GM Volt Rules!!!

[neptronix]

The BIG American car manufacturers DO NOT WANT electric cars of ANY variety PERIOD. Ignore the propaganda.

That can't explain the Ford Focus & Fusion EV's that are coming out

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/10/22/ford-sets-2011-electric-focus-2011-production-target-at-10-000-2/

Admittedly, the Ford cars are more conversions than custom built. But it's a start.

Not all hope is lost, man. Obama raised the CAFE so sky high that major automakers essentially have to make EVs/hybrids/hydrogen/etc cars now, since ICE technology cannot provide that sort of MPG.

 

[northernmike]

Saw my first one - a Michigan plated Volt driving on my street (Cosburn Avenue) here in Toronto today and it reminded me very much of the Pontiac Aztek.

Sad.

 

[pronky]

wt speed the survey regarding ?

 

[StudEbiker]

Not all hope is lost, man. Obama raised the CAFE so sky high that major automakers essentially have to make EVs/hybrids/hydrogen/etc cars now, since ICE technology cannot provide that sort of MPG.

I'm not sure if you are positing this as a good thing or bad thing, but might this also explain why no one wants to buy the cars that American manufactures are producing??

One of the methods used by statists to destroy capitalism consists in establishing controls that tie a given industry hand and foot, making it unable to solve its problems, then declaring that freedom has failed and stronger controls are necessary."- Ayn Rand 1975

 

[neptronix]

I'm not sure if you are positing this as a good thing or bad thing, but might this also explain why no one wants to buy the cars that American manufactures are producing??

I see it as a very good thing. Using less oil is always good.
BTW if you've been following Ford and GM lately, they've made epic gains in fuel economy for their cars. Coincidentally, that gain occurred months after CAFE requirements got inched up for the first time since 1990.

Examples:
30mpg hwy out of a dual-cam dual VVT 300hp v6 in the new Mustang.
Smaller version of said motor now in the Fiesta, achieving 40mpg on the highway.
The Fusion is due for an update too.

Direct Injection 3.6L v6 motor in many new GM products.
Direct Injection 2.4L i4 motor in the new
GM's putting out the Cruze soon, basically an upscale Cobalt capable of 40mpg hwy and ~27-30mpg city.

..etc.
This, after 20 years of heel dragging on efficiency by our Domestic companies.
Hmm.. funny coincidence

IMHO current and upcoming Domestic offerings are looking 5x more appealing than they were since the 80's..

 

[julesa]

My ex-gf, who is well intentioned, but a daughter of a Detroit big wig (he's now retired), she believes that the reason American car companies don't match the Japanese with reliability and quality cars, is because.....get this:

"American's spent their money on foreign companies, neglecting and hurting the US auto manufactures, who in turn couldn't produce an equally good car."

LOL

I suppose blaming ridiculous labor contracts would be considered blasphemous in Detroit

 

[StudEbiker]

I see it as a very good thing. Using less oil is always good.

Using less oil may or may not be a good thing, but in a capitalist country, more gov't interference in the private sector is almost always a bad thing.

 

[julesa]

I see it as a very good thing. Using less oil is always good.

Using less oil may or may not be a good thing, but in a capitalist country, more gov't interference in the private sector is almost always a bad thing.

I agree, except I wouldn't go so far as "almost always." I don't think we can count on powerful private interests' motivations always being in alignment with the public good. Just sayin'.

 

[LOWRACER]

My decision, this car doesn't rock, it's like an "electric tank"!

It's to heavy, the tires are like big rollings. To much electronics, power windows, power steering, power clutch, power .....
There's a lot of power on the wrong side! I'd looked now nearly 20pages of the GM Volt, but I'd never found the weight
of that "electric tank". I calculate this car with 1800Kg up to 1850Kg. So what's the little battery against the weight, NOTHING!
Another fail is aerodynamics and the battery under the car. What's about people who live in canada or in russia(example),
where the winter is very very cold. In this coldness the termaly uninsulated battery lose 50% of their capacity... And what's away you cannot get again!!! :lol:
I'm taking a look at the "APTERA". These guys are very clever.
The model 2e has got:
-it's lucid
-super silent
-nearly no air drag
-it has 850Kg weight
-It has a solar roof
-it has LiFe-batts, I know they are good, nearly everyone wanna have it on the BLDC-electric-Bike!
-3wheeler, reduction of the rolling resistance
-for the assurance it's a motorcycle, so it's cheaper(tax,mot,etc...)
-the car is completly made from fiberglass, protects against crashes
-the battery is inside the car so the coldness, heat or temperature fluctuations are a minimum

The only thing that's not good, that the wide from front wheel to front wheel has got 235cm...
So my garage door is to small!!!!!

I've posted 6 links of the Aptera and the GM Volt

APTERA 2e:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_JV6QUIu5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrGaK837rI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiC3lJXymX0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1YGF_9aMac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnhC_5pDg58
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1vQGPYBBn4

GM VOLT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLcg_K6T_og
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVk_j7dqcCY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlQit71g0FE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgnCW7YRwi8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpQqlVuprqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdqDlQLncWw

 

[neptronix]

Too bad the Aptera continues to be vaporware, and the infighting at the company never seems to end.

Also.. remember the recent Xprize competition where the door swung wide open during a turn? and they got beat by an Aptera knock-off! ( Edison2 )