Will Holden still take a chance with the Volt?

[jpd80]

If I understand the process, the orders will be placed, the cars built and delivered to Australia.

A bit like the Caprice PPV in reverse but probably not quite as successful...

[burnz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I know you have connections at Holden, maybe you can verify the validity of this statement:


If Volt is $66,000 drive away, don't expect too many orders...

thats ballpark right around 60,000 drive avay assuming no change in oz dollar..
as for dealer network, they have "not" been informed officially... chinese whispers maybe?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by burnz

thats ballpark right around 60,000 drive avay assuming no change in oz dollar..
as for dealer network, they have "not" been informed officially... chinese whispers maybe?

Well, if you're right it typical Drive made up story designed to draw out a response from Holden.
and we Ford fans have seen this type of baiting in many a "Falcon is dead" story.

[2011G6E]

Just read a "Snopes" article refuting travel distance claims a motoring writer made about the Chevy Volt in the USA.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/chevyvolt.asp

The important thing for me, reading that article, is the statement that it's "not intended to be driveable for long distances in electric vehicle mode", and that Chev has had to re-state and new estimate of how far it can be driven as an electric clean and green and fluffy little car down to between 25 and 50 miles. After that, it's burning through petrol like anything else on the road...maybe even worse because of the weight.

This backs up my statement that these cars are literally useless and pointless unless they are suitable and useable by everyone, everywhere, unless they are just expensive trendy toys for people nipping down to the coffee shop and not a serious form of transportation.

It's hardly environmentally friendly to have to buy one car for city use, one car for when you go on trips, one car for the family...etc.

[Buntz]

Why are people calling this a genius car? Man has been using fossil fuels as generators more efficiently to power electric engines for decades. Recently someone thought... "let's do that in a car, should be better than a hybrid no?"

It's not breakthrough at all. Should have been doing this yonkers ago.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Just read a "Snopes" article refuting travel distance claims a motoring writer made about the Chevy Volt in the USA.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/chevyvolt.asp

The important thing for me, reading that article, is the statement that it's "not intended to be driveable for long distances in electric vehicle mode", and that Chev has had to re-state and new estimate of how far it can be driven as an electric clean and green and fluffy little car down to between 25 and 50 miles. After that, it's burning through petrol like anything else on the road...maybe even worse because of the weight.

This backs up my statement that these cars are literally useless and pointless unless they are suitable and useable by everyone, everywhere, unless they are just expensive trendy toys for people nipping down to the coffee shop and not a serious form of transportation.

It's hardly environmentally friendly to have to buy one car for city use, one car for when you go on trips, one car for the family...etc.

"FOX NEWS"
you beleive murdock?
we report, we decide for you!!

anything credable??

[2011G6E]

Car & Driver are pretty well respected...try them...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...test-road-test

This is why GM calls the Volt an “extended-range electric vehicle,” and the dual-power-source arrangement makes a lot of sense at a time when there’s precious little charging infrastructure. Currently, 48 of 50 states have fewer than 10 charging stations, and even California’s relative abundance of 422 pales in comparison to its roughly 10,400 gas stations. In other words, it’s going to be some time before charging while at work or out on the town becomes the norm; for now, EVs’ batteries will be replenished largely at home. And with maximum ranges in the 100-mile neighborhood, good luck with any long- or even moderate-distance travel. And forget about having a pure electric as your only vehicle.
What if your family in California needs you to visit? While a pure EV—needing long recharging sessions every 70 miles or so—will transport you back to the era of the month long road trip, the Volt could easily drive across the country on gas when there’s no time or electricity available for recharging. Closer to home, if this writer had been driving a Leaf instead of a Volt, I would have had to deal a blow of rejection to a five-year-old nephew  whose birthday party was 60 miles distant, due to the lack of a place to charge while there. Do you think he would have understood?

Note, they said yes, you can drive across country on the gasoline engine...what's the point of spending up big to buy a Volt in the first place if you'll be doing a lot of highway travel, as many people do?
You can only sugar-coat something so long...yes, it's undoubtedly a great car, and very useful...in a limited way. That's my point. You don't make money selling severely limited-use cars, unless you're putting your entire business plan on appealing to an equally limited number of city trendsetters...

[Silver Ghia]

Saw a Volt yesterday during my lunchtime walk along Turner St. just up from Holden HQ in Port Melbourne. Couldnt mistake it, had "VOLT" in big letters along the side, was a dark one, and looked quite good actually. Also sounded like an electric car. Sorry, didnt have a camera with me.

So they do have them here on the road presumably for evaluation, however I think the increasing electricity prices will probably have some say in whether we will get them on sale here.

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Car & Driver are pretty well respected...try them...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...test-road-test


Note, they said yes, you can drive across country on the gasoline engine...what's the point of spending up big to buy a Volt in the first place if you'll be doing a lot of highway travel, as many people do?
You can only sugar-coat something so long...yes, it's undoubtedly a great car, and very useful...in a limited way. That's my point. You don't make money selling severely limited-use cars, unless you're putting your entire business plan on appealing to an equally limited number of city trendsetters...

you seem so determined to prove that the technology is crap.
not to long ago gas wasn't available everywhere but people still spent the money converting there car to duel fuel. people still drove the duel fuel cars on long trips sometimes on petrol because they were still saving money when driving around town on gas. the people who can afford the volt will be in the same situation, they will save on fuel when doing the majority of there driving.
I live in a remote mining town so know what its like driving long distances all the time but even I would like 100-150 kilometers a day for practically nothing if I was still paying for fuel.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Car & Driver are pretty well respected...try them...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...test-road-test


Note, they said yes, you can drive across country on the gasoline engine...what's the point of spending up big to buy a Volt in the first place if you'll be doing a lot of highway travel, as many people do?
You can only sugar-coat something so long...yes, it's undoubtedly a great car, and very useful...in a limited way. That's my point. You don't make money selling severely limited-use cars, unless you're putting your entire business plan on appealing to an equally limited number of city trendsetters...

Business plan? Making money? You clearly dont get it.
Any car company who ignores the electric car market because they cant make money from it right now will be out of business within little more than a decade.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by ray38l

you seem so determined to prove that the technology is crap.
not to long ago gas wasn't available everywhere but people still spent the money converting there car to duel fuel. people still drove the duel fuel cars on long trips sometimes on petrol because they were still saving money when driving around town on gas. the people who can afford the volt will be in the same situation, they will save on fuel when doing the majority of there driving.
I live in a remote mining town so know what its like driving long distances all the time but even I would like 100-150 kilometers a day for practically nothing if I was still paying for fuel.

and yet he drives a train useing the very same tech..
developed buy the very same company.

[Syndrome]

Yes Holden did take a chance and it failed.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/350518/t...-volt-is-dead/

[Mr Hardware]

Bit of a threadmine!

But when you can get the Mitsubishi Outlander top of the line Plug in Hybrid for $10k cheaper, and we already know the buying public has an irrational hatred for sedans, then it was always going to be a loser. It needed to be more like $40k.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Bit of a threadmine!

But when you can get the Mitsubishi Outlander top of the line Plug in Hybrid for $10k cheaper, and we already know the buying public has an irrational hatred for sedans, then it was always going to be a loser. It needed to be more like $40k.

The question asked sometime ago in this thread has finally been answered. So it is appropriate thread mining.