Prius Fighter: GM commits to Volt production

GM will release the Volt. And I will win the lottery.

Until there is actually a Volt on the dealer's lot ready for me to buy, like in every other Volt thread, I will consider this a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

 

This is just great...NOW GM's gonna build the Volt? What am I supposed to do with my "old-school" Prius? Resale value goin' down, feeling faint...why did I buy so soon...why wouldn't I just WAIT...and wait and wait for the Volt. Man, I feel pretty foolish...

On a lighter note...I'm headed to the GM dealer to get on the test drive list.

Really, seriously, this is all sarcasm. So's GM's "commitment". And BTW I'm perfectly happy eating my hat IF the Volt is built and I can drive one from a showroom...maybe even purchase one...you know...like a real car.

 

Oh, I sincerely believe there will be a Volt someday. Someday.

However, this being GM, the question isn't "Will they screw it up?", but rather "HOW will they screw it up?"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ May 8 2007, 09:20 AM) [snapback]437451[/snapback]</div>

...or when I grow hair.

 

I think GM will release the Volt (with some bugs and other manufacturing problems requiring numerous service updates) right after Toyota releases a plug-in Prius.

 

So true, so true!!! :lol:

 

Sure they are . . . now that GM has finished the engineering work on just how much pressure is required to crush the Volt. :blink:

 

I've always wanted to buy an American car, but Toyota has always made products that are too compelling. My two overriding criteria for selecting a car are fuel efficiency and reliability, and no American car has been able to come close enough to Toyota that I could justify such a purchase.

That said, I hope the Volt is an excellent car, and that GM will stand behind it. But I also believe that Toyota will not sit still and that the Prius of 2010 (or its offspring) will compete well with the GM product.

One thing that makes me nerrvous about the Volt is the big design flaw out of the gate: why a gasoline engine to charge the battery? Motors used to turn generators spin at a single speed, and diesel engines are superior for that mode of operation. Heard of the diesel-electric locomotive?

We're in an interesting period of automotive history. The hybrids are the advance party for the coming avalanche of all-electric cars.

 

How is any American car maker going to come out with a new technology like this when they can't get the conventional vehicles right? I'd love to see it, but I can't see a company that's scrabbling on many fronts invest the right amount of time and money to pull this off. Don't be fooled, if they really have the will, these guys can do it. It's the time and money that will get in the way in the end if not the competition. How would you like to be the first Volt owner.......

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ May 8 2007, 09:38 AM) [snapback]437428[/snapback]</div>

I wonder how it will produce heat when it is cold outside, will it fire up the ICE to warm up coolant for the heater core or will it use some sort of electric heater that will draw alot of power from the battery most likely cutting the EV miles in half.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ May 8 2007, 11:31 PM) [snapback]438044[/snapback]</div>

Not only will the new Prius be out by then, it ill be backed by 13 years of production, and Lord only knows how many years of research and development. I don't see Bob swaying any of the current Prius owners from the new Prius easily

 

Many of you are just so smug.

It's a real turn-off to those who consider purchasing a Prius. Do all owners turn into sarcastic, glib, sanctimonious US-Auto-Industry-bashers?

Toyota builds many fuel-inefficient vehicles and unpopular models. They're far from "Can Do No Wrong." But that doesn't mean I'm going to take every positive thing they do and completely--not only disregard--but DERIDE it.


This is GREAT news from GM. I can't wait to buy a Volt.

Besides, it's not like it's going to be their first hybrid. Their full hybrid mid and full-size SUVs will be out this year and they already have their parallel hybrids on the road in the form of the VUE and Aura.

 

Watch the movie Who Killed the Electric Car and you'll understand. Really. It can't cost but 3 dollars to rent and 2 hours of an evening. It's quite an eye-opener. There's no way I can justify ANYTHING from GM ever again.

 

Maybe if you bought an EV1, they'd still be around. Where was Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki's wide-spread electric vehicle program?

The ones that had them were no where near as advanced as the EV1 was or had the market share...and they're virtually all gone now, too, anyway. So GM wasn't the villian it was made out to be by that movie.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chrome @ May 9 2007, 09:09 AM) [snapback]438180[/snapback]</div>

I take it you've never been screwed over by the way a GM loses OVER $10,000.00 in value as soon as you register it?

I can't speak for everyone, but after seeing GM consistently fail in delivering a quality product to the consumer, after seeing GM rebadge an Isuzu and call it a Chevrolet or GMC, after watching GM continually bash the Toyota Prius and try to dismantle everything that's good about it, YES, I am a bit smug towards GM.

YES, I am fully aware that Toyota builds a full-size pickup truck that barely manages 16 miles per gallon. However, this truck is capable of doing things that some 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton pickups CAN'T. Don't believe me? Compare an '07 Tundra to a gas-powered Ram 2500, F-250, Silverado 2500, or Sierra 2500.

YES, I am fully aware that Toyota builds 4 monster SUVs - the Land Crusier, the Sequioa, the Lexus GX, and the Lexus RX V8-powered behemoths. I am also aware that they only manage 15 miles per gallon.

Now, show me the hybrid vehicle that GM produces that performs the way the Prius does. Show me the continued 10-year dedication to producing a good, solid hybrid vehicle. The VUE that you quoted has only been in production for a year, and I imagine that it's been under the threat of the axe for a while now.

When I got my Prius, I looked at it, looked at what GM was doing, and instantly realized IT'S WRONG! GM's continued commitment to building trucks, trucks, and more trucks has really gotten under my skin, and I will truly be shocked and amazed if the Volt makes it into production.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("Chrome")</div>

Have you seen a RAV4 EV? And, unlike the EV1, you could buy the RAV4 EV! The EV1 was lease-only and had NO OPTION to buy. Go talk to darreldd about his.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ozyran @ May 9 2007, 09:27 AM) [snapback]438195[/snapback]</div>

Uh huh. And what does loss of resale value have to do, in any proximate manner, to GM's ability to build and sell a quality plug-in hybrid vehicle?

I know the EV1 was lease only. I immediately attempted to edit the post, but for some odd reason, my edit didn't take. The point still stands. Who here who was able to acquire an EV1 actually did?


As for the VUE: the all new '08 Vue will continue to offer a hybrid powertrain. I am informed that it will soon have the dual-mode full hybrid system, to boot.