Ever since my dad took our 1964 Dodge 880, a huge car with a big V8 engine, to a diagnostic center, I’ve wondered why the need for big engines.
You see, they put it on a dynamometer to do some tests. One of them was a measure of the horsepower at the wheels while maintaining 60 miles per hour. Forty-three horses were all it took to keep the car rolling along. All the extra power was for wind resistance, extra loads, towing a boat and getting up to speed in a hurry.
Soon to be introduced electric hybrids by GM (Volt) and just announce by Chrysler, work along this concept. An electric motor is much more efficient than a combustion motor to propel a car. But when the batteries die down, it doesn’t take too big of a gasoline-powered generator to keep the power coming back to the batteries and then to the motor.
Refueling your electric car by plugging it in at your garage will get you from here to there cheaper than the same amount of gasoline. If it is done in the evening only, this is when the big electric company generators are loafing along. Most businesses are closed and the load of cars recharging overnight will be welcomed and won’t require much, if any, addition of power generators.
So it goes without saying that I’m anxiously anticipating the introduction of the Chevrolet Volt. However, my spirits were largely deflated when I read that the possible price for one will be between $30,000 to $40,000 dollars. I had expected that it would be in line with the Toyota Prius.
From what I read of the Volt, it is probably similar in size to a Cobalt or Malibu, each not getting too bad of fuel economy with a gasoline engine and selling for $20,000 and less. No doubt GM has spent a bundle on developing the Volt technology and wants to recover that investment. How often do we hear that the price of something new will come down as more are sold?
It has been said that the Toyota Prius isn’t cost effective for many people. However it is priced such that most people can afford the novelty of one and fuel savings are just a bonus. In the case of the Volt, that extra $15,000 or so will buy a whole lot of gasoline even at $4.00 a gallon! Spend a lot of money to save a little?
GM had an all-electric car, the EV1, but it failed to catch on due to various reasons. Some say GM discontinued it for no good reason. Perhaps it was before its time. But vehicles such as the Volt are needed this very day. That they sell will depend on cost effectiveness. I can only see that happening if the government gives huge tax credits for purchasing such a vehicle. With the Wall Street mess we have these past few days, the timing for more government subsidies could not have come at a worse time. However, if it helps me and the Joneses next-door move into the next stage of transportation and keeps the American carmakers in business, it will be money better spent.
