[OMEGALucifer]

I was in the market for a new vehicle. What tipped the balance for a "plug-in" was the executive orders rescinding some EPA regulations and the announcement that we are coal friendly. I had been teasing everyone at work that I just couldn't wait for my coal powered vehicle. Well, it is not like it is brand new technology and if consumer will not buy the product the OEM in North America will stop building them.

I am really shaking my head that global warming and politics actually swayed me to seriously consider a plug-in.

The short list was a Ford Fusion Energi and the Chevrolet Volt. I have bought foreign vehicles, just never a Japanese or Korean vehicle. (I have after all earned my living making parts for cars since the 70,s.)

Last month at a trade association meeting we had a guest speaker from the US federal reserve bank, during his presentation he asked how many of us were electric vehicle owners, No hands were raised. That is because electric vehicles still only represent about 2% of vehicles. Everything was really pointing me to purchasing a plug-in.

We settled on a 2017 Volt Premier with everything but a sunroof. It was a dealer rental unit with about 4,000 miles, we did decently on the deal, with everything all in, not great but decently. Currently the vehicle is still at the dealer for rust proofing and the protection package over the clear coat.

So for the weekend we were lent another Volt, with almost no options. On Monday night we pick-up our new volt. I am glad to be part of your group.

 

[saghost]

Congrats!! Welcome. Lots of things to learn, FAQs in several places. I think the car should serve you well.

 

[firehawk72]

Welcome, and enjoy your new coal burner, and electric burner. The Volt is amazing for what it is. And please, read the owners manual if this is your first go around.

 

[OMEGALucifer]

Part of an evolution

Thanks: They loaned me a Volt for the weekend, so I must remember to put the owners manual back in the vehicle prior to going to work tomorrow. I am sure to learn a great deal and it is amazing for what it is.

 

[Mister Dave]

Hah - I used to live in Elk Grove.

I am really shaking my head that global warming and politics actually swayed me to seriously consider a plug-in.

Don't worry about it. It's a cool car to drive. There's nothing else really like it right now. That's why I bought mine.

I had been teasing everyone at work that I just couldn't wait for my coal powered vehicle.

Not really. We're mostly natgas powered in northern Illinois now.

 

[edaniel]

My decision was partially economics and partially tech. I really believe that the future of driving and transportation in general is electric or hybrid as it is only a matter of time before fuel prices go back up. I like the technology and had planned on buying an electric when the technology advances to provide more range and reductions in price to make sense. After owning my BMW Z-3 for about 15 years, I decided to look for a new car. I was considering a Lexus, but added the electrics to my shopping list - but not Tesla - $100,000 does not make much sense to me even if I did pay $38,000 fifteen years ago for the BMW.

I found my Volt at a dealership as a demo, still with the $7,500 tax credit available and about 6,900 miles on the odometer. Being a demo, it was maxed out with options, but I was disappointed that it did not have lane keeping or anti collision included with the parking assist. The net cost was pretty inexpensive, and the 2016's were still not available. If they were, I probably could have done better.

The car fits my driving style, as a retiree, I generally drive less than 30 miles per day, and when I do drive more, it is usually longer trips to my boat 200 plus miles away (hence the reason for Volt vs. an electric). When my wife and I travel we use her RX350 which is a great travel vehicle. Based on my usage, calculating gasoline and electric cost, my average savings per mile is $0.0666 (fuel calculation only) vs a 20 gallon per mile vehicle. Maintenance is very little, especially compared to the BMW and to a lesser extent the Lexus. So my economic reason was a good purchase price, mileage and maintenance. I really have no political or environmental reason as I buy my electric from the lowest priced provider, with the current provider producing electric based on:

Environmental Disclosure Information, Capital Energy Ohio, Projected Data for the 2017 Calendar Year

Nuclear 37%
Coal 33%
Natural Gas 25%
Wind 2.5%
Hydro 1.5%
Biomass 0.5%
Other 0.5%

 

[kentlucas]

Reason for buying: 70% to reduce our carbon footprint (we needed to replace our 13 YO Civic Hybrid), 15% excellent safety rating, 15% despising oil companies and not wanting to contribute to their destruction of the earth.

 

[Qinsp]

I'll admit we bought the first one because I like new tech, but was not ready for battery-only electric.
We liked it so much, we bought two more.

I heat my home with whale oil, have our sofa done in baby seal, and think climate change is adjusting your HVAC.

Kidding a bit. But 'being green' is not why we like Volts. It's just a cool side effect. Having a 'full tank' every morning, and instant punch in an affordable car with good performance characteristics is why we like them.

 

[Mister Dave]

I heat my home with whale oil, have our sofa done in baby seal, and think climate change is adjusting your HVAC.

Shades of Elemental....

Sofas are Italian leather. Home heat is natgas, as is most of the electricity. I make sure the climate here is to my liking.

 

[retrodog]

I think people focus a little too much on the whole "green" adavantage of an EV. And I said "a little too much" so don't kick my a$$ as if I had said "way too much".

While the green factor got me interested in the beginning, the thing that really hooked me was test driving a Vectrix VX-1 back in 2008. I ended up buying one. The part that actually hooked me was the refined smooth feel of the motor and drive train. No clunky or even smooth shifting at all. Just pure power delivered in the smoothest fashion possible. So I still contend that comparing an EV to a regular ICE car is a waste of time, in that it should be compared to the most refined gas engines and drive trains from a fidelity standpoint. Of course, when you attempt that, then you get the people who will complain about the interior not matching the luxury and refinement levels of a high end BMW or Mercedes, or whatever. In any case, to me, the real attaction of the EV is the instantaneous response and ultra smooth power delivery. I guess a CVT could be a close second, but those still have a response issue.

 

[Sheldon]

I think the PEV/PHEV is the future, especially as the grid continues to get cleaner. I wanted to support GM's efforts in bringing out the gen2 Volt, which for me is currently >95% EV, but this will drop when we do some longer road trips. I can't justify a Tesla, and it probably wouldn't meet my road trip needs anyway, so the gen2 Volt is as green as it gets for me. Plus, I got the $7500 rebate this spring, and the car is really amazing. Someone else got my very nice 2014 gen1 Volt trade in.

For us, a small compact car is also ideal, so the Volt is a perfect fit.

 

[jupitermoon]

I have been driving EVs for over 4 years now and wanted to get one well before that. But my motivating factor is to pollute less and not support the oil and gas industry.

The next step for me (which actually our second car the i3 does well in addressing) is to have all vehicles be produced in environmentally neutral or safer ways and methods.

 

[SSonnentag]

I'm with you, retrodog. I'm all for green and cutting pollution, but I bought into EV for the driving experience and cool tech. There are all sorts of benefits I love about EVs that I didn't even know about when I bought my first Volt. I love the quietness of the car. I love the little things, like the nearly instantaneous shifting from reverse to forward gear when backing out of a parking space. I didn't fully realize how the 2-second delay of a normal automatic transmission being shifted from reverse to drive annoyed me. I love not having to stop for gas on my way to work, especially when its cold or blowing sand or hot outside. I like being able to avoid regular oil changes. I like that my car doesn't produce much heat when driving in EV mode. I love that, for all practical purposes, I can drive my car for free. I'm staying in a 5th wheel during the week for work, where my electricity is all included in my monthly space rental fee, and when I go home for the weekend, my solar panels offset any electricity my car needs while there. I need my truck for towing, but I never plan to be without an EV for commuting ever again.

 

[jupitermoon]

I'm with you, retrodog. I'm all for green and cutting pollution, but I bought into EV for the driving experience and cool tech. There are all sorts of benefits I love about EVs that I didn't even know about when I bought my first Volt. I love the quietness of the car. I love the little things, like the nearly instantaneous shifting from reverse to forward gear when backing out of a parking space. I didn't fully realize how the 2-second delay of a normal automatic transmission being shifted from reverse to drive annoyed me. I love not having to stop for gas on my way to work, especially when its cold or blowing sand or hot outside. I like being about to avoid regular oil changes. I like that my car doesn't produce much heat when driving in EV mode. I love that, for all practical purposes, I can drive my car for free. I'm staying in a 5th wheel during the week for work, where my electricity is all included in my monthly space rental fee, and when I go home for the weekend, my solar panels offset any electricity my car needs while there. I need my truck for towing, but I never plan to be without an EV for commuting ever again.

Here here!

 

[Bacardi]

We settled on a 2017 Volt Premier with everything but a sunroof. It was a dealer rental unit with about 4,000 miles, we did decently on the deal, with everything all in, not great but decently. Currently the vehicle is still at the dealer for rust proofing and the protection package over the clear coat.

Like every word here causes me physical pain, lol...

Usually you can get phenomenal deals on a demo but it sort of sounds like a shady dealer if they're pushing rust proofing and the protection package which is often no more than a dollar store wax...If it was important it would have already have been applied prior to your purchasing it...