Rifleman
Now owns 2 Model S's!!!
As much as I want a Model S, I love my Volt. It actually is a really well build, well designed car. If you are able to live with the small back seat, a Volt will serve you very well.
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GM Chevy Volt
- Thread starter vfx
- Start date
As much as I want a Model S, I love my Volt. It actually is a really well build, well designed car. If you are able to live with the small back seat, a Volt will serve you very well.
Thanks ! I think they are dropping the $7,500 deal very soon. That would be great. Dealer in the area has one for $32,000 on the lot. Not a big fan of silver cars . Seems everyone has one. Do not need a back seat. Present cars are a Subaru SVX and a Honda Accord Coupe. I also looked at the new Ford C-Max SUV hybrid. Sounds similar to the Volt.
Not even used in my dads volt.
But look at that beauty...
That C-Max sucks. Test drove it. Looks weird and doesn't drive anything like the Volt, same with the Fusion. I was amazed after test driving the c-max and fusion how much better the volt is and confused as to why those cars sucked so much but are somehow selling fairly well?
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Citizen-T
Active Member
I just reached an agreement with a dealer to lease a 2014 Volt. So, finally, nearly four years after first investing in Tesla and fully signing on to the electric revolution, I'll be driving electric (most of the time).
Everyone is looking for something different in a car. I test drove the Fusion Energi and Volt back-to-back, and can say that while the Volt did drive better, I did not care for the layout of the interior and controls. The Fusion offers several features the Volt does not and a roomier cabin.
We don't use the back seat much either. It'd be tight behind the driver, but there's plenty of legroom for the front passenger so 3 can be comfortable.
One of the reasons my wife let her heart rule her head and choose the Volt over the C Max Energi. I'm function-over-form so I'd drive an efficient gargoyle, but I don't really like the look of the Volt. But, I'm British and my wife's a Merkin so it's not entirely surprising we disagree.
There are some excellent deals on the C-Max Energi, sometimes to the point of being cheaper than the hybrid. It's also more spacious, it's comfortable and has a higher driving position than the Volt.
Maneuverability was a big deciding factor. My wife found the C-Max ungainly. The C-Max is an obese Focus. Take Focus platform, build an MPV, hybridize it, then plug-in hybridize that and you have the C-Max Energi. My wife likes compacts and while she found the Fusion Hybrid to be extremely comfortable she's too long out of larger cars to be comfortable with a car that size (drove a Sable Wagon in the early 2000s, passed her driving test years before in a Town Car), so I'm really hoping Tesla shrinks the Model E to a mid-size with European appeal while hitting price target.
However, our 2013 Volt's been too citrusy, with a CEL driving off the lot, climate control issues, a mysterious "Desp." in place of "Sport" one time, and worst of all Service Brake and Service Stabilitrak messages with accompanied loss of all braking assist (approaching a fortunate green light) meaning she's lost all confidence in the Volt (and GM) and will be happy to dump it in 10 years or relegate it to a commuter in 2019 when I replace my Prius (hopefully with a European-mid-size Model E).
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Interesting to read: GM $449 Million Investment Doubles Down on Chevy Volt, City of Detroit - Forbes
hahaha to the bold part of the quote. The next version eh? They really think they need a newer version of the Volt as their next step? How about an all EV that will be competitive with the Gen III? These people are seriously behind.
hahaha to the bold part of the quote. The next version eh? They really think they need a newer version of the Volt as their next step? How about an all EV that will be competitive with the Gen III? These people are seriously behind.
RobStark
Well-Known Member
Citing auto supplier sources, Reuters reports GM will offer two 2016 Chevy Volt models, with one of them being "a lower-priced model with a smaller battery pack and shorter driving range."
GM is said to be aiming for a price point "just over" $30K for the cheaper model, and expects a range of less than 300 miles. The regular model "won't deviate dramatically" from the current $35K version.
Also: The 2016 Volt will reportedly "share its underpinnings with the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze."
http://seekingalpha.com/news/1666003-reuters-gm-to-launch-cheaper-2016-volt?isDirectRoadblock=false
GM is said to be aiming for a price point "just over" $30K for the cheaper model, and expects a range of less than 300 miles. The regular model "won't deviate dramatically" from the current $35K version.
Also: The 2016 Volt will reportedly "share its underpinnings with the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze."
http://seekingalpha.com/news/1666003-reuters-gm-to-launch-cheaper-2016-volt?isDirectRoadblock=false
RobStark
Well-Known Member
Ha ha. These guys have no clue. If Tesla does come in with a $35k Model E, one would have to be a complete moron to buy a Volt that burns gasoline, because by then the supercharger network will be huge.
dhrivnak
Active Member
Not exactly. Even if one looks at the 2015 build out of superchargers I could not drive to my in - law's or my hometown unless I am willing to double the drive time. And at 12 and 8 hours it is not very feasible. Heck try driving from San Francisco to Yosemite and Sequoia in a model S. Don't get me wrong as I love My Tesla but we have a ways be for the infrastructure is close to gasoline.
gnelson
Member
I drove my 2012 Volt from Houston, TX to Whitesboro, TX which was ~ 325 mi. I drove a 2014 Volt back to Houston from Whitesboro. With Superchargers I could have completed the same route in my Model S, but I would have required stopping at Superchargers. I had a gasoline stop on the way to Whitesboro and no stop on the return. The trip took less time in the Volt than it would have in the Model S.
So the cheaper model will have even less electric range than the current model. That's progress? GM is going backwards. Which does not surprise me. They don't get it. We need to get off oil.
By the end of 2015 the Tesla Supercharging network will allow owners to make the vast majority of long distance trips for free using no petroleum. By 2017 Tesla will offer a 200 mile range high quality EV for under $40K.
In contrast, GM is committed to building hybrids with decreased electric range.
Yep, "GM is back".
Mayhe they means 300 miles combined (gas and electric)? Maybe it was supposed to be "30"?
Yes of course GM refers to the range of the Volt as the very limited EV range plus the range the car will go on a tank of gas. To GM, that is the "range".
The article doesn't say that the cheaper model will have less EV range than the existing Volt. It says it will have less range than the other new model to be based on the Voltec design. It has been widely reported that the next Volt will have 50+ vs. 38 miles EPA. My guess is that the cheaper Volt will have around the same EV range as the existing Volt and the new Volt will be 50-60 miles.
I hear you. The supercharging and CHAdeMO infrastructure will be good across California by 2017-2018 which is why I plan to switch from a Volt to a Model E. However, large swaths of the country will still be DC charging challenged and even the stations in areas like CA may face congestion on popular holidays. There will still be a role for EVs with liquid-based fossil range extenders for another 20+ years across the USA until we can complete the transition away from gas and diesel.
RobStark
Well-Known Member
According to GM the current $35k Volt with a fully charged battery gives you 38 miles of range and a full tank of gas powering the generator provides an additional 380 miles for a total 418 miles.
The new $30k Volt will give a total of less than 300 miles or so it is believed.
Given an almost $5k retail price cut and a smaller battery I don't see how they will be able to cut weight enough to still offer 38 miles of range from the battery alone.
Cutting weight is expensive. They have already harvested the low lying fruit. Ditto for aerodynamics.
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I don't think that barrage of vitriolic comments for the smaller battery is appropriate. You know who you are. :tongue:
Choice is good. A $5k lower price will widen the market share of PHEV technology. We already know that many people try to minimize petrol consumption when driving their volt. They will help push for more destination charging. They will see the light. Many will consider going BEV with their next car, coming right in time when Model E ramps up.
Choice is good. A $5k lower price will widen the market share of PHEV technology. We already know that many people try to minimize petrol consumption when driving their volt. They will help push for more destination charging. They will see the light. Many will consider going BEV with their next car, coming right in time when Model E ramps up.
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