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Future Vehicles Article Comments - 2011 Chevy Volt: Will GM Get It Done?
23 messages, Last post on Apr 25, 2009 at 6:05 AM
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2011 Chevy Volt: Will GM Get It Done? - Most people view the GM EV1 as a dismal failure. Viewed from strictly a marketing perspective, they are right. (more)
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When Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, walked onto the stage at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show to introduce what has become the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, he might as well have said that GM was going to build a flying car. Read more and post your comments here! 2011 Chevy Volt: Will GM Get It Done?
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After reading the article, the only thing I can say until I see and drive the production version, or read reports about it, is I hope the Volt lives up to expectations. I want to see GM, and Ford and Chrysler survive and thrive. Incidentally, I understand that the point the writer was trying to make by mentioning the Corvair, Chevette, '85 Nova, and Saturn S1 with the Vega is that none of these survived. However, while the Vega had multiple design flows, and was a really bad car, the Corvair, Chevette, and S1 were okay for their day. They weren't great, best-in-class cars, and each had weaknesses, like most cars, but they were okay. They served a purpose, even though each was eventually superseded in the marketplace. In defense of these models, it should be pointed out that a lot of models are eventually retired, after their purpose in the marketplace has run its course. The '85-?? generation Nova was essentially a rebadged Toyota Corolla, jointly produced by the Toyota and GM joint venture, NUMMI, in a GM facility in California. It may not have been the most exciting entry of its day - Corollas usually aren't - but it was a good, solid car. As for the EV1, knowing what we know now about the price of gasoline, maybe GM should have kept the tooling ready to restart production of that car, or an updated version of it. If timing is everything, chances are the EV1 would have been much more successful beginning in '07 than it was earlier. A EV2 may have been a missed opportunity, a transition car while the Volt was being developed. |
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Replying to: KarenS (Sep 04, 2008 6:04 pm) Then disaster struck. He bought a 1980 Citation, then a 1981 Citation. Both lemons. Countless hours in the repair shop. But what was more important is that these cars confirmed his thoughts, as well as his families and friends and millions of other Americans, that GM cars were unreliable. He then bought a 1984 Toyota Corolla, and has owned Toyotas (Camrys, Avalons, Prius, et.) every since - and so does his family. He vowed that no matter what car GM came out, he would never EVER buy one. As someone who experienced the GM Citation disaster as a teenager (me and my brother and sisters are all loyal Japanese car owners), I would really like to know how one car - no matter how "revolutionary" - is going to change the opinions of my father and millions of other potential customers that somehow GM now makes really reliable vehicles. Give me 10 years of reliability with the Volt and other models, and maybe - JUST MAYBE, I'll consider buying a GM. The author seems to be pointing the finger at the customer, saying that GM didn't fail with the EV1, WE (the public) did. We've seen this type of arrogance with GM before, and history has shown where this type of attitude leads customers - right to the showroom of their local Japanese car dealer.
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GM has sold tens of millions of vehicles in the past several years. There's evidence that quality, reliability and durability have improved greatly since the '70s and '80s, which is the period to which you refer. The people who are pleased with their current GM vehicle will consider buying another one.
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Sep 09, 2008 10:45 am)
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Replying to: easym1 (Sep 12, 2008 5:31 pm) I also read about the Volt but the article I first got my eyes on was in the Automotive section of the NYT (online edition anyway). I was really interested in the article since I think eschewing our dependence away from fossil fuels is a very smart decision. However, unless I failed to understand some cryptic part, at the end I came away totally baffled by the vehicle specified performance/energy consumption. So to shortly summarize: -ange is of 400 miles but only about 40 run entirely on the battery pack charge, -once done with the first 40 miles then a small 4 cylinder conventional internal combustion engine starts recharging the battery pack using the 12 gallons of gasoline in the tank. If the above is correct then let's say we have 2 possible extreme scenarios and a whole lot in between them. Scenario A: drive in a single session the whole ~400 miles range the vehicle is capable of. This would equal to a 400 miles minus the 40 run on a charged battery pack, therefore the car per se would use 12 gallons to be able to cover the remaining 360 miles. I am not impressed at learning that it would mean using ~ 33 miles/gallon, hardly anything I would consider innovative or energy conscious since there is a number of small 4 cyl vehicle capable of that or even better. Scenario B: short drive (less than 40 miles between recharging stations). this of course promise to be the most economic albeit I have no idea on how much coal got burned to provide 5-7 hours of charging the battery will need. It does not sound to me pollution or fossil fuel sparing will amount to much. Please feel free to rebut to the above consideration I would love to learn more, I realize that at this particular time I may have missed something important. truly, Steveaccord
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Looks like another pie in the sky that is doom to fail. it makes no difference if you can get 50 or 100 or even 150 miles per gallon if very few people can afford the car. At $40,000.00 + it will fall into the novelty category and GM will be lucky to sell a few thousands- compounding the high cost is the expected short live of the battery pack - about 3 years and the $10,000 it will cost to replace it. Meanwhile Toyota and Honda will churn out sub 20K hybrids that will get 50+ Miles per gallon selling 400,000 units without blinking an eye. Add to that Nissan plug in for under 25K and a slew of Korean hybrids coming in 2012 and you can kiss GM goodbye. 
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Replying to: steveaccord (Sep 14, 2008 4:45 pm) I am sure the engine will be made more economical over time. You have to start somewhere. The Prius was not (and is not) perfect at the first generation so don`t be too critical. Electric vehicles do offer hope. I would also think 5-7 hours recharging would burn less energy than 12 gallons of gasoline (and associated transporting and refining costs). |
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Chevrolet and GM have touted the Volt as the car that will put GM back on the map in terms of automobile profits. For those of you working at GM, I would urge you to update your resume and keep a sharp eye out for another job. Why would anyone in their right mind pay $40,000 for a four passenger car that goes all of 40 miles on an electric charge and costs nearly $40,000. I've owned dozens of cars and for the past year a 2008 Prius. It consistently gets 45 miles to the gallon, holds five passengers, has the benefit of a hatch that when open is similar to many SUVS and can go up to 90 miles an hour? It costs in its most expensive form $28000 dollars. GM is dreaming. The Volt, in my opinion will be a flop. Sailorman29
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Replying to: sailorman4 (Sep 17, 2008 11:59 am) 
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