Posted on 04/15/2012 9:04:00 PM PDT by DallasBiff
I doubt that. Sit down, put on your engineer's helmets and tighten your chin straps...
Suppose they actually get 45 miles on a charge (suppose...). At 130 miles/day commute, that means 65 miles one way. So the last 20 miles or so are on gas. When the gas engine kicks in, it is going to not only push the car, but start re-charging the battery. That engine will be under heavy load basically the entire time. That last 20 miles probably takes 40 minutes or so - some highway and then surface streets to final destination. In 40 minutes at full load that 1.4L engine will burn some fuel. In 40 minutes or so of modest load driving the 2.0L engine in my car would burn over a gallon of gas.
So then they get to work, charge, and do the same thing all over again on the way home. Although she claims they are burning "almost no gas" that has got to be an exaggeration. I'd estimate they are burning about 3 gallons a day. That's not bad but... Consider that you can easily find small commuter cars that get mid 30s for mpg in their scenario. They would burn maybe 4 gallons a day.
So they are saving themselves 1 gallon of gas a day. Oh, but they're also paying about $2 a day in electricity to recharge. (and skating along on the employer's good graces for another roughly $2 a day in electricity) And they have the high initial cost, the Mickey Mouse fooling around with recharging twice a day. The added dangers, operational restrictions/characteristics of an 80 hp slug...
I just don't see how it makes any sense other than making a status/political statement. I don't understand people that commute in dualy pickups either when they've never had anything more than an empty McDonalds wrapper in the bed of their truck. To each his own. But when you're doing something just to do it, don't try to rationalize it. I do enough of my own rationalizations - I don't need yours! ;-)
A great pub crawler and nothing more.How drunk were they?
Plus they get “free” electricity from their employer?
Sweet deal...
I can do better - 4 door Suzuki SX4 gets well north of 30mpg in actual driving (a buddy with one just told me about getting 39mpg out of his), and an out-the-door MSRP under 17K. I'm actually looking at something like this as my next car. Except my current car is running great and I don't have a spare 17K laying around. ;-)
You're right though. Your numbers or mine - just goes to show the Volt makes no sense whatsoever from a practical standpoint.
Fake review posted by a DNC mole.
It has an on board engine / generator that burns Premium Gas. With the gas tank full, it can go 300 miles, or so they say.
This looks like a Metrosexual guy and his bi-sexual wife pimping for Government Motors.
(From your link)
“The Volt, which cost nearly $40,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit, could take up to 27 years to pay off versus a Chevrolet Cruze, assuming it was regularly driven farther than its battery-only range allows.”
Whadda deal!
OK, we agree on the audi and while the Prius is a nice car, I think there are better choices.
For a gasoline only powered vehicle, this gets about 38 mpg and has more room and functionality than the Prius.
Four adults fit in the Honda Fit much more comfortably than the Prius and the cargo room of the Fit is way better. Take it to a garage sale or Home Depot and you will be surprised what you can haul home. Just don't haul over 990 pounds, including passengers.
1. How do you double the value of a Volt..?..Put a spare battery pack on the back seat.
2. Why are the rear windows heated..?...To keep hands warm when pushing through snowdrifts.
3. What is the GPS radius on a Volt...?...40 miles.
4. How do you stop a Volt from being stolen...?...Take the battery pack inside with you.
5. If a Volt crashes into the Euro version (the Amp)....Watt is the result...?
6. .....etc...
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Go to Barrett-Jackson Auctions and bid online (while viewing cars on the SPEED Channel) on a fully restored or Retro-Moded (much better than new) late 50s ‘Vette or mid-50s Baby Bird for mid 20s to mid 40s
Drive it for 5-10 years sorta carefully but quite briskly
Resell (if you are insane) then at B-J for 2 times to 4 times what you paid for it
Garaged full actual replacement classic car insurance is often under $300-$500 bucks a year
Life is very short
Enjoy it while you can
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Where do you think that electricity comes from that runs into your car when you plug it in to that little thingy in the wall?
So how much is your light/utility bill this month?
From an environmental perspective, I still like electrics where there is fossil fuel generation because it is generated at a level much more efficient than a car engine. There's some loss over transmission, and then the electric motors are 90+ percent efficient, still much better than a gasoline engine. Plus, pollution from the power generation doesn't end up at street level in the city.
I'm a perfect candidate for a Nissan Leaf with my short commute. I might even think of getting one after the second generation (not going to buy first). For the financials, it's not only that gas is effectively cheaper, remember for a pure electric there are also no oil changes, transmission fluid changes, clutches, etc., and brake changes will be few and far between with the regenerative braking. Nice and simple setup with a pure electric, little maintenance should be required.
But hybrids? No thanks. That much added weight and complexity for a little fuel savings doesn't look like a good idea.
Imagine the acid spill damage when one of these envirodisaters self immolates. Put that on a bridge for serious damage.
“Gas would have to approach $8 a gallon before many of the cars could be expected to pay off in the six years an average person owns a car.”
Was wondering where Obama was coming up with that “$7 a gallon” figure he said he was working for.
My son said a guy came into his shop and just replaced his second Volt battery pack at $1500 a pop. He was pretty upset about it.
Just don’t drive more than 40 miles on the ‘electric’ portion otherwise you are SOL. This is such a piece of drivel. I wonder how much she got paid for it.
#5 is genius.
Note to self, buy the extended warranty. LOL
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