Posted on 08/01/2010 6:43:04 AM PDT by C19fan
It's official: The Chevrolet Volt, the new plug-in electric hybrid car from General Motors, will cost $41,000—that's a four-seat hatchback for about the base price of a BMW 335i. To be sure, a $7,500 federal tax credit cuts that to $33,500, and electricity is cheaper per mile than gas. But barring some huge oil price spike or stiff new gas tax, it would take more than a decade to offset the higher purchase price. Some will pay a premium for the frisson of going green or being the first "early adopter" on the block. Still, this little runabout is a rich man's ride. And that's my problem with the Obama administration's energy policy, or at least with his lavish subsidies for the Volt, Nissan's all-electric Leaf (likely sticker price $33,000), and Tesla's $100,000 all-electric Roadster: Where does the federal government get off spending the average person's tax dollars to help better-off-than-average Americans buy expensive new cars?
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
This article was excellently sourced and analyzed the issue quite well. Which means that the looming economic disaster that is the electric car “industry” was perfectly knowable by the Obama administration before it stubbornly started down this embarrassing path.
I am enjoying seeing Ford make lemonade out of Guvmint Motors lemon groves.
Yes, he will be ordering the military to replace Jeeps and Hummers with Volts4Dolts.
It was my understanding that these cars were scrapped due to insurance liability. (Much like Chrysler’s turbine powered cars.)
The people who drove the EV1 (and the Chrysler turbine cars) actually wanted to extend their lease period (or buy them outright).
When GM attempted to reclaim the cars, they were met with significant resistance.
I read an article by the son of one of the Chrysler turbine car’s recipients in a hot rod magazine, that his mother was in tears when it was reclaimed and scrapped. Here’s a quote of another recipient:
” ‘I just wish I could buy it after the test period is over, it’s terrific,’ said Mrs. Estelle Center, a housewife in Columbus, Ohio, and one of the four typical drivers...”
Newsweek, December 30, 1963 , page 50
The fact that the EV1 and the Chrysler turbine cars were scrapped is not indicative of lack of public interest. However, considering each EV1 cost GM $80,000 to $100,000 each, it’s easy to understand why GM did not sell them.
Very true.
A widespread consumer strike is all we can do to protest Obama's economic policy garbage.
I know a consumer spending strike hurts the real economy in the short term, but compared to what Obama is doing to the structural economy -- there is NO comparison. Anyway we can hit back at them, throw obstacles in their way, hinder the destruction they are delibertely visiting upon our country -- we must do it.
Consumers don't have the spending power or mood right now to jumpstart the real economy anyway. So why spend "some" when it just props up Washington's delusions and delays the day Congress -- just maybe -- finally starts to listen to what the people are saying.
That picture really is worth a thousand words.
I remember hearing on a talk show that one of the additional reasons GM wound up in financial ruin (never mentioned by the DNC media) was that in order to meet EPA standards, they had to produce a certain number of unsalable vehicles (the EV-1) in order to get production levels up on vehicles the auto-buying public wanted to buy.
So the SUV, pickup and standard vehicles in essence subsidized the EV-1, which sat unsold in lots.
This must be what happened to them.
Good work Gubmint Motors.
In a city like Dallas, a car with a range of 40 miles (without the a/c running, 102 today!) is about as useful as a bicycle.
You are absolutely correct. But Americans in general won’t believe it.
Ford Ka
Ford could do this by tapping into the new production line that will produce the Fiat 500 in Mexico, since the Ka and 500 share almost identical platforms (indeed, the factory in Poland jointly owned by Ford and Fiat can produce both models side-by-side).
If we see a US model expect it to use a 1.4-liter Ti-VCT engine rated at 95-100 bhp and the Powershift automatic as an option.
Read the transcript another poster put here, you are correct. What got me was his harping on the battery side of the powertrain.
anglian, see post 92, thanks.
The EV1 was not the result of any EPA standard, but that of CARB, which required a certain percentage of zero emission vehicles be produced for every vehicle sold in California. That was, until automakers beat the requiement in court.
Many of my liberal acquaintances cite the success of Sweden when touting their ideal social democracies. Of course, none of them have actually been there. I have. I was amazed at the number of bicycles. My Swedish girlfriend could not afford a car of her own. A Swedish friend I met in NYC while he was on vacation had the tiniest POS car back home despite being employed full time at a printing company as a manager.
I agree with your assessment totally.
Therefore, the volt is a gas powered vehicle with a backup 40 mile battery
Annual sales will hit no more than 465,000 by 2020, according to Deloitte—a mere rounding error in a 250-million-car national fleet.
465k vehicles sold per year would place it near the top of the 10 best selling cars in the US. I don't know the projections of how many cars may be sold in 2020, but still, 465k cars sold per year is a lot!
Why are they comparing yearly sales to how many total cars are in the US? Are they supposed to be replaced each year or something? I think they should compare yearly sales of the Volt to yearly sales of other cars for a meaningful comparison.
Denmark actually makes Sweden look affordable by contrast. Elite Danes come to Sweden to buy their cars because they cost half what they cost there.
But, here is the kicker, a 30 day pass for the Tbana in Stockholm will cost approximately $100. It's not even cheap for that degrading experience.
I don't think you have to look any further than Scandinavia to understand their plans. But times 10 and without the American consumer to help prop it up. Scary, ugly stuff.
I see one for sale parked alongside the road here in Maine.
Should I pick it up? I’ll offer him 50 bucks.
I reckon that is because the government mandated battery is the punch line to this joke of a car.
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