Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
James Delingpole ·
March 22, 2012 at 11:02am
Apologies if you've seen this already. But this inspirational ad leaves you in no doubt as to why the Chevy Volt is the greatest automobile in US history. (H/T David Arnold)
- Comment (39)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments:
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Are the rumors--or, for your sake, James, "rumours"--are the rumours true? Has HRH the Duke of Gloucester ordered a fleet of Volts to use on his estate in Northamptonshire? I can just see him now, scooting around in a Chevy Volt, merrily driving from giant windmill to windmill.
Jul '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Now, hang on a minute. It is...kind of both. Originally it was an electric car with a very small gasoline (or diesel, or whatever) engine that simply charged the batteries to avoid any feelings of "range anxiety". In development they somehow geared in the gasoline engine to allow nippier acceleration; for some reason this made me feel cheated of its original simplicity.
To be honest, I thought it was a very cool technology when it was unveiled in 2007. The bailout of GM, and its transformation into Government Motors, soured me on everything about it. But that doesn't mean that it didn't begin as a cool idea. But Mark is right; the Cruze Eco (which uses some of the aerodynamic designs of the Volt) is a much better deal. They should have sold the Volt as a Caddy, which would have made them a little profit on every unit.
Dec '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Felix
The Great Adventure!
Felix: Everybody's down on the Volt, but it's the only viable electric car on the market.
And where was this outcry when mini-vans started polluting the highways? · 34 minutes ago
It's not an electric car - it is a glorified hybrid. It's range on electricity only is half that of the Nissan Leaf. So it's neither an electric car nor is it viable.
And comparing it to min-vans is a specious argument. · 19 minutes ago
I didn't compare it to mini-vans. I compared the reaction of people to the Volt to the non-reaction of people to mini-vans. If people are going to criticize each others automobile choices, let's be consistent.
And the Volt actually has 3-4 times the range of the Leaf, it's just not all based on electricity. I think GM is smarter developing a car that can actually get you where you're going and use electricity, as opposed to a car that only uses electricity but that may conk out half-way to where ever. · 11 minutes ago
So you own one, eh? My sympathies.
Sep '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Felix
I didn't compare it to mini-vans. I compared the reaction of people to the Volt to the non-reaction of people to mini-vans. If people are going to criticize each others automobile choices, let's be consistent.
Mini-vans are very popular and fill a market demand, as evidenced by the fact that millions of people have been willing to buy them without government subsidies.
Sep '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
How many non-fleet-use Volts have been sold to date?
Apr '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
No, I drive a Camaro SS.
I think electric cars are about as smart as horse-drawn airplanes. However, if you're going to make an electric car that only gets 50-100 miles per 8 hour period on battery power alone, it's better to toss in an electric generator as well.
Apr '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Mark Belling Fan
Felix
I didn't compare it to mini-vans. I compared the reaction of people to the Volt to the non-reaction of people to mini-vans. If people are going to criticize each others automobile choices, let's be consistent.
Mini-vans are very popular and fill a market demand, as evidenced by the fact that millions of people have been willing to buy them without government subsidies. · 12 minutes ago
So are mobile homes.
Dec '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Felix: No, I drive a Camaro SS.
I think electric cars are about as smart as horse-drawn airplanes. However, if you're going to make an electric car that only gets 50-100 miles per 8 hour period on battery power alone, it's better to toss in an electric generator as well. · 14 minutes ago
I'll concede that point.
Sep '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Felix
Mark Belling Fan
Felix
I didn't compare it to mini-vans. I compared the reaction of people to the Volt to the non-reaction of people to mini-vans. If people are going to criticize each others automobile choices, let's be consistent.
Mini-vans are very popular and fill a market demand, as evidenced by the fact that millions of people have been willing to buy them without government subsidies. · 12 minutes ago
So are mobile homes. · 25 minutes ago
What is your point?
I am not seeing the post in this thread that criticized the aesthetic value of the Chevy Volt. I personally like the aesthetics of the Chevy models (Cruze, Volt, Malibu).
This entire thread is about the illogical and immoral economic decisions that are behind the mass production of the Volt. The economics of mini-vans and mobile homes are based in the free market (I am not aware of any mobile-home-housing projects, but I suppose they might exist).
Dec '10
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
James,
My transportation recommendations are well known.
1) Buy a Ford. They didn't get a bailout! Buy a Ford!!!
2) If you want something more. Ford owns Jaguar. The British did fight Hitler in WWII. Even though David Cameron is an idiot you can buy a Jaguar just because it's BLOODY GOOD FUN!!! (I apologize in advance for both the capitalization and the exclamation points.)
3) If you really are obsessed with saving money and energy, (forget the environment thing as we know that is a bigger lie than the check is in the mail thing) I offer my previous post on TRIKES.
Regards,
Jim
Mar '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Give Me Liberty
I wonder how long it would take for their power grid to collapse plugging in all those new electric cars?
Could the power grid of any major city handle the load if just 10% of its population switched over?
Are we mining more coal to meet the coming increase in demand of coal fired power plants?
Are their a number of new nuclear power plants coming on line to meet the increase demand in electricity? · 2 hours ago
That reminds me, if I'm going to invest in anything, it's going to be in the manufacturers of transformers. When everybody starts plugging in their Volts in the summer evenings, transformers will be going off like popcorn popping.
Edited on March 22, 2012 at 8:03pmMar '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Nope. Would I turn down a chance to drive a Volt? - yep.
Comparing the Concorde with the Volt is like comparing George Washington with Mr Obama.
Sep '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
James Gawron:
2) If you want something more. Ford owns Jaguar.
James,
No longer true. Ford sold Jaguar to Tata (the big Indian conglomerate) in 2008.
Sep '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Give Me Liberty
I wonder how long it would take for their power grid to collapse plugging in all those new electric cars?
Could the power grid of any major city handle the load if just 10% of its population switched over?
Are we mining more coal to meet the coming increase in demand of coal fired power plants?
Are their a number of new nuclear power plants coming on line to meet the increase demand in electricity? · 3 hours ago
GML--
Actually, electric cars don't pose that much of a risk to the electric grid. Peak load on the grid happens between 4 pm and 6 pm weekdays during summer months (particularly July, August, and September). Car charging applications (and car charging electric utility tariffs) are designed to charge the car late at night.
Grid load after 9 pm is quite low--there's oodles of available capacity.
Apr '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Well, it's no Pelosi GTxi SS/RT, that's for sure.
"We've subsidized the features you want, and taxed away the rest."
Edited on March 22, 2012 at 8:14pmRe: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
Aha, Peter - you noticed the case of lese majeste which may well cost me my head at some future date. Wind farms, electric cars, they're all part of the great green Ponzi scheme. And I have no mercy towards those rent-seeking parasites who benefit from it at taxpayers' expense.
Oct '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
But there is very little resale value (because of battery life) after 5 years it is worst than that (NO value). So much of the expense is loaded on battery and the performance of ,there will never be
any valid turn over value...
Oct '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
And algae pond to algae pond. Peter, thanks for the laugh..
Apr '11
Re: Why you should invest in a Chevy Volt
lakely LANE
But there is very little resale value (because of battery life) after 5 years it is worst than that (NO value). So much of the expense is loaded on battery and the performance of ,there will never be
any valid turn over value... · 16 hours ago
You bring up a good point on a topic I'm not familiar with. If what you say is true, I'll concede the point. I would point out that all electric cars would have this limitation though.