Volt is about to strike

[feh]

Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage | One Man's Blog

There's a place to start to prove my point.

We have different definitions of "prove"; that article assumes the Hummer will
last 3 times longer than a Prius. It's been debunked:

TrueDelta's blog on vehicle reliability, pricing, and industry trends » Blog Archive » The anti-hybrid “dust-to-dust” cost study that just won’t die, but needs to

Another one is that the battery for the Volt causes so much pollution and is so toxic to produce that Chevy can't even produce it here. It is being built in Korea where Environmental Standards are much looser. These cars are window dressing. There's nothing about them that makes them better for the environment than a traditional car with a gasoline powered engine. People think that they are doing something good because perception is reality, but if you actually start to peel back the layers and look deeper into things, such as longterm effects, life of the battery, replacement and disposal of the battery, where the electricity comes from, and manufacturing practices and its effects on the environment, then quite a different picture starts to emerge.

Today's EVs cause fewer emissions than gasoline-powered vehicles. Studies have been done; the results are conclusive. A quick google search will turn up results, if you are willing to take the time.

[wincrasher]

Warning - this is a rant!

Wow. Some of you have very low reading comprehension. As I said, the economics now are hard to justify. At least right now. With economies of scale, that equation may change. If GM made this their base platform and put it under SUVs, wagons, Cadillacs, Buicks, etc.., it could actually morph into being able to make cars far more cheaply. I like that they are trying to be a market leader in some respect - that's a bold business strategy - but very risky.

The environmental argument is also something that is hard to quantify. If the car uses less energy overall - either it gas or electrical equivalent - then it may be a better choice. If more alternative energy is available, or if you generate your own thru solar - it may be a reasonable choice for you. If mass production of batteries can be undertaken and the wastes properly handled that changes things considerably. All human activity has an impact - expecting it to be zero is silly. But oil production, fuel refining and distribution certainly has an impact - is it better or worse than a lithium ion battery plant?

Further, I'm getting sick of all the GM bashing. They are no better or worse than any other car company. I had a buddy with a Mercedes Benz that wasn't reliable enough to take out to lunch, let alone a cross county trip. I have never, in 30 years of driving, ever been stranded in an "American" car. Were they cheap POS's? Yes! But I always got to where I wanted to go.

I don't fault GM for taking the bailout (loan), and won't punish them for it. It was the cheaper alternative for the country than letting them (and with them many others) go under. I hope they are successful and the taxpayers get their money back. Everyone should at least give them a look if they are in the market - that's all they are asking. Actually, they have attractive pricing on alot of their lineup. Chrysler is almost giving their cars away. Ford, the opposite.

[bjl584]

We have different definitions of "prove"; that article assumes the Hummer will
last 3 times longer than a Prius. It's been debunked:

TrueDelta's blog on vehicle reliability, pricing, and industry trends » Blog Archive » The anti-hybrid “dust-to-dust” cost study that just won’t die, but needs to



Today's EVs cause fewer emissions than gasoline-powered vehicles. Studies have been done; the results are conclusive. A quick google search will turn up results, if you are willing to take the time.

I'm not arguing that an all electric vehicle will produce fewer emissions than a gasoline powered car. In fact, they produce none at all when you drive them. But that is only one small piece of the puzzle. How much pollution is created in building the vehicle? How about building the battery? Transporting the vehicle to market? Disposing of an old battery? What about the coal that was burned to generate the electricity to power the vehicle? Where did the plastics and rubber compounds come from to build the interior? What about mining the ore for the sheet metal on the car? What about the paint? Look at the big picture. Stop looking through the keyhole just cause it makes you feel good.

And,
A Hummer with a V8 that is properly maintained most likely will last a lot longer than a battery in an all electric car.