Volt Production Announced
 

Amid much speculation about GM's intent on wether they would really produce the Chevy Volt or not, they have officially announced that they are tooling up for production with a target date for the first car rolling off the line at the end of 2009. Yes, they are really going to make it. :thumbup:

And it comes without batteries!

How long before road taxes are applied to garage outlets or an extra, substantial tax is added to electric vehicle registrations? It is necessary, afterall, to pay for the road that they use. It's about revenue.

I am extremely happy to see this. Now, just sell a version of it with a price tag under 30k so I can buy one!

Then again, living 4 miles from work in about 6 months an electric scooter from Wal-Mart would probably get me all I need.

why not a 50cc scoot or even a 10 speed bicycle?

*edit* that was intended for dkjones not as a response to the volt coming out. I am excited more because of the fact that a plug in hybrid will be coming to the market and maybe others would follow that are less expensive in years to come

All electric range on the Gen II EV1 was 75-150 miles.... they're only giving us 40.... and for a $40k+ pricetag I can almost promise you.

Wikipedia says the EV1 w/ lease payments added up would've cost consumers $33k base model, so I guess the $40k for the Volt isn't bad w/ inflation 10 years later, but damn, give us 150 mile capability, if your 10 year old technology could do it, STOP HOLDING BACK TO BENEFIT OFF US AND JUST PROVIDE THE BEST PRODUCT POSSIBLE.

note: the highlighted text above should be laughed at by everyone reading it due to its comical nature.

I don't see the need for range beyond 40 miles for most people. I'm not talking about you folk who commute an hour each direction in LA, because on the national level, you really aren't 'most people'. A 40 mile range would be enough for both myself and my wife to take care of our daily business without ever having to use a drop of gasoline or worry about a mid-day recharge. Even if my employer were on the complete opposite end of my metro area of 250,000 people, it would still be enough range for the work commute.

That said, I've got a paid off Escort that would be silly to junk for a $40k volt. So anybody trying to make a convincing financial arguement for one of these things is simply being ridiculous without the assumption that they are definately going to purchase a new car in that price range anyway.

For a mass produced vehicle that is supposed to change everything, this just non-sense, you'd hear stories of people getting stuck on the roads and needing to be towed home.

Thats why the Volt has a "backup" gasoline engine (I dont know why they didn't go diesel though) to act as a generator when the batteries goes out. That means more weight, less space for batteries and more production costs. Its definitly a step ahead of the hybrid scene though, I like.

The Volt does uses gasoline.

yea really 40 miles would have ALOT of people to work, stores, and back home under full electric...

im sure it will have a battery gauge much like a fuel gauge, the only people who will run out of power are the same ones who run outa gas.....

im sure back in early 1900's people were saying the same things between horses and cars...