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They should do what the government does and just change the definitions. Just as ...
bjr
If you were to apply the $20K that the batteries in the Volt cost to reducing ...
Chevy boosts 2013 Volt electric range more than 8%
Rick DeMeis
6/12/2012 1:27 PM EDT
Just as the winner of a 2012 Chevy Volt in our Drive for Innovation contest was announced, the automaker revealed changes for the 2013 version of the car that goes on sale in August. (But I don't think winner Ted Yan will be feeling all that left out!)
On the technology side, the major upgrade is increasing battery capacity from 16 kW to 16.5 kW, along with as yet undisclosed changes to the battery chemistry. These revisions result in the EPA electric-only range of the car going from 35 to 38 miles (8.6% if you are so inclined). Consequently, full recharge time on 120V goes from 10 to 10.5 hours. GM says, based on Volt owners experience and data, that battery life is not as sensitive as it first supposed—which could mean future versions will use more of the battery capacity with deeper discharging to improve range along with charging closer to full battery capacity.
The list price (including destination charges) stays at $39,995, not including a U.S. government rebate of $7,500.
On the technology side, the major upgrade is increasing battery capacity from 16 kW to 16.5 kW, along with as yet undisclosed changes to the battery chemistry. These revisions result in the EPA electric-only range of the car going from 35 to 38 miles (8.6% if you are so inclined). Consequently, full recharge time on 120V goes from 10 to 10.5 hours. GM says, based on Volt owners experience and data, that battery life is not as sensitive as it first supposed—which could mean future versions will use more of the battery capacity with deeper discharging to improve range along with charging closer to full battery capacity.
The list price (including destination charges) stays at $39,995, not including a U.S. government rebate of $7,500.
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Rchandta1
6/13/2012 2:20 PM EDT
38 miles/hr? Good old Honda Civic is better and cheaper.
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Rick DeMeis
6/13/2012 2:54 PM EDT
My mistake (since corrected). It should have been 38 miles not mpg.
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R Sweeney
6/13/2012 3:08 PM EDT
The Volt saves less than one gallon of gasoline before requiring a full recharge.
And for $20000 MORE than a 42MPG Chevy Cruze Eco.
Technically impressive sure, but too little for too much for actual utility.
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bjr
6/16/2012 10:47 AM EDT
If you were to apply the $20K that the batteries in the Volt cost to reducing the weight of a Cruze by a thousand pounds you would have a car that gets 65-75Mpg and could go the usual 400 miles between fill up. On top of that it would last longer because carbon fiber and aluminum don't rust.
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Bert22306
6/13/2012 5:06 PM EDT
Yes, but this is a tiny incremental improvement in what SHOULD be, to make batteries remotely attractive, an enormous improvement in energy density.
I was starting to believe that hybrids, even if much milder than the Volt, would become the standard car configuration, when now we're reading articles about ever more efficient non-hybrid cars. Whether it's turbo gasoline or turbo diesel, it looks to me like the auto companies are expending an awful lot of effort to NOT have to go the hybrid route. And they are achieving meaningful results.
As to the life of the battery? I don't buy any of it. People are notoriously short-sighted about just about everything. Why should their consideration of battery life be any different? Wait a few years, when this becomes an issue, and then recanvas owners. As of now, sure, the owners are proud and enthusiastic. Fans.
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Duane Benson
6/13/2012 7:47 PM EDT
Today's hybrids, including the Chevy Volt for the most part really seem to be firmly entrenched in the early-adopter phase. That's fine because you need early adopters to fund further research and product improvement.
I do think that, rather than focusing on already high mileage cars, it would make much more sense to attack the lower mileage vehicles.
Take a 12mpg vehicle and improve its mileage by 25% and do the same with a 35mpg vehicle.
Say each puts on 15,000 miles per year. That's 1,250 gallons ($5,000 at $4.00/gallon) for the gas hog vs. 429 gallons ($1,714) for the econo box.
The gas hod would save 250 gallons / $1,000 while the econobox would only save 86 gallons / $343.
I'd fix the bigger problem, but I guess 44mpg get more press than 15 does.
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Bert22306
6/13/2012 8:07 PM EDT
They are doing this, Duane. For example, I think that all, or maybe all but one, of the new Mercedes Benz V-8 cars are now turbos, with several added features to bring their fuel economy up to where V-6s were just a couple of years ago.
Things like direct injection, cylinder deactivation, engine stop and restart at red lights, smaller displacement with turbo or supercharging, are used to get the same or even better performance with better fuel economy.
All of their four-cycliner engines seem to be going that way too. All turbo, multivalve, direct injection, etc.
Corvette and Camaro V-8s seem to be headed that way too. Some of the figures I've seen are as high as EPA 29 mpg on the highway, for a powerful V-8. (Obviously, not that high if you keep the right-most pedal down!)
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tb1
6/15/2012 1:14 PM EDT
You are right, but as Bert22306 says, they are doing this. I saw a Chevy Tahoe hybrid on the road the other day.
As you say, it doesn't get as much press, but the people who shell out serious dollars at the gas pump every few days for their large SUVs are definitely noticing.
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ChipBuilder
6/16/2012 10:23 AM EDT
Attack lower mileage vehicles? Gas is a product, if I choose to buy more of it, why do you care? Or do we all have to get the same mileage, make the same amount of money, wear the same clothes? Is this the 'you're polluting my air' argument? Even Vp Gore has his own private jet.
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http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/poconoarmchairreview
6/17/2012 8:00 AM EDT
They should do what the government does and just change the definitions. Just as the definition of inflation is manipulated to "show" there is no inflation, even while costs double and triple, maybe the mile can be redefined to be 3,000 feet. Then change it to 2,500 feet the following year to show an increase in the number of miles the Volt can cover!
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