Gen 1 GM Volt Plug-In Hybrid (2011-2015)

[DanCar]

...My guess is there isn't enough room under the seats for a 16 KWH battery with thermal management. ...

Plenty of room under the seats after a redesign and taller car.

...But then the Volt is in my opinion, much more fun to drive since it is primarily electric driven while the Prius feels like, well, a traditional hybrid. ...

The volt has performance, the prius is one of the weakest cars.

 

[evnow]

You need to qualify that choice evnow. Will that Leaf be down to 50 miles of range in three years? And will the model 3 include doors and a steering wheel at that price?

Then we also have to qualify whether Volt gen 2 will get canned (or GM will go bankrupt) before it sees the light of the day.

 

[evnow]

I think the next Volt will have seating for 5, they have to, there's been too much negative press.

In actuality the market has changed since GM conceived Volt.

PHEVs are now suited more for long distance and family hauling - in other words more utilitarian cars like SUVs/CUVs. There are plenty of choices of in the city compacts that don't drag around an ICE. Americans are also a lot more open to opening their wallets to expensive cars if they are larger. It would be downright stupid if GM isn't developing a SUV PHEV - but then, that would be par for the course.

 

[pkulak]

You need to qualify that choice evnow. Will that Leaf be down to 50 miles of range in three years? And will the model 3 include doors and a steering wheel at that price?

And will the Model 3 come out in 2018 while the 150-mile Leaf is out shortly after my current lease is up? If that's the case, I'll buy (not lease) the Leaf and a few more miles and supercharger access probably won't make me sell it in two years.

 

[adric22]

What would you buy ?
$35k : 45 mile, 5 seater Volt
$35k : 150 mile Leaf
$40k : 200 mile Model 3

That's easy.. I'd buy the Volt. Plenty of range for my daily needs... plus I can drive anywhere I want without hoping for a working charging station. If the price is the same, there is really no question. The Leaf's best selling point over the Volt right now is the cheaper price.

 

[jhm614]

What would you buy ?
$35k : 45 mile, 5 seater Volt
$35k : 150 mile Leaf
$40k : 200 mile Model 3

I would buy the 150 mile leaf. If the volt was a 75 mile (even as a 4 seater), it would be a much tougher decision.

 

[evnow]

That's easy.. I'd buy the Volt. Plenty of range for my daily needs... plus I can drive anywhere I want without hoping for a working charging station. If the price is the same, there is really no question. The Leaf's best selling point over the Volt right now is the cheaper price.

Well, you'd still have the 85 mile Leaf for < $30k.

 

[TomT]

I'd buy the Model 3 and the Volt, in that order.

 

[evnow]

I think we'll eventually end up with a model 3 and a gen 3 SUV. But in the meantime I might lease other EVs.

All I'm trying to emphasize is that as BEV have longer range, PHEVs become less attractive.

 

[lorenfb]

I'd buy the Model 3 and the Volt, in that order.

We all thought that you ordered a Model X and have placed a deposit.

And please tell us all what a Model 3 really is? No one as yet has provided any specs,
e.g. weight, HP, range, features, size, pictures, battery technology, & etc. This term,
Model 3, is constantly mentioned in many threads, but nothing other than the term
"Model 3" ever gets defined. It's like some mystical thing that will arrive in 2017
'from the 'heavens' to save the BEV market.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

The model 3 will be the most wonderfulest thing ever, with a low price that inexplicably provides Tesla with the margins required to support their valuation.

 

[evnow]

And please tell us all what a Model 3 really is? No one as yet has provided any specs,
e.g. weight, HP, range, features, size, pictures, battery technology, & etc.

Can you tell me all those for ANY car that is slated 3 years down the road ? Even Volt 2 or Leaf gen 2 ?

People go with the information they have - not with what lorenfb wants.

 

[evnow]

The model 3 will be the most wonderfulest thing ever, with a low price that inexplicably provides Tesla with the margins required to support their valuation.

TSLA valuation is based on all that Tesla has talked about with a lot of discounting - as is appropriate for a company at this stage - not that I'd buy TSLA at $250 (but then I believe in buying low and selling high, not buying high and selling higher).

BTW, TSLA talk is OT here. Let us take that to the correct thread.

 

[mikeyd810]

I'm curious to see what the MPG rating will be on the new engine, if they can get it to 45mpg I think differences would be negligible when comparing to a Prius. One thing I do know for sure is there will be a five seater but I don't know if that will come at the cost of battery size. A 6.6kw charger would be nice, they should at least offer it as an option. I hope cabin heating system is on the radar somewhere too, a heat pump system like the Leaf's would be great. I know this is where I lose the most range in winter.

I can't see them adding a ton of backseat room though with the new platform but who knows.

 

[asimba2]

But then the Volt is in my opinion, much more fun to drive since it is primarily electric driven while the Prius feels like, well, a traditional hybrid. I do think some improvement in the Volt's ICE are in order however to improve its less than stellar fuel consumption such as Direct Injection and operating on an Atkinson cycle.

In general, I agree. Much of it comes down to how far you drive. If I had to choose between a Volt and a Prius, I'd get the Volt. (That's coming from a guy that owns and loves Toyotas.) I could drive on electricity much farther on the Volt than the Prius, which I do more often than drive really long distances where the Prius has the mpg advantage. The Prius just isn't a nice or fun car to drive, where the Volt is. All that said, the Leaf is a far better car for me than either of those.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

What would you buy ?
$35k : 45 mile, 5 seater Volt
$35k : 150 mile Leaf
$40k : 200 mile Model 3

That's easy.. I'd buy the Volt. Plenty of range for my daily needs... plus I can drive anywhere I want without hoping for a working charging station. If the price is the same, there is really no question. The Leaf's best selling point over the Volt right now is the cheaper price.

ya "IF" the price was the same I would still get the LEAF. the additional range moves it from doing 95% of my needs to about 99% which is more than enough for me. All I need now is an effective public charging support for those rare occasions where I would go farther.

I have a gasser that is needed once maybe twice a month despite my LEAFs much shorter range because I have jobs in Grays Harbor (100-120 mile round trip) where there is NO public charging, not even one station. but most of the miles I have put on the gasser is simply to prevent it from sitting too much. I did not get gas in July but filled up yesterday in anticipation of another Grays Harbor run. Cost; $22 for 6 gallons. Ya, more than half a tank left but it had been over 7 weeks so wanted to make sure I still remembered how to get to the gas station

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

That's easy.. I'd buy the Volt. Plenty of range for my daily needs... plus I can drive anywhere I want without hoping for a working charging station. If the price is the same, there is really no question. The Leaf's best selling point over the Volt right now is the cheaper price.

Well, you'd still have the 85 mile Leaf for < $30k.

that I think would be a mistake. better options is the 85 mile LEAF for $27 K, 110 mile LEAF for $31K

 

[GRA]

Here's one person voting for a base model Volt with ~20 miles AER. Offer the bigger battery too, but all PEVs have to be salable after the incentives end, and the only way to do that is to get the MSRP down - the smaller battery will also boost the gas mpg and performance. Yes, it also needs to seat five, and they need to offer a small AWD CUV that you can see out of, on the same platform ASAP.

 

[evnow]

Here's one person voting for a base model Volt with ~20 miles AER.

Yes - we should have those variations to cater to people who are more price sensitive - just as base Leaf with 24 kWh battery should still be available in gen 2 too.

Just as OEMs figured out it was important to have all kinds of bells of whistles as options in ICE car - for plugins battery size should be considered a core option where consumers should get some choices.

 

[evnow]

that I think would be a mistake. better options is the 85 mile LEAF for $27 K, 110 mile LEAF for $31K

You mean we should have 3 choices - I'm all for more choices - 24/36/48 kWh.