FROM USA TODAY :
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/07/obama-takes-the-wheel-of-a-chevy-volt/1
Obama takes the wheel of a Chevy
President Obama did something unusual today for a man in his position: Driving.
“I’m telling you guys, pretty smooth,” Obama said after briefly taking the wheel of a brand new Chevy Volt, the electric car made at the General Motors plant near Detroit.
A very brief trip — maybe ten feet, reports Mark Knoller of CBS News, who also notes that the head of the president’s Secret Service detail gave a “reluctant nod” in favor of the jaunt.
“Does that have airbags?” cracked White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
Pooler Margaret Talev of McClatchy Newspapers reported that Obama “buckled himself in and haltingly drove perhaps 10 feet at a crawling speed.”
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The new Edsel Electric!
It could be it’s an overpriced POS
Volt's discharge shows Chevy still ill
Between the DOE grant and the subsidy to the South Korean battery maker, the US Government is kicking in $39,000 toward the cost of building each of the 10,000 Volts GM intends to produce this year. And that’s not even getting into the billion dollar buyouts. This is just the grants.
Add the $7,500 the government wants to give as a rebate, and you are talking about the government kicking in $46,500 for each car, which will sell for $41,000.
The Law of Unintended Consequences:
REAL Experts in the field of battery technology predict that there will be an environmental DISASTER, much worse than anything seen, including the myth of AGW, when these batteries are discarded at the end of their life (apx. 10 years at the most).
The toxins in these things are (and thus will be) worse than virtually all chemicals released into the environment to date.
It’s not fatigue, it’s reality setting in. The talk sounded great when it was all vapor, but now we know:
1. The Volt is no more advanced than the Prius. In many ways it is little more than a Prius clone.
2. The Volt will cost approx. $10,0000-$15,000 more than the Prius. Even with the govt. rebate, it will still cost more than the Prius.
Cost more, no better.
40 miles in one charge.
Of course if you decide to roll down the elec windows, use the a/c or heat, turn on the radio — all bets are off.
And by the way you'll spend $40K for the privilege.
Shove it Obama.
Affirmative Action for Autos
$41,000 is a chunk of change. Does it come fully loaded or “Batteries not included; some assembly required”?
This car is revolting!
I heard Rush talking about the Volt and 40 miles to the charge. I have never heard how much your home electric bill is going to go up for every charge you give your car. It’s not going to be free so exactly how many dollars will it cost?
It’s called the “free market” kenyan boy! If the “free market” don’t want it, we don’t buy it! Stupid Marxist a$%clown. 40 miles PER charge!? For $41,000!? I put 150 a day on my car. I would have to take 16 hours a day to charge the POS.
Couldn’t give a tinker’s damn about the “styling” whether it’s a car, a laptop, or a toaster. The question is whether the product offers the expected functionality for the price. $41,000 sets the bar rather high for somthing a little bit better than a golf cart.
Or, it could be that the car sucks. A 40 mile range after somehting like an 8 hour charge (@ 110 V)?
And it STILL has a fossil fuel burning engine on board in the form of a "generator" for recharging the batteries "on the go".
If you're in to the whole pseudo-green thin (i.e. you are willing to ignore the environmental impact associated with manufacturing and, ultimately, disposing of, batteries) then one of the many Hybrid cars/truck/SUVs available today is a WAY better option... ANy Hybrid.
Can’t wait to honk my horn and wave as I go by one broke down on the side of the road.
Honk honk!
Howdy sucker.