[N Riley]

#134 George K

I sure don't want the word "H Y B R I D" in large letters along the lower sides of the Volt. The name Volt on the back should be enough. I would not mind a "hybrid" symbol on the back of the car. Don't gimmick the Volt up, GM, and the same for your other hybrids. If I purchased a Tahoe Hybrid (which I don't plan to) I would have the lettering removed before it left the dealership. I would like to purchase a two-mode hybrid Malibu or Impala as a car to use until the Volt comes out.

The problem is I need that two-mode Malibu or Impala this fall, not in two or three years.

 

[mustang]

it will cost about 40.000$ but I think they are gonna cut the price, but with a waiting list over 30.000 it could also be a no.

 

[TedinFortMyers]

I'll take mine in silver GM as soon as you can get it to me.

Lyle,
Any chance of an early dealer list for the Florida Rollout? I would hate to have my deposit at the wrong dealer.

Take Care,
TED

 

[Van1]

Nice pictures! Plus the extra one at Hybridcars.com. Too bad we can not get them all, a handful suggests 4 or 5 were shown.

I agree with #10, the question is how much further does the Volt go. The city mileage penalty did not seem like a lot, about 3 miles so if the city AER was 32, they may have gotten it up to 35.

 

[whistleteeth1]

Same as #1. How much?

 

[Slave to Opec]

The concept had an angular front clip with a round rear clip.

The production model has a round front clip with an angular rear clip.

 

[Shannon1]

This car is anything but green...which I'm sure will not be a color choice. Batteries of any kind have a limited life. I suppose this will just be more landfill material and we'll worry about that mess later. I mean, right now we have to worry about what to do with all of the used up worthless computer monitors and such. I don't see alot of that getting blasted off into space on a garbage shuttle. That combined with the fact that our energy crisis with oil ties directly into electricity. My electric company just doubled their rates due to oil prices so this is not a solution to anything by going electric. Global warming is a farce, but to think about alternative energy solutions is still a wonderful idea. Keep trying. I see this as nothing more than marketing as their are alot of suckers out there who think this will make a difference.

 

[ADA]

#142 Shannon

I see this car is not for you. This car is for those who would like to use energy created more efficiently than using an ICE, which is terribly inefficient compared to power plants. This car is great for those cities that are powered by hydroelectric, nuclear, wind power, solar, geothermal, etc... It also lessens our dependence on oil. As for the batteries, I'm sure there is some money in recycling those battery packs. You are underestimating the potential effect.

 

[DonC1]

#124 KC

Why a grill? Well, it doesn't really have one. The front thing is faux. However, there is an ICE so some vents may be needed.

But yeah, it's like they have to make it look like a regular car.

 

[Rashiid Amul]

#24 me says,

If you have noticed, the wait list has grown by almost 2,000 in the last two days.

--------------
Check that.
Have you noticed, the wait list has grown by almost 3,000 in the last two days. It jumped almost 1,000 today alone!!!

 

[jbfalaska]

Lyle, and GM Volt website made US News and World Report.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080814-30-000-Line-Up-to-Buy-Chevy-Volt-Maybe/

Congrats. The article says GM is looking to make our Volt Occult the official waiting list. Good news as Mr. 2246 on the numbers count.

 

[Jackson]

Shannon, that's uncalled for.

You do know, don't you, that every automobile on the road has a battery; and unlike the Volt's, it contains a highly toxic material: lead.

The reason this isn't a horror story is a very effective battery recycling effort: a rare success story in the responsible use of (hazardous) resources.

Even though the Volt battery isn't toxic, there will no doubt be a serious recycling effort to recover the materials from a $10,000 item.

There are a lot of ways to make electricity, with new methods appearing on the horizon almost daily. There's only one source for gasoline. Won't make a difference, you say?

 

[DaveP]

#125 N Riley:
"Well, that is true, but an electric car is driven by motors, also. So, General MOTORS is still correct."


And there's always the chance maybe GM will get bought out by a big name conglomerate and become General Electric Motors!


(Couldn't resist. Probably should have. Hard to be a resistor to the Volt, hee hee. Ooops, I should really stop, now.)

 

[LyleL]

112 BillR said:
"Therefore, I expect to see a limited production run by end of next year. Maybe only several thousand, but enough to do a larger “Project Driveway” Then in 2010, I expect to see full production with 60 to 100k per year."

[Waving hands wildly] me! Pick me as a participant in an as of yet unannounced Volt "Project Driveway". I've gotta pen, it's armed and not afraid to use it! Show me the dotted line!!

 

[dylan]

why not put a 220/110 volt charger for faster charging with the 220v . i have a 240v outlet in both my grages and one outside and everyone hase a 220v plug somewhere in their house (dryer,oven,furnace,ac) and a 110v ,mode for people who dont have access to it

 

[Shannon1]

Well, the Volt battery isn't toxic under certain conditions...let's be clear on this and not just bite into the hype of lithium batteries...There is also another concern....High-power lithium cells need to be carefully used to ensure safe operation. For example, if a cell is short-circuited, the large current will cause internal overheating, a rise in pressure and the cell could explosively rupture. In general, battery manufacturers do not like to use the word "explode" and have invented other terms. One interesting euphemism is "spontaneous disassembly" or "decrimpling". All except low-rate cells should incorporate safety vents to avoid a dangerous build up of internal pressure. These vents are especially ed weak points in the steel can, which rupture at a particular internal pressure. Such vents are not resealable, so the battery is then unserviceable (a safety report may require to be filled out and the battery sent away for analysis). Just wear your fire racing suits...It'll be okay.

 

[Gary12]

I am very interested in the volt, but VERY APPREHENSIVE about what the final design will look like. I read on the web that the re-design to acheive better mileage will make the VOLT end up looking more like a Toyota Prius instead of it's original concept with high character and high curb appeal. The reason stated was that the "sloped roof, with the chopped off back look" helps the mileage and aerodynamics considerably. Some indication of this can be seen by the "sneek peek" photos --- to me it looks like the hood is A TON shorter in the sneek peek look than it is for the concept car -- maybe a hint that the VOLT will not be as cool as we all hope.........................................................

Of course, I don't know the final design any better than anyone else -- but for the sake of all of us who are getting hyped up over the prospect of a REALLY COOL electric-ish car with the ability to turn heads and make people wish they had one -- I hope they stay very true to the concept as much as possible.

 

[Jake]

Well, it looks pretty awesome so far. Almost like it's worth $40,000...

Seriously though, I don't want a darn touch screen in my car. I'm sure I'd get used to it, but I'd rather pay less money have have nicely-lit knobs and buttons.

It needs a front grille because there is still an engine under the hood that will run at least some of the time.

 

[NZDavid1]

Three questions.

1. When do I (Lyle) get to drive a mule?

2. What is the new EOL AER. & which test cycle?

3. What is the MPG for the 1.4 ICE & which test cycle?

 

[Jim_in_PA]

#151 Shannon,

Seeing as how we all currently drive around on top of 12-14 gallons of explosive/flammable gasoline (under the right conditions of course), the potential hazards of a battery don't keep me up at night. Furthermore, driving is inherently dangerous, with the vast majority of injuries resulting from blunt force trauma in a crash. This won't change, no matter what our propulsion system is. You're barking up the wrong tree with concerns of battery safety.

Also, if your utility relies on oil for electric production then congratulations on being in the "elite" 5%. You see, 95% of the electricity produced in the US is by means other than petroleum (coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydro making up about 90%). And also, using fossil fuels to generate power at a central plant is about twice as efficient as a million little engines, in terms of lbs of fuel burned per KW produced. So turning to electric cars in fact has a HUGE impact on petroleum consumption and Jihad funding.

So it seems to me that you are in search of facts to support your preconceived dislike of the Volt. But so far I haven't heard a convincing argument. Keep trying.