The Volt isn't so bad, is it?

I mean it's not sexy, but like Lutz said it's not hideous either, and its main purpose is to be efficient and aerodynamic. Not pretty.

Plus it can do FORTY MILES on electricity ALONE. With people in the back seat. And stuff in the trunk.

What's not to like? Haters can hate, but it's not rational.

Originally Posted by Bob Loblaw

I mean it's not sexy, but like Lutz said it's not hideous either, and its main purpose is to be efficient and aerodynamic. Not pretty.

Plus it can do FORTY MILES on electricity ALONE. With people in the back seat. And stuff in the trunk.

What's not to like? Haters can hate, but it's not rational.

it's not that bad, but is it $40,000 good is the real question...

forty miles isn't that impressive tbh, the tesla is half its size and can go six times as far, and it ionly costs 2.5x as much

i think the real future of plug-in electrics will be when they rely primarily on the electric side with just a tiny (like smaller than 1.0L) engine to top the batteries up when there's no plug-in to be found. More like a backup-generator.

The Volt is just another stepping stone along the path, and likewith the Prius the early adopters are likely to get burned, especially when Volt 2.0 comes out.

[LisaV]

It's not about looks. It's the drive train. I want to F the Toyota Supra HV-R.

[InkMaster]

Well, while its not something I would personally buy, its definitely a step in the right direction for the manufacturers.

Its just a shame that if GM wouldn't completely kill their EV program back in the late 90s, who knows where we could be in terms of electric cars now. We could be getting a 500 mile range from a 20,000 dollar car.

But here we are 10 years later and they're parading the Volt as this revolutionary new thing completely ignoring the fact that EV1 could do the same thing back in the early 90s.

[LisaV]

The EV-1. A success or failure depending on how you make your money. Alan Cocconi quit because they refused to consider hybrid.

[autodesigner]

Not too bad...
I would still hold out forthe 2nd gen model for further improvements =]

[bmfische]

Are you kidding. Yes it is bad.

$50,000 for electric car that goes 50 miles on electric power and then uses a gas engine to recharge the battery.

Tesla has a sport car that goes 225 and is all electric, they anounced a Model S for $50,000 and it is again all electric.

Why are pumping billions into obsolete GM and Chrylser when we have real inovaters for the next technology and one that would replace US dependance on oil.

GM and Chrysler is worth saving for the jobs but putting money towards new technologies makes a hell of lot of sense.

USA should strive to be the pinoneer in the next transportation revolution, and GM my friends is not it.

[daniel86]

No its not bad at all, infact its pretty good.

[DirkG]

They still have major battery problems, so lets see if it actually comes out when they say. The Tesla is definitely more my taste.

[carnuted]

Maybe the version 2 you are talking about is what they will release right away. These guys just tested one, and they didn't seem to have many problems with it.

[DLP]

It is a bandaid, just like the Prius, just better. Toyota promoted the crap of their media darling, why shouldnt GM? Just so everyone is on the same page, Toyota screwed GM regarding battery design / pricing. There was a handshake agreement between GM and Toyota about 5 years ago ( yea, GM was investing valuable resources generated by SUV sales then) into the Volt. The key to this vehicle is the battery. Not that it that difficult to ake, just that the price was high but if there was a large enough market volume would help lower the price. Toyota lied to GM, GM invested R&D into using the battery that Toyota said it would also use. To bad for GM, but remember who duped them, then hold Toyota accountable. The thing that gets me is that while this was going on Toyota was building the " pile of **** that canged nothing and gets worse fuel economy", better known as the Tundra, and the other even less efficient SUV versions. Yet, GM was bashed for being irisponsible by the media and the idiots that rely on them for their opinions.

[Madman]

Is it good or bad? Who knows? GM has been shouting about this car for more than two years and it's still not available to buy. What's the point about getting everyone exited about a car when there aren't any available to buy?

I fear that when the Volt FINALLY arrives, it's going to be a big let-down, no matter how good it may be. No car on the face of the Earth can possibly live up to the hype GM has created around this car. They've built up such a huge level of expectation that it is inevitable most people will be disappointed.

A company should always strive to exceed their customer's expectations. One of the biggest rules in business is to always under-promise and over-deliver. Sadly, GM has been doing the opposite in the lead-up to the launch of the Volt.

I hate to be a pessimist but I think we're going to see the biggest anti-climax in automotive history.


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[DLP]

I understand your pessism, but Toyota has got away with worse. The Volt will not change much as long as gas prices stay low, but you cannot deny that it a step forward. With that said, give credit were it is due. Most of the left wing US haters on this site 2 years ago would have been promoting the youknowwhat out of this vehicle if it had a Honda or Toyota badge on it. You cannot dispute this.

You also no better than to deny what I mentioned in my post above. If Toyota was such an a truly green company, as they promote, would they have baited GM into the predicament they were in? No, they are ruthless, could care less about the environment or the health of the country that made them what they are.

Leaches, no more, no less.