Electric Cars: Chev Bolt seems to be the first practical one.

[IslandTractor]

Did someone need Trunck Space?

There used to be a rather large fellow that tested for truck space. This was one that was adaquate!

View attachment 509321

As big as those old boats were, modern minivans put them to shame. They may not be sexy but a minivan is about the most flexible and utilitarian vehicle ever built. More covered cargo area than any SUV or pickup truck and seats 8. Who can top that?

 

[/pine]

It's somewhat interesting that a company that may have some of the most experience in electric vehicles (Textron) has not ventured into the electric car market...
Textron

 

[IslandTractor]

It's somewhat interesting that a company that may have some of the most experience in electric vehicles (Textron) has not ventured into the electric car market...
Textron

Military contracts are more reliable and profitable I would imagine. There really is only one "new" automobile company in recent years and Tesla just exists because of a unique entrepreneur. Textron is a big company, the board presumably is unwilling to take the sort of risks that Musk takes.

 

[Egon]

As big as those old boats were, modern minivans put them to shame. They may not be sexy but a minivan is about the most flexible and utilitarian vehicle ever built. More covered cargo area than any SUV or pickup truck and seats 8. Who can top that?

There used to be the nine passenger station wagon and the extended vans as well as suburbanites!

I used to have a 1959 Pontiac sedan that hauled eight with all the ski gear packed in the trunk with the lid closed. That was back in the long ski days.

 

[IslandTractor]

There used to be the nine passenger station wagon and the extended vans as well as suburbanites!

I used to have a 1959 Pontiac sedan that hauled eight with all the ski gear packed in the trunk with the lid closed. That was back in the long ski days.

View attachment 509359View attachment 509358

Yeah, I had an Olds Custom Cruiser wagon with the clamshell rear gate but It wasn't as tall as a minivan so didn't hold as much. I'm standing my ground. Minivan uber alles. (A big azz Suburban 2500 with barn doors might come close though). The 15 passenger Vans are too unsafe and I don't think they are made anymore either.

 

[xring100]

Yeah, I had an Olds Custom Cruiser wagon with the clamshell rear gate but It wasn't as tall as a minivan so didn't hold as much. I'm standing my ground. Minivan uber alles. (A big azz Suburban 2500 with barn doors might come close though). The 15 passenger Vans are too unsafe and I don't think they are made anymore either.

GM still produces the "safe" long wheel base 15 passenger unlike the "unsafe" dodge and possibly ford that just grafted 4 more feet to the rear of the vehicle

 

[IslandTractor]

GM still produces the "safe" long wheel base 15 passenger unlike the "unsafe" dodge and possibly ford that just grafted 4 more feet to the rear of the vehicle
View attachment 509419

That does look better. Never seen one on the road though.

 

[aczlan]

GM still produces the "safe" long wheel base 15 passenger unlike the "unsafe" dodge and possibly ford that just grafted 4 more feet to the rear of the vehicle
View attachment 509419

Dodge added 4 feet, the Ford 15 passenger van had 2-3 feet more than the 12 passenger version (essentially, the D pillar became the E pillar and they added the small window in the back between the D and E pillars).

Now Ford has replaced them with the Transit van.

Aaron Z

 

[sd455dan]

OP here. I'm still researching various alternatives.

I saw a current thread on Hybrids that had evolved to discussion of Prius reliability so I posted over there to learn a little more. Prius v (the mini-wagon) and Ford C-Max Hybrid discussed there, seem worth considering in addition to / in contrast with the vehicles in this thread. A poster there linked to a Prius board where owners of Prius v are getting over 300,000 to 400,000 miles (messenger service) before problems. That looks attractive. Possibly that model with a lot of miles on it already would be inexpensive and not too much of a gamble.

I wish my 18 year old Outback (photo) got better than 23 mpg, I would keep it forever.

The search continues ...

Not sure if this article had been posted but,
I got thinking about the longevity question and searched for highest mile Volt and this article came up for a 2012 Volt

Highest-Mileage 212 Chevrolet Volt Still Going Strong at 3, Miles, One Third on Electric Power Alone | Transport Evolved


Commutes over 220 miles a day and still managed a life time average of 59 MPG... and now has traveled over 300,000 miles and still going strong.


hard to argue with those #s and that No battery degradation has been observed

 

[xring100]

That does look better. Never seen one on the road though.

Spotted one out in the wild this morning several years old. Lots of them on the road they dont really stick out. Ive seen many church vans and Rentals.

Dodge added 4 feet, the Ford 15 passenger van had 2-3 feet more than the 12 passenger version (essentially, the D pillar became the E pillar and they added the small window in the back between the D and E pillars).

Now Ford has replaced them with the Transit van.

Aaron Z

Thanks wasn't really sure what ford did