Settle down: Volt batteries can recharge while driving Inside Line kicked up a dust storm yesterday by claiming that the 2011 Chevy Volt could not recharge its batteries while driving using its on-board, range-extending 1.4L gas engine. 40 miles of electric-only drive was it, and then the battery packs become "400 pounds of uselessness" was what IL said. They got this impression from a press release issued when the production Volt was unveiled to the public, which stated that the gas engine could only "sustain" the battery pack's charge and not increase it. GM got its communications crossed and apparently confirmed IL's take, but has thought about it some more and today reconfirmed what we initially thought was true, that the Volt's gas engine can recharge its batteries while underway. What the Volt's gas engine can't do is completely recharge the battery pack to its full capacity. Rather, when load conditions are light the gas engine will send surplus electrons to the battery pack, which will also be receiving extra charge from regenerative braking, as well. That sounds about right to us, as we've always been told that constantly charging a battery to its maximum will shorten its life, as the optimum charge range is usually between 20 and 80 percent, not completely drained and not completely charged. GM is determining right now just how much it wants to let the gas engine charge the Volt's battery pack, but rest comfortably knowing that your future Volt won't be carrying around 400 lbs. of uselessness when the charge runs out. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/26/settle-down-volt-batteries-can-recharge-while-driving/
the "you don't want to fully recharge a battery" thing is actually true. Its something that cell phone makers institute into all cell phones in fact. Ever wondered why you suddenly went from 100% to 90% in only a few minutes? Its because it was only charged to 90-95% in the first place and there is a cap to keep it from fully charging. So to keep people from getting pissed off, companies just make the battery say 100% for the first few minutes, then it shows what its really at.
Your children probably won't but if your sons and daughters have any mind of their own, they may. From your rhetoric, it wouldn't surprise me if they're chomping at the bit to rebel. They did take cuts.
If you really listen to these posts you can see it's not the Volt they hate, it's Obama bailing GM out and the unions. They only use the Volt as an excuse. Nothing you can say to any of them will change that. They could care less if we blow 35 billion dollars by having GM go under again, or 200,000 people lose their job. They just want to say to Obama I told you so and get back at the unions. Being a Republican, I hate to say it, but that's the dumbest thinking I have ever heard.
Two things to add to this thread. 1) Battery technology is making TREMENDOUS advancements. For instance: GM is an investing partner in this technology: 2) Suck it right-wingers...
Impact on Auto Workers "We already made huge concessions in 2005 and 2007," said Alan Reuther, director of the UAW's Washington, D.C. office. "Workers have already made significant sacrifices and we've seen nothing of the sort from management. We've stepped forward already, but the companies haven't." In the last contract the union took over paying pensions to retired workers and agreed to reduced health care benefits and lower wages beginning in 2010. Gettelfinger and others in the union blame the slumping economy, not the cost of labor for the companies' decline. Under the current contract, workers earn $27 an hour, not including benefits. "GM has already done what companies do when they're in bankruptcy," said the UAW source. "Their income has been cut in half and it nothing to do with the cost of labor. Arrested car sales have nothing to do with the problems in the industry people have been talking about for years –- quality, fuel efficiency. They have to do with a sluggish economy."
Principles do matter. I don't think GM would have disappeared by going through a normal bankruptcy so I don't accept your doomsday scenario. But let's say it would have been painful. That would still be better than the damage Obama is doing to our republic by just making up the rules as he goes along.
That's not it at all, the car sucks. They've had 10 years working on this, and we get crap and a big price tag.
It's a $20,000 car that thanks to a $10,000 subsidy from Obama will cost the lib buyer a mere $30,000. What a deal.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...y-protection/2012/01/26/gIQAA5T3TQ_story.html making huge advancements...
The car doesn't suck and you guys have shown nothing to show it does. Considering what you can buy today for $30,000, it's not all bad. If you only work 10-15 miles away, you may not have to buy gas for weeks or months. If you want to drive it across country, you can. Most of you have shown you know little to nothing about the car.
You still have to plug it in....its still going to cost you electricity. Most of America doesn't have 30k on a car like this.
If we are talking about before the bailout, I agree with you. I don't agree if your talking about one now. Right off the bat we lose over 35 billion dollars if you figure in nothing else. We just threw that away. But that isn't all we'd lose by a long shot. So to get back at Obama you guys would love to put GM out of business so you can say (I told you so) Not very smart thinking and I'd like to think the people who are in the same Party as I, cared more for their country than seeking revenge on Obama. You'd hurt a lot of people and blow billions just to teach Obama a lesson.
Electricity is a hell of a lot cheaper than gas, especially now. Many can't afford a $30,000.000 car. Many others can. Just look at what some of these minivans, SU's, big trucks and even a car like the Chrysler 300. That car can cost you over $45,000. 00 decked out. Thirty grand won't look to bad if gas gets up to five or six bucks a gallon. It's already over four bucks in many states.
you can get a fully loaded mini van cor $32,000. that seats 7 and can drive comfortably to the family trip to Disney world.
I have a Dodge Mmni van that seats 7 and it's pretty well loaded and it cost me $28,900. I get 16-17 city and about 23-25 highway. It costs about $75.00 to fill it now and that isn't all the way empty. It's going to be a lot more if gas goes to five bucks a gallon as they are saying.
You buy a vehicle according to your needs. Have a lot of kids, like to travel, buy a mini van or SUV. Have a small family of 1-2 kids and mostly use your car for work or short one day trips, you buy a car like the Volt.
Not if you are on a budget you don't. That is my major problem with the Volt...it is ridiculously expensive. The heads of GM were telling everyone that the Volt was the future (when they were in Washington begging for a handout). I don't like hybrids, but the Prius does almost everything the Volt does and does it MUCH cheaper. The Volt is interesting but over-priced...period.
concessions.......concessions!!!!! don't get me started. The union hacks do not have a GOD GIVEN RIGHT to a certain salary and benefits. If their bloated packages, and burdensome union rules drove up costs and made them less competitive then let them reap the seeds they sowed
They duck ,duck, and duck some more. Still none of you apology monkeys has adressed the question. WHY the (*)(*)(*)(*) does the UAW still have a $1 Billion strike fund while we the tax payer spent $40 billion to bail their sorry asses out? ANSWER THE GOD(*)(*)(*)(*)ED QUESTION YOU SCUMBAGS!
Yeah so you are going to stay in a hotel, where are you going to charge it up at? That's what Bolling found out, no you can't. You might be able to make it to work and back but not go running around after work without running on the gas engine with it's not exceptional milage. AT .116 KWH that's $1.16 to go 25 miles at what Bolling was getting and it wasn't very cold during that time. Or $1.76 to go 38 mpg. Some of the new 4 cylinders are getting 38 per gallon with much better performance. And cost about $20,000 less. If gas is $3 a gallon that buys 6,666 gallons of gas.
