Chevy Volt Halted. Who did not see this coming?

[TheGoose]

And yet I see a lot of "average" people around here driving big jacked up diesel trucks who don't do any pulling or other type of work.

The truck is a social status symbol to them, and they pay $20-30K over the cost of a regular truck to get it. The idea of the volt just doesn't seem that outlandish to me, especially as gas gets closer to $4 a gallon and electricity seems to be going down due to low natural gas prices.

The only problem is that the average person isn't rich, and it's very unlikely that the Volt would have ever been affordable for them. As for the green factor, it's only an illusion. Heck, even rich people with money to burn weren't buying the Volt because they know it's a red herring.

Chevy Volt not selling - YouTube

 

[MasseyWV]

The idea of the volt just doesn't seem that outlandish to me

The idea of an electric car is a good one, but despite what they would have us believe, it seems that current battery technology isn't quite ready for most wide-spread practical applications.

If they produced an all-electric vehicle that could pull or haul 10,000 pounds (or more), and drive 500 miles on a single charge, but only require a short time to recharge, yet be affordable enough for the average American to buy, I'm sure it would be a huge success.

In the mean time, big oil is our only viable option, regardless of the price of fuel.

 

[TheGoose]

So, going by your logic, how practical was a "home computer" in the 1950's?

Computers were big and slow and expensive at first. They evolved, got smaller, cheaper, faster.

The only thing lacking in the electric cars are the batteries themselves. I find it plausable that the battery technology will evolve and come down, just like solar panels have gotten better and cheaper with time.

It will happen. Not next year, but 10-20 years down the road I can see electrics being competitive with gas.

 

[two_bit_score]

The idea of an electric car is a good one, but despite what they would have us believe, it seems that current battery technology isn't quite ready for most wide-spread practical applications.

If they produced an all-electric vehicle that could pull or haul 10,000 pounds (or more), and drive 500 miles on a single charge, but only require a short time to recharge, yet be affordable enough for the average American to buy, I'm sure it would be a huge success.

In the mean time, big oil is our only viable option, regardless of the price of fuel.

I was driving on Mopac in Austin, Tx this afternoon and passed a couple who were in a Volt. The thought occurred to me that I wonder if they feel foolish driving that car with all the negative press out on it? Next I wondered if they spent their own money on it. Then I wondered how they could not feel foolish if they spent their own money on it.



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[TheGoose]

I'm sure all the people driving those run away toyota's felt foolish with all the negative press on them too.

Is there any other press besides negative press?

 

[MasseyWV]

The only thing lacking in the electric cars are the batteries themselves. I find it plausable that the battery technology will evolve and come down, just like solar panels have gotten better and cheaper with time.

The price of the batteries isn't the biggest problem, it's their safety and longevity.

 

[two_bit_score]

I'm sure all the people driving those run away toyota's felt foolish with all the negative press on them too.

Is there any other press besides negative press?

The Volt was getting great positive press in the beginning. Until everyone figured out what a con job had been pulled.



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[crash325]

And yet I see a lot of "average" people around here driving big jacked up diesel trucks who don't do any pulling or other type of work.

The truck is a social status symbol to them, and they pay $20-30K over the cost of a regular truck to get it. The idea of the volt just doesn't seem that outlandish to me, especially as gas gets closer to $4 a gallon and electricity seems to be going down due to low natural gas prices.

You need to do a little re-thinking. The fools that you are calling "average people". Ain't average. Pretty sure most folks buy a vehicle that fits their needs with little or no modifications.

Didn't see where you live. But around here the price of electricity has not gone down at all. The Co-Op even adds a Fuel Sure Charge (sounds better than a rate change.) and some of their power comes from solar.

My truck a 4x4 has nothing to do with status. Actually needed now and then just to get to town.

A Chevy Volt would not even get me to town on it's batteries. Talk about a "Status Symbol", there would be no reason to buy one unless you want to show people you have enough money to throw away.

 

[TheGoose]

Well, I'm not saying that it's like this everywhere in the USA.

But certainly around here (Houston TX area) there are a lot of jacked up 4x4 diesel trucks that are for nothing but show. I have several people just in my own family who have them, yet pull nothing and do no work. And diesel here is about $3.80/gallon and climbing.

Understand I'm not ripping them. That's the freedom of choice. Just like they choose to drive a truck that is un-necessary it's other peoples choice to go in the other direction.

You will never make the economic case of a pure electric and probably even for hybrids like the prius.

What is the price for a kwh of electricity in AZ? Around here we were averaging $.11-.14 per KWH a few years ago but now it seems to have dropped to about $.11-.09 per kwh.

We are un-regulated here and prices flucuate based on NG pricing mostly. At one time we paid more here than almost anywhere else in the state. A parting gift from Enron.

You need to do a little re-thinking. The fools that you are calling "average people". Ain't average. Pretty sure most folks buy a vehicle that fits their needs with little or no modifications.

Didn't see where you live. But around here the price of electricity has not gone down at all. The Co-Op even adds a Fuel Sure Charge (sounds better than a rate change.) and some of their power comes from solar.

My truck a 4x4 has nothing to do with status. Actually needed now and then just to get to town.

A Chevy Volt would not even get me to town on it's batteries. Talk about a "Status Symbol", there would be no reason to buy one unless you want to show people you have enough money to throw away.

 

[powerpace]

I do remember a time when Japanese "rice burners" were introduced in the U.S. "No one I know will buy one. Built cheap. No parts available. No one will repair them. Can't keep up on the Freeway." I heard it all.
Remember the VW bug, same story.

There are over 2,000,000 Toyota, Prius worldwide. First sold in 1997.
I drive a Prius since 2008. 45 to 50 mpg all day everyday, freeway and city.
170,000 miles.
The Dodge 1500 is parked most of the time.