Chevy Volt production teaser pic

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Uhtrinity

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Uhtrinity
Not all the electricity in the US is generated by fossil fuels. In my part of the country a majority of our electricity comes from hydroelectric. There are areas that are investing in wind farms, and then you also have nuclear. Like someone else mentioned all of power generation facilities are able to keep their pollution lower than all of the combined cars on the road, so localizing energy production works for now.

Also, on the kw/hr to mpg conversion. Tesla Motors claims that their Roadster will cost the equivalent of 120mpg to drive based on the most expensive electricity rates in the nation. Personally I think this would be a good target for EV manufactures.

This article mentions 135mpg. Consider this is for a sports car even 🙂

Link to Tesla Motors

and that car has nowhere *near* the range of a standard gasoline engine vehicle.

sure it's pure electric, but if it only goes 100 miles before draining, what good use is it? interstate travel becomes impossible over the course of a single day.

Actually Tesla motors claims 250 miles on a single charge, which would be the same range as a car with a 10 gallon tank that gets 25 mpg. Personally I like the 700 mile range I get, but really, how often do most people drive those kinds of distances. Myself I might go more than 250 miles in a single trip about 4 times a year.

that's not as bad as i thought! i wonder what happens if you floor it :evil:

A 250 mile range is more than enough for the daily driving needs of 95% of the North American population. As you both mentioned, road trips wouldn't work on this kind of range, especially since it takes 3.5 hours to fully charge.

However, this is an electric supercar. It's far more exotic, powerful, and expensive than a daily driver. If the same technology were applied to a compact sedan or wagon with a less powerful engine but with the same batteries, I'm sure the range would be much better - might even work for road trips.

What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: Uhtrinity

Originally posted by: Shivetya

Originally posted by: Ktulu
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2...-the-production-chevy/

Looks a little Saabish to me but looks aren't what's important here. I want to know how far GM has come along with it's mileage claims.

I am really waiting for this technology. If it pans out I will be more than happy to give GM my money.


I still would love to see coupes and convertibles done this way as well.


Still all that series hybrids will really do is put big automobiles back on the road to stay, when your volt-impala gets 30mpg average do you really care anymore?

If the Volt was to only get a 30 mpg equivalent I would never buy one. EV should get closer to the order of 120mpg depending on the cost of electricity in your area.

You totally missed my point.

Which is, when your big big cars can get 30mpg do you think people will really buy smaller cars? When series-hybrid SUVs get over 30mpg your going to see a lot of them.

I know a lot of people who $3 a gallon gas no longer phases them, they still drive and buy big SUVs. When these monsters start getting into the high 20s and low 30s because of the new tech do you really believe they won't dominate the roads?

I would love a 50+ mpg car that could handle 4 adults, but if an SUV did 30+ with similar tech I would buy it first. The cost of the trade off is more than worth it

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

and there is what is holding us back.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

and there is what is holding us back.

That, and the lack of practicality for most people.

We need better batteries, batteries that will give ~300-400 miles per charge. Until then, I don't think EVs will ever fill more than a niche - people that live near urban centers and don't drive more than 20 miles at a time.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

and there is what is holding us back.

That, and the lack of practicality for most people.

We need better batteries, batteries that will give ~300-400 miles per charge. Until then, I don't think EVs will ever fill more than a niche - people that live near urban centers and don't drive more than 20 miles at a time.

I don't know many people that do 300-400 mile drives in a day. I'm sure the average person drives < 40 miles per day. As long as you charge it every night that should be plenty for the next day.

 

[radioouman]

Looks like a TL from the front.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

and there is what is holding us back.

That, and the lack of practicality for most people.

We need better batteries, batteries that will give ~300-400 miles per charge. Until then, I don't think EVs will ever fill more than a niche - people that live near urban centers and don't drive more than 20 miles at a time.

Yea, we know about your mad mileage every day :laugh:. I was thinking more about the other 95% of the population that don't drive their cars around constantly for their job. For those people, 250 miles a day on one charge (see the Tesla Roadster) is plenty.

It still wouldn't be enough for road trips, but it would meet the needs of most people, most of the time.

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha

What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

Actually Exxon and a few other of the oil companies are leaders in developing battery technology. See, they already have the infrastructure to service ANY type of car. What they are working on is fast charging safe batteries. Pull in, charge it up in minutes, and drive off.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: Shivetya

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha

What is holding us back? I would jump on an all-electric Honda Civic if they existed. I hate to cry conspiracy theory but it seems that if something like this hit the mainstream at an affordable price, the oil companies would have a fit.

Actually Exxon and a few other of the oil companies are leaders in developing battery technology. See, they already have the infrastructure to service ANY type of car. What they are working on is fast charging safe batteries. Pull in, charge it up in minutes, and drive off.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=52&threadid=2124037