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From: Scott Dorsey on 28 Jul 2010 16:23
Pete C. <aux3.DOH.4(a)snet.net> wrote:
>Scott Dorsey wrote:
>> Pete C. <aux3.DOH.4(a)snet.net> wrote:
>> >hls wrote:
>> >>
>> >> "hls" <hls(a)nospam.nix> wrote in message
>> >>
>> >> Vote on the CNN poll today...Is $41,000 a fair price for the Volt..
>> >
>> >Yes, it is when you look at what you actually get.
>>
>> The problem is that the Volt isn't competing against simple electric
>> cars with limited range or with standard hybrids. The Volt is competing
>> against conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.
>>
>> For $41k I can get an E-class Mercedes. Why should I buy the Volt instead?
>> If the Volt is more economical to operate, how many miles do I need to put
>> on it before it becomes a cost-savings over, say, a low-end C-class Mercedes?
>
>Three reasons to buy a Volt:
>
>1. You ego directs you to be trendy and green and needs to show off an
>electric car.

This will get some people, and probably be the biggest of these three
selling points.

>2. You have a source of low rate charging power, be it solar panels,
>wind generator, off peak grid rates, or free charging at work, and your
>normal weekly routine mostly fits within the Volt's EV range.

This needs to be a bigger deal than it is now to make a big difference in
sales. I think free charging at work, though, would be a really big
incentive.

>3. You've got the extra $ and are interested in tinkering with the new
>technology without going all out and building an EV from a kit.

The problem is that there is already a large installed base of prius owners
engaged in retrofit and modification work... most of the folks who were going
to tinker with the systems are already tinkering.

In terms of actual savings, it could be interesting. You figure you buy
a car that gets 30 mpg, you drive it 150,000 miles, you have used 5,000
gallons of gas over the lifetime of the car. At $3/gal, that's about
$15,000 for gas.

So, even if the electricity were free, a $26,000 C-Class and the Volt would
have about the same TCO after 150,000 miles, assuming no maintenance costs
on either one, just the original cost plus fuel.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
From: Pete C. on 28 Jul 2010 17:13

Scott Dorsey wrote:
>
> Pete C. <aux3.DOH.4(a)snet.net> wrote:
> >Scott Dorsey wrote:
> >> Pete C. <aux3.DOH.4(a)snet.net> wrote:
> >> >hls wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> "hls" <hls(a)nospam.nix> wrote in message
> >> >>
> >> >> Vote on the CNN poll today...Is $41,000 a fair price for the Volt..
> >> >
> >> >Yes, it is when you look at what you actually get.
> >>
> >> The problem is that the Volt isn't competing against simple electric
> >> cars with limited range or with standard hybrids. The Volt is competing
> >> against conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.
> >>
> >> For $41k I can get an E-class Mercedes. Why should I buy the Volt instead?
> >> If the Volt is more economical to operate, how many miles do I need to put
> >> on it before it becomes a cost-savings over, say, a low-end C-class Mercedes?
> >
> >Three reasons to buy a Volt:
> >
> >1. You ego directs you to be trendy and green and needs to show off an
> >electric car.
>
> This will get some people, and probably be the biggest of these three
> selling points.
>
> >2. You have a source of low rate charging power, be it solar panels,
> >wind generator, off peak grid rates, or free charging at work, and your
> >normal weekly routine mostly fits within the Volt's EV range.
>
> This needs to be a bigger deal than it is now to make a big difference in
> sales. I think free charging at work, though, would be a really big
> incentive.

I think ultimately we'll need to build some new nuke plants to produce
enough electricity to allow us to provide free charging power most
everywhere to make it feasible to replace a lot of cars with EVs.

>
> >3. You've got the extra $ and are interested in tinkering with the new
> >technology without going all out and building an EV from a kit.
>
> The problem is that there is already a large installed base of prius owners
> engaged in retrofit and modification work... most of the folks who were going
> to tinker with the systems are already tinkering.

Except that the Prius hybrid system is drastically different from the
Volt system.

>
> In terms of actual savings, it could be interesting. You figure you buy
> a car that gets 30 mpg, you drive it 150,000 miles, you have used 5,000
> gallons of gas over the lifetime of the car. At $3/gal, that's about
> $15,000 for gas.
>
> So, even if the electricity were free, a $26,000 C-Class and the Volt would
> have about the same TCO after 150,000 miles, assuming no maintenance costs
> on either one, just the original cost plus fuel.

Yes, and many of us wouldn't be buying a Mercedes at any price. I'd also
hope to get more than 150k miles out of my car.
From: cuhulin on 28 Jul 2010 17:28
If I was going to spend that much money for a new vehicle, it would be a
Ford pickup truck.
cuhulin

From: Clive on 30 Jul 2010 12:14
In message <4c509df8$0$11861$ec3e2dad(a)unlimited.usenetmonster.com>, Pete
C. <aux3.DOH.4(a)snet.net> writes
>I think ultimately we'll need to build some new nuke plants to produce
>enough electricity to allow us to provide free charging power most
>everywhere to make it feasible to replace a lot of cars with EVs.
If the American government are anything like the British, then as soon
as there is enough committed base, they'll make charging through
dedicated terminals and tax it heavily.
--
Clive

From: cuhulin on 30 Jul 2010 13:12
Too much money for the amount of bread, in my opinion.

I reckon I will keep my old clunkers.
cuhulin

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