The batteries last 100,000 miles at cost 8K according to the article. My 02 Chevy SUV has 112K on it and has had to have some parts related to the drive train replaced.
If you want to dive the Volt past 100K you need to replace all the batteries. Has anyone calculated the impact of that on the environment verses a few parts on a traditional car, besides the much lower cost.
“Has anyone calculated the impact of that on the environment verses a few parts on a traditional car, besides the much lower cost”
Never heard of exhaust?
A friend of mine is the head of the physics dept. at the
local college. He openly states that the Prius is the most
environmentally harmful car made.
There is also a huge “sustainability” issue: the rare earth elements used in the manufacture of the batteries!
How much Lithium do we have, and at what cost will it be extracted?
I've heard claims that, "by that time we'll have technology to make batteries more effecient and cheaper."
When asked for the premise behind this claim they respond with the "thousand yard stare."
The batteries have a 100,000 mile warranty. They are expected to last much longer. As for cost, the old dude has no idea what the cost will be in ten years when the first batteries will start the replacement cycle.