Chevy Volt

[Grabber]

Right now they are offering preferred pricing, plus a $500 cash back rebate, and .9% financing.

We just picked up our Volt yesterday, and so far, we are loving it.

[newmoon]

Originally Posted by Grabber

Right now they are offering preferred pricing, plus a $500 cash back rebate, and .9% financing.

We just picked up our Volt yesterday, and so far, we are loving it.

The Volt is very tempting but the price is just too high even with the tax credit discount. If Chevy were to market this car in the high 20s they would fly off the lots.

Presently I drive my Ram 4x4 burning $70.00 a week in fuel, I really have no need for the truck any longer as I sold the boat I towed years back. It would be nice not to have to fill up that tank each week though.

Let me ask you this, once the battery power runs down it switches to a gas generator, what happens to mpg then?

[Grabber]

Originally Posted by newmoon

The Volt is very tempting but the price is just too high even with the tax credit discount. If Chevy were to market this car in the high 20s they would fly off the lots.

Presently I drive my Ram 4x4 burning $70.00 a week in fuel, I really have no need for the truck any longer as I sold the boat I towed years back. It would be nice not to have to fill up that tank each week though.

Let me ask you this, once the battery power runs down it switches to a gas generator, what happens to mpg then?

I hear ya man.

Once the Generator kicks on, it uses gas to slow charge the battery, so no matter what, you will always be on the battery, while the generator powers it. It's weird, but, I can't really explain the process, haha.

Basically, on Pure gas, the Volt will still get 30+ MPG on the street, and 40+ on the highway, and it has a 9 Gallon Tank.

Not to mention, you can get several thousand dollars back on your taxes by buying the Volt. I should be getting back roughly $9,000-$10,500 back. IL automatically gives you a Rebate for 10% of the cars MSRP, and Federal will only give you the amount back that you would normally owe on your taxes. I typically owe about $4,000-$6,000 depending on my bonuses, etc.

So, it does add up and is worth it in the near future.

[FenwickHockey65]

Basically the generator maintains the depleted charge level in the battery. It only recharges during regenerative braking or when plugged in.

[Grabber]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Basically the generator maintains the depleted charge level in the battery. It only recharges during regenerative braking or when plugged in.

Yeah, more or less.

It think the car is great, and if you are easy on the throttle, and drive the car the way it is meant to be driven, it works out for the better.

[toesuf94]

I would love one...just not in the budget and will not work as a family car - at least not with me driving...no room behind my seat for ANYTHING. However, I love the looks of the car and the technology.

[Flashpoint135]

Originally Posted by Mr. iNCREDIBLE

if anyone is interested:

I have 2 neighbors, one with a Leaf and one with a Volt.

both had the electric company (southern california edison out here) install a vehicle specific meter on their homes, this keeps the cost of charging locked at the teir 1 price of $0.13/KWh where homes can jump tiers as usage goes up, from $0.13 to $1.39 /KWh (again this is Socal).

Both guys drive <10 miles one way to work, so not more than 20 miles a day, and they full charge every night, I've seen the vehicle only charge electric bill and they are both around $25/ month for roughly 500 miles a month..


The volt owner made a comment a few weeks ago that he still has the original gas in the car that the dealer put in when he bought it 7 months ago, he was trying to figure out a way to get it out of the car for his lawn mower....

Perfect - real data to play with! So lets compare - this is best case for electric - short trips, cheap electricity. The Volt costs over $40,000 and uses about $25 for 500 miles each month.

My 1LT Camaro cost $24,000 out the door. I get a little over 24 miles per gallon, so at $4.00 per gallon of gas if costs me about $83 in gas for that same 500 miles (500/24 x $4.00). So the savings per month driving the Volt is $83 - $25 = $58.

Therefore, at $58 per month savings, it will take the Volt owner over 22 years to make up the $16,000 price difference between the Volt and my V6 Camaro (16,000 / 58 = 275.86 months; 275.86/12 = 22.98 years).

Imagine how much worse these numbers would look if compared against a Cruze that you buy for about $18,000 and gets better mileage in the high 30 mpg range (let's pick 38MPG). Cruze cost to go 500 miles is $53(500/38 x $4.00). Volt cost savings over Cruze is $28. Price difference is $40,000 - $18,000 = $22,000. Years for the Volt owner to break even is 22,000/28/12= 65 years.

[Stew]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint135

Perfect - real data to play with! So lets compare - this is best case for electric - short trips, cheap electricity. The Volt costs over $40,000 and uses about $25 for 500 miles each month.

My 1LT Camaro cost $24,000 out the door. I get a little over 24 miles per gallon, so at $4.00 per gallon of gas if costs me about $83 in gas for that same 500 miles (500/24 x $4.00). So the savings per month driving the Volt is $83 - $25 = $58.

Therefore, at $58 per month savings, it will take the Volt owner over 22 years to make up the $16,000 price difference between the Volt and my V6 Camaro (16,000 / 58 = 275.86 months; 275.86/12 = 22.98 years).

Imagine how much worse these numbers would look if compared against a Cruze that you buy for about $18,000 and gets better mileage in the high 30 mpg range (let's pick 38MPG). Cruze cost to go 500 miles is $53(500/38 x $4.00). Volt cost savings over Cruze is $28. Price difference is $40,000 - $18,000 = $22,000. Years for the Volt owner to break even is 22,000/28/12= 65 years.

Yeah, know, Car and driver did a VERY interesting comparison of the Volt and Cruze Eco a few months ago. The thing I found interesting was that the Cruze MPG was better than the Volt's when it was having to run it's electric generator. So, if you do a lot of highway driving and long distances, not only is the volt double the price, but it could actually cost you more in gasoline each month, given that is not the scenario the Volt was meant for, but it does severly narrow the potential buying pool, and there is the fact the most Toyota hybrids ahave soem electric only range for short city drives and while the range is considerably less, a PLUG IN Prius still gives like 20 miles of electric only driving and is like 10k less.

[PalmerGA]

I'm still on the fence about electric cars (specifically, the Volt). Too much of a political football still and not terribly impressive for anything other than back and forth to work (20-30 miles). Naaaah.

[Grabber]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint135

Perfect - real data to play with! So lets compare - this is best case for electric - short trips, cheap electricity. The Volt costs over $40,000 and uses about $25 for 500 miles each month.

My 1LT Camaro cost $24,000 out the door. I get a little over 24 miles per gallon, so at $4.00 per gallon of gas if costs me about $83 in gas for that same 500 miles (500/24 x $4.00). So the savings per month driving the Volt is $83 - $25 = $58.

Therefore, at $58 per month savings, it will take the Volt owner over 22 years to make up the $16,000 price difference between the Volt and my V6 Camaro (16,000 / 58 = 275.86 months; 275.86/12 = 22.98 years).

Imagine how much worse these numbers would look if compared against a Cruze that you buy for about $18,000 and gets better mileage in the high 30 mpg range (let's pick 38MPG). Cruze cost to go 500 miles is $53(500/38 x $4.00). Volt cost savings over Cruze is $28. Price difference is $40,000 - $18,000 = $22,000. Years for the Volt owner to break even is 22,000/28/12= 65 years.

Are you forgetting about the possible $11,500 in Rebates you get back from buying a Volt at tax time?

So, taking your math equation, 16,000 price difference, let's say the average refund for someone that owes $6,500 in Federal, and their state qualifies for a 10% rebate for the MSRP of the vehicle, it's a total of $10,500. So, deduct the Rebates from the $16,000 price difference, it will leave you at $5,500 approx. left over. Now, take that $58 and you should end up with approx. 6-7 years before you reach an equal payoff amount and come even. Then from there on, it's all money in your pocket.

Obviously, no one has claimed the savings are instant, and most savings are long term, and don't have a playing factor for several years. This is also assuming that every person only saves $58 each month. We will be saving approx. $75 per month, and within 3 months I will have another $25-$28 a month less in insurance from the cost of my car we traded in to save on the Volt for 3 years clean (I started with State Farm at that time) So, this will bring my savings to a bit over $100 a month, and in 4 years, I will have more than come clean on the previous payments/gas bills and from then on, we continue to save.

Obviously, this is a rough guesstimate, but nonetheless, you are still saving a decent amount of cash a month/year by buying one.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by PalmerGA

I'm still on the fence about electric cars (specifically, the Volt). Too much of a political football still and not terribly impressive for anything other than back and forth to work (20-30 miles). Naaaah.

But what makes the Volt so much better than traditional EVs is that it's not just a back-and-forth to work car. You have the flexibility of driving hundreds of miles more if need be by simply filling the gas tank. That's not possible with a Leaf.

In the EV realm, Volt is hands down the most practical option.

[Stew]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

But what makes the Volt so much better than traditional EVs is that it's not just a back-and-forth to work car. You have the flexibility of driving hundreds of miles more if need be by simply filling the gas tank. That's not possible with a Leaf.

In the EV realm, Volt is hands down the most practical option.

If you are doing a lot of back and forth driving that is cause the volt to go into gasoline mode, you are still MUCH better off with a traditional gasoline car such as the Cruze Eco.

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

the main problem with any hybrid car is this..

if you drive like an ass, there is no savings..

a hybrid, volt, prius, altima, civic, fusion, whatever: only get better mileage in stop and go, low speed short distance drives.. Commuting.

if you are driving 85mph on the highway you are no different than any other 4-banger and you are NOT saving jack, and you ARE polluting as much as any other car..

this is why HOV stickers on a hybrid is plain retarded, they do NOT need to be in the HOV lane buzzing by at 85mph, they are most efficient, and least polluting in the slow lane doing stop and go like everyone else.

--

my wife bought a 2007 Camry Hybrid in 2007, and she routinely gets >51 mpg out of it.. 900+ miles per 18 gallon tank..

why? because she drives only streets, always under 40 mph, all stop and go and she keeps the thing on battery as much as possible by slow starting, not idling, and driving it in the manner in which it was designed, for city driving.

She spends $60 on gas about every 6 weeks. I spend that weekly sometimes.. though I can occasionally squeeze 12 days out of a tank..


every hybrid I see on the road is hot rodding it, 20+ over the limit, jack rabbiting from light to light, and driving it like a ass, they are doing nothing to save gas or pollution. and it is these butt turds that moan that their hybrid gets crappy mpg.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Stew

If you are doing a lot of back and forth driving that is cause the volt to go into gasoline mode, you are still MUCH better off with a traditional gasoline car such as the Cruze Eco.

You're missing my point. What I'm saying is that you have the option of going farther if need be with a Volt. You're denied that convenience with a Leaf, Focus Electric, etc.

Most of the Volt owners I've spoken to are driving their Volts to and from work here in Columbus. Many haven't used gasoline in weeks, sometimes months.