Get ready, Chevy Volt due this November. Update!!!

[CAPER]

Received this in an email today. Not sure if aleady posted.

Cost to operate a Chevy Volt:

Eric Bolling (Fox Business Channel's Follow the Money) test drove the
Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors.

For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles
before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine.
Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the
battery. So, the range including the 9 gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh
batery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to
drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and
you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your
average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph.

According to General Motors, the Volt battery hold 16 kwh of
electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery.

The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I
looked up what I pay for electricity.

I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16
per kwh.

16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery.

$18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the
Volt using the battery.

Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine only that
gets 32 mpg.

$3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.

The gasoline powered car cost about $15,000 while the Volt costs
$46,000.

So President Obama wants us to pay 3 times as much for a car that costs more that
7 times as much to run and takes 3 times as long to drive across country.

REALLY?
 

[CAPER]

Fox News Eric Bolling

http://nation.foxnews.com/chevy-volt/2012/02/02/eric-test-drives-chevy-volt-five-gives-their-take-electric-car

[1969chargerrtse]

Fox news?  I used to watch them, not anymore. It's amazing what the comments are from people that own and use them, compared to the Fox article? I think I'll go with the actually happy owners.

[1969chargerrtse]

I finally saw my first one last week. I had seen the little Honda EV early last summer. We'll see if they take over the world any time soon.

Troy

It's not gonna take over the driving world, it's just another interesting stepping stone away from oil and suppliers that want us dead. It'll morf into Hydrogen, watch and see. Go back to the first post and see how the car would never work. Odd?  Saw one yesterday. I remember when I never saw a Prius.

[1RareBird]

Fox news?  I used to watch them, not anymore. It's amazing what the comments are from people that own and use them, compared to the Fox article? I think I'll go with the actually happy owners.

Are there numbers in the article that aren't factual?  Could you point them out please if his cost analysis is wrong?  Not bashing anything here, just like to take a look from both perspectives and am curious as to yours.  Thanks.  

[Ghoste]

So if it's a reportedly "happy owner", the source is true and the information factual, but if it's Fox News it is automatically false and thereby must be discounted?  So if a reviewer from Fox News reports at any time that they love this car, are we to automatically assume it must then become a piece of crap?  
Personally I would find the "happy owners" to be a much more biased and therefore unreliable source in this case.  Much of the buying demographic for this car in my opinion will be comprised of the greenies or the guilty conscience human induced climate change believers who would say the car was great no matter what.
Hey, thats my opinion, it's as valid and reliable as any of the others on there.
Is there anyone participating in this thread who actually owns one of these things and has tracked costs and driving capabilities yet?

[1969chargerrtse]

That's the problem with views on this car. I see it as a car only. It always gets dragged into politics and that's where the comments become biased. The reviews from owners and All road test are like no other car built, it's always praise of a great car.

[1969chargerrtse]

So if it's a reportedly "happy owner", the source is true and the information factual, but if it's Fox News it is automatically false and thereby must be discounted?  So if a reviewer from Fox News reports at any time that they love this car, are we to automatically assume it must then become a piece of crap?  
Personally I would find the "happy owners" to be a much more biased and therefore unreliable source in this case.  Much of the buying demographic for this car in my opinion will be comprised of the greenies or the guilty conscience human induced climate change believers who would say the car was great no matter what.
Hey, thats my opinion, it's as valid and reliable as any of the others on there.
Is there anyone participating in this thread who actually owns one of these things and has tracked costs and driving capabilities yet?

We're not supposed to talk politics so I can't comment much. I will say I was a die hard Fox news watcher until I stopped listening to " fair and balanced " and saw for myself that was 100% not true. I stopped watching and would never ever watch again.

[Ghoste]

So are the dismal sales figures political?

[1969chargerrtse]

Received this in an email today. Not sure if aleady posted.

Cost to operate a Chevy Volt:

Eric Bolling (Fox Business Channel's Follow the Money) test drove the
Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors.

For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles
before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine.
Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the
battery. So, the range including the 9 gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh
batery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to
drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and
you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your
average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph.

According to General Motors, the Volt battery hold 16 kwh of
electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery.

The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I
looked up what I pay for electricity.

I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16
per kwh.

16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery.

$18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the
Volt using the battery.

Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine only that
gets 32 mpg.

$3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.

The gasoline powered car cost about $15,000 while the Volt costs
$46,000.

So President Obama wants us to pay 3 times as much for a car that costs more that
7 times as much to run and takes 3 times as long to drive across country.

REALLY?
 

Wow people are reporting 50 miles plus until engine back up is used and you use 25 not counting the battery is not even close to fully depleted. Then your gas is 3.19 when I just paid 4.00 this morning. Amazing what number changing can do. Oh and if you write a check for a volt which is new technology by the way ( allow some time for the cost to go down ) you won't pay 46,000.00. Toyota lost about 9k on every Prius when they first came out. Today they do very well. Hey were are all the " the battery won't last " people?

[1969chargerrtse]

So are the dismal sales figures political?

You know it's a new technology and ramp up production is extremely slow compared to other cars already in production. Many people don't even know of the Volt.
Say what you want like you did in the past. But it's here and it's the platform GM is using in other models and that's that. You know the old line, then don't buy one. But first there was none and now they are rolling out. It's just not a green thing to me and I really think that's the issue here.

[1969chargerrtse]

Just grabbed this from the net. Makes sense.

To put things in perspective, nearly all forecasts predict that battery-electric vehicles will only represent a few percent of sales in the next three to five years, while hybrids will continue to go mainstream.

So rather than making giant battery packs for pure EVs, factories in the years to come may shift focus to smaller batteries for start-stop and traditional hybrids. Hybrids are less sexy than brand-new battery electrics, but at this point they have broader appeal. The trick for auto companies is to be nimble enough to adjust to changes in demand, while still investing in electrification for the future.

[Ghoste]

Yes I continue to badmouth it just as you continue to cheerlead it.  You implied there were a score of happy owners so I asked about sales.  There is apparently an excuse for that as well.  I believe if the sales were there, "ramping up" the new technology would not be a problem.

[moparstuart]

this is the version i was Emailed
subject: CHEVY VOLT ELECTRIC CAR:    COST TO RUN








               Eric Bolling (Fox Business Channel's Follow the Money) test drove the Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors.
               
               For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine.
               Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the battery. So, the range including the 9 gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh battery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to drive 270 miles at 60 mph.

               Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph.
               
               According to General Motors, the Volt battery hold 16 kwh of
               electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery on

               standard house current.
               
               The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I looked up what I pay for electricity.
               
               I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16 per kwh.
               
               16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery.
               
               $18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the Volt using the battery.
               
               Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine only that gets 32 mpg.
               
               $3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.
               
               The gasoline powered car cost about $15,000 while the Volt costs $46,000.
               
               So Obama wants us to pay 3 times as much for a car that costs more than
               7 times as much to run and takes 3 times as long to drive across country.
               
               REALLY?

                                        The electric only Nissan Leaf would leave you stranded before100 miles

                                        Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Hyundai, Kia, all offer cars getting over 40 mpg.

                   

                                           

[1969chargerrtse]

I think it's a cool step in another direction, some of you don't. Ok have a nice day.  

Oh, I'd like to think I had a answer not excuse, but whatever. It's all good.

[1969chargerrtse]

Ha!  Just past a shiny black one in the city of New Haven Ct. Never seen one, then I see 3 in a week?  Watch out!  Ther're out there.

[BB1]

.

[chargerboy69]

Well if you can't sell them you can always rely on the government to force people to buy them. 

http://gas2.org/2012/02/20/ge-forcing-employees-into-chevy-volts/

[stripedelete]

GE has a stake in EV success, so why not convert their fleet?  It's a free car for the employee, so why should they care?

Now, if GE Capitol was temporarily converted to bank status during the crises, then you bet your ass they should be buying Volts.  It should be a condition of the private gain - public loss capitolism we have experienced.

[1969chargerrtse]

Well if you can't sell them you can always rely on the government to force people to buy them.  

http://gas2.org/2012/02/20/ge-forcing-employees-into-chevy-volts/

OMG!  That is great, 12,000 more Volts out there.
I work at GE corp in Fairfeild Ct .  That's where I saw my first Volt.  They tell me GM gave one to the president, or one of the CEO's and it was in one of the garages.  Hey GE is using Volts, not GM forcing them too.  My company tells me what truck I will use.
The odd thing about GE corp is they push green ideas but when you eat in their lunch room almost everything goes in aluminum containers that people throw out when the are done. No recycling. I've mentioned it but no change.

[Ghoste]

Robert Lutz had an editorial in Forbes magazine slamming the Fox news reports as well and made no bones about being a Republican and disliking what they were doing in hi opinion.
See, I still think the car has a long way to go to prove itself but I'm also willing to try. (somewhat) (and I still like Fox news)

[1969chargerrtse]

Robert Lutz had an editorial in Forbes magazine slamming the Fox news reports as well and made no bones about being a Republican and disliking what they were doing in hi opinion.
See, I still think the car has a long way to go to prove itself but I'm also willing to try. (somewhat) (and I still like Fox news)

Sure it does, but it's cool seeing different technologies working to propell a car.

[moparstuart]

 tom strong man a local famous Automotive writers thought on the above article and also his experience with the volt .



    email

     

From: Tom Strongman [mailto:tstrongman@kc.rr.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:28 AM
To: stuart
Subject: Re: CHEVY VOLT CAR COST TO RUN



Interesting. This guy is completely wrong on at least one count -- why would you calculate recharge time into trip time? That makes no sense to me -- you drive 270 miles in 4.5 miles regardless of battery charge time because the gasoline engine maintains the battery charge level.



I'm not especially a Volt fan, in so far as the GM bailout and a now $10K subsidy from the Govt., but I disagree with Eric Bolling a bit. Here is what I wrote about the Volt:



Driving a Chevy Volt for a week opened my eyes to life with a plug-in electric hybrid.

First, the electric motor's near-silent acceleration made the cabin pleasingly quiet. Second, plugging in every night when the car had to sit outside my garage was a bit of a hassle, especially in the rain, and third, I got a kick out driving 266.5 miles on 2.5 gallons of gas. The car's computer said I averaged 106.3 mpg for the week.



Charging the Volt takes about 10 hours with a 120-volt line or perhaps as little as four hours with a dedicated 240-volt line. Most Volt buyers would have the 240-volt charger installed in their garage and that would simplify the charging routine. The car can be set to charge during off-peak hours when prices are lower.



Electricity is not free, of course. Chevy estimates a night's charge to cost about $1.50 depending on local electrical rates. Figuring gas at $3.70 a gallon, I spent about $18.50 to drive 266.5 miles. Driving the same distance in a car that gets 30 miles per gallon would be $32.86.

[1969chargerrtse]

tom strong man a local famous Automotive writers thought on the above article and also his experience with the volt .



   email

     

From: Tom Strongman [mailto:tstrongman@kc.rr.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:28 AMI
To: stuart
Subject: Re: CHEVY VOLT CAR COST TO RUN



Interesting. This guy is completely wrong on at least one count -- why would you calculate recharge time into trip time? That makes no sense to me -- you drive 270 miles in 4.5 miles regardless of battery charge time because the gasoline engine maintains the battery charge level.



I'm not especially a Volt fan, in so far as the GM bailout and a now $10K subsidy from the Govt., but I disagree with Eric Bolling a bit. Here is what I wrote about the Volt:



Driving a Chevy Volt for a week opened my eyes to life with a plug-in electric hybrid.

First, the electric motor's near-silent acceleration made the cabin pleasingly quiet. Second, plugging in every night when the car had to sit outside my garage was a bit of a hassle, especially in the rain, and third, I got a kick out driving 266.5 miles on 2.5 gallons of gas. The car's computer said I averaged 106.3 mpg for the week.



Charging the Volt takes about 10 hours with a 120-volt line or perhaps as little as four hours with a dedicated 240-volt line. Most Volt buyers would have the 240-volt charger installed in their garage and that would simplify the charging routine. The car can be set to charge during off-peak hours when prices are lower.



Electricity is not free, of course. Chevy estimates a night's charge to cost about $1.50 depending on local electrical rates. Figuring gas at $3.70 a gallon, I spent about $18.50 to drive 266.5 miles. Driving the same distance in a car that gets 30 miles per gallon would be $32.86.

Nice article. The first article was so out of line I didn't know where to start?  I knew adding the charging hours to the trip was stupid. Along with comparing a 10 hour charge when it could be done in 4ish. The reviews are always so good about this car and it's brand new. I can't wait until version 2.0 and up.
Also this guy says a 10,000.00 rebait and I think it's 7,500.00.

[chargerboy69]

GE has a stake in EV success, so why not convert their fleet?  It's a free car for the employee, so why should they care?

Now, if GE Capitol was temporarily converted to bank status during the crises, then you bet your ass they should be buying Volts.  It should be a condition of the private gain - public loss capitolism we have experienced.

Your right. . GE is building the charging stations for these cars.  And if nobody is buying these government made cars there is no need for their charging stations.

And not only are we the taxpayers paying for $7500.00 of each Volt sold we are also paying for $2000.00 of each of GE's charging stations.  Wow, we are paying nearly $10 grand for this exciting experiment. Both these companys suck.