GM's Latest 'Crapload' of Chevy Volt Nonsense

National Legal & Policy Center ^ | March 9, 2012 | Mark Modica

[jazusamo]

These guys at Government Motors just continue to outdo themselves. Just as Chevy Volt owners are getting over being called idiots by the head of Audi, GM comes up with an ad that lends credence to the accusation. A supposed Volt owner tells how she loves her car because her friends think it looks like a spaceship and it saves a "crapload" of money.

I laid off the original story of the Audi head saying Volts were for idiots. The .001 percenters who bought Volts have a right to spend their money as they see fit and I gave them the benefit of the doubt (given their higher income) that they were as intelligent as the rest of us average folks. The newest GM ad does more to insult Volt owners' intelligence than the idiots comment. It's not just the use of the word "crapload;" in fact the words "load" and "crap" can be used together to pretty well describe the whole Chevy Volt fiasco. But the idea that Volt owners are really that mathematically challenged to believe they are saving money is mind boggling.

Let's review this again for those that can't seem to figure it out. The science isn't as hard to understand as the space shuttle-like technology in the Volt. The Volt's electric range of 25 to 40 miles is the equivalent of approximately one gallon of fuel for a similar sized, conventional, gas efficient vehicle. It cost about $1.70 in electricity to charge the battery. Gas cost about $3.70 a gallon. $3.70 minus $1.70 equals $2 in savings. You can save about $2 a day in gas usage by driving a Volt. I'll even neglect the extra cost of premium fuel needed for the Volt and the gas used while in electric mode. This isn't that hard to keep up with, is it? I'll bet non-Volt owners can figure it out, that's why they are not buying the car, despite the misrepresentations of huge savings.

The cost of the Volt is over twice the amount of competitive small, gas powered vehicles. After the 99 percenters pay for tax subsidies for the wealthy, math-challenged .001 percenters who buy the Volt, the car cost about $15,000 more. I can't understand how these people got wealthy enough to buy the cars if they can't even understand that they're not saving a "crapload" of money.

Of course, given the deceptive nature of Government Motors, those who are making the false claims about "savings" are probably aware of the truth. They just don't like to speak it. Maybe GM is using actors to portray real owners to misrepresaent how much can be "saved" by buying a Volt. General Electric also claims they are buying thousands of Volts to save money. Come to think of it, it is the American public that is having its intelligence insulted if they are expected to believe this along with the claims that the Volt is a great success and the only reason they don't sell more is because there is not enough supply...wait, scratch that; it's because there is a right-wing conspiracy led by "right wing media" that prevents the true, wonderful value to be recognized.

Please, stop the "crapload" already. The Volt doesn't save owners money just as the Obama goal of spending $10 billion to get a million EVs on the road does nothing to reduce gas prices and reduce oil consumption . Yet the lies continue. I really don't know why GM continues to spend millions trying to pitch a car that does not appeal to consumers at the high price it is offered at. It's not supply, it's not Rush, it's not a NHTSA investigation, the car cost too much for what it offers. But I'm sure GM knows that.

What I'm not sure of is why GM doesn't stop the farce. Perhaps they have dug the hole too deep and the Obama-appointed management feels they can not admit the failure. Perhaps they have a plan to fluff sales numbers with GE purchases prior to November elections and continue the hoax so that cronies can profit as much as possible before moving on to the next big thing. Or maybe in true political fashion they will finally halt production all together (they must be losing millions of dollars a month on the green hoax) and blame Republicans for killing the car because they are indebted to big oil. After all, if they think people are dumb enough to believe all the nonsense up to this point, why wouldn't they think the public will believe that?

Mark Modica is an NLPC Associate Fellow.

[jazusamo]

Everyone should be contacting their representatives in congress to support Rep. Mike Kelly’s bill to kill the $7,500 tax credit.

This tax credit is for all EV’s that qualify and includes the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.

[jazusamo]

Working link:

http://nlpc.org/stories/2012/03/08/another-%E2%80%9Ccrapload%E2%80%9D-chevy-volt-nonsense

[thackney]

The newest GM ad does more to insult Volt owners' intelligence than the idiots comment.

If they understood math and how to calculate total dollars per mile of ownership, they wouldn't be Volt owners.

[Mr. K]

does the gas engine in a Volt recharge the battery? or drive the car?

[Lazlo in PA]

I haven’t seen this ad with the dizzy broad , but I have seen the one were some Leftist looking middle age guy tells me he never loved a car before, but he loves his Dolt. If you are that old and never owned one car you loved, you probably spent most of your life riding your bike to Green Peace rallies in your youth. The ad makes me laugh at it’s pathetic message.

[thackney]

does the gas engine in a Volt recharge the battery? or drive the car?

Both.

There are two electric motors—a 149 horsepower primary drive motor and a 74-hp motor/generator—and a 1.4-liter internal combustion (ICE) gas engine. All three elements are connected via a planetary gearset.

Planetary gearsets—which are common elements of automatic transmissions—are ingenious devices that have three meshed elements: A sun gear in the middle, a ring gear with internal teeth and smaller planet gears between the two which are joined together by a carrier. Alternating the speed and direction of the various elements changes the ratio between the inputs and outputs.

In the case of the Volt, the main output is the driven front wheels, which are connected to the planet carrier. The large drive motor is affixed directly to the sun gear. The ring gear is where things get interesting.

One clutch connects the ring gear to the transmission case and when engaged, it stops the ring gear from rotating. A second clutch joins the smaller motor/generator to the ring gear. A third clutch combines the engine crankshaft to the motor/generator.

Chevrolet Volt Hybrid Drive System - General Motors Volt Powertrain - Popular Mechanics
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/cells/chevy-volt-hybrid-drive-system

[jazusamo]

Exactly...Then there’s the unknown factors involving the new technology, it is not proven for durability and could also be completely obsolete within a few years.

I believe Modica is correct about the possibility of Obama factoring into this obsession of GM and the Volt. Obama has gotten on the Volt bandwagon, he basically appointed Akerson CEO and Obama doesn’t like to be wrong - ever.

With the election coming up Obama may have more say in GM policy than anyone thinks.

[Baynative]

Fair weather car - not so good when it’s cold and raining at night and you have to use wipers, heater and lights all at once.

[jazusamo]

Thanks, that a great explanation.

[Hodar]

The average life of a Toyota Camry is about 8 years. Which is what the Chevy Volt battery is garanteed for. There is no word yet, as to how many battery failures will occur before 8 years, but the repair rate thus far does not inspire confidence.

The Chevy Volt has a battery replacement cost of $8,000. Now, proponents will argue that large scale manufacturing will bring this cost down; I argue the opposite. IMHO, the Chevy Volt is being REJECTED by the consumer, thus the replacement battery will not be a common part - it will be on par with a "collector's item", far exceeding the $8,000 price tag of today. Even if the price were to remain constant, and this part was available - given the overall reliability and depreciation of Chevy vehicles, my question is this "Will an $8,000 battery replacment exceed the value of the car?". I submit that the cost of the replacement battery will effectively "total" the car out. It will be most cost effective to scrap the car, than replace the battery.

Or, in simple terms - for $8,000 you can basically rebuild the engine, transmission and still do substancial body and interior work on the Toyota Camry. Essentially, if you put $8,000 into your 8 yr old Camry, you will have a very well restored car. New engine, new transmission, new interior, new paint, new tires, new exhaust. If you put that same $8,000 into the Volt - you get a new battery. Same worn paint, body, exhaust, engine, transmission, seats, carpet, etc.

I just see no justification for the Volt at all.

[paterfamilias]

According to Modica’s calculations, it would take about 20 years of $2/day gas savings to make up for the $15,000 premium in price over, say, the Chevy Cruze (which is built on the same chassis as the Volt).

That’s a crapload of time to make back your investment!

[taildragger]

As a side note, I know a Volt project person who has busted my chops about how Eco-Boost is a marketing ploy (and I don't even work for Ford).

What are they driving? Mid Sized GM SUV...

[taildragger]

It is esentially and "Electric Powerglide" with the Overdrive Engine/gear being the Gasoline Engine.

What my auto gnome says is from an engineering standpoint it is the real deal and clever, but it doesn't get the mileage and it is a marketing disaster.

You can make a barn door fly with enough Horsepower but do ya really want to do it?

[jazusamo]

I submit that the cost of the replacement battery will effectively "total" the car out.

I completely agree, and it's not just the battery but the systems technology that go along with it, the cooling system, generator, computer interface, etc.

[longtermmemmory]

Some clinton era politcian (mccauliff?) was on MSNBC this am pushing the absurdity of electric cars and the fiction that jobs in the usa is the same as profits.

There are no adults in the green industries.

[jazusamo]

Yep, and a Chevy Cruze Eco can be bought for a little over $18K and gets over 40 mpg.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

And, if you can find one, a VW diesel from the late 70s might run $1800 and get nearly 50 mpg.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

And, if you can find one, a VW diesel from the late 70s might run $1800 and get nearly 50 mpg.

[Hodar]

Maybe it’s the crowd of people I associate with, but pretty much everyone I know, keep their cars until the cost of maintenance is equal to, or greater than the anticipated car payment.

I drove my 97 Lexus for 15 yrs and 312,000. Best car I’v ever owned. Never touched the engine or tranmission - just typical wear items (brakes, battery, tires, belts and plugs). My ‘05 Acura TL still has plenty of life left in it, and at 80,000 miles; will be around for the forseeable future. My ‘03 Tacoma has 120,000 miles and is going strong. I see myself replacing the seats in the Tacoma ($6-800), but the engine and transmission are fine. I expect at least another 100,000 before anything major happens.

I don’t think people are getting rid of cars like they used to. Cars are lasting longer - 150,000 miles is becoming the norm. Some people may change cars every 8 yrs, but those cars are staying on the road a lot longer than ever before.

8 yrs, IMHO, is not acceptable anymore. Now, I think 12+ yrs is the expected lifetime of many cars. Perhaps I’m full of poo; but this is my observation. Yours, may of course, differ.

[tcrlaf]

“if you can find one, a VW diesel from the late 70s might run $1800 and get nearly 50 mpg.”

Buddy bought a diesel Rabbit Pickup for almost nothing last fall, put $2g’s in it, including an engine rebuild, and now has a truck for his 50 mile each-way Chicago-area commute that gets 48-58 MPG.

This summer, he intends to start cooking his own diesel.