Quote:
Originally Posted by Spazzrico
I hate to quit restating this, but you wouldn't have to worry about that. The Volt runs on gas when the initial charge runs out. It is fully electric until then, then it becomes a hybrid. I'm starting to think this is the biggest problem with the Volt. They need a full on media blitz to get it through the thick-skulled American mind that it can be driven anywhere like any other car without fear of becoming stranded.
To your larger point, more people would indeed begin driving these things in mass when the price point in cost per mile driven drops below many traditional fueled economy models.
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I understand what you're saying, but if I'm not plugging it in to get a full charge, I'm not getting the promised savings and I'm therefore left with a really expensive Prius, which aren't cheap to begin with. With my driving needs, I'm likely to be driving it in regular hybrid mode more often than not. I could get a Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI and fit the whole family into a car that has good performance and good fuel economy for much less than a Volt. And of course I like cars I know I can get 200k miles and 10 years out of, and VW's been making TDIs for years, so its proven technology. If you want me to be an early adopter on the Volt, Chevy, you're going to have to make sure I can afford it and give me a warranty that tells me you'll fix anything at least until I pay off the car.
GM's problem is that any time they make something cool, they price it out so that only aging baby boomers can buy it. Their entry level and midsize cars generally tend to be boring, at least since they got rid of Pontiac, where you could get a G6 GT without breaking the bank. Meanwhile, people my age and younger are looking to Asian and European manufacturers for affordable cars that get good mileage while still giving good performance.