GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt" (Trees And Things)

Dyolf Knip: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:01:40 EST

The Volt will need three pieces of information to determine how fuel-efficient it is. The capacity of the battery, the efficiency of the car in miles per megajoule, and the efficiency of the car when running off the gas engine. A single mpg val

harzerkatze: Re: silent but deadly

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:39:11 EST

All I see now are bicyclists on cell phones, too.

Well, of course. They were phoning the people in front of them to please move out of the way.
Much less noise pollution that way. The cyclists, they are environmentalists, you k

delete me: Re: silent but deadly

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:36:07 EST

Actually, if we want to compare those experiences with the one time someone hit me with a car, I got injured three times by bicycle, and bumped slightly by some blind granny backing out of her parking spot at a (thankfully) granny-like pace.

A bit skewe

skeptic: Re: silent but deadly

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:13:50 EST

Ah, but you see, you were run over three times by bicycles and you SURVIVED. (I am assuming that your comments are not being submitted from beyond the grave.) Had you been run over by cars instead, the result would likely have been more lethal.

thefadd: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:12:56 EST

All I see now are bicyclists on cell phones, too.

delete me: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:50:21 EST

This is why bicycles need to be banned. Been run over three times by dweebs on bicycles.

DEMachina: this is how it always starts

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:28:53 EST

I think an analogy to this might be in computers: there's always a premium for top-of-the-line stuff when it first comes out, but the price drops quickly.

I think hybrids/electric cars will do the same thing. We just have to hope that if the Volt

Lou: Re: My career in porn

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:45:28 EST

Actually, it still runs pretty well..I have to start it with a screwdriver (the ignition switch is a stunning example of American automotive engineering). But the a/c works well, plus it gets about 33mpg. Oh yeah...no payment. Us budding

T Slothrop: Re: It all depends

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:45:06 EST

Well considering we were blatantly threadjacking, I wasn't going to traverse that particular avenue of inquiry. But now that you have, I will say only that I was assuming we were discussing your opinion of mine (or my opinion of yours) rather than ruminati

joshv: Re: My career in porn

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:38:05 EST

"I have an 8 year old Plymouth Neon."

I thought they all pretty much fell apart before the 5th year.

MayorBob: And ...

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:27:28 EST

... they'll light up the room if you set fire to them.

Lou: It all depends

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:04:39 EST

" did you ever notice your own farts smell okay?"

George Carlin

T Slothrop: Smelliest threadjack ever

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:53:12 EST

I agree that reducing or eliminating meat consumption - especially red meat - does errr "subdue" (yeah there's a good word) the green cloud to one extent or another. Nonetheless, I would never describe the bouquet of human excrement - even that of a Volt-d

skeptic: Re: The New York City Version Of The Volt.

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:32:56 EST

I think that you have perfectly captured the true spirit of New York City. We would, of course, also need other messages to be broadcast in other locations. In Muslim countries, naturally the required message would be "Allah hu akbar!". I

Lou: Re: My shit stinks and my dick is about average

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:20:23 EST

I've noticed that the less meat one eats, the less odoriferous the excrement. Although, I have known some guys to take great pride in the strength of their emissions...some even giving them names.

Many years ago, the son of my then girlfriend came

T Slothrop: My shit stinks and my dick is about average

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:12:39 EST

Needing transportation from point A to point B doesn't enter into it at all?

[Full disclosure: I drive a seven-year-old Ford Explorer Sport (two-door, two-wheel drive).]

Lou: My career in porn

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:58:06 EST

The only reasons I know of for people buying cars is to compensate for a small dick or prove their shit don't stink.

I have an 8 year old Plymouth Neon.

thefadd: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:54:16 EST

Well that's a lot more to show then the Prius, then. Based on field interactions, the top speed for a Prius is 54 mph in the far left lane.

thefadd: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:52:49 EST

Since when does anyone buy a car to make sense? The only reasons I know of for people buying cars is to compensate for a small dick or prove their shit don't stink.

MayorBob: The New York City Version Of The Volt.

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:20:21 EST

It should play a tape blaring "Hey, yoose, you deaf motherfucker. Get the fuck outta the way before I should run you the fuck down."

Lou: Great minds think alike

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:16:24 EST

Hey! I was thinking the same thing...except replace blind with neo-conservative.

skeptic: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:14:15 EST

Yes, I thought of that, the only problem being that car wheels, unlike bicycle wheels, don't actually have spokes. But perhaps we could re-design the electric car to use wheels with spokes. Who speaks for spokes? You could become the spok

skeptic: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:10:49 EST

Another possibility would be to assign sighted guides to all blind people, and chauffeur-driven cars.

strangeluck: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:02:32 EST

I think the Prius already incorporates something like this. When you're in reverse and the car's running only on the electric motor, it makes a beeping noise to warn people. It's similar to what happens with a bus or large truck, though not quite as loud.

Lou: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:58:47 EST

We could clothespin cards to the spokes like we did when we were kids.

zyxwvutsr: Re: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:35:27 EST

Another possible remedy would be to confine the blind to their homes, or let them be run over.

zyxwvutsr: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:34:26 EST

How far in the future? The details on the Volt are pretty thin, but I'd guess $40K is at least a $15k premium over a comparable conventional car, or 150,000 miles at current gas prices. The cost of gas would have to double before it would make sense to get

skeptic: silent but deadly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:25:40 EST

Some concern has been expressed that the quieter electric cars are dangerous because people (particularly the blind) won't hear them coming. A possible remedy would simply be to install some kind of noise-making device in the car. Perhaps a sma

skeptic: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:23:28 EST

Yes, the batteries are extremely expensive. They have to provide tremendously more power than a normal car battery does. If we ever figure out how to build batteries less expensively that provide the necessary amount of power, we're in business

joshv: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:22:29 EST

Well, I wasn't thinking $/mile, but Megajoule per mile, or more conventionally Miles per Megajoule. Future costs of gasoline and electricity might change your value equation very quickly.

zyxwvutsr: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:19:40 EST

6. Silent but deadly!

zyxwvutsr: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:18:43 EST

I'd say the solution is to give the consumer an efficiency rating for each, under identical driving scenarios

Assume for a moment that you never have to buy gasoline for the car and you get the (probably hopelessly optimistic

joshv: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:18:28 EST

"Electric cars won't really become popular until they can be sold for a price range comparable to that of gas-powered cars."

Or until gas prices become so high that the electrics quickly pay for themselves. I am curious though as to why this thing

skeptic: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:14:26 EST

What could motivate someone to buy such an expensive car when conventional, and much less expensive gas-powered cars will do essentially the same job? I can think of a few reasons.

Some people have lots of money and the

zyxwvutsr: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:10:37 EST

...leaving the Volt with not much to show over the Prius

The concept version of the Volt was 200lbs. heavier than the Prius. It remains to be seen how much of the new materials used in the concept make it into the actual prod

zyxwvutsr: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:09:55 EST

Top speed is only 100MPH, according to the news release.

joshv: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:07:18 EST

"This is leading to a major controversy between GM and the EPA as to what kind of fuel economy rating the Volt will receive. The way GM wants it to be calculated, the mileage would be somewhat in excess of 100 MPG."

Yeah, I guess this would be a problem

T Slothrop: Re: GM Unveils Electric "Chevrolet Volt"

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:26:12 EST

The car will be able to go about 40 miles on electricity alone; charging it will take an evening, and cost "less than purchasing a cup of your favorite coffee." If you go longer than that, you're covered by a small gasoline engine that