Comments on: Test Drive: Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Chevy Volt (we think)

By: cabin

cabin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:04:11 +0000

thanks….
http://www.beymod.com.tr

By: ph

ph — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:00:40 +0000

Certainly a change from the foreign automakers.

Creates jobs in N-A.

Eventually (and hopefully) will lead towards power cells (hydrogen) for our kids (some day).

I’ll be placing in order :-)

By: Bridget

Bridget — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:53:29 +0000

GM BREAKS THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS!

For every auto manufacture there exists a direct correlation between engine size and vehicle weight. A hybrid can bend these rules slightly because the electric motor is more efficient to supply power at low speeds, stopping and starting without wasteful idling, regenerative breaking advantage etc. The standard Civic at 2633 lbs is powered by a 1.7 liter engine. The Civic hybrid at 2877 lbs is powered by a 1.3liter engine.

The Chevy volt is claimed by GM to be a fresh new technology to put GM ahead of all competitors. Unlike a hybrid which is driven directly by both a gas engine and an electric motor, the Volt is only directly powered by its electric motor.

The Volt is comparatively an extremely heavy all electric car of 3520 lbs with the addition of a 1.4 liter engine used only to charge the batteries. It makes sense that fully charged batteries alone would take the car 40 miles. What happens after 40 miles is magic…..

Indeed! No one else would think they can sufficiently propel a 3520 lb car with a 1.4 liter engine for as long as gasoline is supplied. By GM’s own standards the 1.4 liter engine would not provide adequate power for a vehicle of this weight-the GM Malibu at 3415 lbs uses a 2.4 liter engine at minimum.

However, through the miracle of energy conversion, circumventing all the laws of thermodynamics, the little 1.4 liter engine will charge the batteries endlessly and the batteries will power the electric motor and thus provide energy for mechanical power that was beyond the capacity of this same 1.4 liter engine prior to this magical conversion.

The new GM is amazing. Where can I buy some stock?

A mechanical engineer might conclude that the only time the Volt would be adequately powered on an extended trip is when it is driven downhill.

Many economists have already concluded that the extended trip for GM is all downhill.

By: Claude Talan

Claude Talan — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:50:35 +0000

NEWS FLASH!
GM BREAKS THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS

The new GM is amazing. Where can I buy some stock?

A mechanical engineer might conclude that the only time the Volt would be adequately powered on an extended trip is when it is driven downhill.

Many economists have already concluded that the extended trip for GM is all downhill.

By: CrunchGear » Archive » What happens to the Chevy Volt, other electric cars if Detroit isn’t bailed out?

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:40:52 +0000

[...] some of that bailout money to Detroit—does that effectively kill off electric cars like the Chevy Volt? That depends on who you’re talking [...]

By: Timbo

Timbo — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:39:54 +0000

Great video! Great car! All new gadgets cost a little more when introduced to the market (i.e. DVD players, now Blu-ray players), but as mentioned once it is established the price will come down and technology (battery life) will improve. I think it is great that people will have a chance to actually buy the car rather than lease it. I’m not sure why people say that this car only goes 40 miles. Sure it goes 40 miles on electric, but then it can keep on going because it has a small little engine that recharges the batteries so it can go just as far as any other hybrid car (or further depending on how you drive).

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:13:02 +0000

A good baby step for the US automakers. You’d be suprised how many folks can get by with a 40-50 mile range, that would keep me going for a few days. I probably can’t justify the price, but as with most things, production ramp ups, technology shifts, etc… will bring cars like this more in line economically and practically with the majority of folks. Look at the corvette, very few people buy them, or can afford them, but they pioneer alot of car tech that trickle into the saturns and chevy’s alot of us drive today. No reason to think that this will be significantly different.

By: myman

myman — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:46:27 +0000

the car is nice !!

By: Gryphyn

Gryphyn — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:02:02 +0000

There is some new information on this car in the latest issue of Automobile Magazine. In order to keep the useful life of the batteries at a maximum, the batteries have been designed in a flat configuration that keeps them at a much more even temperature than typical cylindrical batteries commonly in use. In addition, a special cooling/heating system is in place to keep the batteries withing their ideal thermal range. If I read the article correctly, GM will be providing a 10 year warranty on the batteries, since they have no way of knowing exactly how succesful all these thing will be until they have 10 years of on-the-road testing under their belt.

One other piece of information is that the vehicle will charge in only 3 hours if you have a 240 volt socket in your garage (many folks do, me included). In addition, most of these vehicles will be charging overnight, which is off-peak. That is a good thing.

I know I drive less than 40 miles in a typical day. This car excites me.

By: Gryphyn

Gryphyn — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:02:02 +0000

I know I drive less than 40 miles in a typical day. This car excites me.

By: E. David Zotter

E. David Zotter — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:33:49 +0000

This is old world thinking from decades ago. As you know, third parties verify how reliable a car is (consumer reports, JD power, GfK Automotive, etc).

There is every incentive to make new generation cars as maintenance free as possible because this reduces their warranty exposure (and increases their profit margins in the long run).

By: E. David Zotter

E. David Zotter — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:26:57 +0000

My gosh, you sound like the people that thought automobiles would never replace horse and buggies.

I hate know it all nay-sayer types that try to dominate product demonstrations….
If you are so much smarter than the designers at GM, go work for them and help them out – that is if you can get an engineering degree first…a

Radical products are difficult to launch in a hurry.

The 4th and 5th generations of this vehicle could be dominate and the prices will come down as the quantities of scale emerge.

Krgrds.

By: Pras

Pras — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:25:31 +0000

This is fantastic. First domestic I’ve seen that I’d be willing to buy (besides a Corvette) in years. Also I think this type of preview event – where they get the opportunity to explain their choices – gives the end product more character and shows us why the product is what it is. Bravo to them for inviting you guys and allowing you to post the video.

http://www.dailydoseofpras.com

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:10:04 +0000

There are certainly emissions from the gasoline engine!

By: Ori

Ori — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:03:49 +0000

One of the issues with such a car is the infrastructure needed to charge it in order to make people comfortable, as they do with gas stations today. Their success is dependent on other companies like betterPlace and similar.

my comments at http://www.commentino.com/orim

By: Craig Quiter

Craig Quiter — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:54:54 +0000

Here’s an analysis I did for the power company I have. Turns out it puts out about 65% of the C02 that gasoline does for the same energy. Note that this doesn’t include refinement and transportation.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p-H6bhxhDX3xKz_Q5HeTcAw

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:13:57 +0000

As the above comment, natural gas powered vehicles are a much, much better alternative: there is an enormous reserve of this fuel in the US and many types of vehicles could be adapted to use it: family cars, trucks, buses, etc. Many of them are actually in use right now…
So, what is the problem?
Yeap, you guessed it: Washington gridlock enforced by powerful interests that keep throwing money to our slimy ‘elected officials’ –Of course, these powerful interests are the oil companies and the major car manufacturers.
Is this going to change? Not anytime soon. Now that the prices of oil and gasoline are coming down, everything is going to be business as usual in Washington: offshore drilling? Forget about it… for another 25 years or longer.
The Volt and Tesla cars plus large SUVs could easily be produced or, better, adapted right away…
We are screwed.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:11:34 +0000

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:59:56 +0000

I’m going to naysay that I bet:

1. Battery life doesn’t live up to expectations; not in distance traveled per charge nor in months of useful life, and,
2. Battery fires are a problem —> massive recalls.

How could this not be the case given what’s happened with laptop batteries which have had many more years of development behind them.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:59:56 +0000

I’m going to naysay that I bet:

1. Battery life doesn’t live up to expectations; not in distance traveled per charge nor in months of useful life, and,
2. Battery fires are a problem —> massive recalls.

How could this not be the case given what’s happened with laptop batteries which have had many more years of development behind them.