Bob Lutz says Via Motors' X-Truck makes Prius look like a 'gas guzzler'

Heard that. F and Ch trucks are two top selling vehicles in US. Electricians, construction workers, etc... need trucks.

And for those who wish the 4th gen will be smaller ... I don't. Hafta say CamHy looking like the best family hybrid these days. 8 or 10 gallons at pump, ah take the 200 HP and 9 cu ft extry.

Let's see if this plays the shtick at NAIAS -

ooh, I wanna be like those CIA types in black SUVs in the movies ...

 

Some people like BIG vehicles cause they want to be the 'biggest kid' on the block ...

Let's see if this plays ..

 

For $70k(after Federal and CA rebates) I can go buy a Leaf for in town commuting at ~$20k and a Ram 1500 Quad Cab Express for $24k for work and longer distances. It is a step in the right direction but once again, the cost is going to keep "normal" people away

 

I don't think a Leaf has the range for the miles a contractor could drive in a day with varying destinations. Then they have to waste time driving back home when it turns out they need the truck.

The price is an issue, but the same was said of the Volt and Tesla. Via just has to sell enough to provoke the others into offering something to be a success.

 

i feel i'm multi-chaming in here... but... good point Trollbait.

a leaf usually has nowhere near the range required by construction personnel. in a city like los angeles... maybe (more like handyman... less true construction). you have to realize these guys are on the road for the majority of the day, and a simple battery operated car with no backup engine isn't practical. these guys already pay 60k dollars for their large trucks... if a hybrid plug in means extreme mileage when plugged in or a decent mileage gain if not... it's worth it to them.

from the HP numbers they provide, it's phenomenal. keep in mind a tesla roadster was only listed at (hope i recall this off the top of my head correctly) 134 or so HP (for argument sakes, i'll say up to 200)... with the efficiency of the electric motors, they blow a traditional ICE out of the water.... er... oil field... whichever term works best for the visualizations.

 

The way I read sdtundra's post was that the truck was for work and personal longer distance driving and the Leaf was for personal use, not work.

 

i believe that is what he meant too.... do you work construction? i do...(more did than do... handyman style and all now... otherwise it was all about the F450 ALL day) the majority of their lives are work... it's kinda rare to get personal time... therefore... since they already pay for 60k dollar trucks... they tend to ONLY use that vehicle. as an owner, and not a construction worker, you can say you'll buy this and that... but this vehicle isn't aimed for you anyway.

again.. main point being... the majority of companies out their buy these new 60+ thousand dollar trucks for the warranty they get. with ford it's basically a life time warranty on any commercial grade truck. sure, the workers can drive leaves... but they clearly are not the contractor. the expense is there.. this is a better option for the lump sum of cash they are already expecting to throw out the door. (not to mention turbo rebuilds, and service that goes into these larger commercial grade trucks)

 

another note... a ram 1500 (or silverado... or f150... or any of those) won't tow my fathers dump bed trailer... he had a friend try it once.. it ripped the rear end of his truck off....

true construction guys tend to pull huge trailer extremely often.

 

While I agree with the first part, the issue with via is about more than price.

If this was made by ford or gm it would be one thing. It is made by a start up that looks like a conversion company. I think many truck guys will be worried about possible fly by night nature of it. I see plenty of 20 year old trucks out here, and even some cool ones from the 40s and 50s. AFAIK they are still using A123 packs, but the fate of that company and its likely Chinese overloards is questionable. Now if they can get GM to stand behind the engineering and put up a warranty, that would be different.

I know many people that use their truck only occasionally for work. These folks aren't really who via is aimed at, but I can see them getting a F150 ecoboost + tesla S if they really want electric driving. It will cost more than a via, but so what

 

True but would you trust this via to do it 5 years from now, or get a more powerfull truck?

 

If i was in my fathers spot... i would trust it... being in California and all i'm sure it qualifies for the same type of 10 year or 150k mile warranty that most other high tech cars qualify for.

more powerful? did you miss the part that electric motors are like 4 times more efficient at delivering power than a traditional ICE?.... listed 900HP and all... i don't see that as matched by anything besides a Bugatti.... (even that doesn't match up well)

 

I severely doubt via will still be around in 10 years. That is just MHO. The company doing the conversions for ford's transit connect is already in bankruptcy, but ford is the ones warrantying those vehicles.

As for more powerful, I meant than a F150 or Silverado standard truck.

 

Don't confuse marketing puffery for long term usable horsepower in a work truck.

 

I'm going to wait until they come out with version II - because v. I. is for folks that at least have a TEENY bit of self esteem. I need to show off that I have WAY less than teeny:


If I can't deplete 100kWh of battery juice, just going to the corner grocery store for my java, then my truck isn't macho enough. Who cares if I use the receiver only 2x a year. Everyone needs to be able to pull a set of doubles imo ... just in case.

.

 

Austingreen.... I kinda touched base on that earlier. i'm not exactly looking at this from my current point of view.. it's from my fathers point of view of sorts.. and the years i spent working with him and finding him replacement trucks and such. this is why there are warranties..

He currently drives an F450 Dully... commercial grade with all the works (boxes and racks and such)... that is an upgrade...

xs650.... what's the biggest truck you've owned or had to take care of on a daily? if they break down.. you return them and demand money back... simple enough...

if it turns out to be a lightweight crap vehicle.... then they shouldn't call it a stump puller.... an F150 equivalent shouldn't be rated with that sort of HP... so assumptions are that it's strong... or at least wishes to be.

 

oh hill... i've seen a lot of messages like this from you recently... a bit out of perspective... I'm sure there are a few people in this country who can utilize a monster like that.... let's keep this back in reality... or at least as close as VIA can get to it for now

 

Before I retired, at different times in my career I was responsible for the design, testing and manufacture of vehicles that weighed up to 60,000 lbs empty. If you want to bring fathers into it, my father was responsible for maintenance of a Bomb Wing of aircraft with a take off weight of close to 500,000 lb each that were capable of removing most countries from the map.

 

ah... good response theater xs650....

i still stand behind return policies...

plus... i would only hope that as time goes on things get better and better with vehicle standards.... maybe i'm delusional.. hehe

 

Are you going to get one of those then? If not, why?

 

i say this in jist.... the most friendliest intent possible....

is selective reading like selective hearing?..... i no longer work along side my father (were we both worked hand and hand as general and foreman)... that aside... i said i do more simple handyman task now. I personaly won't get it because i have a prius... and a 5x8 tip bed trailer. I don't require a vehicle of that size unless i want to start building multi million dollar houses and back yards again... which.. in time i may.. but not anytime soon.

down the line if they live, and they resale cheap, then who knows... but i would have to be enthralled back into the hard core construction life which i'm currently not. My brother however is watching it closely to see the ratings and numbers... loves the concept and hope it turns out semi close to what they are talking about. if it does, he will contemplate getting one as he still works as a foreman for my father.