Those wacky media folks are at it again

[MikeP]

A large car fire per their "headline." It's neither a large car or a large fire. Oh well
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17319054

[Canuck Dennis]

BBC is just like CNN..same outlook and similar political slant, but BBC is publicly supported by TV licensing in the UK, so you pay for your license to watch TV and still get commercials on top of that...I think the fee is close to 200.00 per year.

[Maynard Rupp]

We own a Chevy Volt. It is, by far, the best car we have ever owned, (sorry Sky). The media is constantly trying to destroy this car. The stuff the say is totally untrue. A government agency called NHTSA crushed one side of a Volt, rolled it over 3 times, then stored it outside and upside down for three weeks. Leeaking anti freeze finally shorted a few battery cells and started a small fire that was quickly put out. The media made it sound like every Volt owner was in danger of being consumed by fire. The truth is that noone has ever had a problem. Maybe the body shop owner should worry if he drags a crashed Volt to his shop and leaves it wit the battery connected for three weeks. Why would anyone do that? The range and cost figures that are published are also way off. You would think they would ask the owners for info. They don't.

[Canuck Dennis]

I have not seen the media take a negative view of the volt, rather the opposite ??

[SeaEric]

Perhaps the headline: "Lawn mower catches fire" wouldn't make you click on the link?

A large car fire per their "headline." It's neither a large car or a large fire. Oh well
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17319054

[kelpy]

The probelm is not the media having a negative view of the Volt, it is the consumer having a negative view of the car. No one wanted one long before the battery fire problem and no one wants one now. Not one badged as a Chevy and going for 40K+. Well, almost no one.
GM shut production down for 5 weeks to try to lower inventory. Good luck with that.

[jim rosenthal]

Maynard, how far does it go on just the battery? Just curious. I am not in the market for one, but I am interested in how far the technology has moved, and you know quite a bit about cars.

[Maynard Rupp]

Well Jim...It depends on air temperature and whether you use high heat or high AC. The simple answer is 38 miles in mid winter and 47 on a normal summerish day. The car drives and accelerates more like a sports car. (Remember I used to drive fuel dragsters).When you have depleated the battery to 20% charge the genset comes on to provide enough current to drive the car and maintain, (but not re-charge), the battery. We drove from Detroit to Miami and back and averaged 43 mpg when the generator engine was running. It is hard to say bad things about any car that accelerates very well, handles like a sports car, and gets 44mpg. Forget the battery miles. The battery is all we need for 90% of our daily use during the year. It costs me $15 to $17 per month for the elctricity that is used by the car. It is on a seperate time of use meter. We charge at night. It is a great car, try one. The other over worked thing is the cost. I wrote a check for $37,300. I bought the car for MRSP and our Michigan sales tax is 6%. The $7,500 rebate was subtracted up front. So that 37,300 was my actual delivered cost.

[MikeP]

A former top fuel guy drives an electric car...

What's next, motorcycles with electric start?

[SKYCHENEY]

Part of the problem is that many will NEVER buy a GM product again. The government bail-out just rubbed them the wrong way. And this Volt is now the flagship of the company.