On the Radio right now-NPR "Science Friday" Leaf vs. Volt

[gasmiser1]

Listen through KQED on the internet now.

 

[TimeHorse]

Listen through KQED on the internet now.

Oh, thank goodness I have the App for the iPhone and subscribe through the podcast! Mind you, it's recoded noon to 2pm NYC time IIRC so too late to call, tweet or facebook in.

 

[EVDRIVER]

I have been trying to get on the phone but busy, if anyone gets on perhaps a question on 6.6 kw charging and deliveries? LOL

 

[LEAFer]

Thanks for that ! Listening now. Mark Perry, Tony Posawatz ...

http://www.kqed.org/radio/listen/

 

[Carlos]

Solid program thanks for the notice..

6.6kwh charging question was addressed.
Brief comments about what Mark said on the Leaf.

DC Fast Charging 0-30 minute full charge.

Quick Charge stations up and down I5 corridor connecting SF LA and SD as a viable charging community.

Looking at faster charging system but cost prevent introduction in Gen1. Later Generations may be available with this Fast Charge technology.

Mark did say the GEN1 Leaf's would be able to be retrofitted with the fast charge 6.6. system as they come online in the future.

Great program.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Nissan did not anticipate the need for 6.6 charging as Mark danced about the question. Bottom line was cost and they probably now know it should have been an option, I'm sure those numbers will hit them hard but I'm also sure they are already planing to change this mistake. For those that think the 6.6 charging would hurt the pack, clearly that is untrue. It's all about cost and not seeing the demand up front.

Thanks to the caller!

 

[LEAFfan]

Listen through KQED on the internet now.

Thanks gasmiser! That was interesting. I only made it for the last half hour, BUT I did notice something. NOT once did the Volt guy mention the gas generator/engine nor did I hear the word 'gasoline', but he kept saying 'electric'. Did anyone else notice this evasion? I would have told him that his Volt is NO electric car! I never heard him use 'hybrid' either. Remember, I missed the beginning, but I still thought it strange how he avoided telling the audience about the gen or gasoine in the last half.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Listen through KQED on the internet now.

Thanks gasmiser! That was interesting. I only made it for the last half hour, BUT I did notice something. NOT once did the Volt guy mention the gas generator/engine nor did I hear the word 'gasoline', but he kept saying 'electric'. Did anyone else notice this evasion? I would have told him that his Volt is NO electric car! I never heard him use 'hybrid' either. Remember, I missed the beginning, but I still thought it strange how he avoided telling the audience about the gen or gasoine in the last half.

Some people are convinced the volt is an EV because the wheels are drive by electricity, well then trains are EVs as well. It is no longer an EV when the engine is running.

 

[DeaneG]

I found the podcast webpage for today's NPR scifri but it seems to have the wrong media file (2007 video) embedded.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/201008132

 

[gasmiser1]

Listen through KQED on the internet now.

Thanks gasmiser! That was interesting. I only made it for the last half hour, BUT I did notice something. NOT once did the Volt guy mention the gas generator/engine nor did I hear the word 'gasoline', but he kept saying 'electric'. Did anyone else notice this evasion? I would have told him that his Volt is NO electric car! I never heard him use 'hybrid' either. Remember, I missed the beginning, but I still thought it strange how he avoided telling the audience about the gen or gasoine in the last half.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You're welcome. I stumbled onto the program at the last minute before it aired.

Yea, the Volt guy totally avoided the mention of gasoline. I especially noticed it when one caller said he was going to buy the Leaf instead of the Volt, due to the Volt's limited max of 40 miles in EV range. Volt guy responded, "well, actually the car has a range of up to 350 miles." Again, no mention of gasoline supplying most of the Volt's range.

 

[DeaneG]

...Again, no mention of gasoline supplying most of the Volt's range.

Calling it a "Volt" is clever marketing at best.

 

[SanDust]

Some people are convinced the volt is an EV because the wheels are drive by electricity, well then trains are EVs as well. It is no longer an EV when the engine is running.

Last night I drove out to the desert to see the meteor showers. Turned out to be 124 miles but it could have been longer. No way the Leaf would have worked but a Volt would have. So while the Volt wouldn't have been running in EV mode it would have gotten me where I needed to go.

IOW an EV parked in the garage because it can't get you to where you need to go is not such a superior vehicle.

Volts and Leafs both have their place. One will work for some people and the other will work for others. Since they're the only two alternatives why not welcome both. You say the Volt isn't an EV, the Volt folks say they'll wave to you when you're stranded on the side of the road with a flat battery. The entire attempt at proving the superiority of your choice is just a variation of "mine is bigger".

 

[Boomer23]

Thanks from me, as well.
It stood out for me that Mark emphasized the L3 charging capability and focused on LA/San Diego, Bay area, etc. But he said nothing about how limited the L3 option will be, or the extra charge for the option.

BIG MISTAKE from my standpoint, living in between LA and San Diego. Mark said "We're going to link these areas together", but if you live in between these areas, you needn't apply. Your Leaf won't plug in there. Very disappointing.

 

[Gonewild]

Here it is for those oh missed it.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/201008132

 

[DeaneG]

Like I said, that webpage seems to have the wrong media file attached - that is a five minute video, not a 30 or 60 minute podcast, and wrong subject.

 

[LEAFer]

Like I said, that webpage seems to have the wrong media file attached - that is a five minute video, not a 30 or 60 minute podcast, and wrong subject.

Upper left corner is a small area entitled "Listen" with a play button (and a download mp3); that would be the most current archived "show".

 

[LEAFfan]

Some people are convinced the volt is an EV because the wheels are drive by electricity, well then trains are EVs as well. It is no longer an EV when the engine is running.

Last night I drove out to the desert to see the meteor showers. Turned out to be 124 miles but it could have been longer. No way the Leaf would have worked but a Volt would have. So while the Volt wouldn't have been running in EV mode it would have gotten me where I needed to go.

IOW an EV parked in the garage because it can't get you to where you need to go is not such a superior vehicle.

Volts and Leafs both have their place. One will work for some people and the other will work for others. Since they're the only two alternatives why not welcome both. You say the Volt isn't an EV, the Volt folks say they'll wave to you when you're stranded on the side of the road with a flat battery. The entire attempt at proving the superiority of your choice is just a variation of "mine is bigger".

Not bigger, but definitely BETTER for the environment/planet (pv charging) and we won't be giving money to terrorists and BIG OIL!
And you're being a little premature about the LEAF. I guess you don't know that by the time we get our LEAFs there will be plenty of 'fast' charging stations. So that little trip you took would be NO problem at all. And WE will be driving by all the broken down Volts at the side of the road because their gasoline engines failed, plus waving to them as we drive by them in the HOV lanes. There are 300 less working parts in an electric motor vs. an ICE. No, the Volt is NOT an EV. It's a hybrid! It will not be getting an HOV sticker in AZ!

 

[planet4ever]

Enough with the Volt bashing, leaffan! As SanDust says, they both have their place. I started out convinced that I wanted a Volt. I am now determined to get a Leaf. With the miles I drive, either one of them will be gasoline free most days, and either one of them will cause me to use gasoline occasionally (for trips over 100 miles).

Many people want the US to reduce its imports of oil from the middle east, but they have a variety of reasons for that. There is a significant contingent (not well represented on this board) who don't want to buy anything foreign, including cars as well as oil. Those people won't buy a car from Nissan, and I hope they do buy a Volt.

I'm not in that camp, but I also hope the Volt is successful, because American taxpayers have a lot of money invested in GM right now. This is no longer a political issue, just an economic fact. If GM does well, we may get most of that money back. If they tank, that's 50 Billion tax dollars down the drain.

This almost tempts me to say Volt-bashing is anti-American, but we are still trying to be a free speech country, so I won't go that far. I'll just say it makes my wallet shudder.

 

[stanley]

Well said Panat4ever

 

[LEAFer]

I also think there's place for both Volt and LEAF. Or even a used Prius with extra batteries (as discussed on another thread). The Volt is just simply not for me. And I am willing to make compromises to NOT use gasoline whereever absolutely possible. (You should hear the spouse talking about my "greening"!) The final straw was probably no longer being able to watch all the injured and dying animals in the BP Gulf of Mexico disaster.

I do understand and respect the argument about buying Made in America, except so little (parts content) is these days, despite what a badge on the outside is trying to tell you. But ok, I won't argue that point further.

The real problem, and ok, it's more of an image and historical one, is GM itself. If the Volt was a Ford product there'd be a lot more to like about it. (Bail-out, EV1 crushing, etc you get the idea. Plus, the gradual degradation of original objectives (60 mile E-range, $25k price), the "cheating", calling it an electric car, etc etc.)

I don't want to argue any of the points I made above. Just want to state my feelings of why I will not buy the Volt in its current form.

Instead, all the best to GM, and to those that get a Volt, and use as little gasoline with it as possible. And I hope GM sees the light and does its absolute best to make the Volt a huge success.

(Honey, did you plug in the LEAF last night ?) :lol: