My dear Mr. Niedermeyer, could you PLEASE re-do your calculations with gas prices (correctly) priced at $15 per gallon? Then, and ONLY THEN, tell me what the “break-in” timeframe of the Volt REALLY is.

I am always amused when so-called “automotive experts” – who really should know better – talk about the “payback” of the “hybrid premium”. Remember some of them saying the Prius “premium” would never pay for itself – you can still see some of these news articles, dated circa 2003 or so, when gas above $2 was “shocking”. OIL JUST WENT ABOVE $142 TODAY.

$15 is what the AVERAGE price will be for a VOLT owner, averaged over 5 years of ownership, from 2011-2016. (I’m saying gas will average $15/gallon over that period, not necessarily right at 2011).
I am willing to take bets with ANYONE on this. Before you do, please google “Peak Oil.” Then you will know the “Truth about Oil.”

The people who buy the Volt (or other plug-in with substantial EV range) will be making a very smart investment at the best (worst?) possible time, and will save $……. the rest of the ppl are screwed big time

Thus EV’s and REEV’s could look a lot more enticing by 2011 from a cost perspective and fuel availability perspective. I have a lot more confidence that there will always be kWh available when I need it versus gasoline. I believe the ability to go farther on pure EV will be much more valuable come 2011 (and beyond) than currently anticipated.

In past instances, claims like this were invariably debunked as it turned out the 35mpg friend was either a myth or somebody who liked to drive 85 mph on the highway. More FUD.

So I looked it up but the math isn’t 1+1.

The Prius has 67 + 76 = 110 hp and you want 160.

So you want half again more hp?

I grow even more secure in my belief that you’re simply lying.

http://www.epinions.com/content_350201286276

“But the thing that impressed me in looking for a gas sipper was that the Prius has much more low end power than the 4 cylinder Camry, Corolla or Toyota Matrix. The electric motor “assists” during acceleration or while under load, and I am able to drive up the steep Conejo Grade in Camarillo without slowing down. I routinely take it at 75 MPH. When merging onto the freeway, where a burst of speed is sometimes necessary to avoid being squashed like a bug, the Prius responds well. In my test drives of the Camry 4 cylinder, it seemed to lag slightly, and the Corolla and (nearly twin) Matrix seemed much slower. And the Prius, with its CVT “transmission”, doesn’t have the annoying down-shifting as it goes up a hill.”

It does 0-60 in about 10 seconds; a second faster than the Jetta Diesel all you FUDders love to extol.

You have woefully low standards, I got stuck with one of these things for a week as a loaner and I would compare it to my Rav4, if my Rav4 had to pull a VW bus full of hippies everywhere it went.

I will argue that it won’t. I say a Prius is faster than a mid-90s Civic, and a mid-90s Civic definitely will NOT be averaging mid 40 mpg numbers in mixed city and highway driving. There is also the fact that the Prius is far more refined, safe, comfortable, and featured packed than a mid 90’s Civic.

Nothing says Accord killer like 12+ seconds to 60 and slipping off the road on the way to the skid pad test.

If that’s one of your major (or even minor) metrics for a family midsize, you’re not even remotely the target market being discussed here for the Prius OR the Volt – and maybe not even for the Accord.

I just don’t see the Volt as a competitor to the Prius or the new upcoming midsize/compact Honda hybrid. A more practical 4-door compact or mid-size sedan seems like the more appropriate target for a high mileage hybrid or electric/hybrid type of vehicle.

To use the same argument that the Volt is facing: a similarly equipped family sedan, the Honda Civic

My FUD alert just went off. Son, the Civic is a compact car on the inside – like the Corolla. How many times have you been told now that the Prius is midsized on the interior – and would thus be compared to the Accord?

OTOH, the Volt is not “stealing a march” or “leapfrogging” the Prius. You can bet they’re watching the Volt like hawks. If there are any signs that the Volt might be a mainstream hit, the Toyota leadership only needs to flip the switch to have 100k Prius 4-door sport and 2-door coupes/convertibles ready to compete with the Chevy Volt.

Toyota already has the hybrid manufacturing volume. They already have dealerships and service centers trained to work with hybrids. They already have developed the software to manage larger plug-in battery packs. They’re working on the batteries, just like GM. They’re working on a whole line of Prius vehicles.

Toyota has a decade of experience managing hybrid systems. This is the type of engineering detail they’re working on. That’s right – they designed the battery pack, from the outset, to facilitate easier battery reconditioning and refurbishment.

Toyota is sitting on it’s hands because it thinks there is no market for the Volt. Even if true, GM should build the car anyway. They need a high-profile green-halo car. I think both manufactures are making the right decisions.

Compare the Prius interior dimensions to the mid size pack. It’s solidly in that range (nearly identical to the 08 Bu in CRs measurements).
The luggage area is on the large size.
Price vs. 4 cyl base competition? Plus 1-3k.
That beats your range by 1-2k already.

Even better, the buyers extra cost is usually spread over 3-5 years and save 20+ gals a month (15k/yr ave, 45mpg vs 25 mpg). Most will save money from DAY ONE.
Gee, wonder why they sell so many?

Looks like one of them got the job done.

jolo-great reply to a seriously delusional statement.

Bunter