Krauthammer: "The Chevy Volt Is A Disaster"

REAL CLEAR POLITICS ^ | 31 JULY 2010 | CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

[1951Boomer]

That’s right. My husband’s and my dinner time revolves around The Hammer.

[rickmichaels]

If you have to park your car on the street overnight, you’re not going to buy a Volt. If you live in an area with lots of teenage hoodlums who’d love to unplug your Volt just for fun, you’re not going to buy a Volt. If you park your car in an underground parking lot that hasn’t been retrofitted with lots of outlets, you’re not going to buy a Volt. If your electric bill is already sky-high, you’re not going to buy a Volt. I’m not going to buy a Volt.

[GonzoGOP]

Being an electric car, it would also seem that if someone wanted to add some cool electronic features it would decrease the battery power. It may even require additional batteries which will add a lot more money to the already $41,000 base price.

The good news is that the only accessories that have a serious electrical draw are the AC, heat and headlights. Everything else draws only a couple of watts. The bad news is that if you drive on something other than a pleasant spring day, you aren't going to get the 40 miles before the gas burner cuts in. And from what I have found on the intranet the mileage under the gas engine isn't any better than that of a comparably sized internal combustion car that sells at half the price.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The discussion was about the car, not about Obama’s ultimate motives.

[cranked]

American version of Yugo, and as with the Yugo, there will be idiots who will buy it thinking they are getting a ‘green’ bargain......... =.=

[Huskrrrr]

Nobody gets rich trying to sell the public what they think they SHOULD buy.

[Mere Survival]

The left used to tend to be more normal between campaigns and reverted to partisan bias on behalf of the left during them. That way they could claim to be objective (back when it they had a significant number of Americans who were not at the government trough still snookered). Maybe Krauthammer is just old school left and his leftism only really shows when it counts at election time.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

It’s only a disaster in certain limited ways: economic, political, public relations, marketing, environmental, energy policy, institutionally. I’m sure I missed something. You get the idea. However many ways a project can fail, this one failed and it has negatively affected everyone and every institution associated with it. It makes the Edsel look like pure inspiration.

[Diogenesis]

Krauthammer is not qualified to discuss any aspect of it.
He is a fantasizing shrink who already gave America .. Obama.

He is not even knowledgable re: OBAMACARE. And ironically
his support of ObamaCARE would probably have left HIM dead,
certainly without support, had its death panels existed
and ruled when he had his accident.

[GOP_Lady]

Read! It works. And stop PINGing everyone and their uncle. It's EXTREMELY RUDE.

[Mere Survival]

The left IN THE MEDIA used to tend to be more normal between campaigns and reverted to partisan bias on behalf of the left during them. That way they could claim to be objective (back when it they had a significant number of Americans who were not at the government trough still snookered). Maybe Krauthammer is just old school left and his leftism only really shows when it counts at election time.

added that so my statement would be clearer.

[Eaker]

Just which grid are they panning to use for all of this “charging”?

The one with free and unlimited power?

[bigbob]

Help me understand the math. Why would you ADD the $7500 tax credit to the $41,000 purchase price?

[RayChuang88]

The Chevrolet Volt is an interesting concept, but in reality this car is FAR more critical to GM's future:

Chevrolet Cruze

Fortunately, initial reviews of the US-market Cruze has been quite good, and if it lives up to its promises the Cruze could be a very hot seller.

[Huntress]

The only must-watch on FNC is between 6:40 and 7pm EST. Dr Charles is unmatched.

I agree, and I'm always disappointed whenever Charles isn't on.

[GOP_Lady]

[neocon1984]

Krauthammer is not qualified to discuss any aspect of it. ..He is not even knowledgable re: OBAMACARE.

Dio, I don't think you've established any sense of authority or intelligence, as of yet. I'll give the nod the The Hammer for now. Maybe when you get your GED, you will be on a closer plane with Dr. Krauthammer.

[Hoodat]

"The Chevy Volt Is A Disaster"

Paging Captain Obvious. Please pick up the white courtesy phone . . .

I could have told you this two years ago. A person can purchase two Toyota Priuses for the price of one Chevy Volt.

[RayChuang88]

I disagree, especially with the stricter fuel economy requirements and the likely prospect of higher gasoline taxes coming in the near future. A more likely critical car for Ford will be this model:

2012 Ford Focus (5-door hatchback shown here)

The Focus will become Ford's largest-selling family car model, especially since higher fuel economy requirements could limit sales of the upcoming Mondeo replacement for the Ford Fusion coming in calendar year 2012.

[HardStarboard]

The only people that will buy the Volt are those fools that think it’s a bargain when Chevrolet has to mark it down 45% to get anyone interested.

It will be a bigger dog on the market than the Edsel.