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Most of us in the US drive less than 40 miles a day and rarely need longer range. SO 200 miloes is plenty, considering they have a "full tank" eveery morning when you unplug, unlike a gas car. carrying around that extra capacity for the few rare times you might use it is wasteful.
Yeah, the Volt is nice to go long distances, but I've only done that 3 times in the entire time I've owned my Volt and really could have got by with a pure electric and rented for the few longer trips I'd have to go on. Of course, most housholds have 2 or more cars, so one of them couldbe the pure lectric and the gas powered one could be used for the few longer trips you take.
I like the Bolt concept and hope it stays pretty close to that when it comes out.
For some, the limited range would be a factor to stay away from an all electric like a bolt.
However, there are many people who rarely or ever would need more range in a day than the electric provides, and would not eliminate it as a choice because of it.
Multiple vehicle households in particular would probably not have range limitation concerns, since they would likely have a gas vehicle to choose in the event they wanted to take a long distance trip.
Price sounds high however, $37,500. Next Gen Volt is supposed to come in around $35K.
For some, the limited range would be a factor to stay away from an all electric like a bolt.
However, there are many people who rarely or ever would need more range in a day than the electric provides, and would not eliminate it as a choice because of it.
Multiple vehicle households in particular would probably not have range limitation concerns, since they would likely have a gas vehicle to choose in the event they wanted to take a long distance trip.
Price sounds high however, $37,500. Next Gen Volt is supposed to come in around $35K.
In both cases, remove $7500 in tax credits for federal and whatever the state gives up so the actual transaction prices fo lease or purchase is more like a $25-27k car. Compare it to BMW's $50k i3 with only a 100 mile range and it's a bargain.
In both cases, remove $7500 in tax credits for federal and whatever the state gives up so the actual transaction prices fo lease or purchase is more like a $25-27k car. Compare it to BMW's $50k i3 with only a 100 mile range and it's a bargain.
Oh I know.
I really was just driving at the fact I would expect the Bolt to come in a little cheaper than the Volt due to less drive train complexity.
I really was just driving at the fact I would expect the Bolt to come in a little cheaper than the Volt due to less drive train complexity.
Most of the cost is in the battery, though, so I can see the pricing being about the same. The little gas engine is one of the cheaper parts of the Volt.
I leased a Chevy Spark (yes, I know it is a Daewoo) as my second around-town-only car and have had no problems with range. I get between 85-105 miles on a full charge. My driving is split about 90/10 in town vs long trips, the other car is used on long trips. The in-town driving is mostly surface streets, which is why I get better-than-advertised range.
It is lightweight and very torquey, actually fun to drive for a subcompact car. Most of the hybrids and plug-in hybrids I drove handled like ... appliances. Absolutely numb, no road feel - this was much more fun. I have driven a Tesla, but am not willing to shell out that kind of money.
The Chevy Bolt (now coming out in late 2017, I recently read) should be a 200+ miles-per-charge car, and it will be coming out right around the time my lease on the Spark goes off.
Looks like Elon Musk is on to something.
Not sure if they still use lithium. Interesting read for some as to where the lithium comes from. And who is buying up all of the mines.
Most with 2 cars rarely drive long distances with 2nd car.
On another note. I had my doorbell ring at 8:30 PM one night. A rural area. Nice guy asked if he I had an extension cord and could he use some of my electricity. He lived about one mile further down the road. He has a Tesla. Apparently there is a computer on board that will state how far he can go on a charge. He made a long trip and was off by about one mile.
A side note. We plugged in my standard orange extension cord. Car would not charge. So a ride to his home so that he could get the extension cord that came with car. That one did work - to charge car. I don't know enough about electricity - as to why my extension cord did not work and his did. Thickness or gauge of wire?
I am not familiar enough with the Tesla to say, but I do know that my little Spark comes with a "plug-in" charger that will easily charge it off a house outlet - which is not to say that any given wall plug in your house will run it, depending on what you've got plugged in at the same time and how your house is wired. For me, I have no problems with any of my outside GFCI protected outlets, but I have read of people who have had to do a bit of wiring (one house was still knob-and-tube!).
My Spark has a 19kWh battery pack and a 3.3kW charge controller on board the car, the Tesla has, depending on model, somewhere around 90kWh battery pack and an 11kW charge controller. So the Tesla will charger faster and "hotter" and, I'd imagine, take a thicker gauge of wire to handle the current.
Such is the difference between a car like mine that leases for $129 a month and a car that sells for $100,000 and up.
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