Volt pricing announced. Starts at $41,000*

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by Stew

Just to throw another wrench in, what about cars like the Fiesta? You can get a fiest with ambient lighting, SYNC, navigation, etc for less than 20k and get 40 MPG highway. Should be able to do similar with the cruze (add maybe a couple grand).

Seems to make a lot more sense. You can buy a lot of gas for the 20k you would
save.

[Sax1031]

Anyone know why the Volt requires Premium Fuel?

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Sax1031

Anyone know why the Volt requires Premium Fuel?

Well, if the idea is to maximize efficiency they'd use a fairly high CR, and that requires premium gas.

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by Sax1031

Anyone know why the Volt requires Premium Fuel?

I would say because they designed it that way.



Really I have no Idea other than to speculate that it has to do with compression and efficiency.

[Sax1031]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Well, if the idea is to maximize efficiency they'd use a fairly high CR, and that requires premium gas.

That would be about the only reason that makes sense.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by HeHasReturned

Not that I have any actual evidence to back this up with, but I'm willing to say the vast majority of households have at least two cars anyways; One for each partner, or sometimes one partner likes to drive multiple cars. In which case it wouldn't matter whether the Leaf can do-it-all, because chances are that they have another car.

I am just saying overall the Volt is a more practical car thus more appealing to a greater number of people. You are not tied to a certain distance from home.. if a wild hair hits you, you can take off cross country in it...In a Leaf you are basically tied down... and Americans hate being tied down...

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

I am just saying overall the Volt is a more practical car thus more appealing to a greater number of people. You are not tied to a certain distance from home.. if a wild hair hits you, you can take off cross country in it...In a Leaf you are basically tied down... and Americans hate being tied down...

[Supermans]

Originally Posted by Revo1

Volt seems overpriced. I was expecting low 30s....

It is funny to read people defending the $41,000 asking price on here saying the car actually costs more to build. I can understand trying to get back Research and Development costs however you don't try and do that in one or two years when you are backed by the Federal Government. That is why this $7,500 tax break is stupid in my opinion. If the US Government wants this to succeed, actually use the $7,500 and adjust the price of the Volt to $34,000 right off the bat. Why give that $7,500 tax credit to the overseas competition as well. How much will the Volt spend on marketing? Will they focus their marketing to the top 5% of American's that can actually afford this car at the $41,000 price bracket. I for one though the appeal of the Volt was so that the average middle class family could afford one and the losses would occur the first couple years however getting as many sold to the general public at a loss (more than they currently plan to build) at a lower cost ($34,000 max) would actually advertise itself being on the road the more people buy and you don't have to advertise to the wealthy only.. The Leaf I hate to say it is a better deal overall and it can be driven on electricity for a longer period of time which would appeal to more people as well. Most people would not want to take a road-trip in one of these tin cans anyways. That's what the Jeep or 4X4 is for where you can fit camping equipment and luggage and ride in comfort.

[All-Or-Nothing]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Leaf also doesn't have a thermal management system for the battery pack like the Volt does. If it's too hot or too cold, you aren't going anywhere in your Leaf.

Not true at all.

[Captain Awesome]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

100k Leafs/year is like saying GM is going to sell 100k ZR1s/year.

I bet if the ZR1 wasn't being repressed due to beaurocratic nonsense (CAFE, NHTSA, etc.) they could sell a lot more due to cost reductions realized by elimination of the red tape... then the volume increase will afford even more cost savings thanks to the economies of scale a larger volume provides.

I would say that if all the regulations were taken away that the ZR1 would be the "standard" Corvette and they would sell MORE of them than they currently sell of the current "standard" corvette (plus Z06 and ZR1 models).

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Captain Awesome

I bet if the ZR1 wasn't being repressed due to beaurocratic nonsense (CAFE, NHTSA, etc.) they could sell a lot more due to cost reductions realized by elimination of the red tape... then the volume increase will afford even more cost savings thanks to the economies of scale a larger volume provides.

I would say that if all the regulations were taken away that the ZR1 would be the "standard" Corvette and they would sell MORE of them than they currently sell of the current "standard" corvette (plus Z06 and ZR1 models).

Why limit it to the ZR1? No car should have to meet any safety standards.

[fielderLS3]

Originally Posted by Number 3

So although the Volt isn't the perfect solution for everyone, if you drive 40 miles per day in the Volt, you will only incur the cost of recharging. The same 40 miles in a Prius will cost you about .8 Gallons give or take. That is roughly $2.50 per day in fuel costs...........or $15 per week.........or $800 per year. And if you drive 40 miles one way and have the ability to recharge at work or your destination that savings doubles. Now the Volt looks pretty good.

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.

Originally Posted by Stew

Just to throw another wrench in, what about cars like the Fiesta? You can get a fiest with ambient lighting, SYNC, navigation, etc for less than 20k and get 40 MPG highway. Should be able to do similar with the cruze (add maybe a couple grand).

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

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Why limit it to the ZR1? No car should have to meet any safety standards.

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.

Originally Posted by Sax1031

Anyone know why the Volt requires Premium Fuel?

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.

[All-Or-Nothing]

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.



.

Exactly. Given the 2 choices the Leaf is more cost effective as a true commuter car.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by fielderLS3

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.

I strongly disagree. But this has absolutely nothing at all to do with the topic in any way, shape, or form so I won't even bother discussing it.