Your Chevy Volt....

[warrior queen]

...is coming to Australia, badged as the Holden Volt.
The pre-release ad blurb calls it the 'new long-range electric vehicle'.
So, how far can this car go on one charge?
Because the ad doesn't say and I'm absolutely useless looking things like this up.

 

[fair_warning]

Yeah, I saw an advert on the telly for it last night. It looked kinda OK.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

...is coming to Australia, badged as the Holden Volt.
The pre-release ad blurb calls it the 'new long-range electric vehicle'.
So, how far can this car go on one charge?
Because the ad doesn't say and I'm absolutely useless looking things like this up.

From the Chevy Volt FAQ.

Q: What is the driving range of the Chevy Volt?
A: The car has been designed to drive from 25 to 50 miles on pure electricity stored in the battery from overnight home charging. The actual range will vary depending on temperature, terrain, and driving style.

After that the gas engine will kick in and allow the car to be driven an additional 344 miles on a full tank (9.3 gallons) of gas.

Q: How many miles per gallon will the Chevy Volt get?
A: A bit of a trick question. For the first 35 miles it will get infinite mpg, because no gas will be burned. When the generator starts, the car will get 37 mpg (35 mpg city/40 mpg highway) thereafter.

 

[warrior queen]

From the Chevy Volt FAQ.

25 to 50 miles?
Is that it?
Well, that's not long distance!
No wonder they don't say anything on the ad!!!

 

[mercury14]

25 to 50 miles?
Is that it?
Well, that's not long distance!
No wonder they don't say anything on the ad!!!

I think it also has like an 8-gallon fuel tank as backup the the distance is much longer.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

The 25 -50 mile range is just on electric power only. It says in the quote the gas engine kicks in after that and has an overall range of 344 miles.

 

[BusyAfternoon]

The website ExtremeTech calculates that the car costs about 6.3 cents per mile when running on electricity at 13 cents per kilowatt hour. But that rate ignores depreciating the cost of a replacement battery ($8,000) over the life of the battery warranty.

When you add in the cost of the battery depreciation, you get a calculation of about 14.3 cents per mile for the Volt. As the tech site notes: “A compact car getting 35 mpg would cost 10 cents per mile using $3.50-a-gallon gasoline.” So in other words, the Volt, in addition to the high cost to purchase, costs 43% more to operate than a conventional car.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

That's not the question to ask.

The question to ask is, how long does it take to charge, how many times, what will it cost, and is our grid up to the task?

 

[mercury14]

That's not the question to ask.

The question to ask is, how long does it take to charge, how many times, what will it cost, and is our grid up to the task?

The question I'm more interested in is what the next generation of these cars will look like. Evaluating the technology should consider both the present and the future.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

You want to see the lipstick on the pig?

 

[mercury14]

You want to see the lipstick on the pig?

In 1985 did you look at the Apple IIc and deem computers slow, ugly, overpriced pieces of junk?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

In 1985, cars still looked cool and not like throat lozenges...

 

[miles]

25 to 50 miles?
Is that it?
Well, that's not long distance!
No wonder they don't say anything on the ad!!!

25 - 50 miles is long range in Bizarro World.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

25 - 50 miles is long range in Bizarro World.

Yeah, considering how small the urban "community" is...

 

[mercury14]

Yeah, considering how small the urban "community" is...

25-50 miles every day without using gas would mean I never pay for gas.

 

[miles]

Yeah, considering how small the urban "community" is...

Well, it takes a village.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Well, it takes a village.

25 miles? In Kansas that gets you to within ten miles of town...

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

25-50 miles every day without using gas would mean I never pay for gas.

And this makes you feel superior how?

That electricity is not free.

 

[mercury14]

I filled my gas tank with corn this week. Pretty sure it wasn't worth it. Since Obama is sucking at his lifelong goal of $9 gasoline.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

I filled my gas tank with corn this week. Pretty sure it wasn't worth it. Since Obama is sucking at his lifelong goal of $9 gasoline.

I guess you've never seen my comments on ethanol...


“Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”
Obama Energy Secretary Steven Chu

 

[mercury14]

And this makes you feel superior how?

Yes that's exactly what I said, I'm superior because of the length of my commute. You say the most bizarre, made-up shit.

That electricity is not free.

It's merely a tiny fraction of the price of gas and far less volatile.

 

[miles]

And this makes you feel superior how?

That electricity is not free.

You mean it's not like air...breathe all you want?

 

[mercury14]

I guess you've never seen my comments on ethanol...


“Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”
Obama Energy Secretary Steven Chu

Well damn, Chu sucks at raising gas prices. He's failing really bad at his goal isn't he? Or does he not really think that?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

You mean it's not like air...breathe all you want?

My advice is the Chevy S-10.

So far, since 1994, I've gotten 275K on it with no major repairs, so that really drove down the cost of driving it.

I'd like to see how well they actually have made the Volt...

 

[mercury14]

Thinking of getting solar panels on out new house... Any advice where to start?

Then if I buy a Volt electricity will be free.