I put this in this forum cause this is where people talk about the Volt, but it might be in the wrong place. Post your reasons why in the commons if you want to. I created this poll after reading a different thread about the Volt where some users were negative and some were positive. Personally, I think this: 1. Volt will exist. It isn't being shoved down their throat by California and has the support of top management, which the EV1 didn't have and I think it logically makes sense to top executives, because it solves the main problem with electric cars, which is what about when I drive to grandma's house in the next state. What if I need to suddenly go somewhere far away. Most people don't wanna end up stuck on the side of the road with an electric car that takes hours to recharge and by adding a gasoline generator you can wipe away the main issue, while still not using gasoline 98 percent of the time and getting great gas mileage when you do. 2. I answered Maybe. If Toyota or Honda drop the ball on this one, I'll be buying a Volt, but Japanese cars have better gadgets inside and higher quality than GM so I'd rather buy a Japanese vehicle. It seems like Toyota or Honda would be crazy not to build a comparable vehicle, but given press releases and speeches from both companies it seems like they don't want to make a vehicle like the Volt. Maybe they just don't want to reveal their vehicle lineup though.
I voted "yes" to them making it simply because they've made such a big stink about it over the past year that there would be a massive amount of crow eating going in if they didn't follow through with it. I voted "no" to the second one because from the pictures it doesn't look like a hatch-back. After three years with a hatch-back, I'm simply spoiled. I love folding seats and a hatch-back.
The Volt will get built and sold. The E-Flex drivetrain will be their platform for fuel cell vehicles. They need only replace the generator with a fuel cell and the rest of the car stays pretty much the same. That's something they've been saying for months. If GM is serious about fuel cells, then the Volt is a valuable intermediate step.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Nov 6 2007, 01:10 PM) [snapback]535598[/snapback]</div> While I voted yes on the "Will they build it", I'm not sure that the car will look much like the current concept. There may be radical changes both cosmetically as well as functionally before the car reaches production. However, I'm pretty sure that they will produce a car at some point in the next few hundred years that they will call a "Volt". I'm not sure what they are projecting the MSRP will be. I answered "maybe" just because there are so many variables that go into the choice of a car. I certainly wouldn't refuse to consider it, but I wouldn't guarantee I'd buy it without knowing what the competition was offering and what the price would be.
No maybe vote for the top one? That's where my vote lies, I'm not 100% sure they will, or won't. As for will I buy one? Probably not. I have a Prius, I'll probably drive that summab*tch until the wheels fall off, and if it seriously takes too long, I'm guessing by then conversion kits might come down in price to the point that its' still economically feasible to convert it and run it for another 200k+ miles. That and I'll seriously wait for other cars to get into the game before I buy the first thing out there. I didn't buy the Insight because it looked.. ehh it was a 2 seater and that's it, I didn't buy the first prius because it looked like a squished toyota corolla, I bought the 2nd (US) gen prius because it had a hatchback, folding down rear seats and really had a multi-purpose car feel to it.
If the Volt is built, it will end up NOT being what they are promising. I won't buy a GM anything anymore. Love my Toyota
Are you kidding? "Buy" a volt? And have GM come and crush it in the middle of the night? sorry, they had their chance. Who Killed the electric Car. Let a real innovator build me my plug-in. Hint: they already make the best-selling hybrid, bar-none.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(finman @ Nov 6 2007, 04:35 PM) [snapback]535681[/snapback]</div> I really enjoyed Who Killed the Electric Car, but you have to admit that building a car because you want to build it and you think you can sell a lot of units is a lot different than building a car because California's government says you can't sell cars in their state unless you build one.
No, I am not willing to admit that. they made (and currently make) more $$$ per SUV. If it had been marketed properly (watch the movie again), then more people would have demanded the EV1 instead of the Hummer. It simply was easier to sell the cheap but profitable SUV. Now they're gonna "save" us all that oil today (well, 'in a few years') that they wouldn't save us back 10 years? C'mon, tell the people what they want and need (SUV) and they'll buy it. Good for GM but not very good for the rest of us, meaning war for oil and pollution. YMMV.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(finman @ Nov 6 2007, 02:14 PM) [snapback]535702[/snapback]</div> There's no way in hell that the EV1 would have outsold SUVs in the late 90's or early 2Ks. No way in hell. Petrol was WAY too cheap. Sure, there were some folks who would buy one, I won't challenge that assertion, but there is no way a tiny coup is going to outsell a 5 door vehicle that is far more practical when oil is < $20/barrel. Fast forward a few years and things start to change. Fast forward a few mores and things are probably quite different, but back then no amount of marketing would put the EV1 ahead in sales. The RAV4 would do loads better but I'd be shocked if it out sold its petrol sibling.
I've said it before: I don't believe they'll build it. I believe it's all a scam: "See. We're trying!!!" However, if they build it, and if it's what the present hype suggests (40 miles at freeway speed without ever starting the engine) and if a better car does not come along first, then, yes, I'll buy one. But if I can get a freeway-capable 75-mile pure EV first, then I probably won't buy a Volt. First one with an EV that meets my needs gets my money!
I dont know if they will build it or not, but if so, I really wonder if it will be dependable, reliable, and what the maintenance cost on it would be. I agree, as stated above, that there would be a lot of crow to eat if it were not built at this point.
If they don't build it and don't market it, they can't sell it. SUVs were built and marketed. EVs and ALL their advantages were not. Simple dollars and profit goes to the SUV... and the rest is auto history.
It'll have four wheels and a steering wheel, and a GM logo on it, just like the Volt we're seeing all over the media. A few styling cues, if the thing even makes it to production in current form, might be there, but they will be severely watered down. The beltline might be a bit high, or it might have some angularity, but you'll have to look closely to see the relationship to the concept car. They HAVE to make it now, after telling us they're going to build it. --------- Market forces do NOT have our best interests at heart. They never do, and they never will. The evidence is everywhere, from frivolous consumer electronics to inefficient automobiles to disposable medical devices. All of these boost short-term profits...but do this by transferring part of their cost of usage to future generations (who have no say in the matter). Besides, why would I go to GM for a responsible, smart, well built car? They just aren't known for that sort of thing. That's like going to the best rib joint in town, and ordering the catch of the day. If I want a poorly built, poorly packaged, over-styled car which depreciates quickly...GM would be my manufacturer of choice.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Nov 7 2007, 09:12 AM) [snapback]536190[/snapback]</div> Nah. They'll just keep telling us the battery technology isn't ready yet. (While buying up battery patents to try to prevent others from building an EV.) <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Nov 7 2007, 09:12 AM) [snapback]536190[/snapback]</div> How about an exploding Ford? (I.e. Pinto.) Just shows you how desperate for a freeway-capable EV I am, that I'd even buy one from GM, if they're the first to market. I don't think that's likely though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Nov 7 2007, 01:12 PM) [snapback]536190[/snapback]</div> I'm not a GM Fanboy and I didn't test drive a GM when I recently made my Prius purchase, but I would like to point out that the reason "Who Killed the Electric Car" was made was that the EV1 is the best production electric car ever made by a large automobile manufacturer. They could have focused on other vehicles. Other Manufacturers built and then destroyed or stopped making electric vehicles, but the EV1 was the best car and of all the models that were built the only ones I would actually consider buying today are the RAV4 and the EV1. GM can build a nice car when it wants to. My point in the earlier post about market forces was not about the goodness of market forces, but about the motivation of GM. The EV1 was something forced down GM's throat by regulators and elected representatives that the decisionmakers didn't believe in whereas the Volt is something the decisionmakers believe in and want to build.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Nov 6 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]535598[/snapback]</div> Nobody can simultaneously be "seroius" about fuel cells, and also say battery technology for an EV isn't here yet. They've spoken about the E-flex platform in the Volt for months. They've spoken about fuel cell cars (in fact they promised to sell 1 million of them by 2010) for 20 years. 2010 model year is two years away, and NOBODY has sold a single Fuel Cell vehicle. Much less 1 million. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(155 @ Nov 6 2007, 02:01 PM) [snapback]535695[/snapback]</div> The EV1 was designed and prototyped before any such law existed in CA. It is because GM showed that it *could* make the Impact that the law was put in place. GM helped bring the law about, was the leader in teh field, and pissed it all away. In fact PAID million$ to piss it all away.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(155 @ Nov 7 2007, 06:03 PM) [snapback]536393[/snapback]</div> Actually, it's more like, "the marketers believe in the Volt, and want to market it." It's a subtle, but important difference. ;-) <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Nov 7 2007, 02:09 PM) [snapback]536256[/snapback]</div> What? There's something *wrong* with my Pinto?!? That would explain all the "BBQFOR4" vanity plate jokes... [laughing] Honestly, if GM comes up with something like we seem to be lusting after here on PC --and it doesn't look too aggressive and has better than, say, C- build quality-- I'd probably buy one, just to put my money where my mouth is.
