Critics skeptical of buzz over GM's latest electric car

General Motors Corp. has a recent history of promising more than it can deliver when it comes to electric cars.

[Kent Beuchert]

If David Friedman is skeptical about the VOLT, it might be because he so obviously knows nothing about it developmental progress. This is BS. There is a website www.gm-volt.com (unofficial) run by a guy named Lyle
which can inform those even as ignorant as Friedman
exactly what's going on. And the article writer here is also confused, citing week's old (an inaccurate) data about the 8 mile range proposed Toyota plug-in (which never existed in anyone's brain). Toyota's plug-in is now due out in 2011 or 2012, at which time GM will have two types of plug-ins.
I would venture to bet that GM's credibility is greater than either Friedman's or this article. Friedman obviously knows nothing about the VOLT, other than its name and if he believes that cancelling the EV-1 was a mistake, he's
living in a dream world. The EV-1 was a piece of crap
and everbody knew it at the time. There were NO
objections from anyone about its demise, save a handful of
well-heeled treehugging Southern Californians. No one else could put up with the inconveniences and incapacities of the car. Or the high cost ($45K) or cost of replacing the very expensive battery pack. Or trying to figure out whether you could actually get to a destination 40 miles away and back without having to call a tow truck, stuck in the wrong part of town (this idea terrified female EV-1 drivers).
Odd that neither the article nor Friedman apparently is even aware that GM is augmenting its dual-mode with a
plug-in option, first appearing on the Saturn Vue, probably in late 2008. Those of us knowledgeable about GM's
plug-in development program find it incomprehensible that
someone can have an opinion about GM's plug-ins when they are so obviously ignorant as to think only the VOLT
is in development. This article really sucks. The authero ned to get off his fanny and get up to date about both Toyota's and GM's works in progress. THEN maybe he'll be qualified to attempt to inform the public. This is simply misinformation. And the media wonders why the public
rates them below politicians in terms of credibility.

[Regulus Black]

Right, people want fuel economy and they want to save the environment. But they also want to stop giving money to people who want to kill them.

[Steven]

I've been listening to GM tout its 'innovations' for thirty-five years, since I bought a Vega. They still seem to have the same strategy; build the cars cheap and wave an American flag. I keep hoping they go back into the automobile business, but they seem stuck to the idea that you don't need to build a good car if you can market them well. Maybe this time...

[CaliforniaJoe]

GM seems to be giving a lot of hype to the Volt. In this case, if GM can deliver, the American people will be the winners, so I certainly wish them (and us) well.
On the other hand, GM hasn't made any great cars since the mid 1960s, in my opinion. They have not been committed to making good cars, for whatever reasons, but maybe now they are. I really hope so.

[Daniel]

I hope they really do something with this time and not give up when they hit an unexpected obstacle.

[Hugh E Webber]

GM will actually build the Volt, and the PHEV will sell.
I'm amused by Kent Beuchert's attack on the GM EV1 (which I drove and loved; I am not a rich tree-hugger.) His comments about EV1 battery replacement costs are completely speculative opinion. Thousands who learned of the EV1's existence signed up to lease or tried to buy one, like me. GM built barely a thousand EV1s and never offered one for sale. I tried to buy one in 2000, and was upset by GM's double-talk and excuses about "infra-structure," as if electricity were hard to find.
For accurate info on EVs, try EVWorld.com online.

[Greg]

Prius is a total waste of money and horrible for the US and bad for the air as well. Hands the technology is a BUZZ and on the highway you will get plenty of BUZZ.

In 10 years it will save you 2000 dollars in fuel over 35-MPG ford focus, or Honda civic or any other good small car. You can get a ford focus used for like 6k too???

AT 30k new price where 90% of the money goes to a country that is not US does not re-invest any money back to the USA. The Adverts are very deceptive that Toyota launches to trick people saying there cars are made in the USA where only 1000 dollars per car goes back into our economy. This causes the US to become DUMB and turn our society to basic assemblers who do not produce or engineer and basically is hurting us, just look at the economy now. So people are selling out on their country to be in style that’s horrible.

To build one new car a huge amount of energy is wasted natural resources are depleted causing major amount of green to be lost.

Keeping your old car is much better for the environment.

Henry fords wife drove an all-electric car the 1918 Detroit electric used no gas at all and went 40 miles on a charge. So much for Prius being advanced.

So there you have it this Wonder Car the Prius is causing a huge amount of damage.

I am waiting for the GM volt.

[CaliforniaJoe]

I drive a 2001 Focus, and my overall fuel economy, street and highway, is about 26 mpg. Still not bad, but nowhere near 35mpg.
I would love to get a Prius, but too pricey for me right now. When they come out with the PHEV, maybe it will fit my needs. Kuddos to Toyota and Honda for making hybrids, when the American auto companies ignored the technology.

[Mighty_mouth]

I don't understand why the deadline is in question and why GM insists on using LI ion batts. Why not use nickel metal hydride? Couldn't they achieve nearly as good results? Slightly heavier vehicle with slightly worse mileage but maintain the 40 mile range?

[Captain Internets]

Hugh E Webber wrote:

GM will actually build the Volt, and the PHEV will sell.
I'm amused by Kent Beuchert's attack on the GM EV1

That guy's a joke. Google his name.(He post comments on several variations of that name as well.) At first I thought he was some sort of agent provocateur. Now I just think he's psycho.

[shocking]

Cadillac models probed

General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac CTS and STS sedans are being investigated by U.S. safety regulators because they might lose power to the rear wheels while the cars are in motion.

The probe covers as many as 353,000 of the 2003 to 2006 models, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday. The agency said it received 20 reports of failures in the rear differential gear, including nine that caused drivers to lose control.

[Lyle Lovett]

Greg from Silver Springs is a veritable font of pure rubbish re his comments on the Prius. Bad for the air? Give me a break. Bad for the U.S.? Not if it serves to get GM and Detroit off their corpulent arses and back into the real game--and away from ridiculous crap like the Hummers. Greg, drop your miserly
calculations and give Toyota credit for leading the way here. They have a huge and well deserved hit on their hands with the Prius, and stuck their necks out when nobody else was willing to gamble on this tech. Talk about misplaced venom--go buy an old Chevy Vega and get back to us on how much $$$ you're saving.

[Achmed Fulugi]

Electric car no good!!!

[44 mpg by 2010]

The volt will be obsolete by mid 2009.
PSA/Citrone/Peugeot are planning a diesel electric plug-in hybrid that is expected to achieve 70 mpg(US) combined average.

The other problem I see with plug-ins is the fact that 50% of the US electrial power is currently generated by coal fired plants. Most of these plants are not equiped with adequate emissions abatement thanks to President Bush's "Clear Skies" program.

[44 mpg by 2010]

By the way, I forgot to mention that the PSA/Citroen/Peugeot diesel electric plug-in hybrid is expected in the market before the end of 2008.

[J Stanley]

I've made my decision to buy a Chevy Volt when they become available. Until then, I will keep my current car and refuse to buy any other car.
If GM wants my money, they had better come through with the Volt.

[Paul]

Interesting that GM is continually derided for making "ridiculous crap like the Hummers", yet Toyota's (ridiculous crap?) Tundras and Land Cruisers fly completely under the radar. Somehow, the Toyota gas guzzlers are viewed as completely wonderful and green.

Granted GM (that is, GM management) has been pretty clueless in the past, and they were late to the hybrid party. But now they obviously get it, and they seem to be working harder and faster than any other company to produce a PHEV.

So maybe it's time to cut them some slack. Maybe it's time to judge based on the present, not on the past.

[Garrett Shields]

As a Chevy owner I normally only have bad things to say about GM. But, if General Motors follows through on this idea I will be in the line to happily buy the Chevy Volt. Way to go Mr. Waggoner.

[GM chairman said]

Detroit automakers are making some headway in the fight against radical changes in the federal fuel-economy regulations, says GM chairman and chief executive officer Richard Wagoner.

Wagoner said during an appearance at the Woodward Dream Cruise, that automakers are finally getting a fair hearing on Capitol Hill, particularly in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is expected to vote on legislation imposing new standards this fall.

"As we got into the House we were more effective," said Wagoner, who is now one of the industry's elder statesmen. "I felt there was a more balanced debate in the House," he said

[PaulW]

Does the Volt and/or E-Flex concept include recharging from braking?