The extended range of the Volt doesn't make up for my complaints and the premium price in comparison to the Leaf. Also the Volt apparently is not in production currently and the only Volt's they had were new 2012 models and they could not offer a lease on them because of that. Chevy missed the mark, it's too cramped, too expensive, and doesn't handle well. Nissan however seems to have hit a home run now that they are making them in the US and can thus drop the price to current levels. Saying that, though, I would go with the Leaf even if price were no object. It's a better car, period.
I don't agree that the future is generator driven EVs. I think those will continue to be too much of a compromise to be affordable, and too weighty to drive well. 100 mile range pure EV is the future of inexpensive transportation. Hybrids will be similarly priced and offer good enough efficiency to steal range anxious customers from the lower priced generator EVs. Generator EVs could thrive in the luxury market, though. Dress it up as a Cadillac, which already weigh close to a Volt, and they will sell quite well. I would certainly rather have a generator EV Cadillac than a V8. The interior of the Volt was really nice, near luxury standard, it was just too small. Something that would certainly be improved if put on a luxury platform. The level of sound deadening in a high end luxury car would mesh extremely well with an EV. Driving down the highway with just a whisper of wind noise and very little tire noise... Who cares if it handles like a tour bus, it's for older people to be transported in comfort.
Mike, how often do you go more than 100 miles round trip before having a period of 4 hours at home to recharge? I understand the Tesla is a sports EV and there is a draw to that, but I'm hoping they will offer cheaper models with less range that could come close to competing with a top trim Leaf at around $35-40k. It's just wasteful for me to have a Model S with 250 mile range when I would never use it. Even with 250 mile range, that still would not be enough for me. Round trip to Dallas is 426 miles, round trip to Austin is around 850 miles. My maximum daily round trip is about 80 miles worst case scenario, my typical daily round trip is about 10 miles, so any EV with a range beyond 100 is waste. I'd have to rent a gas car for my trips anyway.
I disagree. Even the absolute lowest cost car on the market, most likely a poverty spec Nissan Versa, can drive from NY to LA. Of course you wouldn't want to actually do that IN a poverty spec Nissan Versa, the point is you can. Everybody replacing their cars with 100 mile or even 150 mile EVs is just not going to happen, because nobody is going to accept even a best case scenario 3 hour recharge on the chance that they have to drive 151 miles, not when you can refill an ICE car in about 2 minutes. That's just too much of a step backwards in terms of what people expect out of a car.
I think you may be misunderstanding me. I am not expecting everyone to only use a 100 mile EV. I expect them to use a 100 mile EV and rent a gas car (or hybrid/turbine) for distances greater than that. If it is a multicar family I expect there to be one hybrid/turbine capable of hauling a family of 4-5 and all others would be 100 mile EVs. A pure gas car will soon be in the minority. Trucks will continue burning fuel for a while, but we may see hybrid trucks soon to increase efficiency and help with low end torque. Semi trucks will always be 100% fuel unless we somehow get power installed in the roads.
Every trip to LA (50 one way) and then you have semi regular jaunts to Vegas (300 one way). I'd love to never plug a car in at home, that should fall on wherever I park it. Solar celled car ports are getting more popular which are nicer than normal charging stations. Keeps the elements and bird crap off your car.
Yeah, reducing range will never put a Tesla w/ luxury amenities and other advantages going from 0-62 in 4.2 secs at the price level of Leaf. I mean, really.... Why are you comparing a luxury GT sedan to a city car? What's next, Kia Soul versus Rolls Royce Phantom?
I think you're seriously overestimating the desire that people will have to rent cars when they otherwise wouldn't have to, as well as the importance most people would place on weight savings and handling. Let's say Honda can sell you an EV Pilot with a 100 mile range, or an ER hybrid version that can run for 50 miles on battery before the generator has to turn on. The choice is obvious. Nobody is going to care if the EV version is a bit lighter or handles a bit better. In order for the EV version to make any sense at all it would have to be massively less expensive, and that seems unlikely. A purpose built generator with an extremely simple transmission as opposed to an adapted piston engine just wouldn't add that much cost. For sports cars, hot hatchbacks and cars like that, yes pure electric will probably replace the ICE in those cars. For mainstream cars though, and especially SUVs and crossovers, I think the ER hybrid is far more likely.
