"The Volt" May BE SCRAPPED!- NEVER BUILT!!

[nekolai]

Originally Posted by cbaber

The Volt has become similar to the Prius. Their drivers have been known to be very smug. Most owners drive it as a status symbol to say, "Hey look how environmentally conscious I am, I am much more advanced than you!"

It isn't the cars fault. Well okay, the Volt was doomed to be a smug car because of the huge price tag...

I have a lot more respect for people that take used cars and modify them and their driving to achieve better fuel economy. There is just something about buying a newly manufactured car for $40,000 that seems a bit uneconomical.

I drive a prius because I like money and bragging rights. **** the environment.

On a side-note, you guys have one of the most epic necros EVER!

[cbaber]

Originally Posted by nekolai

I drive a prius because I like money and bragging rights. **** the environment.

On a side-note, you guys have one of the most epic necros EVER!

I'm glad! Most Prius drivers couldn't care less about fuel economy. Imagine that! I drive 60 mph on the highway and I see a Prius (or any hybrid/economy car) going 80 mph. How can they possibly be concerned about fuel economy when they are going so fast!?

necros?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by cbaber

The Volt has become similar to the Prius. Their drivers have been known to be very smug. Most owners drive it as a status symbol to say, "Hey look how environmentally conscious I am, I am much more advanced than you!"

So how is that really any different than e.g. the guy who buys a great big truck to say "Look how much money I have, and macho I am. (And how insecure about the size of parts of my anatomy :-))"? People buy vehicles for all sorts of reasons, and advertising who/what they are is far from the least important.

IWell okay, the Volt was doomed to be a smug car because of the huge price tag...

Will you shut up about that imaginary huge price tag, already! The Volt goes for about $40K, pretty reasonable for any sort of upscale car.

[cbaber]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

So how is that really any different than e.g. the guy who buys a great big truck to say "Look how much money I have, and macho I am. (And how insecure about the size of parts of my anatomy :-))"? People buy vehicles for all sorts of reasons, and advertising who/what they are is far from the least important.



Will you shut up about that imaginary huge price tag, already! The Volt goes for about $40K, pretty reasonable for any sort of upscale car.

It isn't any different. Certain people feel the need to be part of a group, or have people think of them in a certain way. Whether that is a dude in a Prius or huge SUV it doesn't change anything. I posted in response to something talking about a Prius cutting them off. It happens just as much with people in huge SUV's, no different. My point is that cars like the Prius and Volt have attracted a group of people that drive them to be seen in them, rather than appreciate their economical value. Thats why I have so much respect for ecomodders who strive to increase economical value without caring what people think of them.

The Volt was not meant to be some upscale luxury car. The federal and state governments subsidized the development, and continue to subsidize the sales of the Volt. The reason is because the government wants to push for less oil use and more electric use. The Volt was meant to be the American electric car that proved EV can be practical and within reach of normal drivers. The reason I criticize the price is because for a car so heavily invested by the government, it really has nothing to show.

GM does not make money off the car. Even before you pay any money, the government has paid $7.5k in credits, and GM just announced a $5k incentive to boost sales. It's a perfect example of how government run programs are usually messy. Any private company that was not bought out by the government, and did not receive taxpayer money to develop, build, and sell this car would have stopped production and discontinued the model by now. The only reason the Volt exists is because of the governments financing and their continued agenda of pushing "green" technology on consumers. While I don't have a problem with green technology, I do have a problem with taxpayer money being used to finance it, even when clearly it is a losing situation (Volt, Solyndra, etc).

[NeilBlanchard]

Actually, they have dropped the price of the 2014 Volt to about $35K. And it may be getting a "proper" 1L (3-cyl?) genset.

[sheepdog 44]

If news sources are to be trusted, GM want to sell Volts because it means it can then sell hundreds of thousands of trucks.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

If news sources are to be trusted, GM want to sell Volts because it means it can then sell hundreds of thousands of trucks.

Yep, trucks are where GM's profit come from...not in EV1's or Volts.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Actually, they have dropped the price of the 2014 Volt to about $35K. And it may be getting a "proper" 1L (3-cyl?) genset.

I know about the first but I might have to buy one if they actually pull their head out of their and get the proper 1Lx3 that belonged in there in the first place, that and loose 500+lbs and gain some aero

I think that the 3banger won't come until 2016 though, blasted long model years, oh how I hate the wait. Then after that I have to wait 5 years for the price of the used model to come down

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by cbaber

My point is that cars like the Prius and Volt have attracted a group of people that drive them to be seen in them, rather than appreciate their economical value.

But it's not about economy, in the sense of spending as little as possible on driving. If that's your aim, you buy an old Geo Metro, CRX HF, or similar. It's about reducing petroleum use and CO2 emissions.

The Volt was not meant to be some upscale luxury car.

Yes it is an upscale luxury car - the luxury in this case being not using much gas - just as the Teslas are luxury cars, or the first cell phones & PCs were luxury goods. And while I'm not privy to GM's internal strategy meetings, anyone who'd thought about it would realize that it would HAVE to be a luxury car (in the above sense). It's new technology, which costs money to develop and produce. Unless you think it would be ok for the government to supply even more subsidies for each car sold, it has to be sold at a price that reflects a good part of the cost.

The Volt was meant to be the American electric car that proved EV can be practical and within reach of normal drivers.

So what exactly do you consider normal? There are a good many people out there who willingly spend upwards of $40K on their new cars.

Any private company that was not bought out by the government, and did not receive taxpayer money to develop, build, and sell this car would have stopped production and discontinued the model by now.

By that logic, Toyota should have discontinued the Prius after a year or two, Honda should likewise have given up on its hybrids. This is nothing more than the same old short-term, next quarter's bottom line is all that matters thinking that has screwed up a lot of American business.

[gasstingy]

What I find most aggravating about the Volt is the premium fuel required for the ICE and it doesn't build up the charge to 80-90% and cycle the engine off. I did read they expect a minimum of 20% rated EV range increase in the next generation Volt. So, 38 *1.2 = 45.6 mile range. I'm hoping they surpass 50 miles all electric range.

While I was sight-seeing last weekend I also checked out a new Spark, knowing someday the EV version may sell outside CA. As tiny cars go, I think I could live with it. I've had small cars before and prefer that to large vehicles.