about everything else auto is. I will be sure to look him up and read up on his blog.
Moving on to ther comments I can understand that people like to things on the cheap and that sometimes goes hand in hand with being more efficient with your car. There are many other people who feel just as passionate about being "green" and evnvirometally responsible and even more that don't want to be crushed after being in a fender bender with a 6,000lbs car. People will continue to purchase New vehicles despite the reality that taking a scrap yard car and refurbishing it will cost tens of thousands less even installing a modern more efficient drivetrain.
I can spend many an hour throwing Jabs back at those who like to tear down what will be known as a game changing vehicle for the auto industry. People forget that the Insight was a FLOP and failure first time out and that Volkswagon rabbit diesels were rolling Death traps on the highways then and even now. They also don't understand that Hypermill driving is the reason I want to put a 500lbs. push bar on the front of my 6,000 pound truck so I can run them over when they lose 25 mph goinig uphill on the highway.
I am not the type of person who will be childish and say my side is right and you are wrong. I wrote a nice article with photos and video and posted it elsewhere of my thoughts. People enjoy my opinion seen as I have lived most of my life on the dragstrip spilling gas out and replacing it with nitromethane. I have never been an efficiencey guy I am cheap I like low buck buildups and do it yourself projects. So when asked about my opinion on the volt I came to this site and many others looking at all forms of emerging technology to formulate a unbiased opinion from a cheap average persons poiint of view.
The lifestyle that we live dictates if we are right or wrong. I am not going to tell someone who is managing 80mpg that their car is unsafe the same as I will not tell them that the caveman invvented the wheel so the caveman must have seen the car comming they should get the credit for the technology, that is just being childish and acting Juvenile. Look at the facts there are several Auto manufacturers who are now workign toward improving the car at a level we havent seen in decades, I applaud that. Getting it 100% on the first try is impossible.
Simple fact is we now have a NEW choice that uses a superior battery back than the Prius what does this mean? In a few short years it may be possible to get your hands on one for your own project? Maybe I guess that is good for all of us. The comment about aftermarket kits will come even more of a reality with the intrest people are now showing. Way to go GM keep up the good work and for those who think they can do better ... Get to work and submit your ideas patents and strike up a partenership with GM or Toyota and the like to showcase your improvements.
If all you want to do is tear down and discourage people from viewing a new technology I will take not of your name and not waste my time reading your biased criticism.