Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumGM reveals their 200 mile range, $30k electric car and it isn't ugly.
The game-changing electric car has arrived in the form of the Chevrolet Bolt concept.
According to General Motors, the Bolt EV concept signals the automakers electric vehicle strategy: affordable, long-range electric.
GM claims that the Bolt will offer more than 200 miles of electric range with a starting price of around $30,000. If General Motors can deliver on those two claims, then the Bolt could well be a game-changer.
Most importantly, GM states that the Bolt is an electric car that will be sold nationwide:
http://insideevs.com/official-chevrolet-bolt-details-range-200-miles-starting-price-30000/
mopinko
(70,132 posts)among other things.
tridim
(45,358 posts)jollyreaper2112
(1,941 posts)Why does it curve down in the back? Looks like it will make cargo space more restricted for the hatchback.
phantom power
(25,966 posts)flyingfysh
(1,990 posts)It likely improves mileage. Look at a Prius: they curve down in the back, but have plenty of cargo space. And the back seats for tall passengers are very comfortable. Toyota did a lot of aerodynamic testing to come up with that design. Other cars aiming for efficiency would look similar.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)The automakers know they have to tackle range anxiety.
200 miles is pretty good!
Plug in a home and at work and it will be topped of most of the time.
Build in a DC fast charger and a network along Interstates, and we're good to go!
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)below a "fuck Big Oil" poster.
Electric is the future, just as the Model T overwhelmed the horse and buggy in less than 10 years, it is happening.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Henry's wife preferred her electric carriage.
Before the Model T, electric cars outsold gasoline cars:
Early production of EVs, like all cars, was accomplished by hand assembly. In 1910, volume production of gasoline powered cars was achieved with the motorized assembly line. This breakthrough manufacturing process killed off all but the most well-financed car builders. Independents, unable to buy components in volume died off. The infrastructure for electricity was almost non-existent outside of city boundaries limiting EVs to city-only travel. Another contributing factor to the decline of EVs was the addition of an electric motor (called the starter) to gasoline powered cars finally removing the need for the difficult and dangerous crank to start the engine. Due to these factors, by the end of World War I, production of electric cars stopped and EVs became niche vehicles serving as taxis, trucks, delivery vans, and freight handlers.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a rebirth of EVs prompted by concerns about air pollution and the OPEC oil embargo. In the early 1990s, a few major automakers resumed production of EVs prompted by California 's landmark Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. Those EVs were produced in very low volumes essentially hand-built like their early predecessors. However, as the ZEV mandate was weakened over the years, the automakers stopped making EVs Toyota was the last major auto maker to stop EV production in 2003. Thanks to the efforts by DontCrush.com some of these production EVs were saved from the crusher.
Sources: EAA historical archives, "The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History, David A. Kirsch. "The Lost Cord: The Story Tellers History of the Electric Car, Barbara E. Taylor. "Taken For a Ride, Jack Doyle.
http://www.electricauto.org/?page=evhistory
flyingfysh
(1,990 posts)A car for Republicans: the Dolt.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Daemonaquila
(1,712 posts)So, I can buy one of these for twice the price of a really nice Mazda (which it's trying to look like) with their SkyActive features, that gets 40 mpg and has actual RANGE? No thanks. Anything with a top range of less than an average gas guzzler with half a tank of gas is useless except to a city dweller who barely uses a car and never takes a road trip. When I lived in the city I could get more use out of a small motorcycle, a bicycle, and city transit, for far less cost. This expensive thing wouldn't have even worked for me when I last lived in a city where I had to commute, go visit my mom, and run errands all on the same day. Who needs to spend a mint to constantly worry and plan every day's trips around plugging in? At that rate, you might as well get a Smart Car for less than half the cost as a local runabout, if you really need a car for some activities.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)But for many if not most other households where there is already a ICE vehicle, that one is available for long trips while the other one can fuel up for pennies.
You go home, plug in, go to work, plug in, it takes pennies!
Buy you, don't buy one, it's not going to work for you.
jollyreaper2112
(1,941 posts)Most gas cars are at 200 mile range. This car will not work out so well for road trips, the kind that require multiple refuelings. But for most people, it's probably 95% of what they need.
A friend of mine has the prius for the main family car and the leaf for the personal commuter. He drives it maybe 20 miles a day. If the family takes a trip, it's in the prius. So as a secondary car this is more than fine for a family.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)Sure 300 or 400 would be better, but all I want is to be able to get there and back again, with errands and events, and recharge overnight. I rarely if ever do long trips in a car any more.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)I drive about 21 miles/day. This would work extremely nicely for me. Longer trips could use our other car, or easily rent an ICE car with the fuel savings.
If you drive more than 200 miles per day, this isn't the car for you.
Also, if your only goal is to get a car as cheaply as possible, this isn't the car for you. Neither is a Camry or CRV. They still sell a crapload of Camrys and CRVs.
NickB79
(19,253 posts)1) EV tax rebates and credits will bring down the initial price to the low $20's.
2) You'll be paying the equivalent of only $1/gal using electricity
3) Virtually no maintenance costs since it doesn't have an ICE to deal with.
This is clearly meant as a second car for most people, used daily for commuting with a gas-powered one for long hauls. I have a Scion xA subcompact that looks almost like the Bolt, and will be replaced with an EV once it dies 5 yr or so from now as our commuter.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)For some reason the image I come up with for "bolt" is:
That is Boris Karloff of course.
Warpy
(111,277 posts)but I don't see them as being practical out here in flyover country until batteries can be charged quickly.
I can see the suburbs going electric but charging would be problematic for the average urbanite with on street parking. You'd need a fast charging option there, too.
One might be perfect for me since I don't do long distance driving any more.
northoftheborder
(7,572 posts)in electric car - less cost. I like the design. However, when I saw the glass roof - no way would have one here in hot sunny Texas. Hope that idea becomes an option. I had one car with sun roof - never again.