[a_Username]

Originally Posted by fielderLS3

Thus proving that the Volt isn't cost effective. You would be paying a $20k price premium to save $800 a year on fuel, a figure based on the assumption that the electricity would be free, and the notion that the Volt will actually go 40 miles on electricity alone. The conditions that allow 40 miles on the batteries are so idealized, that a Camaro SS would probably get 35-40 mpg under the same conditions.



I agree with this. Diesels or small conventional 4-cyl cars are much more cost effective.



I think the market would better police safety standards than the government. People's demand for safety alone would by itself make the cars exactly as safe as the buyers want them to be. In some ways, threshold government standards leads automakers to build "good enough" cars that they can advertise as meeting standards to make people feel good. Without them, I believe some cars may actually be safer than they otherwise would have been.



The only explanation can be a high compression ratio. However, doesn't the Volt use an Atkinson-cycle engine like other hybrids? If they did, you'd think it would be able to run on regular. If not, they're losing an easy source of efficiency.

To your market statement, exactly correct.