As Gasoline Surges Towards $5 a Gallon, Does Anyone Seriously Think the GM Electric Car was a Mistake?

Question

I don't have a car so it doesn't mean anything to me.
But it's clear that the days of the gas-guzzling SUV are long gone.
And the days of energy alternatives are here to stay.

By the way, thanks to the Government Planners who Directed GM to build an electric car after so many years of being in thrall to Big Oil.

Answer 1

I test drove an EV 1 when GM was marketing them.



It was a great idea that needed to be scaled up and brought down in price.



Of course, no one was willing to do the right thing.



Now we have a dozen new plug in battery cars on the horizon. And a couple of darn good hybrids on the market already.



People are looking at my Honda with much different eyes now. Especially when they're pumping $120 into the tank of their SUV at the gas station!

Answer 2

Since you don't have a car. it will be very hard for you to judge, but maybe some figures will help.

OK, so, lets say you presently have a car that gets about 22mpg, average, and you decide that it cost too much to drive at $4.00 or better a gallon, so, being the cost conscience person you are, a trip down to the Chevy dealer seems like th right thing to do.

Now, this fuel saving beast that is too small for the average family, and has about a forty or forty five mile limit on electric power, cost over $41,000.00 and is advertised to get 40mpg.

Now, how may gallons of fuel could you have purchased had you not purchased that albatross that will also need replacement batteries in about three years at another $1500, plus whatever unknown problems might arise from a new untested vehicle ?

To me,? not worth it. I would hate to be restricted to a certain amount of driving for the sake of saving a few dollars.

Better idea, is to demand we drill for and use our own oil, and make the government insist it not be sold on the world market at these inflated prices. If it takes price controls, then so be it.

There is no reason why we cannot have gasoline under $2.00 a gallon.



Edit;

As an afterthought, I don't understand why with the fuel consumption the ay it is, and the Arabs getting rich on our habits, why doesn't the government reduce the national speed limit for all vehicles like they did in the 70's, to 55mph or even lower.

Actually I see no need for an 80k pound semi or anyone else going 75 and 80mph.

Ohio for one, just again raised the speed limit on the turnpike, to 70mph for all , fully aware of the last raised limit for truckers to 65mph from the previous 55mph increased fatal accidents by 42%, to say nothing of the extra fuel used, lots of extra fuel.

Answer 3

I like the concept and the idea but its just not the right time. Who has the money to buy this expensive car to save on gas right now in this economy? I know I don't. I travel a lot and I have yet to see a charging station at any gas/trucker stops such as Pilot, Loves or even smaller gas stations like Shell, Speedway etc.



Untill the price of this car become more afordable to the average american and I start seeing these charging stations all over, I will stick to my "gas guzzler suv" as you call it.

Answer 4

The Volt is not an electric only vehicle. Plus, assuming that all Americans buy these cars...where will the electricity to charge the batteries come from. There are no plans by the current administration to build more nuclear power plants.

Answer 5

The last I checked, the Volt has a 30 mile electric range, and then uses a gasoline generator to produce electricity. I think it's misleadingly called an electric vehicle since it uses gas, but still it's a nice step.



However, don't discredit the Leaf.

Answer 6

It wasn't the government planners that directed GM to build the electric car, it was the CEO of the company that got booted when the federal government took over the company. But yes, I agree that electric cars are a really smart idea.

Answer 7

Bicycles, motor motorcycles are an somewhat, very stable advice! Congrats on that. you're thinking nicely. As to $10.00 a gallon: definite, and No. We, the community US oil fields hit top oil in 1970, we've used progressed technologies to squeeze 'em, yet we are no longer presented to our call for. i'm valuable you recognize that. What we are seeing extra of comprise mixed fuels. I ran for the time of a narrative out of Nebraska of an 80/20 blend (Ethanol/gas) it incredibly is extra costly then well-known unleaded, and provides much less skill. of path the story develop into squawking approximately the two info, yet do we also have a decision appropriate now? I ought to admit that i'm weary of the buyer comments which choose for to place a adverse spin on tries to handle this concern and haven't any alternatives to the situation what so ever. I choose recommendations. we've sufficient cynicism interior the rustic, we desire solutions. "E85 is an alcohol gas blend of 80 5% ethanol and 15% gas, by quantity. E85 as a gas is drastically utilized in Brazil and Sweden and is transforming into increasingly extra consumer-friendly interior of united statesa., in particular interior the Midwest the place corn is a important crop and is the standard source textile for ethanol gas production. Minnesota has the biggest form of E85 gas pumps of any U.S. state with 210 stations[a million], on an identical time as Illinois has the 2nd-remarkable form of E85 pumps with 118[2]. maximum different US states have fewer than ten. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that Minnesota has the main E85 pumps they only characterize a tiny fraction of the entire gas merchants. at the instant there are approximately 4,000 gas stations in Minnesota, each and each with quite a few guy or woman pumps. this is going to be observed that one and all filling stations interior the biggest metro areas of the U. S. are required to sell E10, a ten% blend of ethanol and gas."

Answer 8

How many people drive less than 40 miles per day and can wait 4 hours for a charge?

Answer 9

Ahh yes because so many can afford a $41,000 car they have to pay a higher electric bill for.



I'll switch to a natural gas car.



BTW the gas prices in my area are nowhere near $5. That may be the case in a blue state

Answer 10

I'm not a big fan of pure electric, but I do think that if car-makers could get rid of this "the engine shuts off" fad and create lighter, simpler and cheaper designs then we'd be far better off.

Answer 11

Well you said it yourself.



You don't own a car and therefor have NOTHING to base your opinion on that has any substance.



Of course you do realize that to charge a VOLT you're using electricity generated from coal or hydro, right ?



So how good is that for the environment ??

Answer 12

We have the gubmint to thank for getting us involved in three wars and creating a corporate welfare state while raising our debt to 14 trillion dollars with double digit unemployment. We have the gubmint to thank for the destruction of everything our founding fathers wanted to protect.

Answer 13

Yeah they are long gone that's why truck sales are up 55% and GM only sold a couple hundred volt's

Answer 14

back in the 80s I had an econoline truck that ran on PROPANE...the problem with that, it would stall out going up steel hills with a load on.....Electric cars are mostly POS death traps. wait till they need repairs......the yare overpriced.

Answer 15

Are you aware that electric cars do not create free energy?

Answer 16

I seriously think that Obama was a mistake



I wish I could harness Obama's" wind power " generated by his empty promises to power my car

Answer 17

I don't think it's a mistake. But they will need to price them lower to have any real effect on oil consumption.

Answer 18

The Volt is inferior to a bicycle.

Answer 19

Actually its if you want to double the electricity for your house. LMAO!!!!

Answer 20

Well....Since I proved you wrong about GM, its just safe to say you are wrong about this

Answer 21

........... jesus christ, gas prices are only surging because 0BAMA WANTED THEM TOO. He said himself that "prices would necessarily skyrocket". Stop and ask yourself, who OWNS GM??? When are you libs going to WAKE UP????

Answer 22

i can convert my SUV to run on natural gas - go suck on that.

Answer 23

Too bad the electric cars suck beyond belief.



They are a joke.



Horribly inefficient, please do your research.