RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

It looks like it was designed by Apple Computer. Very, very modern. The center stack is killer.

This blows the Prius away. And it does so with 150 horsepower, which is significantly more than the Prius, while achieving better efficiency.

40 mile range purely on battery power, and then a gas engine kicks in and recharges the battery while you continue to drive. The Prius has a dual system alternating between gas and electric.

Let's hope GM comes in around 30k on this - I think people will pay a 6k to 10k premium over the Prius to get this - remember, it's virtually solid state, which means the reliability should be very, very good.

ILoveFI

I like it, but if the center console buttons are what looks like to be touch sensitive, then that probably won't work out well since tactile feel buttons are better IMO, such as in the 8, I never look at the radio to push the buttons, know them by feel alone. Other than that, I like it. Now if they make it RWD it would be awesome.

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

series hybrid will soon be the ruling technology on the market, its far more efficient as far as potetial is concerned.

j_tso

More like Alienware, a bit tacky.

Is the Prius body shape perfect for batteries? Or do all automakers think green cars have to resemble it?

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

^^ aerodynamics, drag coefficient

N rider89

yeah its all about the aero for those cars.

that car is so different from the concept. too bad they did stick to the original look

expo1

There is also a " Hey look at me I'm green factor " with some buyers. The Honda Civic Hybrid is just about as good as a Prius but looks like a regular Civic so its sales are not as as high.

EdwardsB

for as much as I don't care for it, it is a nice car to see coming from GM. Wish it would be the concept but money determines all.

Like ILoveFI said, I'm not crazy about the touch sensitive buttons (cool idea)...they cause people to have to look away from the road to see what they are doing because they cant feel where the buttons are.

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

Every mass market car looks the same these days. Obviously aerodynamics/drag and minimum necessary, light, packaging has to rule, but how boring.

I do appreciate the electric propulsion concept tho'. Better the 150 mile range of the Tesla (no gas; all batteries), but way more $'s.

dillsrotary

This entire project is brilliant, I applaud GM for having the ***** to do it.

JRichter

Exactly. I don't think the aerodynamic advantages are going to make that much of a difference especially since these cars are generally meant for city driving where you are around 30-40mph max.

That being said I think the Volt easily looks way better (maybe even sportier) than the Honda or Toyota and the interior looks kickass.

Socket7

Where is my gearshift lever?

I'm probably going to go with a Tesla for my next car.

Floyd

Here is a decent 1-pager about the volt.

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08...s9.17.08d.html

Clavius

I'd like to believe in the next 5 or 10 years we will being seeing cars like the Volt Concept on the roads due to the eventual fact that the hybrid systems running these cars will be improving dramaticly. Once they are able to produce a car that can hit that 40 mile mark without making it shaped aerodynamicly to aid its cause we'll see a boom in EV's like these. Till then I'm content with the Volts styling, the inside does look I-pod'ish but hey its what everyone likes nowadays.

Oh and on a side note.. kinda disapointed in Honda's Hybrid Pruis Killa... thing looks like a Pruis but cooler.. if only slightly.

Vyndictive

iTrader: (28)

I think you just stick your hand into the hole below the stereo and that large white piece just sort of pulls out.


I'm excited to see how this thing does. I am really hoping GM doesn't mess up the fit and finish that make most of their cars just feel cheap. Solstice, for example.

But its an interesting idea to commute back and forth to work on nothing but electric power.

Why does the car have a set electric range if engine is there to charge the batteries? Will the power get consumed faster than the engine can recharge?

I'd go out and test drive one of these. It'll either be a pretty huge success, or a giant flop by GM cutting corners and batteries falling off or something.

saturn

Agreed.

The funny thing is that while the technology is still new and will certainly get better, driving a Prius isn't exactly the most green thing you can do. The cost of production from an environmental standpoint is so high that you'll never make up the difference no matter how much efficient driving you do.

Floyd

This is true, its more "environmentally sound" to buy a well tuned used car and forgo all the raw material costs of producing a new vehicle. That being said if no one supports the EV models in the beginning they will stop being produced and we won't benefit as a whole in the long term, which is what it's really all about.

I can't wait until I can pick up a Chevy volt used for ~15k or so. That's where a paradigm shift will start to be seen...

Daemos

I like how the Volt looks =/

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

Yep. Notice how they highlight the aerodynamics and low drag. Too bad I have a 44 mile r/t commute.

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

you're wrong. aerodynamics play a measurable factor in anything over 15mph. stick your hand out of the window, notice when the resistance is actually felt. better aerodynamics translate into more mpg at any speed.

i love the prototype. i saw a supposedly production model of the volt a few months back, it looked terrible. i guess there was enough outrage that they updated the design a bit. it doesnt look awful but its still not anywhere near as cool as the prototype. maybe its just better photographs.

is it just me or does the middle of the lower back bumper look slightly kenstyle rx8-esque.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

That's okay. You'll just have to run on gasoline for 4 miles each way.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

I only have to complain aboutt he rear and the Nintendo Wii interior.

BaronVonBigmeat

I think he means 44 miles in total. Which means he just needs to plug in at work and he won't use any gas. Or pay for any electricity, for that matter.

The only question I have is, when they say 40 miles all-electric range, what speed is that at? Doing it at 60 mph uses quite a bit more energy than at 35 mph.

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

Actually just the 4 miles of the return leg, unless I can run an extension cord out my office window.

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

im pretty sure the test for "highway speeds." which would be 65mph. and you can bet they dont go .01mph over 65mph.