Comments | valuesystem: General Motors Chevrolet Volt Electric Car

valuesystem

General Motors Chevrolet Volt Electric Car - Better?

Nov 21, 2007 10:00

General Motors is excited and nervous about bringing to market a new electric powered car badged the Chevrolet Volt. I would be nervous as well, despite my appreciation for the vehicle ( Read more... )

generator, technology, general motors, oil depletion, hybrid car, chevy volt, efficiency, gas, hybrid, gas prices, electricity, fossil fuels, gasoline, car, gm volt, gm, automobile, volt, petroleum, oil, fuel prices, transportation, general motors volt, electric car, automobiles, vehicle, peak oil, gasoline prices, prices, future, cars, chevrolet volt, coal

Comments 2

Ambivalence planetthoughts November 28 2007, 22:59:26 UTC

My impression is that you are somewhere between buying one grudgingly, and running screaming in the opposite direction. Is this like the choice, would you like a 25% chance of death from cancer, or shall we cut off (name sensitive body part here).

It seems like the Volt hedges the bets - maybe that is understandable. For GM to issue a car that only has electric, and gets 60 miles per charge, might not sell well. Perhaps if they could (and I do not understand the workings of auto industry design and development costs) offer the hybrid Volt AND an electric-only volt, they could benefit from shared design, and offer the best car for those only going short distances most of the time.

It's getting interesting, in any case.

Re: Ambivalence valuesystem November 29 2007, 13:06:59 UTC

Right now, we are considering our next car... in fact, we've already went shopping... so considerations of MPG, safety, and price all rank about equally... Yes, I know it is unsustainable to buy a car, and to use personal automobiles, but at the same time, we are still "stuck" in this non-sustainable life.

I particularly find it frustrating because there is nothing out there that can convey my family in the same degree of safety, comfort, and high speed as a traditional vehicle. What I would buy is something that got 10 times the mileage... 250 MPG. That might actually be a vehicle that would be worth something in the long term.

My best thoughts so far? Buy an old Geo Metro that gets 60+ MPG without a battery pack (to muss things up)... Wait until the next generation Prius comes out (supposedly 100 MPG)... Buy a moped (50 cc) with 130 MPG but only one passenger and 30 mph top speed... Buy/build a motorized bicycle (like 300 mpg but various issues)...

Unfortunately, none suits the current "needs".