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[GM Volt] 230 MPG - How many would consider buying it now?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Dr of Dunk, Aug 11, 2009.

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  1. Bandwagoner

    Bandwagoner Member

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    If you have to plug it in that money you "saved" will be much less.
     
  2. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    This is exactly correct.

    230 is not the miles / gallon gasoline, it's the miles / (gallon gasoline + battery recharges)

    It kind of makes the mpg rating meaningless.
     
  3. kevC

    kevC Member

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    My girlfriend really wants this car. Of course, she wants it because "it's soo pretty!"
     
  4. justtxyank

    justtxyank Member

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    Never complain when your girlfriend wants to try something that runs on batteries.

    Stay thirsty my friends.
     
  5. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    Yeah, while this is true, the number of people driving under 40 miles per day is probably a whole lot greater than the number of people having to drive from Houston to Dallas.

    For example, it's like saying that a person who hardly ever drives more than 40 miles a day per week will get ridiculously high "mpg" because they'll rarely use gas.

    This is why I said the car won't be for everyone initially. For example, with that range of 300 miles, I wouldn't risk being able to make it for my monthly or so trip from the DFW area to Houston which is 290-300 miles. But for a person living downtown or within a few miles of shopping and/or their job it'd be more reasonable.
     
  6. DribbleHooper

    DribbleHooper Member

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  7. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Atomic Playboy
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    That thing couldn't get 230 MPG hypermiling behind a semi-truck with a giant wind block.
     
  8. TheBigAristotle

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    Still not very appealing. The Volt looks like a pile of junk.
     
  9. ChrisP

    ChrisP Member

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    I think the range is how far you can go on a full charge and a tank of gas. I would imagine you can still stop for gas and keep the generator going indefinitely, so it would be like any other gas powered car in that sense.

    I have been thinking I'd really like one of these (but at $40k, they price me out). My commute is about 15 miles each way. As a commuter vehicle, I could theoretically never use a drop of gas and get a gazillion miles to the gallon! Put that on the EPA sticker GM! :D
     
  10. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    Duh. Good point. I keep forgetting the engine acts like a generator to generate power on gas. :) I keep thinking this is just fully-electric. My mistake.

    See. You're the type of person that this could eventually be for. Would you buy it if it were $30k? I'm guessing most people wouldn't buy it unless it's $30k or less. How long before gas goes "stale" anyway? lol.
     
  11. Vivid

    Vivid Member

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    I prefer the Fisker Karma. Now that is an electric car.

    -V
     
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  12. ChrisP

    ChrisP Member

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    Right, that's one of the things that's so appealing... an electric car with all the flexibility of a gas car. (Plus it doesn't look like an electric car - bonus)

    Maybe at $30k. I've never paid that much for a car before, but I really find this tech intriguing. Some of it depends on how nice the features, etc. are too. For that much money, you better be getting more than just new fancy hybrid technology. That is, if they ever achieve all the stuff that they have in "development" anyway. All they've really created so far is marketing hype.

    I still don't get the 230 MPG thing either. I wasn't kidding about the gazillion miles to the gallon. They could tweak that calculation to come up with any number they want. It seems pretty meaningless.
     
  13. DribbleHooper

    DribbleHooper Member

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    The Venturi Fetish isn't too shabby, either... definitely in the "if I win the lottery" category.
     
  14. Shroopy2

    Shroopy2 Member

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    I wouldnt consider buying it now, too pricey. Decreasing the guilt of my excess carbon footprint isnt worth an additional $30,000 at the moment. I'd definitely consider it in the future. My work commute's 15 miles both ways. If I could work a 4 day 10 hour schedule and add in some telecommuting I'd be measuring fuel by miles per DROP.
     

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