Bwcad1 wrote:That is capitalism for you. Only the rich have a say. Even if a poor dude wanted to make a difference, he would not have the choice. That decision is made in the boardroom for him.
Please explain what you mean by this? What decisions are made for you and by whom?
It means that if I wanted an all electric car, I would not have that choice. If GM decides that the Hummer is going to make more $$$ for them vs the EV1, they scrap the EV1. That is a boardroom decision. I have no say in the matter.
If nobody buys that hummer then GM doesn't make money, so your argument is invalid. a board room doesn't determine sales the consumer does. If AMERICA wanted something diffrent they would buy it, and that's exactly whats happening.
Anyways, people were buying the Hummer until gas prices went up. The simple fact is that there is more profit margin in the Hummer brand. There would have been very minimal profit margin with the EV1. The R&D costs for the EV1 were much higher than the H2/H3. Therefore it is a no brainer econ 101 decision. You build a Hummer, not the EV1. At what point do they grow a conscience?
I have wanted a non-gasoline vehicle for years. Now that it is trendy to want the EV and with enough media attention we might actually get some on a mass scale. GM gave us a taste of what it could be then yanked it away for greedy corporate reasons. Some day they might get a clue and produce something with something in mind other than the bottom line. That is what got them in the mess they are in today.
If they had not sunk all their eggs into the big truck line, they might not be where they are today. Almost extinct.
MobileAudio219 wrote:Isnt the volt surpose to be coming out soon?
Nope... GM says that everything is in place on that car except the battery technology/ price and they don't want to release it till it becomes more affordable.
chevy.com wrote:
The Extended-Range Electric Vehicle that is redefining the automotive world is no longer just a rumor. In fact, its propulsion system is so revolutionary, it's unlike any other vehicle or electric car that's ever been introduced. And we're making this remarkable vision a reality, so that one day you'll have the freedom to drive gas-free.
Chevy Volt is designed to move more than 75 percent of America's daily commuters without a single drop of gas.(2) That means for someone who drives less than 40 miles a day, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.(1)
Unlike traditional electric cars, Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It will use a lithium-ion battery with a gasoline-powered, range-extending engine that drives a generator to provide electric power when you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range.
Chevy Volt. Fully charged 2010.
So in this model they are going from NiMH to Li-ion cells which makes it much more expensive. And it still has a gasoline powered combustion engine under the hood. If you take off the unneccessary gasoline engine and go back to NiMH, it would be a much cheaper vehicle and would be much more widely accepted. Again, this is the way the boardroom will be able to kill it saying that no one will pay that much for an electric car.
Jon wrote:CHEVY PAGE LINK
So in this model they are going from NiMH to Li-ion cells which makes it much more expensive. And it still has a gasoline powered combustion engine under the hood. If you take off the unneccessary gasoline engine and go back to NiMH, it would be a much cheaper vehicle and would be much more widely accepted. Again, this is the way the boardroom will be able to kill it saying that no one will pay that much for an electric car.
As for an all electric car, how many miles do you think you can get out of one charge?
Like I said before, I'm sure these cars are going to be moderately expensive to buy and maintain, and most of the people who are truely concerned about fuel milage are the ones who drive MORE than 40 miles per day and are on a tighter budget...
So really, the most likely buyer is actually the most un-likely buyer. :
Well the Mini - E is rated at 100 to 120 miles. I drive about 10 miles a day average, and never more than 50 a day. Now I am probably not their ideal customer, no matter how much I wish I could have one. Their ideal customer is a wealthy environmentalist that has the dough to buy one and is concerned with the environment. That is a large portion of the west coast. I know of people here in Ohio that would buy one, but not sure if they could swing the $100k. But, if they mass produced the vehicles to the scale of say a Taurus, then I would have to guess the price would drop to scale as well. That is to be seen or argued.
Jon wrote:Well the Mini - E is rated at 100 to 120 miles. I drive about 10 miles a day average, and never more than 50 a day. Now I am probably not their ideal customer, no matter how much I wish I could have one. Their ideal customer is a wealthy environmentalist that has the dough to buy one and is concerned with the environment. That is a large portion of the west coast. I know of people here in Ohio that would buy one, but not sure if they could swing the $100k. But, if they mass produced the vehicles to the scale of say a Taurus, then I would have to guess the price would drop to scale as well. That is to be seen or argued.
100-120 miles is better than I though, but I'm not sure its enough.
10 miles a day, 3,650 miles a year... 36,500 miles in 10 years??? Damn, my sister does that in about a years time!!! LOL
