The right-wing REALLY hates the Volt.

[toddwv]

Why? Well because even though it uses gasoline when the battery runs out of charge, it just doesn't use enough oil for their liking. In addition, they've been told by their media that the Volt is a bad thing, that an innovative product...an innovative AMERICAN product... should be derided.

I wonder if these people wake up in the morning and the first thing they think of is how they are going to hate America today while maintaining their Super Duper Ultra Patriotic facade.

So here's the article that prompted this mini-tirade:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41907272/

The article is ok, it creates a balance between criticism while pointing out the benefits. It's the comments that are truly telling as the right-wing has apparently freeped them with their "Government Motor's Volt Sucks!"

[sakabatou]

1. It's all about greed and the love of money.

If a product seems to "harm" Big Oil, they hate it.

[toddwv]

4. It's just really annoying to watch these people work.

We've had an entire decade of "right-wing economic policy" and it feels that we are moving towards 3rd world status as they attack education, science and technological innovation.

I just don't understand why that little light switch hasn't turned itself on for these regressives as they fight ANYTHING that might help break our economy out of its slumber.

[old mark]

2. K&R- They hate anything GM because their "bailout" worked...

the Volt is the icing on their cake...

I wish they were less expensive...


mark

[robcon]

3. I hate the Volt.also. The subsidy is stupid and wasteful.

n/t

[jacquelope]

10. $41K with a $7.5k rebate ain't gonna help either. n/t

.

[Judi Lynn]

5. "Government Motors?" Amazingly clumsy effort from the right. Downright primitive! Whooo! n/t

[GSLevel9]

6. It's a nice show-car. A great techno achievement.

Having said that... it's not economically feasible.

A Euro style 1 liter diesel for $12,000USD that gets 60mpg would make a bigger difference in the big picture.

Remember... using existing platforms means less start-up cost and pollution. Battery packs are a eco-disaster. And the cost/impact on electrical power generation is uncertain.

I know it sounds funny... but if Chevy were to take their European Opel Corsa cTDI that's already in production in Europe and just IMPORT it here for ONE YEAR...

The environmental impact would be greater than the entire lifespan of the Volt.

"Opel's upcoming 2011 Corsa ecoFlex model, powered by a 1.3-liter CDTI turbodiesel, boasts an impressive fuel economy rating of 53 miles per gallon (U.S.) and an equally noteworthy CO2 emissions of 98 grams per kilometer. Credit the 95-horsepower, 140-pound-foot engine; stop-start technology; and an optimized five-speed transmission with taller gearing for the ecoFLEX model's fuel-sipping status.

The Corsa ecoFLEX accelerates from 0-62 miles per hour in 12.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 110 mph. That won't exactly light the pavement on fire, but it's 28 percent more powerful and ten percent more fuel efficient than the model it replaces. Despite the ecoFLEX's impressive numbers, the VW Polo BlueMotion – a competing model in Europe – is slightly more fuel efficient; returning 59.4 mpg (U.S.) and emitting 87 g/km of CO2."

[Warpy]

9. The barrier to ultra efficient cars from Asia and Europe are our laws

setting safety and environmental standards, all of which add a lot of weight to the vehicles and affect performance drastically. Rather than load these cars down with a lot of extra stuff (some of which really can't be retrofitted), they just don't bother importing them, at all.

It's fairly easy to build a more fuel efficient car. It's just difficult to build one that the occupants can survive a 35 MPH offset crash in.

Note I didn't say it was impossible. They just need to rethink the construction of the structural steel.

[toddwv]

14. Neither was the Hummer

Or most light-body trucks.

Haven't heard any complaints from the right about those, however.

[MH1]

7. I hate the fact that it's not available in my market yet, and my old car is about done.

I think I'd be happy to own one. I may have to get a Prius instead.

[toddwv]

15. It should be available in all markets sometime this year.

That could change with the events in Japan, however. I remember reading that some parts come from Japanese factories.

[Historic NY]

8. Its also apparent the author is completely clueless on the vehicles operation...

he does a poor job, fails to even mention that gas engine extends the total range of the Volt to almost 400 miles. That is well beyond that of the Leaf and it also charges the battries. Is this guy even a car reviewer?

[RBInMaine]

11. The right wing can go fuck themselves. If it's not what's best for their big oil masters, it's just

plain not good. They can drink piss out of their own shoes.

[TheCanadianLiberal]

12. The Volt makes no sense, it's that simple.

At 41K the average person can't afford it. It's under powered and very small for that price range of car. Why would I buy a Volt when I could get a Prius that does more or less the same thing?

Hell, why should I bother with hybrid/electric stuff anyway when my Diesel VW Jetta gets 46MPG average which is very comparable with the Prius?

The Volt is a nice idea, but the price is what will prevent it from catching on and what will be it's ultimate downfall.

Me? Well I'll stick to my almost as good as a Prius Diesel VW's.

[whistler162]

13. Yup said that in the early 80's about them there new

fangled things called personal computers at 4,000+ USD each.

Well we know what a total failure those where and how the prices stayed up!

[TheCanadianLiberal]

17. So are you going to buy a car the can be out performed by...

People who build electric cars in their backyards? A Geo Metro converted can get close to 70 miles on pure electric, quite a bit more if I small generator is installed to keep the car going after they drain.

[Motown_Johnny]

16. It is just the first of it's kind. The first commercial microwave oven weighed 750 lbs.

There is a tax break that you are not taking into account with that 41K number.

Have you even been in a Volt? It is nothing like a Prius. They are nowhere near being the same car.

The Volt is a nice mid sized car while the Prius is a compact.


The Volt is the first of it's kind. Feel free to compare it to other technological breakthroughs like the first computers or the first microwave ovens.



http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/history.html

^snip^

Nearly 6 Feet Tall, Weighing 750 Pounds

Engineers went to work on Spencer's hot new idea, developing and refining it for practical use. By late 1946, the Raytheon Company had filed a patent proposing that microwaves be used to cook food. An oven that heated food using microwave energy was then placed in a Boston restaurant for testing. At last, in 1947, the first commercial microwave oven hit the market. These primitive units where gigantic and enormously expensive, standing 5 1/2 feet tall, weighing over 750 pounds, and costing about $5000 each. The magnetron tube had to be water-cooled, so plumbing installations were also required.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIVAC_I

^snip^

The UNIVAC I (UNIVersal Automatic Computer I) was the first commercial computer produced in the United States.

UNIVAC I used 5,200 vacuum tubes,<4> weighed 29,000 pounds (13 metric tons), consumed 125 kW, and could perform about 1,905 operations per second running on a 2.25 MHz clock. The Central Complex alone (i.e. the processor and memory unit) was 4.3 m by 2.4 m by 2.6 m high. The complete system occupied more than 35.5 m² of floor space.





The Volt is the first step, not the last.

[TheCanadianLiberal]

18. And the general people bought neither of those...

As will be the same with the Volt. It's a nice idea but I give it 5 years on market tops. Remember the EV-1? It was more breakthrough then the volt and where are they now?

[deaniac21]

19. It's because it is so inexpensive.

[david13]

20. Well, as it stands, there are more than just the right wing that don't like

the Volt.
But do like the Prius.
You see, General Motors has a bad reputation. A very very bad reputation. On quality, on product support, and on a whole hell of a holy lot of other things too.
Like environmental responsibility.
So it's possibly not appropriate to assume that anyone who doesn't like the Volt is a right winger. They may be an extreme, and conscientious environmentalist.
With a practical knowledge of autos.
dc