I thought it was all electric also. Why all the hype if it's just like the Prius? I wonder how the previous all electric car that GM built measures up on comparison. What was it called?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

When you did all of the figures for the Volt's price, did you add in the subsidy money?

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

The gasoline engine in the Volt is not for propulsion, it's basically a generator to provide a charge to the battery pack.

And that doesn't result in propulsion?

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Don't forget who most of your audience is jp! To a liberal, handouts are normal.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

EV-1.

...says a man on the verge of collecting his first Social Security check...

Sounds similar in principle to a diesel/electric locomotive.

EV-1 was a huge learning tool for GM. It was a pretty decent stab since no other car company had a car like it at the time.

EV-1's were only available as a lease vehicle. After the lease was up they were all taken back to GM, studied and then crushed. There was no option to buy.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Yes, and the same man has paid a TON into social security since 1966. I paid the maximum amount during quite a number of those years.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Yes, except the locomotive has no battery in between the generator and the motor.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

If I understand correctly the difference between the volt and the prius is that with the volt you might use it around town for quite a while, just short trips without ever firing off the engine. I am not sure if it has regen braking like the prius either. I suspect not.

It actually has programmed in to fire the gas motor off monthly to keep things lubricated (or such).

So in that respect I suspect it has a much bigger battery than the prius but gives away some energy by not having regen braking.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The Volt's engine can also be coupled to assist the electric motors. This from Wiki,:the internal combustion engine may at times be engaged mechanically to assist both electric motors to propel the Volt.
It can be operated as a pure electric, a hybrid with the engine supplying the electricity also.

The information is all out there. Motor Trend gave it its COTY award. Their article is available at motortrend.com.

There is little excuse for the amount of ill-informed criticism of the Volt. Please note that I am not a life-long Chevy fan. Still not a Chevy fan. Unlikely to be be a Chevy fan or a Volt owner. But lets at least talk truthfully about the technology behind this car.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

The comparison would then depend on the alternatives that your friend has. If he cannot repair older M/B economically, then you have no comparison. For this person, the Volt might be a perfectly acceptable vehicle.

However, I'd really like to see a heads up comparison to a new Jetta diesel over 100K driven miles. Once the battery needs replacement on the Volt, I believe the benefits are going to favor the Jetta even if the fuel cost per mile is slightly more with the Jetta.

Neither my friend or I will be buying a new car any time soon, most probably. He sent me one of those Fox news style emails that totally trashed the volt and blamed it all on Obama. I was just trying to create a simple comparison using the parameters I showed.

I did not want to make a thesis project of it.

If you think there is a better way to look at it please be my guest!

I'd love to see a comparison to the vw diesel (a car I would be tempted to buy).

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.