Chevrolet to discontinue/replace Volt's 1.4 L engine for 2014

[Flakbadger]

Originally Posted by Cobb

what customers want is MORE POWER vs mpg.

Which is one of the biggest complaints about my car's 1.5 liter engine. Consumer Reports cried (honestly, tears were shed) about how "underpowered" the engine is. It frustrates me because auto manufacturers know Americans want huge horsepower, and so Toyota didn't even import any of their 1.0 liter Yaris cars into the US (which by the way get 50 MPG highway).
Unfortunately, the stupidity of the average American consumer is the greatest reason we don't sell high-efficiency cars here in the US.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Flakbadger

Which is one of the biggest complaints about my car's 1.5 liter engine. Consumer Reports cried (honestly, tears were shed) about how "underpowered" the engine is.

Unfortunately, the stupidity of the average American consumer is the greatest reason we don't sell high-efficiency cars here in the US.

The average american consumer was TAUGHT stupidity over the generations by auto manufacturers, the old trucks did not have huge horsepower and were purpose built.

If anyone would avertise to the virutues of saving money,not needing more power we could slowly relearn society but it might take the next 100years just as it took roughly 70 years to teach us to be wastefull pigs.

The thing I have always wished for was that the auto company would make their designs modular enough that you could (god forbid) special order whatever motor you want for a fee.

Example, If I want a Volt with a 1ltr euro motor it should be on the options list, if I want a 350 v8, put it on the options list but for gods sake at least offer it!

It can't cost that much to install a cookie cutter bolt up motor with the same mounting patterns from one of their "other" divisions.

[pete c]

Sounds to me that GM has come to the realization that if they're gonna price it like a luxury car, it might as well be a luxury car.

Hopefully someone will realize there is a market for a no frills, very light, very efficient and reasonably cheap series hybrid. Use a sonic body. Keep it as light as possible and simple. No complicated parallel drive. A 500 cc 2 cylinder engine. Keep it light enough and it wouldn't require a ginormous expensive battery pack to give it a 30 mile range.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by pete c

Sounds to me that GM has come to the realization that if they're gonna price it like a luxury car, it might as well be a luxury car.

Hopefully someone will realize there is a market for a no frills, very light, very efficient and reasonably cheap series hybrid. Use a sonic body. Keep it as light as possible and simple. No complicated parallel drive. A 500 cc 2 cylinder engine. Keep it light enough and it wouldn't require a ginormous expensive battery pack to give it a 30 mile range.

...such cars used to be "base" models, but apprently no such thing exists according to the current Chebby naming, ie:

LS = Luxury Standard,
LT = Luxury Touring,
LTZ = Luxury Touring loaded-with-everything from A-to-the-Z.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...such cars used to be "base" models, but apprently no such thing exists according to the current Chebby naming, ie:

LS = Luxury Standard,
LT = Luxury Touring,
LTZ = Luxury Touring loaded-with-everything from A-to-the-Z.

Try getting a base toyota!

Now days base models are called "Fleet" models and you can't buy them.

[redpoint5]

Is the Volt series, parallel, or both? I've seen both mentioned in this thread. It seems outrageous to add the complexity and cost of a turbo to a vehicle that already has electric motor(s?) and a battery.

The Volt seems like a dumb idea to me because it doesn't get phenomenal mpg when running on the gas engine. Since most households in the U.S. have at least 2 cars, it makes sense to have 1 electric only vehicle (Leaf) and 1 relatively efficient gas vehicle for those longer drives.

Does the Volt fill a niche that isn't better filled by other cars?

[2000mc]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Since most households in the U.S. have at least 2 cars, it makes sense to have 1 electric only vehicle (Leaf) and 1 relatively efficient gas vehicle for those longer drives.

Does the Volt fill a niche that isn't better filled by other cars?

does the job of 2 cars, and only costs as much as 2

[NeilBlanchard]

Yes, the Volt is a multi-mode hybrid, similar to the Prius. They both have very complex CVT transmissions; and the Volt has 3 clutches -- count 'em, three!

[cfg83]

redpoint5 -

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Is the Volt series, parallel, or both? I've seen both mentioned in this thread. It seems outrageous to add the complexity and cost of a turbo to a vehicle that already has electric motor(s?) and a battery.

...

I've always wanted to see a "pure" series hybrid in large scale production (aka the ICE running at the BSFC-peak RPM or not at all), but it never seems to come through. Series/Parallel background :

Hybrid vehicle drivetrain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think all commercial hybrids are "impure", and the Volt is no exception. The Prius is an "electric dominant" parallel hybrid. The Hondas are ICE dominant parallel hybrids. Since the Volt can shine in urban environments with short distances (stuck in traffic, not much freeway), I would call it a plug-in hybrid along the lines of the plug-in Prius.

CarloSW2

[Ang84Indy]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

The average american consumer was TAUGHT stupidity over the generations by auto manufacturers, the old trucks did not have huge horsepower and were purpose built.

If anyone would avertise to the virutues of saving money,not needing more power we could slowly relearn society but it might take the next 100years just as it took roughly 70 years to teach us to be wastefull pigs.

The thing I have always wished for was that the auto company would make their designs modular enough that you could (god forbid) special order whatever motor you want for a fee.

Example, If I want a Volt with a 1ltr euro motor it should be on the options list, if I want a 350 v8, put it on the options list but for gods sake at least offer it!

It can't cost that much to install a cookie cutter bolt up motor with the same mounting patterns from one of their "other" divisions.

The main reason manufacturers don't offer any engine the consumer wants is that they have to crash test every drivetrain combination. With multiple tests (front, rear, side, etc.) the amount of cars and money it takes adds up.