2010 Volt Revealed...just now!

[exitspeed]

HERE! (http://www.autoilluminati.com/?p=235)

If you don't think this is an important reveal then you need to open your eyes.
http://www.autoilluminati.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/chevrolet_100166716_m.jpg

[LeftNutOfGowd]

Maybe if it was a coupe i might get it as a DD but since its going to come out in T2 im sure that's going to help in sales

[stiizy]

Looks cool but dont know if i would buy one...

[exitspeed]

FYI, this thing should get about 100mpg. GM is so dependent on this car right now. They will be listening closely to the buzz on the internet today.

[stiizy]

100mpg?!?!?!!?

where do i sign....

[murda-c]

who's the dork in the red glasses? lol

probably rich as fuck

[lucky7]

interesting. ill be curious to see actual MPG numbers.

i would still prefer to beat around in my rickety old E30. why are ford and chrysler not up to something like this?

[DreamN]

This thing will sell great for gm. Sure it's not the prettiest thing, but neither is the Prius and this car is more advanced than the Prius.

From what I've understood the Volt is the next generation of electric cars. It runs nothing but electricity for the first 40 miles or so and then if needed it has an energy source, be it gas or e85, to charge the lithium-ion battery pack. Pretty much this isn't your typical hybrid.

Definitely a great move in the right direction.

[exitspeed]

interesting. ill be curious to see actual MPG numbers.

i would still prefer to beat around in my rickety old E30. why are ford and chrysler not up to something like this?

It actually gets 100mpg in REAL WORLD driving. The EPA wants to change how they rate this car which will give it non real world ratings. It's retarded.

[axiomatik]

Klean with a capital K.

Looks good. I'll be in the market for a new car pretty soon. Should I wait for it? But I would really prefer a 5-door. hmm....

[DreamN]

FYI, this thing should get about 100mpg. GM is so dependent on this car right now. They will be listening closely to the buzz on the internet today.

Some might say that's a high number already, but I wouldn't be surprised if it surpasses that mark with ease soon as it's available to the public. This thing is gold for sure.

[twistedsymphony]

that sounds really nice...

2 things that could kill it though

1. a stupid high price

2. GM's lame interior design (it might sound petty but every time I get in a modern GM car the interior design just makes the whole car feel shoddy)

[exitspeed]

that sounds really nice...

2 things that could kill it though

1. a stupid high price

2. GM's lame interior design (it might sound petty but every time I get in a modern GM car the interior design just makes the whole car feel shoddy)

1. You are right. The price is going to high actually. Right around $40,000.

2. GM's interiors over the last couple years are some of the best in the industry now. GO sit in a new CTS, Malibu, and see if you still think that. That's the type of interior we should expect from the Volt.

[DreamN]

Mel just posted around the $40k mark :ugh:

[TheWolf]

It does have the malibu mating with a prius look.... hurah for GM. lets hope it actually works.. this has the option for victory or utter failure when the battery packs overheat and set someones house on fire. I'd buy one because my work commute is 10 miles each way. Never have to buy gas again... bwhahaha... I hope it's made in real numbers and not in these "test market" numbers. They gotta be like nintendo and how they bet it all the wii.. just know it's gonna sell and make as many as you can...

[twistedsymphony]

2. GM's interiors over the last couple years are some of the best in the industry now. GO sit in a new CTS, Malibu, and see if you still think that. That's the type of interior we should expect from the Volt.

I had a Toyota Tacoma that got bought back in the frame recall

I got an 08 Malibu for my rental I got to spend a whole month using it as my daily driver and I HATED the f-ing thing... when I made that comment above I actually had the Malibu in mind...

The Cadillac interiors aren't bad but I'm just not comfortable in GM cars... the way they lay things out and proportion them is just incredibly uncomfortable to me, and the fit and finish of how all the trim comes together and how all the buttons, dials, and other controls feel is just sloppy IMO.

I did like the Saturn Sky quite a bit when I test drove that, but then again that's really an Opel GT so it's not the same designers as most Chevys.

[mRclARK1]

"It would take me a good long while to spend $40,000 in gas."

That's what a lot of people will say at the dealership when they hear that price tag.

Lower the price, market it wisely (IE: Ditch the dude who looks like he's held up on a pole shoved up his ass) and it'll be a great selling car I bet.

[exitspeed]

I had a Toyota Tacoma that got bought back in the frame recall

I got an 08 Malibu for my rental I got to spend a whole month using it as my daily driver and I HATED the f-ing thing...

The Cadillac interiors aren't bad but I'm just not comfortable in GM cars... the way they lay things out and proportion them is just incredibly uncomfortable to me, and the fit and finish of how all the trim comes together and how all the buttons, dials, and other controls feel is just sloppy IMO.

I did like the Saturn Sky quite a bit when I test drove that, but then again that's really an Opel GT so it's not the same designers as most Chevys.

Obviously this is all subjective. It's just odd that you dislike interiors that are winning awards and accolades (Malibu) throughout the industry, but then an interior that is terribly laid out and critically frowned upon (sky/solstice) you like...Not criticizing. Just weird.

[axiomatik]

is an 08 malibu the new one or the previous gen? last gen malibu interior was just plain goofy.

[twistedsymphony]

Obviously this is all subjective. It's just odd that you dislike interiors that are winning awards and accolades (Malibu) throughout the industry, but then an interior that is terribly laid out and critically frowned upon (sky/solstice) you like...Not criticizing. Just weird.
Well, I guess my tastes aren't in align with the market... either that or I'm aligned with the market and the critics aren't. neither would surprise me...

My father's a Chevy fanatic... I remember he bought a new Camaro SS in 2000 and sold it 6 months later because of all the squeaks and rattles and ugly looking gaps where the interior didn't fit together properly. Then he bout an 04 Z06 and loved the performance but hated the interior... To me the malibu's interior was very reminiscent of both of those cars.

[snowmansent2hel]

very interesting approach im just not so sure that the $40,000 price tag is really going to go over well with how the economy is right now let alone in 2 years

[max2damax]

average joe spends about $1500-2000 in gas per year.... do the math,

[exitspeed]

is an 08 malibu the new one or the previous gen? last gen malibu interior was just plain goofy.

08 is the new one. 07's were the previous gen and the interior SUCKED.

Well, I guess my tastes aren't in align with the market... either that or I'm aligned with the market and the critics aren't. neither would surprise me...

My father's a Chevy fanatic... I remember he bought a new Camaro SS in 2000 and sold it 6 months later because of all the squeaks and rattles and ugly looking gaps where the interior didn't fit together properly. Then he bout an 04 Z06 and loved the performance but hated the interior... To me the malibu's interior was very reminiscent of both of those cars.

^
I think you may be thinking of the 07 Malibu's. Because the 08's could pass for a entry level MB. The 07's are still stuck in their old ways as far as interiors go.

Pre-2006 GM interiors were garbage.

[lucky7]

only a matter of time before i start seeing them everywhere. :bigok:

(i live where all the auto execs live)

[twistedsymphony]

08 is the new one. 07's were the previous gen and the interior SUCKED.



^
I think you may be thinking of the 07 Malibu's. Because the 08's could pass for a entry level MB. The 07's are still stuck in their old ways as far as interiors go.

Pre-2006 GM interiors were garbage.

This is what the Malibu interior looked like of the car I drove...
http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/images/RoadTestImages/MalibuInterior.jpg
I'm 99% sure it was an 08, that's what was on the key chain I got and all of the paperwork I've got. and this was in July and it only had 18 miles on the clock... certainly doesn't look like the "award winning" interior photos I've seen though.

Was the new interior only part of certain trim levels? Either that or enterprise is daft and cataloged a left over 07 as an 08.

[exitspeed]

only a matter of time before i start seeing them everywhere. :bigok:

(i live where all the auto execs live)

Yea, you'll start seeing'em first for sure.

[BustedS13]

autoilluminati needs to link to source. standard brog plocedure.

http://jalopnik.com/5046836/chevy-volt-plug+in-hybrid-revealed-early

[exitspeed]

This is what the Malibu interior looked like of the car I drove...
http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/images/RoadTestImages/MalibuInterior.jpg
I'm 99% sure it was an 08, that's what was on the key chain I got and all of the paperwork I've got. and this was in July and it only had 18 miles on the clock... certainly doesn't look like the "award winning" interior photos I've seen though.

Was the new interior only part of certain trim levels? Either that or enterprise is daft and cataloged a left over 07 as an 08.

BINGO. Damn I'm good. That's an 07 you drove, NOT an 08.

Here is the current Malibu's interior I was talking about.
http://autoreview.belproject.com/media/1/20070904-2008-chevrolet-malibu-interior.jpg
http://www.2008-chevrolet-malibu-hybrid.com/images/2008chevymalibuinterior.jpg
http://thechevymalibu.com/Malibu%20Features1.jpg

[Antihero983]

um why no shots of the rear? and you cant even see the whole fucking thing cause of idiots in the way....

[stiizy]

That interior is fucking sick!!!

[exitspeed]

Yep, it's almost as sick as the CTS-V's interior.
http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/p/A/1/09_ctsv_interior.jpg

The Volt should be along these lines but more "airy" as far as color tones and textures.

[Mi Beardo es Loco]

car looks interesting but not affordable for people looking to actually save money. How long will it take to recoupe the money that you save on gas? Probably 10 years. Also, how much are replacement parts if it brakes down? Things like this isn't what people think about.

[WanganRunner]

The price might be a little misleading.

$40,000 is expensive, but (depending partly on who wins the Presidency), expect hefty tax incentives for owning a 100mpg car that, in city driving, is essentially zero emission.

[exitspeed]

The price might be a little misleading.

$40,000 is expensive, but (depending partly on who wins the Presidency), expect hefty tax incentives for owning a 100mpg car that, in city driving, is essentially zero emission.

I should have mentioned that. The gov is going to give huge incentives to purchase this vehicle which will actually bring the cost down.

Thanks for mentioning that Wangan.

[Future240]

If this was 30,000 I would seriously consider gettin it when I graduated college. For 40,000 I could get a bmw 328I. (Yes the gas mileage would be quite a bit less, but its a bmw so its worth it.)

I'm curious mod wise what could one do to this car

[lucky7]

I'm curious mod wise what could one do to this car


drive it. get 100mpg's. what else did you have in mind?
like a prius, i dont see any reason to 'mod' it.

[BustedS13]

drive it. get 100mpg's. what else did you have in mind?
like a prius, i dont see any reason to 'mod' it.

i kind of want a current prius, just to do the silent mode mod, where you can start it up and run off the battery until it actually needs engine power. stalker mode, baby

[LongGrain]

i kind of want a current prius, just to do the silent mode mod, where you can start it up and run off the battery until it actually needs engine power. stalker mode, baby

prius's are like that anyway, i drive/work on them at work all the time, they are practically silent, i cant even hear them come in if i'm standing directly under one.

[ryguy]

LIKE A PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES
HERE COMES GMMMMM!!!!!!!
http://www.lrc.edu/cimas2006/sa1/images/pheonix.jpg

[bbejj123]

"It would take me a good long while to spend $40,000 in gas."

That's what a lot of people will say at the dealership when they hear that price tag.

Lower the price, market it wisely (IE: Ditch the dude who looks like he's held up on a pole shoved up his ass) and it'll be a great selling car I bet.


haha that guys forehead is as big as the rest of his face

[Anto]

INTERIOR CROCODILE ALLIGATOR


looks like it comes with HIDS. niiiice

[murda-c]

Hybrids are useful for electrifying kiddie pools.

vital information for your every day life.

[ryguy]

car looks interesting but not affordable for people looking to actually save money. How long will it take to recoupe the money that you save on gas? Probably 10 years.

When you consider that it's only 15k more than something comparable, that difference doesnt look too bad.

[DrtyRat]

Why is Yuri's car @ the top of that website?

[lucky7]

i was wondering the same thing. i forgot to ask though. :keke:

[S14DB]

How many kWh's does it take to charge?
How much emissions does the local power plant make to produce those kWh's?

It's all cups and ball. Keep the ball moving...

[Smurf_240SX]

hmmm 100mpg...should be interesting

[ryguy]

How many kWh's does it take to charge?
How much emissions does the local power plant make to produce those kWh's?

It's all cups and ball. Keep the ball moving...

If your local power company uses natural gas, wind, or nuclear, pollution will be reduced and that money won't go to foreign oil. Power companies are buying into wind big time. If you REALLY want to go green, you could install an off-the-grid solar charging system in your garage. Hell, even coal power plants keep those fuel dollars in America.

[Future240]

drive it. get 100mpg's. what else did you have in mind?
like a prius, i dont see any reason to 'mod' it.

Personally I wouldnt mod it, I am just curious to see what the car would be like modded. Nothin to serious, perhaps a small turbo running 7-9 psi. Something that spools quick.

[lucky7]

electric supercharger, anyone? :keke:

[twistedsymphony]

How many kWh's does it take to charge?
How much emissions does the local power plant make to produce those kWh's?

It's all cups and ball. Keep the ball moving...

Part of the reason it's so hard to break the dependancy on oil is that oil must be produced and delivered in a very specific way. it needs to be harvested and then refined and then distributed... it requires a tremendous infrastructure to get that fuel from it's original place to your vehicle.

Even if you run an electric car off of power from your home, which comes from a power plant that's just as pollutant as your car was, it's a step in the right direction...

The reason being is that it's a whole lot easier to swap out that coal plant for a wind farm than it is to completely replace the oil infrastructure. Electricity can be produced from many many many sources, some good some not so good, but moving everyone to a more versatile and more easily transported power source. Consider that we have power lines to transport electricity a short distance from the plant while oil must be trucked and shipped in from half way around the world.

Nothing is going to give you instant gratification, you're not going to build _A_ car and solve the pollution and oil issues in one shot.... but if you know your ultimate goal and map out a path with achievable milestones you can probably reach it in a decade or two.

Shifting dependency from oil to electricity is the first step... electric motors can be just as powerful an fast as combustion engines, they're also smaller, lighter, and way more efficient (in terms of how much potential energy is actually converted to movement).

Once we've started that we can work on shifting electricity producers from not so green methods (coal) to more green methods (wind, solar, etc)...

while battery capacity is a big issue, and so is the effecency of solar panels, increasing their use will only make them better. Necessity is the mother of invention and if there is money to be made in better battery and solar tech then the big corporations will throw their resources towards finding those better methods and making them cheaper and more marketable...

[mRclARK1]

We'll be one of the generations saying "I remember when cars ran on stuff that could go boom!"

haha

[murda-c]

Nuke plants and wind and solar power ftw.

[s13dan]

I cant see anything. All the pics have office workers in the way.

[shishcabobers]

not bad honestly

[max2damax]

haha that guys forehead is as big as the rest of his face

what are you talking about? is not that big......:keke:

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/014_2011chevyvolt.jpg

[pink godzila]

well I guess GM are following the japanese footstep..

[ALTRNTV]

Why is Yuri's car @ the top of that website?He's one of the writers/bloggers.

[timlush]

Looks like a 4dr Civic.

[Yuri]

Design wise they messed up the exterior.
In addition to screwing with the proportions, they replicated the cool glass door inserts with BLACK PAINT on the production car. At that point, what does it matter?

The interior is something to look forward to, I have a friend who's working on it, and he says they are actually doing some revolutionary things with color and trim.

[revat619]

New photos revealed....and there's a corky lookin douche bag in EVERY photo. Thats fucking irritating.

oh and why do all hybrids have to have that stupid squished, boxy, spaceship look?

The mpg is awesome and all, but if every time i walk out to my car in the morning i'm thinking "holy shit, this thing is heinous." its not worth my money.

[SimpleSexy180]

it looks decent. I'm sure families around the US would jump on this car.

[axiomatik]

This is what the Malibu interior looked like of the car I drove...
http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/images/RoadTestImages/MalibuInterior.jpg
I'm 99% sure it was an 08, that's what was on the key chain I got and all of the paperwork I've got. and this was in July and it only had 18 miles on the clock... certainly doesn't look like the "award winning" interior photos I've seen though.

Was the new interior only part of certain trim levels? Either that or enterprise is daft and cataloged a left over 07 as an 08.

god, that interior was horrible. talk about monotone. My friend had the 'first-gen' malibu, and the interior was way better looking than that.

I'm pretty sure that the new malibus came out in the middle of the model year, so early 08's are the 2nd-gen, late 08's are 3rd-gen.

[twistedsymphony]

I'm pretty sure that the new malibus came out in the middle of the model year, so early 08's are the 2nd-gen, late 08's are 3rd-gen.
ah-ha... that explains it.

I remember driving the thing and hearing all sorts of buzz about how great the 08 Malibu was supposed to be and I kept thinking "how could anyone like this turd?" that's why I was so sure it was an 08 I checked the paperwork several times over to be sure...

I swear that 2nd gen interior was designed by little-tyke :rl:

The new dash and the CTS-V look 10000000x better. Hopefully the Volt has something equally as classy.

[exitspeed]

If this was 30,000 I would seriously consider gettin it when I graduated college. For 40,000 I could get a bmw 328I. (Yes the gas mileage would be quite a bit less, but its a bmw so its worth it.)

I'm curious mod wise what could one do to this car

Different cars. That's like saying, instead of a Elise I'm going to just buy an Escalade.

Why is Yuri's car @ the top of that website?

He's one of the writers of the site with me, Dorki Dori and Drift Freaq.

Part of the reason it's so hard to break the dependancy on oil is that oil must be produced and delivered in a very specific way. it needs to be harvested and then refined and then distributed... it requires a tremendous infrastructure to get that fuel from it's original place to your vehicle.

Even if you run an electric car off of power from your home, which comes from a power plant that's just as pollutant as your car was, it's a step in the right direction...

The reason being is that it's a whole lot easier to swap out that coal plant for a wind farm than it is to completely replace the oil infrastructure. Electricity can be produced from many many many sources, some good some not so good, but moving everyone to a more versatile and more easily transported power source. Consider that we have power lines to transport electricity a short distance from the plant while oil must be trucked and shipped in from half way around the world.

Nothing is going to give you instant gratification, you're not going to build _A_ car and solve the pollution and oil issues in one shot.... but if you know your ultimate goal and map out a path with achievable milestones you can probably reach it in a decade or two.

Shifting dependency from oil to electricity is the first step... electric motors can be just as powerful an fast as combustion engines, they're also smaller, lighter, and way more efficient (in terms of how much potential energy is actually converted to movement).

Once we've started that we can work on shifting electricity producers from not so green methods (coal) to more green methods (wind, solar, etc)...

while battery capacity is a big issue, and so is the effecency of solar panels, increasing their use will only make them better. Necessity is the mother of invention and if there is money to be made in better battery and solar tech then the big corporations will throw their resources towards finding those better methods and making them cheaper and more marketable...

Great post. Posi rep awarded....

We'll be one of the generations saying "I remember when cars ran on stuff that could go boom!"

haha

Don't worry, Hydrogen cars are going to start getting a lot more attention. In 15 years hydrogen cars will be on the road. It's funny that some people fear them becoming hydrogen bombs. They forget that they drive to and fro in a car filled with one of the most flammable liquids on the planet. lol

[sub9lulu]

oh and why do all hybrids have to have that stupid squished, boxy, spaceship look?


aero dynamic

[twistedsymphony]

oh and why do all hybrids have to have that stupid squished, boxy, spaceship look?

yeah, as sub9lulu said, aerodynamics.

weight, aerodynamics, and gearing are the three biggest factors towards improving fuel economy.

consider that a 6-speed camaro with an LS1 gets over 30MPG highway all day long.

now consider that a slushbox chevy pickup with the same motor, driving the same roads at the same speed would get 15MPG if it's lucky...

What's different? weight, aerodynamics, and gearing.


I agree that some of these hybrids are downright goofy looking though. IMO despite the huge benefits that can be achieved by better aero design auto makers need to make these things look like normal cars at least at first and warm people up to more efficient exterior styling.

[DrtyRat]

He's one of the writers of the site with me, Dorki Dori and Drift Freaq.

I saw your SN on there, but just thought it was a type of forum response.

[ryguy]

One would have to assume that the government is going to give some hefty tax credits to the early adopters of this technology. Considering that current hybrids get a tax credit towards their purchase based on how good their MPG is, and that incentive currently tops out at just under $4,000, I would guess buyers of the Volt would get an even bigger incentive. 35k doesnt sound too bad considering how cheap electricity is in relation to gas.

I have to say though, the Volt looks much better than the Prius, even in production spec.

[exitspeed]

The reason these cars look the way they do is because they've found that Hybrid buyers want a car that LOOKS like a Hybrid and not just a regular car. That's why sales of other hybrids like the Accord, Altima are so poor.

[S14DB]

So, I have to spend $40k on this car and then another $40k for a solar/wind setup for my house so that it doesn't produce 2x the greenhouse gasses as my current car?

[axiomatik]

you can just purchase clean energy credits instead.

[S14DB]

Only gets 48mpg off the plug.
EPA confused by Chevy Volt's fuel economy | Car Tech: An automotive blog from CNET - CNET Reviews (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10037173-48.html)


you can just purchase clean energy credits instead.
That's just moving the ball...

[The ROMAN]

It's interesting for the technology, maybe I would buy one in ten years as a used model. 40k is only the starting point anyways, it should come down in price over time. Why those guys are standing in front of it in every single picture is beyond me, though. That one guy looks like he has an evil plan to rule the world.

[ryguy]

So, I have to spend $40k on this car and then another $40k for a solar/wind setup for my house so that it doesn't produce 2x the greenhouse gasses as my current car?

Harbor Freight sells a $2k off-the-grid 2 solar panel system, with a 12 volt inverter and battery.

Why those guys are standing in front of it in every single picture is beyond me, though. That one guy looks like he has an evil plan to rule the world.
They're standing there because those pictures werent supposed to be released, somebody fucked up, they were just supplemental material about the designers that was supposed to be presented when the Volt is officially unveiled.

Only gets 48mpg off the plug.
EPA confused by Chevy Volt's fuel economy | Car Tech: An automotive blog from CNET - CNET Reviews (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10037173-48.html)

Did you even read that article? That was with the engine running the entire time. The vehicle isnt meant to ever use the gasoline engine except for the rare time you run out of charge. 90% of Americans drive less than 40 miles round trip to get to work, and most people don't drive 40 miles in one day.

[Rayne]

LIKE A PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES
HERE COMES GMMMMM!!!!!!!
Picture (http://www.lrc.edu/cimas2006/sa1/images/pheonix.jpg)


If the current GM advertising campaign can't help them, a car like the Volt will not do much either.

So, I have to spend $40k on this car and then another $40k for a solar/wind setup for my house so that it doesn't produce 2x the greenhouse gasses as my current car?

The solar/wind set up would be a better choice. No more electrical bills, plus you can sell a portion of the energy to the eletrical company if you so desired.

[blackrms13]

Did you even read that article? That was with the engine running the entire time. The vehicle isnt meant to ever use the gasoline engine except for the rare time you run out of charge. 90% of Americans drive less than 40 miles round trip to get to work, and most people don't drive 40 miles in one day.
sadly i do :-/

LA sux

and commuting from school to home is like 55miles...

[exitspeed]

Did you even read that article? That was with the engine running the entire time. The vehicle isnt meant to ever use the gasoline engine except for the rare time you run out of charge. 90% of Americans drive less than 40 miles round trip to get to work, and most people don't drive 40 miles in one day.

Yea, I drive 20 miles a day, 10 miles each way. Even when i have running around to do to the grocery store or wherever I'd probably still not put 40 miles on in a day. I could run the car on the electric engine 99% of the time.

[S14DB]

Harbor Freight sells a $2k off-the-grid 2 solar panel system, with a 12 volt inverter and battery.
I doubt that shit can charge the volt overnight


Did you even read that article? That was with the engine running the entire time. The vehicle isnt meant to ever use the gasoline engine except for the rare time you run out of charge. 90% of Americans drive less than 40 miles round trip to get to work, and most people don't drive 40 miles in one day.
I would have had to read the article to get the facts. Where did you get "90% of Americans drive less than 40 miles round trip to get to work"?
Why put a gas motor in something that runs off batteries? The EV1 was thrown in the can because you will use the gas motor.


They are still hoping to have this out by late 2010 as a 2011 model. Most analysts seem to think this is a pipe dream time line.

The power consumption stats aren't out for this but, based on previous electric vehicles. This can produce more emissions(up to 2x) the average car. Based on the current power grid/production. I don't see the power grid changing by 2010.

I would rather get this for $20k TODAY and get 30 mpg / 41 mpg.
Jetta TDI Clean Diesel (http://www.vw.com/jetta/tdi/en/us/)

[exitspeed]

I don't think anyone, even GM, is claiming this to be the end all be all solution. It's a step in the right direction though.

[boro otaku]

GM's lame interior design
I am impressed with the company's new design team. 2008 & up interiors (with the exception of full size trucks) are decent. MUCH better than Dodge, Honda and Mitsu.

[Future240]

I don't think anyone, even GM, is claiming this to be the end all be all solution. It's a step in the right direction though.

I think right now being fairly new tech is goin to suck a bit of ass and be kind of expenisve, but much later on this(or refined technology similar to this) might become the industry standard.

So yea I agree with Mel, its definitely a step in the right direction

[Yuri]

My AE86 is a zero emissions vehicle. :keke:

[Antihero983]

I am impressed with the company's new design team. 2008 & up interiors (with the exception of full size trucks) are decent. MUCH better than Dodge, Honda and Mitsu.

it doesn't take much to be better than dodge and mitsu in anything. :keke: :tardrim:

[boro otaku]

To all the interior design critics: what do you consider "good" mid-level interior design? Remember, the Volt is a pretty basic car. You're paying for the tech, not luxury.

No Ferrari or Lexus photos please.

[Antihero983]

^well I would say Toyota (Camry), Subaru (Legacy/Outback), Honda (the new accords are amazing inside)

[boro otaku]

Don't get me wrong, I am not challenging your opinion, I am just trying to understand what people like. Design is an art form, and art is highly subjective. I am an artist, so I'm always interested in hearing the "critiques".

[Dutchmalmiss]

It's surely a step in the right direction. The hybrid in general is still a relatively new technology, and it shows in the current models. I'm sure a huge majority of hybrid owners even know how to drive one correctly. I see people in Hollywood in their Priuses jackrabbit-starting all the time forcing them out of electric mode prematurely, thus destroying the purpose of driving one.

The Volt will definitely be more "user-friendly" in that department as it will obviously have an efficient, more-powerful electric motor. This should be more forgiving for the more americanized driver.

[Antihero983]

Don't get me wrong, I am not challenging your opinion, I am just trying to understand what people like. Design is an art form, and art is highly subjective. I am an artist, so I'm always interested in hearing the "critiques".

as a musician, I'm the same way. I was just answering your above post as if it was an interrogative statement. that's all. :bigok:

[boro otaku]

as a musician, I'm the same way.
You better stop being so cool, or I will add you to my friend list:rawk: Hehehe...

[Antihero983]

lol it's all good dude! :bigok:

[SoSideways]

I didn't read through this whole thread, but the Volt that was shown on TV commercials up until the reveal was much sharper looking, and looked more sporty.

The "production" model looks like a Prius with sharp lines, not cool at all.

[exitspeed]

I agree, the concept and the production are almost two completely different animals.

Concept
http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/2/b/Chevrolet_Volt_Concept.jpg

Production
http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/jalopnik/2008/09/Chevy_Volt_press_small.jpg

[exitspeed]

Looks like the tax credit they are trying to get passed is $7500.

So $40, is now $33,000. And consider the Camry Hybrid is about $30k+ and only gets 36mpg, the Volt should look more appealing.

That is if this is what the credit turns out to be.

[ryguy]

I didn't read through this whole thread, but the Volt that was shown on TV commercials up until the reveal was much sharper looking, and looked more sporty.

The "production" model looks like a Prius with sharp lines, not cool at all.

I think it still looks much better than a Prius. I guess it isnt really a sports car anyways, I'm sure it will achieve it's purpose, getting from A to B without fossil fuels.

[S14DB]

Looks like the tax credit they are trying to get passed is $7500.

So $40, is now $33,000. And consider the Camry Hybrid is about $30k+ and only gets 36mpg, the Volt should look more appealing.

That is if this is what the credit turns out to be.

Last year the Camry Hybrid MSRP was $25,200, This year is $26,200. I found a nice blue one around me for a Sticker of $30,444. The dealer was going to give me a deal for $35,138...

I can see dealers 'absorbing' the $7500 in a mark up when this thing comes out. If they didn't already in the MSRP.

Dealerships are marking up hybrids and anything fuel efficient. I didn't even ask how much the mark up was on the TDI Jetta after I saw the waiting list. GT-R markups seem like amateur hour compared to how they are working people over MPG.

[exitspeed]

Last year the Camry Hybrid MSRP was $25,200, This year is $26,200. I found a nice blue one around me for a Sticker of $30,444. The dealer was going to give me a deal for $35,138...

I can see dealers 'absorbing' the $7500 in a mark up when this thing comes out. If they didn't already in the MSRP.

Dealerships are marking up hybrids and anything fuel efficient. I didn't even ask how much the mark up was on the TDI Jetta after I saw the waiting list. GT-R markups seem like amateur hour compared to how they are working people over MPG.

Yea, it sucks the manufacturers don't have control over dealers doing that. Even with mark-up, when the car comes out it is going to have so much hype that it should carry it through the initial "mark-up" period it will inevitably see.

[exitspeed]

Her's Bob Lutz' reply to the Volt getting some critism in the looks department. Good read.

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

We’ve weathered a lot of skepticism since the Chevrolet Volt concept was introduced at the 2007 Detroit show. The Volt has been called “vaporware” by some members of the media. We’ve heard executives from other manufacturers tell the press that the battery technology won’t work. We’ve even been accused of using the Volt to “greenwash” our image.

Well, as everyone knows now, the Volt is real, and the covers have come off. And it represents nothing less than the first step in the reinvention of the automobile.

The vehicle’s design has come under some criticism, most of it, to me, unwarranted. The challenge to the designers wasn’t to design the most beautiful car imaginable and accept the compromises you have to make to do so. It was, make no compromise to fuel efficiency and electric range, and then do the most beautiful design possible, around those aerodynamic dictates.

When you look at the exterior of the Volt, you might notice certain aerodynamic shapes and design elements of some other cars you might see on the road. But beneath the skin, it shares very little with any other car that’s ever existed. So I submit that while it’s typically design that makes an emotional connection with buyers, in this case, the Volt is going to be bought for emotional reasons, but it will be for the emotion tied to the technology contained therein.

The Volt means a lot to General Motors, and to the industry, on a variety of levels. First of all, this is solid technology that is going to be proven reliable. It’s a practical way that we can electrify the automobile and drastically reduce our dependency on imported petroleum. It’s also important to GM to help reinforce and continue its proud history of technological innovation, and to help restore the image of leadership that accompanied that history.

In terms of the impact of Volt on the automobile industry, I think you’ll see lithium-ion technology filter out to the rest of the industry, even to our competitors who initially said it wouldn’t work. I think they’ve figured out that we may well be onto a winning formula here, with 40 miles of driving powered by electricity from a battery and a small engine — powered by gasoline or E85 — to create additional electricity to power the vehicle for several hundred additional miles. I suspect most of our competitors will have vehicles with technology similar to the Volt within four or five years.

What does that mean for society at large? I think it can have an enormous benefit. Our statistics show that 78 percent of Americans drive 40 miles a day or less. That means that nearly 80 percent of Americans can commute powered by electricity from the grid, never using a drop of gas.

When we achieve substantial production, and if our competitors do as well, and the public takes to this new way of driving — and there’s no doubt in my mind they will — we will drastically reduce gasoline and/or diesel consumption and we will simultaneously be drastically reducing our dependency on oil. This puts the country in a much more comfortable place geopolitically and also helps the environment. So at this point, I think it’s very hard to overestimate the importance of the Volt for GM, for the industry and for society in general.

The production version of the Volt represents our progress, and our commitment to seeing that all become a reality in short order. We’d like nothing more than to see everyone drive a Volt and stop going to the gas pump so often to fill up on ever-more-expensive fuel imported from an ever-more-unstable part of the world.

With the Volt, you go home, you plug it in, and you’re done. And for roughly 80 cents’ worth of electricity, you’ve got a fully-charged battery, ready to take on another forty miles of gas-free and tailpipe-emission-free driving. If that’s greenwashing, then come on in — the water’s fine.

[OptionZero]

I just read it weighs 1800kg or just under 4000lbs...is that right? Why the fuck is it that heavy?

Guess there'll be a market for dry carbon body panels then...where's kognition?

[exitspeed]

I just read it weighs 1800kg or just under 4000lbs...is that right? Why the fuck is it that heavy?

Guess there'll be a market for dry carbon body panels then...where's kognition?

Because it's carrying a shit ton of lithium-ion batties on board. Obviously it the weight isn't making much of a difference if it's getting 100mpg.

GM is deep into developing mass produced CF for their cars.

One step at a time.

[OptionZero]

It's great they got the mileage despite the weight, but weight affects other shit like wear on brakes, tires, driving feel, etc. Just seems odd that they'd go thru all that trouble but didn't keep the weight around 3000lbs.

it's heavier than a 350z, for example

[S14DB]

So, he's saying it takes 8 kilowatthour's to charge a night?

[98s14inaz]

Mel just posted around the $40k mark :ugh:

Nucking futs :tweak: Not for $40k. GM needs to go back to it's roots, cheap cars/trucks for the working class man.

[ryguy]

It's great they got the mileage despite the weight, but weight affects other shit like wear on brakes, tires, driving feel, etc. Just seems odd that they'd go thru all that trouble but didn't keep the weight around 3000lbs.

it's heavier than a 350z, for example

I wonder if it will use some kind of regenerative braking. I would bet that would help out the pad wear. Then again, SUVs weigh that much and don't seem to have a problem. I dont think people are going to be driving this car at the limit, so I won't worry about it.

[exitspeed]

The gov set the tax at $5000. So now the car is $35k. Roughly.

[Yuri]

It's great they got the mileage despite the weight, but weight affects other shit like wear on brakes, tires, driving feel, etc. Just seems odd that they'd go thru all that trouble but didn't keep the weight around 3000lbs.

it's heavier than a 350z, for example

Almost all that added weight is from the batteries as Exitspeed said.
I'm sure if you removed them, the Volt would be incredibly lightweight.

The overall weight is because the technology available for lithium ion batteries in an automotive application is still in its infancy.
Expect the battery packs to lighten up as time goes on, and batteries become more efficient.
Usually, I too would be making a deal about a cars weight. However, in this case it's easily explained, and I am thrilled that GM is releasing this car, even if I think it's rather bland looking.

[johngriff]

Dumb.

"open your eyes" AYFK? Prius did every thing the volt does, almost a decade ago.

The EV1 Did more, 200 mile + range on 1 charge. and that was OVER A DECADE AGO.

Slow to market failures of technology is why GM is going to fail. And my GF just bought their stock this morning.:duh:

[exitspeed]

Dumb.

"open your eyes" AYFK? Prius did every thing the volt does, almost a decade ago.

The EV1 Did more, 200 mile + range on 1 charge. and that was OVER A DECADE AGO.

Slow to market failures of technology is why GM is going to fail. And my GF just bought their stock this morning.:duh:

The EV1 ailed because they didn't stick with it.

GM is 100% behind the Volt because it HAS to.

A LOT of the technology in the Volt has never been on the market.

[JapanImportsInc.]

100 mpg i need one of these!~~~~

[johngriff]

Where is 100mpg at? I don't see it anywhere.

And they could just re-release an updated EV1, that doesn't run on petrol. If they could get 200 miles per charge in the 90's what could they get now? This is just furthering the American addiction to oil.

[exitspeed]

Here John.

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site » Blog Archive » Calculating the Volts EPA Rating, More than 100 mpg? (http://gm-volt.com/2008/09/26/calculating-the-volts-eps-rating-more-than-100-mpg/)

[johngriff]

Remember, first 40 miles, infinite mpg. After that roughly 50 mpg, but less than 20% of daily drives go beyond 40 miles. What does this mean to the consumer?

The car should be 100% battery powered. Or have more range (ie 200 miles like the ev1). 40 is just the sweet spot to keep the oil companies in business.

Which isnt a bad thing, I own exonn/mobile stock.

In Reality, it will get 50mpg, which is worse than allot of new TDI's.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsJAlrYjGz8

[exitspeed]

The car should be 100% battery powered. Or have more range (ie 200 miles like the ev1). 40 is just the sweet spot to keep the oil companies in business.

Which isnt a bad thing, I own exonn/mobile stock.

In Reality, it will get 50mpg, which is worse than allot of new TDI's.


YouTube - Who Killed The Electric Car? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsJAlrYjGz8)

Statistics show that like 85% of Americans drive less then 40 miles a day. THEREFORE the people that buy this car will hardly ever even use the the gas. so it will just cost them the electricity.

I for one drive exactly (like EXACTLY) 20 miles a day with my 240. If I bought a Volt i would almost never have to buy gas.

[S14DB]

I guess I should buy stock in stabil before 2010...