So is the Hellcat (wrong direction) . But for some reason there always seems to be a niche market for all kinds of oddities. If the caddy version only has 4½ seats like the Volt ... that'd seem to fly in the face of what big comfortable luxurious cars represent. I'd think low volume sales would be a lesson GM learned from their last luxury hybrid version they sold ..... they sell just a few. But GM covered their bases, saying they only intended to sell a few. Self-fulfilling prophecy? .
how many pips sold outside cali? prime will do a little better with 50 states and 22 miles, but price will be the calling card. if the base is really $29,000. it could do pretty well. but this doesn't go to the o/p's thread question, just his question of who will buy a prime.
ELR (the Cadillac Volt) has been discontinued, there won't be a second gen. The CT6 is a completely different platform, much larger luxury four door slotted between E class/5 series and S class/7 series. It has a plug-in option like Malibu, but most models are ICE.
thanks for clarifying - I hadn't looked to see how big a caddy version gm was going to stick the Volt guts into. .
I see Prime selling well where there are large incentives...that would be CA free HOV, parts of Canada have pretty big plug-in $$$, and a third place (escapes me at the moment). Model3 fits in due to incentives also. Model3 has more years of free HOV in Cali, so if you need that, you need to be on the list. There is probably enough time to lease a Prime 3-years and order a Model3 or Bolt. I'd be waiting to see what happens with Bolt/Model3. Maybe CA elevates Volt to BEV status...who knows. I have trouble seeing a soft landing in CA with approaching 200,000 free HOV stickers already. I am of course assuming Prime gets free HOV nod, if not, yikes. CA probably moves towards 3-years free HOV and then you gotta buy a new plug-in to keep it.
Very basic ask yourself what are your needs are? Pure EV has limitions. How far and where and when you get there is there down time! To recharge! , prime or Volt has none!
All cars have limitations. The question is do they have limitations that impact your needs and wants. My BEV has no limitations that affect me, where all gas cars do have limitations that would affect me. For others, they are impacted by limitations of BEVs. For them a Prime, Volt, or Prius works better.
The CT6 is Cadillac's new, fullsize flagship model. It has a PHEV option, but it is more power hybrid. The system is modified from the Volt's, and it might work for GM trucks. The ELR was a gen1 Volt with Caddy goodies. it was conceived to have as an answer to the upcoming Model S. When GM saw how badly they underestimated Tesla, they cut their losses and limited ELR production. A story with similarities to that of the eQ.
For me in Virginia I have no needs right now for Plug_in. We have no incentives, and gas price is low. But if gaso prices go up again, I like a used, mild plug-in (PiP1) charged at home, wirelessly if possible. Prime not sure but I have time to see what else comes down the pike. Actually I like Chrysler minivans so the plug-in version will be very interesting to me.
While the fleet of gas cars may get slightly more efficient each year (although probably not this year), an individual gas car gets dirtier over time. Partially because of equipment getting dirtier/less efficient and partially because the oil needed to refine into gasoline requires more and more energy to obtain.
Please, please, please have him tell me this location. Since Toyota has a $200 bounty on returned Prius batteries, I want to find the end of that rainbow where all the Kansas Leprechauns are busy burying this NiMh gold.
Ha ha just saw an ad for a Cadillac ELR brand new 2014 for $20,000 off list price. Just 12 miles on it. Of course even after the list price slash its still $49,500.
The CT6 is RWD so it uses a transmission that is internally and externally packaged differently from a FWD transaxle. It is a logical extension of the Volt/Malibu/LaCrosse(China) FWD hybrid transaxle that has a PSD (Power Split Device) planetary gear and a second planetary gear that mostly acts as a gear reduction for "MG2" (which GM calls MG/B). It is very similar to the 3rd gen Prius except with clutches that allow for reconfiguring the power flow into a fixed gear mode and also into a "compound split" mode where some of the "MG2" torque mechanically recirculates to the "PSD" planetary gear (instead of electrically recirculating like the Prius does at highway speed). The CT6 hybrid transmission extends that design by adding an additional final planetary gear set and 2 more clutches that act like another clutch-configurable gear reduction stage. Contrary to multiple recent media reports, the CT6 does not deliver 449 HP (335 kW) of power. It delivers 335 HP (250 kW). The error started with a mistake in an obscure SAE paper preview in February which was used in one media report (GreenCarCongress) and was then repeated by multiple other auto media sites. The SAE paper was corrected in its final published form this month (which makes it consistent with GM press releases from last year). Ahem, it's a Cadillac. GM is going to make and sell Cadillacs whether or not you and I agree with their design parameters and pricing. So, Cadillac is either going to sell obnoxious big and spendy conventional cars or the same cars but with a more efficient hybridized powertrain option. Many big comfortable luxurious cars are RWD with 4 1/2 seats and a transmission tunnel down the middle. The CT6 is one of them whether or not it comes with a conventional powertrain or the "Voltec" one. The electrified version still uses the tunnel for the RWD shaft. Unlike the Volt or ELR which puts the battery down the middle, the CT6 puts a repackaged Volt battery behind the rear seats taking up part of the huge CT6 trunk area. Correction..... The Malibu hybrid is not a plugin. It is a non-plugin hybrid. GM Plugin Hybrids: Volt (EREV), ELR (EREV), CT6 (blended) GM Hybrids (non-eAssist): Malibu, LaCrosse (China) GM Battery EVs: Spark EV, Bolt EV
Thank for that information, it was a nice summary and level of detail. As for it being a Cadillac, that's the problem. Toyota gets hammered for diversification, even though there's an obvious effort with Prius to targer ordinary consumers. We're still waiting for the same from GM. It's a double-standard. Setting an expectation of that coming within the next year could be realistic... however, the loss of tax-credit help puts them in a challenging position. Toyota saved them, yet got ridiculed for it. GM could end up having lost opportunity by running out before an affordable product is in place.
Translation; "I can hardly believe it but can't prove you wrong so I'm P'd off." It's what some people think when their needs are a bit different ... not matching someone else's needs ... .
