The Link If you want a decent review of a car, go to Car and Driver or Road and Track. I wouldn't go to Popular Mechanics, and their review sounds based almost entirely on politics. Here is a Car and Driver review of the Chevy Volt. Sounds like a step forward, but an intermediate step. As far as the politics goes, General Motors was in trouble, the federal government stepped in and helped. I don't think it would be good for the country to let General Motors fail, but others might disagree. We also have been held hostage by the oil producing cartel for too long, so the federal government is offering incentives to companies to develop modern alternative energy saving devices. The Volt project received aid for both these reasons. It's a lot better than aiding the building of more Suburbans. I don't think independence from foreign oil will be achieved without government aid to the infrastructure of alternative energy providers. Electric cars can help if we build alternative energy electric plants. There are some good things that will happen if we can accomplish this goal-U.S. jobs, clean energy, less dependence on foreign governments that don't like us, and environmental improvements.
Again, the subsidy was an extension of a 2005 law that gave $3k to Prius owner and, thus, is not Volt specific. I doubt Obama is really against subsidies since I've never heard of a politician who is. But, any electric car, be it Tesla or Nissan leaf gets the subsidy. Are you suggesting the Volt be exempt from the subsidy b/c the feds are the de facto owner of GM when all other ev's are eligible? I don't understand the angst.
I will certainly admit that I am biased against GM (and Chrysler). I've never been all that impressed with their products, but especially due to them having to be bailed out by the government. Yes, I know that we were all told that those companies would fail if the government didn't do anything, and that there would be job losses in the hundreds of thousands (or millions, I can't remember now) but pardon me if I don't take all that doom and gloom at face value. Who is to say that an orderly bankruptcy wouldn't have left them in better shape than they are now? Before we get off on a tangent here, let me just say that I know there are differences of opinion on this very subject and I am not intending to re-open that can of worms. I know what the pro-bailout folks have said about the issue. I am not against electric cars in general. That Tesla Model S sounds like a decent car, although it's a little expensive. Hopefully the price will come down over time, like with other products after they've been introduced to the market. What I have a problem with is that GM introduces a car and basically lies about its capabilities, so I'm too impressed with the Volt. If an electric car was available at a decent price (< $30k) that was safe and could get me back and forth to work, I'd consider buying one. On a different but related issue, I don't think taxmoney should be spent to encourage people to buy products (any products). If someone wants to spend $41k of THEIR OWN money on a Volt, then fine, but why should I have to chip in to help them buy it? My answer would be the same for any product that the government tries to subsidize or create tax credits for.
The answer is there are costs to not doing anything about continuing down the oil highway we are on-dependence on foreign governments, at least partial if not large amounts of wars to guarantee the flow of oil to our shores, and the environmental cleanup costs. We are paying these costs now. Some people want to envision a time when we don't pay for those things. Plus it wasn't considered a good time to let the American automobile industry go bankrupt, and I don't think Republicans would have done nothing in this regard had they been in the White House. They might not have subsidized a fuel efficient car, but I don't think they could have let GM die.
I find government subsidies distasteful like a lot of people, but I also feel the alternative energy and automobile propulsion market won't get off the ground without it, and we have been propping up the status quo with infrstructure and lots of government money for many years now. I think it is far-sighted, but it should have been started in the 70's after the oil embargo. How far down this path would we now be-could we have fuel cell, natural gas or all-electric cars as normal commuter vehicles by now? Probably.
Gosh...perhaps I should post a Heritage Foundation article telling you you're wrong...to balance the bias of that article...
The Volt, just like every other american made car, is a POS. I'll continue to buy my nissan or toyota, 2yr used that is. 41K is WAY too much $$$$$ for that thing. If it's electric what the hell is the talk about mpg? Doesn't Electric mean NO gas? Three hours to charge it up Who has 3 hours to just waste waiting for their car to charge so they can go 60 miles down the road?? I'll spend 5-10 min at the gas station, fill my Xterra up and go 350-400 miles down the road, be able to haul anything I want, put in 4 wheel drive if needed, and not spend 41K in the process. Chevy Volt =
msdw, I wonder what you consider an 'american' car. What about a Toyota made here in Texas? Those Tundras that nearly all had to be recalled because within the first 3 years the FRAME was rusting out... What about Toyotas and their massive brake recall issues? What about a Ford Fusion made in Mexico? Or a Volvo, when owned by Ford made in Sweden? Wait... a Ford Taurus built on a Volvo platform here in the US? The claim that all cars made by several companies, or in a particular country is a ludacris claim. I say that as the owner of a Mazda (owned by Ford at the time) made in Japan. Love my car. You could give me a Toyota Camry and I would sell it within a week though. The worst car I have ever driven was about a 2005 Camry. My grandmother had a mid 90s Buick that drove better. The suspension floats over the road and you can't feel anything! It honestly drove like the tires were leaving the pavement. Absolutely horrid on center steering feel. Reminded me of a late 80's 15 passenger van my church had. Spongy brake pedal feel with a sudden 'grab' at the end of pedal travel. Last thing I will mention is the flat as a church pew driver's seat. No lateral support at all. If I tried to take a 90 degree corner at over 10 mph I would slide all over the place. Of course I guess I am not an over weight diabetic like so many Camry driving people in the US.
I don't know much about electric cars except for what I read. I am not necessarily against a rebate on these electric cars. I actually believe electric cars can be a solid part of our future and would definitely lower demand for oil. What I am against is rebates on cars that were marketed as one thing (in order to get the rebate) but deliver another thing. It seems these cars would be nice for someone who drives maybe 15-20 miles a day on backstreets. Although the funny thing is that if you drive say 18 miles a day which is essentially 1 gallon of gas for most similar cars then it costs about $2.75 a day in gas costs and the electricity is $2-$4 day for charging, so it might actually cost you money to use it. But if you EVER have to get on a highway or major 4 lane street your gas mileage is good but not nearly at the level that was marketed. I have to assume that no one on here can claim that "Car and Driver" is in any way a political entity. I kind of chuckled at the souped up golf cart comment, but after reading the articles, that is just about what it is. The really bad consequence of the false marketing, is that it will now actually hold back further innovation. At some point car manufacturers have to stop doing research and start making cars. I think they stopped the research way too soon on electric cars. I have heard people make arguments like the size of cell phones getting smaller over time or eight track cassette tapes getting better etc. The problem is that those are so much smaller purchases it doesn't matter much. If you drop $35 K after rebate on something, you don't want the technology obsolete in 2-3 years. Obviously some welathy folks may buy these cars and then buy better ones when they come out. You can buy a damn fine 2 year old Camry or similar for about $14K and get almost as good gas mileage as the Volt if you ever drive over 35 mph. I can't see the justification for folks spending an extra $20K on a Volt.
there are people willing to drive a pt cruiser so i imagine there will be people willing to drive the chevy volt.
OK, I read the Popular Mechanics review of the Volt, and it had nothing but glowing remarks, and said something to the effect that the Volt and the new Nissan electric car would have Americans rethinking what a car should be. The political review was from the original posters' article, which was the Investors' Business Daily, that panned the car for political reasons. I suppose they advocate letting the free market allow GM to fail, and letting the "free market" OPEC oil cartel continue making us all junkies to support their livestyles and governments that hate the U.S. I hope the Volt succeeds, and this becomes the norm for regular urban commuting. A true electric car would be even better.
You didn't answer the question or respond to the statement mcbrett. The Volt is NOT going to go 4x4 up in the mountains, or down on the TX coast and wont haul a boat, trailer or anything behind it.
msdw, Not sure if you noticed- but when you are on the highways, there are plenty of 4 door sedans out there. Not everyone share's your XTerra dreams of cruising mountains and the beach in the same day. Secondly, this technology will one day be incorporated into your XTerra. In fact, the Ford Escape already has a hybrid that gets 31 mpg, and is scheduled to have a plug-in hybrid within 2 years. So, SUVs and pick ups can/do/ and will have Volt-like technology very soon. How old are you if I may ask? Just curious.
mcbrett you want to go green and pay through the nose and drive a hybrid go right ahead. It's not for me. I haven't seen one yet that will deliver what I am looiking for in an offroad vehicle. I don't my tax dollars subsidizing your auto purchas. Hell for that matter any purchase. I"'m not going to go run out and by the first hybrid that makes it to market just so I can say "I've gone green". Obviously we all want different things in a car/truck. Don't force your pos chevy volt on me and I wont force my gas hungry xterra on you. And to quote the Rhode Island Dem gov candidate.....you can shove it on your age question.
Maduro- Your comment is well studied- it's called "Well to Wheels"- I read a report in a book called "End of Energy Obesity" by Peter Tertzakian- his analysis concluded that accounting for the American average generation mix at the power plant, the EV was still an overall 12% or so more efficient than the best ICE. And the pollution, as many skeptics don't understand, is still well less even if powered 100% from a coal plant. I highly recommend that book. It was heavy on engineering analysis and light on politics.
