[Bad Rat]

Originally Posted by 123pugsy

Sorry, you're way out to lunch here.

Humans will grow a huge suction cup on there backside so they can glue them selves to mummys basement indefinitely.

we must be at the same lunch counter then

[406 bug]

Originally Posted by 1971BB427

They announced on the news this morning that they're suspending production of the Volt and laying off 1300 employees on the Volt line. They sold 7,700 of them last year, and expected to sell 10,000, so they have a reserve of 2300 and need to sell them before building any more.

Good example of the Free Market correcting poor decisions of Feds/GM.

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by 406 bug

Good example of the Free Market correcting poor decisions of Feds/GM.

That is just about what its going to boil down to. Whether its a good idea or not is not really the question. The public is going to buy what it likes and there is no changing that. Same can be said about the "Buy American" dilemma .

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by 406 bug

Good example of the Free Market correcting poor decisions of Feds/GM.

Yep. You nailed it here.

[topwrench]

Anyway I dont know much about the future evolution of our species but here is some pics of my solar system.Sorry my garage is messy right now and I couldnt get the Camaro out of the way

[lt1silverhawk]

Originally Posted by topwrench

Sorry my garage is messy right now and I couldnt get the Camaro out of the way

I know the feeling

[1ownerT]

Originally Posted by poncho62

That is just about what its going to boil down to. Whether its a good idea or not is not really the question. The public is going to buy what it likes and there is no changing that. Same can be said about the "Buy American" dilemma .

I don't think the majority will ever wake up and realize they are doing.

[topwrench]

well I see the Volt died today
I never thought many would be bought.
I just thought the price was too high
The storsge of power not right
Further complications by having to plug it in
And of course all the reported safety issues
All in all id rather drive a Corvair than a Volt!

[1971BB427]

Originally Posted by topwrench

well I see the Volt died today
I never thought many would be bought.
I just thought the price was too high
The storsge of power not right
Further complications by having to plug it in
And of course all the reported safety issues
All in all id rather drive a Corvair than a Volt!

Where did this come from? I saw the news said production is "TEMPORARILY" halted, so orders can catch up to production, which is way ahead of sales. Never saw anything about stopping production permanently. They estimated that it will resume in 2-3 months.

[deckofficer]

I think when gas hits $6 a gallon, sales will pick up. Sales for Feb have picked up on the Leaf.

Nice gulf front (Predido Bay) digs topwrench..........


And 2700 miles away is my place.............


My vacation residence, don't look too close, you might see naked people.

[topwrench]

Originally Posted by 1971BB427

Where did this come from? I saw the news said production is "TEMPORARILY" halted, so orders can catch up to production, which is way ahead of sales. Never saw anything about stopping production permanently. They estimated that it will resume in 2-3 months.

Well I misunderstood it then.
I didnt watch the news,someone told me this,yet ive never heard of shutting down production to let orders catch up to production.
Usually they just send them to dealers and make it their problem.
I think the car is a bit pricey and that may be part of the problem
I just wish I had more time to mow the lawn!
That Camaro has taken up all my spare time,an now Im totally slammed with work!
I didnt know pics from Google earth could be imported..Cool
Al

[wretched ratchet]

Maybe they should put the Volt in Obammy's "Cash for Clunkers Program" and, at least, get some of their money back????

[robin58]

I think when gas hits $6 a gallon, sales will pick up. Sales for Feb have picked up on the Leaf.

Not necessarily. You'll still be dealing with the mentality that people want SUV's for "safety" reasons. And people's attitude still remains that if they can afford it, they'll deal with it.

A few pages back you also made mention of the higher number of vehicles in Europe that are diesels. To understand the success of diesels in Europe one first has to acknowledge that the cost per litre of petrol and diesel is far closer than the very wide distance between our per gallon cost here. Also, many of the smaller cars offer some pretty impressive little motors with some giant torque figures (e.g. Citroen C3's 1.6L HDi's). Most of the engine options available on the smaller vehicles in Europe provide similar sized gasoline and diesel options with very similar power. The immediate advantage to them is the far superior mileage they're getting with the diesel. A 15% increase in fuel economy is an immediate profit in their wallets. Here a 15% improvement puts you at about a break even because of our higher diesel cost compared with gasoline.

IMHO, the future in electric vehicles will be ones where the diesel/traditional powerplant act as a generator for charging the batteries and the vehicle permanently runs on the electric motor with the fossil fuel powered generator only turning on as needed.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by robin58

Not necessarily. You'll still be dealing with the mentality that people want SUV's for "safety" reasons. And people's attitude still remains that if they can afford it, they'll deal with it.

A few pages back you also made mention of the higher number of vehicles in Europe that are diesels. To understand the success of diesels in Europe one first has to acknowledge that the cost per litre of petrol and diesel is far closer than the very wide distance between our per gallon cost here. Also, many of the smaller cars offer some pretty impressive little motors with some giant torque figures (e.g. Citroen C3's 1.6L HDi's). Most of the engine options available on the smaller vehicles in Europe provide similar sized gasoline and diesel options with very similar power. The immediate advantage to them is the far superior mileage they're getting with the diesel. A 15% increase in fuel economy is an immediate profit in their wallets. Here a 15% improvement puts you at about a break even because of our higher diesel cost compared with gasoline.

IMHO, the future in electric vehicles will be ones where the diesel/traditional powerplant act as a generator for charging the batteries and the vehicle permanently runs on the electric motor with the fossil fuel powered generator only turning on as needed.

Correct on every point. I used a Seat (pronouced like Fiat but with an S) for a month in Spain, amazing and peppy diesel. The diesel, used as a range extender (gen-set) for an electric would be run at constant load/rpm, where it is very efficient. Also by using a diesel, you can use green, renewable fuels. The only thing I question is the 15%, it is around 33% more efficient for the same work done.

[rsfyj]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I know Shine, you are right of course we aren't. And how many would it take to make an impact, who knows. But if we said "screw it" about cutting down trees we would have no national parks, if we said "screw it" about equal rights, we would have none, we have to start somewhere. You never getting one, you and may, I may never have one, that isn't going to back a big difference in the end. But I am encouraged seeing others able to and the thoughts on solar, there are a lot of ways where putting them in is free, the payment is literally less than you electric bill was. So there is this big gray area right now, I agree with you it is a LONG road ahead, what it evolves into, who knows? Who would have thought that we would be getting as many miles out of a gallon of gas with as few emissions as some 2012 cars get! Who would have thought it was possible 50 years ago?

It's an evolution, one day we won't have hair on our heads or finger nails either, but not in yours or my life time.

Brian

>> got 23 mpg with a 1953 Lincoln v/8 way back in the 50's. I remember him calculating every time he got gas. I think we should be a lot farther ahead than we are now