Obama takes the Chevy Volt for a (very) short test drive.

[Statistical]

Obama had some good news to announce -- with the turnaround, Chrysler’s Sterling Heights plant, previously scheduled for closure, would not only stay open, but also add a shift. Obama hailed this news, commenting, "When a plant thrives, that doesn’t just affect the new workers, it affects the entire community."

Addressing the crowd, Obama fired them up stating, "A lot of people were skeptical. There were many who said we should just let the market take its course. Let GM go bankrupt. Let Chrysler go out of business. But I had confidence in you. I will bet on the American worker every day of the week."

At about 1:15 p.m. Obama visited GM's Hamtramck plant and jumped behind the wheel of an upcoming 2011 Chevy Volt. He only made it about 40 feet before secret service agents stopped him. The President joked, "Some of you saw me drive the Volt about 12 inches; they don't let me drive much these days."

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http://www.dailytech.com/Obama+Test+Drives+Volt+Resoundingly+Reaffirms+Commitment+to+US+Auto+Manufacturers/article19222.htm

Guess the secret service was concerned about security risk of the Volt (planted explosive?, they hadn't cleared the vehicle?). Strange they cut off his test drive. It is good that he can be good humored about stuff like that. Must be tough to have people constantly stopping, moving, covering you for your own safety.

[NoNothing]

1. The Secret Service didn't stop him

That's the battery range.

[dionysus]

2. he's here all week, don't forget to try the veal.

[provis99]

3. too bad the Volt is a crap car.

I think Detroit gave up trying 30 years ago; now they just depend on the government to bail them out of their own sloth.

[Statistical]

4. Why is the Volt a crap car?

Personally the Volt is the first thing out of Detroit that got me interested in last decade.

To each his own I guess.

[deaniac21]

5. 41k for 40 miles. 3 - 4 hour recharge. I can see them lining up now.

[Statistical]

6. They have already sold out for the year.

"41k for 40 miles"
It is 40 miles on electricity then 260 more on gasoline. Thus giving the user the flexibility of ultra low "fuel costs" for daily commuting PLUS unlimited range via gasoline generator for long distance driving.

"3-4 hours to charge."
Who cares if you are sleeping. It isn't like you have to watch it charge. Come home, plug car in, go to sleep, wake up and it is charged.
How many miles do you drive daily on 90% of the days (you can use extra gas for the other 10%)?

"$41K" minus $7,500 tax credit. 90% reduction in lfetime fuel costs. Yeah that is "horrible".

[Tesha]

13. Have they announced a kWH/mile rating yet?

The last time I did the back-of-the-envelope calculations,
I could only see a ~60-70% reduction in fuel costs for even
a pure electric vehicle. My utility power is moderately ex-
pensive, though.

Tesha

[IDemo]

14. 200 Wh/mile, per GM

http://gm-volt.com/2007/08/29/latest-chevy-volt-battery-pack-and-generator-details-and-clarifications/

[Tesha]

16. Thanks; I'll have to warm up my pencil and envelope again... (NT)

[Statistical]

20. Some averages....

0.2 KWh per mile * $0.10 per kWh = 2 cents per mile.

40mpg conventional vehicle * $3.00 gasoline = 7.5 cents per mile.

Roughy a 70% reduction in annual fuel costs compared to conventional vehicle when on battery power with following assumptions
Volt: 200wH/mile
Conventional: 40 mpg
Electricity: $0.10 per kWh
Gasoline: $3.00 per gallon

[Subdivisions]

18. BAH-hahahaha! They're SOLD OUT! LOL! n/t

[provis99]

7. look up electric cars on Wiki

the Nissan Leaf totally outclasses the Volt. The Tesla S and Think are built by two tiny companies, yet they far outclass this boondoggle that Detroit has produced.

The US has restricted or forbidden the import of these excellent cars from Europe and Japan, at GM's request, so they can push their own crap.

[EOTE]

9. Just how does the Leaf outclass the Volt?

The fact that it has a small fraction of the driving range? The fact that it's nowhere near as nicely appointed and doesn't look like a car anyone would actually want to drive?

On edit: And the Tesla? Really? You do know that the Tesla is about three times the price of the Volt, right? I sure as hell would expect it to outclass it.

[Statistical]

10. Nothing you said was accurate.

"The US has restricted or forbidden the import of these excellent cars from Europe and Japan,"

:rofl:

Did a teabagger tell you this?

1) The Tesla IS BUILT IN THE UNITED STATES.
2) The Tesla Roadster rocks but it is also $180,000. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison.
3) The The Tesla S isn't available for sale anywhere in the world, won't be till 2012/2013 and even when it is the price is projected to be $60,000+ (50% higher than Volt).
3) The Nissan Leaf will be available in the United States around same times as the Volt.

[NoNothing]

11. I don't think he realizes the Volt has a gas engine

People.

IT IS A HYBRID.

[Trekologer]

24. It is NOT a hybrid, Person.

A hybrid is a vehicle which is directly propelled by an electric and gas engine. The Volt is propelled 100% by the electric engine at all times. The gas engine is run only to generate electricity. Because of that, the gas engine can be run solely in its most fuel-efficient power band.

[NoNothing]

26. i know that

There's a couple of reasonable definitions of hybrid. It is a hybrid on the sense that it uses both electric and gasoline powertrain components. But marketing doesn't like to call it that because they want to differentiate it from the prius.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tesha]

12. NPR had an interesting story about the Volt this evening.

Apparently, CARB* has to grant GM a special exception
to allow the Volt to travel in carpool lanes even though
it's a mostly-electric vehicle and ought to be entitled to
travel in those lanes as a low-polluting vehicle. But GM
chose engine technology for the Volt's internal combustion
engine that doesn't fall into the cleanest range of engine
designs so it won't qualify without a special exemption.

And the exact same problem prevents it from qualifying
for California's rebate program.

It sounds like GM made a poor choice here, even if they
do manage to argue CARB into granting the exemption.
The Volt is good, but it could have been even better.

Tesha


* CARB = The California Air Resources Board

[Taitertots]

27. Nice little fantasy world you have built up there

I'm sure it has nothing to do with Automakers being saddled with health care costs while all the competitors have far more efficient government initiated health care models.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with their competitors governments interference in currency markets, raw materials markets, labor markets, or international trade.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with generations of Americans neglecting the educational system and our infrastructure.


Just keep pretending that it is somehow their fault while we stack the deck against them as hard as we can.

[Hannah Bell]

8. In an interview Thursday, Obama boasted that all the US automakers were showing profits.

“We are going to get all that money back that we invested in the car companies,” he declared.

The president claimed the industry had added 55,000 jobs since June 2009, the largest number in a decade. He failed to note, however, that this was less than 10 percent of the 615,000 jobs the sector had lost in the preceding 18 months.

The few workers that are being hired—including 1,300 at the Chrysler Jeep plant—are being paid half the wages earned by auto workers just a few years ago.

They get a yearly income of $28,000—before taxes and hundreds of dollars in union dues are deducted—barely above the government’s poverty threshold for a family of four.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jul2010/pers-j30.shtml

Good news!

[underpants]

15. What is he supposed to ride an airplane onto a carrier for a photo-op?

[Dappleganger]

17. Who can afford that?

There's no way the average American can afford the price of that car.

[Statistical]

19. They only have production capacity of 10,000 units for the first year.

I am sure there are at least 10,000 Americans who can afford. $41,000 - $7,500 = $33,500.

CA residents get another $5,000 states credit making it $28,500 which is the median new vehicle price in the US.


As production capacity rises, and they work kinks out of the product & production the price will fall.

Lastly one has to consider the total cost of ownership not just the sticker price. Depending on your commutte the Volt (or other EV) could cut fuel consumption costs by $2,000 a year. That's $20,000 over 10 year warrantied lifespan on the battery pack.

[tridim]

21. The first time I've been excited about a GM product since the 68 Camaro.

And I wasn't even born when they made that car.

[Motown_Johnny]

22. If I was a GM exec I would get one of those to the white house to be cleared

so the POTUS and/or First Lady could test drive it around the grounds, and film it.

[Statistical]

25. Just noticed the image is busted. Here it is.