In a year or two, hopefully they will have the bugs worked out… I don’t like to buy new tech stuff when it first comes out, but that’s a long enough time to test it “on the ground”.
We love our Prius
Dana

Of course for a plug-in hybrid, the MPG number is not the whole story, because in addition to putting gasoline in it you also have to feed it electricity. So the money savings (and fossil-fuel savings given how most electricity is generated) won’t be as much as it might sound.
Still, this sort of technology is a step forward for our stewardship of creation. We’ll probably buy a Prius or Insight later this year, finally replacing my 1988 Honda.

I believe electricity is a lot cheaper than gasoline, especially when bought at non-peak hours (eg plugging in over night). I don’t remember the exact figures, but I thought I had heard something like:
Gasoline cost about 30 cents a mile
Electricity costs about 2 cents a mile.

I don?t trust American engineering. I recomend this car:
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1617/69/

Now that I did the match, $.30 is too high. It must have been $.15/mile.

One other factor to consider is the battery life. These batteries are expensive to replace, and if they only have a five year life (for example) then that added cost needs to be amortized over the distance traveled to give an accurate cost.
Having said that, battery technology is developing quickly, so who knows what will be available in a few years time.

Looks promising, but requires plugging into your electric power source at home. Electricity prices going up? Traveling–will you have to pay hotels, etc, for a recharge? I’ve found nothing is “free” like this seems to be. That also includes it’s price $40K plus.

Let’s see, from what I understand…It will run around $40,000 retail, it’s been in the making for almost ten years and still has not made it to market. Now the issue of batteries, once they go, where do they go? The “rumor” has it, if you drive 20-30 miles a day than it could be a good thing.

ive actually been looking forward to this car coming out for the last couple of years! If they drop the price into the 20′s, I am all in!!!!

Ignoring the economics, here’s my take from an environmental point of view.
1. Fuel efficiency is good ? compared to a petrol vehicle, and seem to be improved on Chevy?s E-flex engine- the predecessor). No doubt this will reduce your personal contribution to CO2 emissions and other fossil fuel related impacts.
2. Battery disposal is still a significant environmental issue, but the impacts tend to be locally felt at waste sites. But, 100% petrol engine cars have similar issues with disposal. It’s probably not a biggie.
3. Re-charging the battery with obviously come from your main, and thus the national grid. Large point source energy generation (where it comes from fossil fuels like coal/gas/petrol) is better than loads of little combustion engines all over the place. The main reason is that capping the emissions from a single power plant is more economic than capping each individual car engine. So even if your electricity supply is coming from coal fired plants, this is still better than a 100% petrol powered car.
4. Tail-pipe emissions of particulate matter (non greenhouse gas stuff) look to be pretty low too, especially when running on the battery (trips less than 40 miles). This is great for local air quality, especially in urban areas.
I give you the thumbs up!

If we could afford it, I prefer either Toyota (or Honda). But I’m convinced GM has been doing better in its work in recent years. Just not sure it will be enough for them, though it looks like our government is committed to at least giving them plenty to see them through.
But looks like a good one. One I might purchase someday as a used car.

Sounds great, if you are rich and famous. Once again those of us regular lower/middle income folks get left with the guzzlers while the rich make out. Maybe a horse will be cheaper….nah..hay is more expensive than gas, I suppose. Besides, the polution is more noticable.

FWIW, I saw the head of GM interviewed last night about this car. He’s anticipating a limited production run for the ’11 model year which will ramp up to a larger production for the ’12 model year. That larger production would lower the price for the ’12 model. The ’11 model will be priced ~$40k with an anticipated $7.5k tax credit.

it looks good.

they got the estimated mpg based on driving it only 40 miles a day. and it doesn’t have much power for going up hills.

Your Name is me.

I cynically dare Scot to blog about simplicity using his iPhone while charging down the road in a shiny new Volt

MatthewS,
A Volt is the closest thing I know to an Amish buggy, and an iPhone — well, it isn’t a telephone line and that means I’m not connected to the world.

Ah – so over the air TV is not connected to the world but Cable TV is. Another excuse to give my kids – why we don’t have cable (but we won’t get into the dish option).

RJS, one of the reasons given by the Amish for no telephone in a home (they sometimes have one in a small hut) is that the line is a connection to the “world.” iPhones show no visible connection to the world, so they are “simple.” Well, hahahahaha.

A Volt is the closest thing I know to an Amish buggy
Oh, please We often drive past up to 10 buggies on the way to church. The folks in our area don’t allow enclosed buggies, so when it is -20 degrees outside in the winter and snowing, dads, moms, and kids all huddle in a buggy behind an umbrella, squinting and looking very, very cold. Same for rain. Very hot days don’t look so nice either. The “exhaust” all over the road looks pretty squishy. They don’t use any gasoline at all but they only go a few miles per hour. This effectively circumscribes their mobility to a rather small area.
If you only drive your volt 10 miles per hour, everyone passing you and giving you dirty looks, and cut the top off so that you get rained and snowed on – then I’ll grant you it is similar to an Amish buggy. But only if don’t use your iphone in it…

Rich #12, there are plenty of inexpensive cars that get great mileage; aside from hybrids, that’s where the majority of high-mileage cars are found on the pricing scale, and even the Honda Insight is under $20k.

I’m glad, but very sad about this car. I’m glad a new plug-in option is going to be available soon, but I’m very sad they ruined it by making it an expensive hybrid (still burns fossil fuel). In other words, this car will cost 40k and take twice as long to get to market simply because they won’t release a PURE electric car. It could get 5 times the range if it didn’t have the gas engine weighing it down and it would have 1/2 the parts. The cost would be lower and there would be less things to break and maintain.
GM made a pure electric car 10 years ago but it was killed when Bush over ruled the efficiency standards in California. I just wish we could get those cars back. I don’t need a hybrid. Just give me the electric cars we already know how to make.

Great electric car. Worth the money!