Volt 2.0: Ruess "It will leap-frog... the competition"

MPGe takes account of the charging loss. That's why I removed it to find out the actual capacity that battery is storing.

If I don't remove charging loss, it would be 16.85 kWh usage from 18.4 kWh pack. 92% depth.

 

Good point. But while numerically interesting and probably technically correct, it is a non-real world situation that won't likely come into play. It would be incredibly difficult in a first generation PiP to get to 150,000 miles EV. At one charge per day average and average 11 miles EV range per charge, that's over 37 years of driving. Even the longest EV range documented by a Volt 1st generaton driver isn't 2/3 there.

Hopefully, PHEV/BEV enthusiasts are buying the correct vehicle with appropriate battery capacity to their driving needs. The just right mama bear sizing philosophy makes sense.

 

Aha, got it, I'm on board now.

 

Good points John. With the release of the gen2 Volt, GM would have done their research on making the latest gen more to the masses. If (a BIG if) GM reviewed all the short comings from gen1 and formulated a path forward - great. But, what I am seeing there is NO lessons learned with gen1.

On the other hand, I can't say I am surprised GM did NOT refine their market stratergy prior to the market release with gen2.

This furthers my belief that the Volt never was, isn;t, and never will be a product for the masses. The Volt, once again, got GM what they wanted: a U.S. taxpayer bailout.

From that stand point, the Volt has indeed been hugely successful!

GM got taxpayers' money, Treasury Dept "forgave" the remaining balance of the bailout. GM is free and clear on the bailout AND the U.S. taxpayer get left holding the bag of billions of "forgave" balance.

What a country!!!


DBCassidy

 

I guess the only way for the Volt to get some love around here is for it to become a fuel cell vehicle.

 

Or make a practical midsize that is as clean as Prius, statewide.

Malibu hybrid is a great alternative but no one is talking about it. People just talk about how long Volt's EV range is and how they can fit into their commute. Government does not give any incentive to a great car like Malibu hybrid.

If Volt is a clean as Mirai or even Prius statewide, I'll be praising it.

 

This isn't so, anything else said needs to be in the politics section.

The grid can get cleaner. Petroleum based fuels can not.
Renewable fuels for ICE cars are possible, but producing them in the amounts to completely replace petroleum based ones will require a massive reduction in ICE fuel consumption from the nation's fleet. Plugging cars in is likely the only way to achieve that.

There is simply less known about the Malibu hybrid at this point; since it is coming out after the Volt.
The Volt is simply more exciting than another mid-size hybrid sedan at this point.
GM did address major complaints of the first gen.

• "It didn't get the 40 miles EV range they targeted" - It now goes 53 miles on grid power.
• "It uses premium gas" - not anymore.
• "It isn't that fuel efficient" - it now gets 42mpg combine. To head it off, how many cars get 50mpg combined like the Prius.
• "Only four seats" - There is now a fifthish seat. Enough for a car seat or small person, but no true compact car is going to be bought to carry 5 adults on longer trips than going out to lunch.
• "It's too expensive" - it is $10k less than the first gen on release.

 

Obviously the love comment was made in jest. (Loving any car or car maker is not recommended.) As far as EV or PHEV vehicles go, the only "clean" part the car controls is when not operating on electricity. So I assume your praise is modulated based on percentage of EV operation (as mine is).

 

Maybe the problem is with the masses and not the product? (Some humor, some seriousness)

I remember many years ago in Prius Chat where the similar discussion was how GM would never actually bring the Volt to market. GM certainly had killed off anything that was not a gas guzzler in those days. However, they actually did bring it to market. Even more surprising is they brought it to the national market. Then they continue to pursue improving it. GM has a lot of sins to account for. The Volt is not one of them.

 

No problem with the masses, but there is with the product - it has not made a hit with the masses. Ask any Chevy dealer about the Volt moving off the lot. Again the sin as you have mentioned is the GM marketing, they just not committed to make it for the Volt mainstream.

DBCassidy

 

I see the new Volt achieving sales equal to the second tier hybrids.

 

Good for you!

DBCassidy

 

Over promise, under deliver.

A plug-in called Volt was indeed delivered, but it wasn't what we were promised.

 

Meanwhile the market gets more crowded and completely surrounds GM, boxing them in. Bad timing, bad marketing, no short or long term planning for the Volt spells and smalls of "a car that was never meant to be"

This in one of GMs' many ill timed business cases being studied in business schools " How not to launch a product"
DBCassidy

DBCassidy

 

Forecast: to say that something that will happen in the future! Toyota Aygo | X-Wave Weather Challenge

 

when does it hit the showrooms?

 

Yes, CO2 tailpipe and upstream. Also, the CARB emission certificate which has NOx, CO, PM, etc and the evaporate emission. We'll wait to see the official results.

In grand theme of scheme, Gen2 Volt gas engine is going to be as efficient as the Lexus CT200h. However, there is a massive incentives between the two cars. Talk about a waste of tax payer money, as plugin supporters criticize of hydrogen incentives. After 5 years of incentives, it looks like there is 5 more years to go.

Hybrid were able to sustain sales despite the incentive removal. We'll have to see how the plugins will do.