cost of ownership for the chevy volt

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

But how much of the extra weight in the Volt is the weight of the battery & motor-generator system that allows it to get much better overall mileage? (Not to mention that the Volt is also a bigger car than the Metro.) Sure, it'd be nice to get the weight of all those systems down to 20 lbs or so. I just have to work out a few problems with my unobtanium mine...

The Chevy Volt weighs around 600 pounds more then a Chevy Cruze, Also the Geo Metro with an automatic transmission and four doors is only rated at 26/31mpg, if you want to be fair in what you are comparing.
I've also ridden as a passenger in a Volt and it has a lot more space then a Geo Metro, not to dis the Geo Metro, because I don't really like hybrids, I'd rather use a vehicle that fits my needs at the time, but I'm 6 feet tall and am to tall to sit in the back seat of a Geo Metro, back seat of a Volt has a ton of space and you can't buy a Geo Metro new any more.

[ecomodded]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Maine

Holy Cow! You must be Lance Armstrong! In bicycling, which I do and am starting a ride across the US in about 3 weeks, a century ride is a big deal. To knock out 190miles is two days is hauling ass. Sure much easier in FL than ME but not trivial in either case

Not quite lance Armstrong but I have owned numerous road racing bicycles but switched to mtb about 10 years ago, currently ride is a full suspension rocky mountain cross- country mtb with a speedo/ odometer on it that i routinely ride50 or more miles on a outing, my last walk was 12 miles... I can hold 22 mph for ever on my mtb.
If you can not ride 20 miles per hour steady with a road bike on the side of the hwy I would say you are in bad shape. I am 46 strength train with free weights and a universal machine hike ride 2 daily walks with a sprint, so i am in pretty good shape, but not excellent shape..

[rollercoaster]

The volt seems more appropriate to a local commute rather than a long distance one. This way you mostly run on the electric.

The trick is to have solar panels on your house roof so that your electricity is significantly less.

They should have kept the car simple (K.I.S.S) with basic driving amenities and good aerodynamics- and then build on that over the years.

Does anyone know what the factory warranty is? I wonder if one can be leased?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

If you can not ride 20 miles per hour steady with a road bike on the side of the hwy I would say you are in bad shape.

Maybe if you are on flat land, with a smooth road and no headwind. Try it in the mountains.

Another thing you are ignoring is that a 190 mile day on a bike is going to be pretty much straight pedaling. In the Volt, it's drive a bit, stop to do errand while charging, drive a bit more, do another errand...

[ecomodded]

Well the guy in the link posted above by cfg83 did a 190 mile trip in 24 hours or more to prove how capable the volt was over its 33 mile reported electric ability. The bicycle would take half a day including 4 hours of rest and breaks.
To help put things in better perspective then my bicycle math I'll give you some 2011 Tour de France numbers.

3,430 km covered at a average speed of 39.788 km per hour or 24.8 mph over hilly nasty challenging roads.

[Ed-in-Maine]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

Not quite lance Armstrong but I have owned numerous road racing bicycles but switched to mtb about 10 years ago, currently ride is a full suspension rocky mountain cross- country mtb with a speedo/ odometer on it that i routinely ride50 or more miles on a outing, my last walk was 12 miles... I can hold 22 mph for ever on my mtb.
If you can not ride 20 miles per hour steady with a road bike on the side of the hwy I would say you are in bad shape. I am 46 strength train with free weights and a universal machine hike ride 2 daily walks with a sprint, so i am in pretty good shape, but not excellent shape..

You said 25mph average for 7-8 hours. BIG/HUGH difference from what your talking about here. But hey great to hear your out there riding. Doc you 190 mile in one day and I'll shake your hand. Then just for fun do it the next day, after all the Volt can
JUST SAYING lets be realistic about what the average buyer of a Volt would be able to do on a bicycle.

Check out Calvin's Challenge for some truly impressive 12-hr bike times. Men's on DF 268miles, Men's recumbent 267miles! Coming up May 5th, Get Ready!!!!!

[ecomodded]

Ed in Maine and others, the comparison is actually fair. At 20mph you would still beat the Volt by a easy 8 hours including a mid ride nap.
After all who would drive the Volt for 190 miles on electric with 4, 4 hour charges back to back to accomplish it? lets just say no one but this guy. Who rides a bicycle 190 miles in 12 hours ? more then one guy, who wants to do it ? not me. Point is a cyclist on his bicycle would win the race.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

To help put things in better perspective then my bicycle math I'll give you some 2011 Tour de France numbers.

Tour de France? Yeah, if you're in the top 0.001% of the population, physically, and have a team/sponsor to support you while you train full time, then you can do that. Personally, I think about 130 miles is about the most I've done in a day - and that was starting at about the 6000 ft level in Sequoia NP, and riding down through the San Joaquin valley. And frankly, after about 80 miles in a day, it stops being fun.

[Ed-in-Maine]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

To help put things in better perspective then my bicycle math I'll give you some 2011 Tour de France numbers.

3,430 km covered at a average speed of 39.788 km per hour or 24.8 mph over hilly nasty challenging roads.

Well ecommodded, happy that we finally are in agreement Lance Armstrong(ref my OP) won the Tour de France 7 times!!!!!! The Tour de France riders are IMO the most elite athletes in the world. I bow my head humbly to any who has completed the Tour

[pete c]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

Not quite lance Armstrong but I have owned numerous road racing bicycles but switched to mtb about 10 years ago, currently ride is a full suspension rocky mountain cross- country mtb with a speedo/ odometer on it that i routinely ride50 or more miles on a outing, my last walk was 12 miles... I can hold 22 mph for ever on my mtb.
If you can not ride 20 miles per hour steady with a road bike on the side of the hwy I would say you are in bad shape. I am 46 strength train with free weights and a universal machine hike ride 2 daily walks with a sprint, so i am in pretty good shape, but not excellent shape..

If you can maintain 22 mph on a mtb, you are in damn good shape, IMO. 22 mph on a roadie requires being in what I would categorize as good shape.

And yes, the TdF guys can ride 25 mph avg. But, remember they are not riding solo and they are simply not human!