Sobering News for the Volt - Production Shutdown

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I would gladly buy Volt in the $25k price range. It has an EV range that would satisfy 90% of my in city commuting.

But I know it's not going to happen due to the pricy lithium batteries. I wish they used NiMH batteries that are cheaper and last longer (but are heavier). RAV4EV had them and they were indestructible. Same in hybrid Prius.
 
With time. GM has stated that they expect the cost of the Volt battery pack to drop by almost $6,000 by 2020. Currently it costs GM about $12,000, if I recall correctly.

-Bryan
 
I've never seen any carmaker drop car prices. they only go up and up. I imagine GM would keep the 40k price tag and pocket the battery price savings for themselves.
 
True. But the price drop in lithium ion battery packs will be seen in the Volt's competition and successors.

-Bryan
 
I just wanted to comment on the Volt and Premium fuel. One poster earlier made a comment about that. So, I dug around and found out why GM is specing Premium fuel. It is due to the fact that Volt owners who may not use the gas motor often could face stale fuel issues...by starting at 91/93 octane when fresh as the gas ages and loses octane there is a better chance the gas will still be above 87 and burnable. Also - there is a built in system that monitors fuel life and after a specified time the gas motor will run to burn the fuel out.
 
my take on why the volt failed/is failing:
1. took too long to get to market. too many delays, too many changes.
2. consumer ignorance. a guy I know goes on about how he 'heard' that the volt has a lawnmower engine in it to charge the batteries! AND, at the car show he went to, they said you have to PAY an extra $7500 when you buy it, which is all the gasoline taxes you WOULD have paid for all the gas you aren't using (YES, he actually believed this and was repeating it to everyone he knew)

instead of making a separate electric car, howabout just making an electric option on an existing car? who let the marketing guys decide it has to have an 'electric' sounding name? (isn't the opel version called the Ampere? just ridiculous)
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: sciphi
http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+R...t+Investigation

NHTSA press release stating there's no issue. Straight from the horse's mouth. Now I'll be flamed for posting the link stating there's no problem.
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I just have to chuckle with all the GM haters around here, they obviously watch a LOT of Faux News Channel, and parrot that dubious company's line 100%.

The fact is that Ford, and others actully did get loans Ford, except that Ford decided it didn't need it. Also guess who was present at that congressional hearing concerning loans and who was promoting those loans. None other CEO fo Ford Alan Mulally, sitting right next to GM CEO Wagoner. Pleading for that loan for GM, and Chrysler.


Why would Ford want their domestic adversaries to close up shop? An enemy you know is better than one you don't. If GM and Chrysler had been wiped out (due to their own financial wrong doings, but that's neither here nor there at this point) it would have opened the market for Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan.....etc. I don't think Ford wanted the "big three" to become the "big one" with no suppliers to get parts from and entire supply channels closed down. No, I don't think Ford wanted any of that at all. So yes, Mulally pleaded for them to get bailed out, it was in the best interest of Ford for him to do so.

GM and Ford supported bailing out Chrysler the FIRST time, they were worried about antitrust action against THEM.
 
The actual production cost of a Volt, when all the taxpayer subsidies are factored in, is well over $150,000.00 We gave the Korean battery maker One Hundred Million to build a plant.
 
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I just wanted to comment on the Volt and Premium fuel. One poster earlier made a comment about that. So, I dug around and found out why GM is specing Premium fuel. It is due to the fact that Volt owners who may not use the gas motor often could face stale fuel issues...by starting at 91/93 octane when fresh as the gas ages and loses octane there is a better chance the gas will still be above 87 and burnable. Also - there is a built in system that monitors fuel life and after a specified time the gas motor will run to burn the fuel out.
I'm still laughing over the above. :)
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I just wanted to comment on the Volt and Premium fuel. One poster earlier made a comment about that. So, I dug around and found out why GM is specing Premium fuel. It is due to the fact that Volt owners who may not use the gas motor often could face stale fuel issues...by starting at 91/93 octane when fresh as the gas ages and loses octane there is a better chance the gas will still be above 87 and burnable. Also - there is a built in system that monitors fuel life and after a specified time the gas motor will run to burn the fuel out.
I'm still laughing over the above. :)



Why are you laughing? I see no humor in my comment. It is based on fact.
 
Only a [censored] fool would buy a Volt. Any 5th grader can do a "complete cost of ownership" calculation and find exceedingly easy that a Volt is not cost-effective, and it would be far better to buy a $22,000 Prius if one wants to save money, and is concerned about keeping the total cost of ownership down.

Idiot GM markets a car that only an idiot would buy.
 
Originally Posted By: lovcom
Only a [censored] fool would buy a Volt. Any 5th grader can do a "complete cost of ownership" calculation and find exceedingly easy that a Volt is not cost-effective, and it would be far better to buy a $22,000 Prius if one wants to save money, and is concerned about keeping the total cost of ownership down.

Idiot GM markets a car that only an idiot would buy.


The same could have been said about the Prius when it was released in terms of overall cost of ownership but it didn't stop people. Come to think of it, the same could be said of the Prius now.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: lovcom
Only a [censored] fool would buy a Volt. Any 5th grader can do a "complete cost of ownership" calculation and find exceedingly easy that a Volt is not cost-effective, and it would be far better to buy a $22,000 Prius if one wants to save money, and is concerned about keeping the total cost of ownership down.

Idiot GM markets a car that only an idiot would buy.


The same could have been said about the Prius when it was released in terms of overall cost of ownership but it didn't stop people. Come to think of it, the same could be said of the Prius now.



Hybrid cars make no sense whatsoever in my opinion. I agree with the concept of them, but in a common sense mindset they are stupid.

Take the hybrid Ford Escape for example. My friend's mom bought it new, and it was more expensive because it was a hybrid. That offsets some of the gas savings vs. the regular escape. The car now has 120k miles and the battery died. The cost to fix the battery issue is around $10,000... not something her mom is going to have done. Now she is stuck driving a "non-hybrid" Escape, which is actually heavier than a regular Escape due to the battery. So now she is driving around a "hybrid" that gets worse MPG than the regular version.

Oh yeah and you can't forget the extra resources needed to manufacture the batteries and how much the batteries will damage the environment when it sits in a junkyard.

Battery - electric cars are a gimmick for people who want to feel "green".

I love when people in Prius' tell me my Jeep is hurting the environment. My Jeep is actually more "green". Yes it burns more gas, but it is also built to last and I will keep it until it falls apart. Biodiesel is the fuel of the future.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: lovcom
Only a [censored] fool would buy a Volt. Any 5th grader can do a "complete cost of ownership" calculation and find exceedingly easy that a Volt is not cost-effective, and it would be far better to buy a $22,000 Prius if one wants to save money, and is concerned about keeping the total cost of ownership down.

Idiot GM markets a car that only an idiot would buy.


The same could have been said about the Prius when it was released in terms of overall cost of ownership but it didn't stop people. Come to think of it, the same could be said of the Prius now.



Hybrid cars make no sense whatsoever in my opinion. I agree with the concept of them, but in a common sense mindset they are stupid.

Take the hybrid Ford Escape for example. My friend's mom bought it new, and it was more expensive because it was a hybrid. That offsets some of the gas savings vs. the regular escape. The car now has 120k miles and the battery died. The cost to fix the battery issue is around $10,000... not something her mom is going to have done. Now she is stuck driving a "non-hybrid" Escape, which is actually heavier than a regular Escape due to the battery. So now she is driving around a "hybrid" that gets worse MPG than the regular version.

Oh yeah and you can't forget the extra resources needed to manufacture the batteries and how much the batteries will damage the environment when it sits in a junkyard.

Battery - electric cars are a gimmick for people who want to feel "green".

I love when people in Prius' tell me my Jeep is hurting the environment. My Jeep is actually more "green". Yes it burns more gas, but it is also built to last and I will keep it until it falls apart. Biodiesel is the fuel of the future.
thumbsup2.gif



But the Prius hybrid system has been proven to last.
She bought a ford.... < you can see where I'm going with this...
 
I doubt that Escape Hybrid battery costs $10,000. The prices have been falling every year.
 
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I doubt that Escape Hybrid battery costs $10,000. The prices have been falling every year.


+1... Sounds like misinformation coupled with an agenda.

Are hybrids expensive? yes.

Are some ridiculously so (highlander hybrid, Im looking at you)? yes.

Will some give good payback in the end? Yes, especially as gas hits $5-8.

Is there a better option in the end? Sure, if people come to recognize that a 15 second 0-60 and about 130 hp is all you ever need...
 
Originally Posted By: BeerCan
here is the online discount price $7440 tasca usually has cheaper prices than most, this does not include the shipping. Installation of course would be extra. So I can see the 10k price being accurate.

http://www.tascaparts.com/parts/2011/FOR...mponent=BATTERY


I wonder if that includes installation and disposal fees? If not then there is you $10+ grand.
 
Originally Posted By: mpvue
my take on why the volt failed/is failing:
1. took too long to get to market. too many delays, too many changes.
2. consumer ignorance. a guy I know goes on about how he 'heard' that the volt has a lawnmower engine in it to charge the batteries! AND, at the car show he went to, they said you have to PAY an extra $7500 when you buy it, which is all the gasoline taxes you WOULD have paid for all the gas you aren't using (YES, he actually believed this and was repeating it to everyone he knew)

instead of making a separate electric car, howabout just making an electric option on an existing car? who let the marketing guys decide it has to have an 'electric' sounding name? (isn't the opel version called the Ampere? just ridiculous)


I think my brain just broke on that guy spouting nonsense.
 
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