Chevrolet Volt/Cadillac ELR Thread: 2016 EPA Ratings

[YSSMAN]

I saw my first Leaf the other day. Conclusion: This isn't SoCal, and the market isn't ready for electric cars.

They're odd to see on the street. When I was down in San Diego, they were everywhere. And dead-silent. If you really weren't paying attention, you'd never know one was coming.

Thing is, I understand the appeal of the car. The interior is actually pretty decent, and it's comfortable. The price cuts should make that all seem quite a bit more reasonable. But, the Volt is a much better car. The ELR even moreso. As much as I love the Tesla Model S and Model X, they're priced entirely out of competition for most people.

I love to have a Tesla as well, but there isn't a dealer for hundreds of miles. The Volt or the ELR? They'll take it at any most Chevrolet, GMC/Buick, or Cadillac dealers. Can't complain there.

 

[YSSMAN]

In Other GM Electric News...

General Motors Co. is developing an electric car that can go 200 miles on a charge for around $30,000, officials at the largest U.S. auto maker said, offering a challenge to luxury electric-car startup Tesla Motors Inc.

Doug Parks, GM's vice president of global product programs, disclosed the effort on Monday at GM's battery laboratory and test facility in Warren, Mich., but didn't say when the car would be available. He said while the technology is available now, the cost of the batteries remains too high to be able to pull off the feat today.

So, we're 3-5 years away from a $30k electric sedan from GM. Roughly the same time Tesla expects to do the same. As I recall, that is the window for the Volt 2.0, which makes me wonder if GM will eventually offer a full-EV variant of the car.

Although I'd argue that the $20K mark for a B-segment sized vehicle would be spot-on for us urbanites, I realize its those suburban Mom's and Dad's that'll decide.

 

[RocZX]

the cost of the batteries remains too high

That is the reason they destroyed the EV1s, it's been more then 10 years and GM still have the same problems.


I won't believe them till they have the car in the showrooms for sale(not lease). I just wish they don't "lie" about the range of the car and how the drivetrain works as they did with the Volt.

 

[RocZX]

The price of the ELR...... Jalopnik

The ELR, when it hits dealers in January, will start at $75,995. Jeepers.

Cadillac seems to be hoping that the tech and style of the ELR will bring people in to the dealers since it is their techiest offering and, I guess, their only Tesla rival. And tax credits can possibly get the price down to $68,495.

The issue is that, at that price range, the person better really want a Cadillac. If they're in the electric vehicle market at that price range, then the Model S is what they want.

And even though this is an extended range electric vehicle, Cadillac says that it's an electric car.

This is why a hate the Volt/ELR cause GM says it's a electric car when it's not one.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

The styling will bring them in? I don't know about everybody else, but I think the ELR is pretty ugly. It looks like someone took a CTS coupe and made it FWD. They won't sell many at that price.

 

[YSSMAN]

Having seen the concept and a prototype up close, the ELR is breathtakingly beautiful inside and out. It's arguably the most-luxurious Cadillac that GM has done since Cadillac was truly the standard of the world, and I fully believe that this is what a lot of Volt buyers would go for if it had been offered in the first place. I'm placing some faith in the idea that GM did their homework and that there is a case to be made for the price, but, I think that it's largely because we're not in the target market for this car that we can't see it.

More or less, GM has been buzzing for a while about how often they're bothered for a luxury version of the Volt, and assuming that they were doing their research, I'd assume that the $75,000 mark (before incentives) is within the ballpark for the people this car was created for. Assuming that it is a zero-option car (ie, fully-loaded out the door), GM could make a case for it being better equipped than a comparative 60 kwh Model S. But, as I recall, that model was being dropped.

I go back and forth between seeing this as logical, and seeing it as downright insane. It largely boils down to the fact that it's so far out of my price range and really, beyond what I'd want, that it just doesn't make sense. But, I can think of some Volt owners, and more specifically people who shopped for a Tesla, that would go for something like this. Overall, GM still gets to say that they don't have to deal with the range anxiety that full EV models suffer from... No 30 minute stops at a Supercharger station... No battery swaps (if that ever becomes a reality)...

In the end, perhaps, GM has carved out it's own niche in a growing EV segment.

 

[Omnis]

80k ELR? Hilarious. I'll take me a Tesla.

 

[Pupik]

Ah, but if you're a long-distance driver, there's GM dealers with charging stations in many towns, large and small. Even if they never sell a a single Volt, they have to keep the station active to keep their franchise rights in line.

Tesla's funding their SuperCharger initiative, but there's still gaps along rural and semi-rural areas.

 

[RDF97]

This is why a hate the Volt/ELR cause GM says it's a electric car when it's not one.

It is. For 40 miles it is pure electric. It's just after that 40 miles when the charge runs out it switches to a petrol engine which is not used to drive the car but to send power to the batteries. But you have to admit GM are on the right track with this electric car business.

I can't wait for a Volt that can do 200 miles on a single charge. Speaking of which won't the Tesla Roadster do 200 miles on full charge(provided you drive heavy footed like Jeremy Clarkson)?

 

[homeforsummer]

The Tesla Roadster will do 75 ish on a full charge if you drive it like a nutter - if I remember correctly from when Autocar road tested it. About 130-150 is the norm and 200 if you really baby it.

Though if you drive a Ferrari flat out on a test track if be surprised if you get much more than some of those numbers either.

Ditto with the Model S. 260 is a fair estimate for the 85 kwh model. Not bad.

As for the Volt, an presumably ELR, 40 ish is realistic. Good for what it is and with useful backup. But I'm not sure the ELR is worth that much. It looks great and certain buyers will go for it, but most people interested in that kind of car would go for the Tesla, I'd wager.

 

[RocZX]

It is. For 40 miles it is pure electric. It's just after that 40 miles when the charge runs out it switches to a petrol engine which is not used to drive the car but to send power to the batteries.

Yes, but gas/petrol engine is running after the 40 miles it's not charging the batteries per say it's just sending enough juice to run the electric engine and that's why it's a hybrid.

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, we've got a new Volt:

All we know is how it looks. And, well, it looks... Okay. Kinda like a Civic, kinda like a Volt. I see it gets Ampera wheels this time. But, if the price comes down and the electric range is up, based on the last car, it should sell just fine.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Never thought they'd make it look generic.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Chevrolet Civic?

 

[SlipZtrEm]

That's one mysterious-looking Acura ILX.

I'm guessing the talk of dramatic, Vette-inspired styling will make more sense once they show off the back of it.

 

[Tornado]

Well now we know what Honda did with all of those unsold Insights.

 

[YSSMAN]

That's one mysterious-looking Acura ILX.

I'm guessing the talk of dramatic, Vette-inspired styling will make more sense once they show off the back of it.

I'm guessing it'll be much nicer than we're anticipating. If they are very similarly styled to the C7's, I get this weird feeling that it'll look pretty good.

But, then again, its yet another moment where everyone and their Mom complained about how the Volt looked too edgy, then Chevrolet backtracks, and now it looks too normal.

 

[Joey D]

GM has a car that they can easily tout as futuristic and advanced, yet they make it look like everything else on the road. Sure the average buyer of an electric car doesn't want it to be too out there, but a little touch of tomorrow-land couldn't hurt.

 

[Robin]

It's lost some of it's futuristic concept-y charm and that was the coolest thing about it. I guess it's to appeal to a broader audience, shame. Looks like your average mid range Ford or something. I hope they haven't messed up the rear too much.

 

[RocZX]

Chevy Bolt : The 200 mile range $30,000 Tesla fighter.
,

they're also cooking up a pure electric crossover aimed right at Tesla Motors for a fraction of the price — and it's called the Chevrolet Bolt.


Some details about the Bolt concept leaked out tonight ahead of the car's debut on Monday. The Wall Street Journal says the Bolt will have a 200-mile range, be sold in all 50 states, cost around $30,000, and will debut in 2017. From their dispatch:

The concept version of the electric car will be designed to look more like a so-called crossover vehicle, according to people familiar with the design. The Bolt is capable of driving four times further than a Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid on a single charge.

[...] By placing the Bolt in the high-volume Chevrolet line and giving it a name similar to the Volt, executives hope to polish Chevy's image as a full-line vehicle manufacturer prepared to meet demand regardless of prices at the pump, according to people familiar with the strategy. GM expects the Bolt to compete globally, including in markets such as China.

The all-electric Bolt will be positioned against Tesla, specifically their Model 3 entry-level luxury sedan, expected to be priced around $35,000.

But besides simply competing with a potent newcomer, as the Journal notes the Bolt represents an unusually big risk for the often-conservative GM.

Jalopnik

 

[catamount39]

Somehow the GM design team made the Volt worse...

 

[Tornado]

I bet the guy who came up with "Bolt" and the "EcoBeast" guy get together on weekends to pat themselves on the back for how clever they are, and do cocaine.

 

[Keef]

GM has a car that they can easily tout as futuristic and advanced, yet they make it look like everything else on the road. Sure the average buyer of an electric car doesn't want it to be too out there, but a little touch of tomorrow-land couldn't hurt.

But I have to assume they spoke to current Volt owners and they all said "make it boring" or something. I would want mine to look crazy awesome but most people who can afford a car such as this don't want their car to stand out.

 

[Legro]

GM expects the Bolt to compete globally, including in markets such as China.

As a Chevrolet or...? I think they're going to do some rebadging to make it competitive in some markets where Chevrolet isn't GM's main brand.

 

[Robin]

Daewoo?

GM with their Volt, Spark, Bolt as bad as Apple with their Lightning and Thunderbolt

Yeah we get there's electricity involved!

 

[homeforsummer]

GM with their Volt, Spark, Bolt as bad as Apple with their Lightning and Thunderbolt

Yeah we get there's electricity involved!

Three electricity-themed names, one of which didn't start out as an electric car anyway? How terrible!

 

[RocZX]

GM with their Volt, Spark, Bolt as bad as Apple with their Lightning and Thunderbolt

Yeah we get there's electricity involved!

You forgot Ampera, the Volt's attractive European cousin.

 

[Robin]

You forgot Ampera, the Volt's attractive European cousin.

Oh yeah! I fully expect the 'Watt' to show up eventually. It's like when companies started sticking 'i' infront of product names and 'e' at the ends.

 

[Legro]

It's like when companies started sticking 'i' infront of product names and 'e' at the ends.

But without those iPhone, would be just 'Phon'.

Yes, that was very bad joke.

 

[Robin]

But without those iPhone, would be just 'Phon'.

Yes, it's very bad joke.

Now that would be a smartphone name people would remember!