[Motor Trend] Car of the Year: Chevy Volt

[Commodore]

LINK (http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html)

http://www.gm-volt.com/o/vside2.jpg

[thelasik]

Too bad they weren't able to stick with the prototype.

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/03/voltbettlive.jpg

[Pest_Ctrl]

Too bad they weren't able to stick with the prototype.



This looks so much better.

[Dr of Dunk]

The prototype looked like somebody made a prototype and then sat on it.

I want a 50+ mpg car that is reliable... and does 0-60 in under 6 seconds.... and costs less than $40,000....


Is this too much to ask?!

[mylilpony]

all this because the car farts water. I'd rather see a bmw.

[Dr of Dunk]

Automobile Magazine named it their Automobile of the Year, too :

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/awards/1101_2011_automobile_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html

[codell]

I teach a class about the Volt so I have been lucky to learn quite a bit about it.

Will be curious to see how it does. Has the potential to fail miserably, especially competing with the Nissan Leaf.

The cost of the lithium-ion battery on the Volt is more than a few Hyundai's and Kia's that are on the market. One of the big reasons the Volt's price tag is so high.

[DonnyMost]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Barack_Obama_drives_Chevy_Volt.jpg/800px-Barack_Obama_drives_Chevy_Volt.jpg

they see me voltin'

they hatin'

[Commodore]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Barack_Obama_drives_Chevy_Volt.jpg/800px-Barack_Obama_drives_Chevy_Volt.jpg

they see me voltin'

they hatin'

This picture is reVolting. Like a kid playing with his Daddy's money, except it's the taxpayer's.

[DonnyMost]

This picture is reVolting. Like a kid playing with his Daddy's money, except it's the taxpayer's.

Yeah, we have a history of presidents pissing away Daddy's money lately.

http://www.buckfush.com/images/George_W_Bush_Bailout_Amount.jpg

[Xerobull]

Three year warranty (5 year engine/battery) for $44k? Way to stand behind your product, Chevy.

[MoonDogg]

all this because the car farts water. I'd rather see a bmw.

http://images.thecarconnection.com/lrg/bmw_100227591_l.jpg

[Invisible Fan]

The prototype looked like somebody made a prototype and then sat on it.

I want a 50+ mpg car that is reliable... and does 0-60 in under 6 seconds.... and costs less than $40,000....


Is this too much to ask?!

Turbo diesels are getting close to those marks. Oh wait, we're in America where American car companies make those cars but don't ship them here.

[Blake]

It's no Brat

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/images/car_spotters_guide/Japan/1981/1981_Subaru_Brat.jpg

[weslinder]

I'm starting to need a new car, and I'm seriously considering buying one of the new 5.0 Mustang GT's next year. Someone buy one of these to offset my carbon emissions.

[robbie380]

The prototype looked like somebody made a prototype and then sat on it.

I want a 50+ mpg car that is reliable... and does 0-60 in under 6 seconds.... and costs less than $40,000....


Is this too much to ask?!

tesla's sedan is getting close to that price. it's just under 50k after tax credit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S

http://tctechcrunch.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/teslashot.jpg

[robbie380]

I teach a class about the Volt so I have been lucky to learn quite a bit about it.

Will be curious to see how it does. Has the potential to fail miserably, especially competing with the Nissan Leaf.

The cost of the lithium-ion battery on the Volt is more than a few Hyundai's and Kia's that are on the market. One of the big reasons the Volt's price tag is so high.

why is it higher on the volt?

[Mr. Clutch]

How long does the battery last before you have to buy a new one?

[codell]

Three year warranty (5 year engine/battery) for $44k? Way to stand behind your product, Chevy.

The high voltage battery will carry an 8 year/100K mile warranty.

[codell]

why is it higher on the volt?

Not sure why, but it is the biggest reason why the Volt is $40K.

Combine that with the fact that it takes 4 hours to recharge using a "quick charger" (vs. only 30 miles for the Nissan Leaf) and the 40 mile range on electric power (vs. 100 miles for the Leaf) , and most would see that it has potential to fail miserably. Of course, the Volt is much "cooler" looking than the Leaf, so that will help. The Leaf has a few features the Volt won't, such as a system to locate charging stations (not that there are any currently) and a feature where you can call the car to ventilate a hot interior before you get to the car.

Given the range alone, I would doubt you would see many Volts in the Houston area.

[Nero]

Not sure why, but it is the biggest reason why the Volt is $40K.

Combine that with the fact that it takes 4 hours to recharge using a "quick charger" (vs. only 30 miles for the Nissan Leaf) and the 40 mile range on electric power (vs. 100 miles for the Leaf) , and most would see that it has potential to fail miserably. Of course, the Volt is much "cooler" looking than the Leaf, so that will help. The Leaf has a few features the Volt won't, such as a system to locate charging stations (not that there are any currently) and a feature where you can call the car to ventilate a hot interior before you get to the car.

Given the range alone, I would doubt you would see many Volts in the Houston area.


This is why auto-makers should make cars and politicians should not.

This thing will be a punch line for decades.

[Qball]

YOU LIE!: GM denies having 'lied' on volt claims

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/10/gm-lied-chevrolet-volt-electric/1?csp=obnetwork

lol @ the photo

[bnb]

Will be curious to see how it does. Has the potential to fail miserably, especially competing with the Nissan Leaf.

.

I hope I'm wrong...but I just don't see it doing well at its price point. I don't see the green brigade choosing this over the cheaper, and established Prius -- and I don't know if there's a big enough market looking for a bigger sedan or a 'not so geeky' looking car for whom the greeness matters, but price does not.

Technology sounds awesome, though. (yet another car that backyard mechanics like myself don't stand a chance of fixing).

[robbie380]

It seems like an interesting car but it the price point is just so high for a car that isn't stylish, underpowered, and short electric range.. I could never see myself buying one of these cars but I do like that tesla and I would consider it for my next car if tesla had an Austin dealership.

[thelasik]

Given the range alone, I would doubt you would see many Volts in the Houston area.

What is the MPG on gasoline alone? After the battery is completely dead, not an equivalent number. Thanks.

[codell]

What is the MPG on gasoline alone? After the battery is completely dead, not an equivalent number. Thanks.

The Volt doesn't drive on a gasoline engine. The gasoline engine is only used to maintain the state of charge of the battery, so the battery is never "dead". The electric motor is powering the vehicle at all times, by itself. This is why the Volt is considered an EREV rather than a "hybrid". I believe it is a 1.3 or 1.4 liter (very small) so when the gasoline engine kicks in, I would guess the "MPG" would still be very good, although I don't recall a specific # (GM has wavered on this quite a bit).

[Azadre]

What is the MPG on gasoline alone? After the battery is completely dead, not an equivalent number. Thanks.
"100 mpg" with battery, and 38 without, and battery is empty after 30 miles.

[SwoLy-D]

Too bad they weren't able to stick with the prototype.

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/03/voltbettlive.jpgYou can't see the road with such small windows. This was a problem I had with a rental I got when my Camry was in maintenance for a day and I hated it. :o

[KingCheetah]

Don't we need at least one year of non-sucking before we can name it car of the year?