Dear GM (or any GM forum moderators who may be viewing),
I'd like to make a real suggestion to you, so that perhaps you can view it, and decide that aside from squeezing money out of the average American's pocket, you can instead decided to rally other car-makers behind you, make this country independent from oil, and keep American dollars buying American cars instead of looking to imports.
I would like you to stop producing the Volt.
I want this to stop because it's an extremely huge waste of time, money, and effort. The reason that I say this is because what your average estimates are for people who commute, are in fact skewed. Especially if you look at cities like New York, Chicago, LA, etc... Yes, those are greater populations, and normally you would think that, "We should pander to the greater population because that is where the money is." Unfortunately not everyone lives in a metropolitan area, where not only is low mile commuting possible, but also the use of public transportation in the event that commuting isn't an option.
Chicago for example, to drive from the suburbs to the city is rougly 35mi. In this scenario, the Volt would be able to get that person to work, and they could use the gas motor to get home there after. So the car has saved them 1/2 the distance per day. Assuming there is a charging station where they park (which I don't believe to be a popular option among Chicago parking garages) they would be able to save the cost both downtown and back out. Now that's looking at a suburb like Schaumburg, which is on average, but I also know people who have commuted from Rockford down to Chicago. That is a distance of 45-55mi. In that scenario, as is with most anyone who has to commute a long distance. The Volt has failed before the driver has even reached their destination. You will still have to consume some gas per day, and will still have to rely on oil.
Me personally, I drive 125 miles per day (hence the nickname). Your car simply is not a solution to my problem. Nor is the Insight, nor any other car that I have seen on the market. Instead, what I am considering is buying an ethanol conversion kit for my current Honda (an already high mpg rated vehicle) so that I might be able to attain 50-55mpg out of my tank of gas, vs the average 30-35mpg. This would save me a great deal overtime, in fact the cost estimates are currently looking to save me over $1,800/year on fuel. Am I still dependent on oil? Yes. Did I have to buy a new GM vehicle to get the same performance? No.
What's my point?
Stop spending money on project cars that aren't going to solve the problem long run. Start working on cars that either run completely on ethanol, or run completely on HHO. These technologies have been around IN THIS COUNTRY since 1970, and likely even before that time. It sickens me that because of politics and greed, that car makers like yourself only look to what they can turn a profit on instead of what would be better for the nation in the end. Can you make a profit on E85 or HHO technology? HELL YES YOU CAN! I know that GM has planned on having a fleet of E85 cars at the DNC, and I congratulate you on making a half-assed effort. Why do I say half-assed? Well because instead of obviously pushing your cars at a political rally, which is completely unnecissary, perhaps you should push them where they are NEEDED.
I know, aside from myself, MANY Floridians who make the same commute if not drive further than I do, on a daily basis. WE are your market base. WE are the people who are BEGGING YOU to come up with a solution that will suit our needs and make us believe that our American cars, and American car companies mean something in today's market.
Why do I say that? Because instead of going to GM's website and seeing these E85 cars, I have to go to MSNBC, and read about it in their articles on how Coor's has been producing Ethanol gas for over 10 years now, and only now has it come out that they are partnering with GM to create E85 fuels for GM cars. Did it really take 10years to develop the technology? Does it even matter? I can go to Honda's website right now, and read about the FCX and how it's being PUBLICLY tested in California. A car that gets an estimated 65mpg on a single HHO fuel cell.
Don't let it happen again GM. Don't let Honda and Toyota, beat you out on the car market. Don't let them import their cars that will save us from the oil dependency that we have allowed ourselves to be slaves to for so many years.
Please, I beg you to consider releasing your E85 cars as a mainstream solution to the fuel crisis, and bagging this ridiculous Volt concept.
Edit:
If asked, I will and can provide facts for all figures/statistics mentioned.
I'd like to make a real suggestion to you, so that perhaps you can view it, and decide that aside from squeezing money out of the average American's pocket, you can instead decided to rally other car-makers behind you, make this country independent from oil, and keep American dollars buying American cars instead of looking to imports.
I would like you to stop producing the Volt.
I want this to stop because it's an extremely huge waste of time, money, and effort. The reason that I say this is because what your average estimates are for people who commute, are in fact skewed. Especially if you look at cities like New York, Chicago, LA, etc... Yes, those are greater populations, and normally you would think that, "We should pander to the greater population because that is where the money is." Unfortunately not everyone lives in a metropolitan area, where not only is low mile commuting possible, but also the use of public transportation in the event that commuting isn't an option.
Chicago for example, to drive from the suburbs to the city is rougly 35mi. In this scenario, the Volt would be able to get that person to work, and they could use the gas motor to get home there after. So the car has saved them 1/2 the distance per day. Assuming there is a charging station where they park (which I don't believe to be a popular option among Chicago parking garages) they would be able to save the cost both downtown and back out. Now that's looking at a suburb like Schaumburg, which is on average, but I also know people who have commuted from Rockford down to Chicago. That is a distance of 45-55mi. In that scenario, as is with most anyone who has to commute a long distance. The Volt has failed before the driver has even reached their destination. You will still have to consume some gas per day, and will still have to rely on oil.
Me personally, I drive 125 miles per day (hence the nickname). Your car simply is not a solution to my problem. Nor is the Insight, nor any other car that I have seen on the market. Instead, what I am considering is buying an ethanol conversion kit for my current Honda (an already high mpg rated vehicle) so that I might be able to attain 50-55mpg out of my tank of gas, vs the average 30-35mpg. This would save me a great deal overtime, in fact the cost estimates are currently looking to save me over $1,800/year on fuel. Am I still dependent on oil? Yes. Did I have to buy a new GM vehicle to get the same performance? No.
What's my point?
Stop spending money on project cars that aren't going to solve the problem long run. Start working on cars that either run completely on ethanol, or run completely on HHO. These technologies have been around IN THIS COUNTRY since 1970, and likely even before that time. It sickens me that because of politics and greed, that car makers like yourself only look to what they can turn a profit on instead of what would be better for the nation in the end. Can you make a profit on E85 or HHO technology? HELL YES YOU CAN! I know that GM has planned on having a fleet of E85 cars at the DNC, and I congratulate you on making a half-assed effort. Why do I say half-assed? Well because instead of obviously pushing your cars at a political rally, which is completely unnecissary, perhaps you should push them where they are NEEDED.
I know, aside from myself, MANY Floridians who make the same commute if not drive further than I do, on a daily basis. WE are your market base. WE are the people who are BEGGING YOU to come up with a solution that will suit our needs and make us believe that our American cars, and American car companies mean something in today's market.
Why do I say that? Because instead of going to GM's website and seeing these E85 cars, I have to go to MSNBC, and read about it in their articles on how Coor's has been producing Ethanol gas for over 10 years now, and only now has it come out that they are partnering with GM to create E85 fuels for GM cars. Did it really take 10years to develop the technology? Does it even matter? I can go to Honda's website right now, and read about the FCX and how it's being PUBLICLY tested in California. A car that gets an estimated 65mpg on a single HHO fuel cell.
Don't let it happen again GM. Don't let Honda and Toyota, beat you out on the car market. Don't let them import their cars that will save us from the oil dependency that we have allowed ourselves to be slaves to for so many years.
Please, I beg you to consider releasing your E85 cars as a mainstream solution to the fuel crisis, and bagging this ridiculous Volt concept.
Edit:
If asked, I will and can provide facts for all figures/statistics mentioned.