You raised a good point about the use of this kinds of cars in developing countries. The recharge time is actually less than 12 hours. Also the car is hybrid and you can still switch to gasoline when there is not enough electricity in the batteries.
But it is obvious that such cars are not for everyone.
"I think there is a lot of confusion here! I own a Volt and have driven it 10,000 miles. "
Very interesting analysis. You have been very convincing. However, I think that the price tag is still one of the factors that may delay the adoption of electric cars (especially the Chevy Volt) on a large scale. I would like to own a Chevy Volt for sure, but I still find the price a little high. But it is encouraging to hear that people like you are having a wonderful experience with electric cars. They are the future anyway.
I think there is a lot of confusion here! I own a Volt and have driven it 10,000 miles. Here are some basic points that may help:
1) It takes 10 hours to recharge the battery from zero to full on 120v and 4 hours on 240v a) The optional 240v charger costs an additional $495 b) If you decide to get it, it can be installed in your garage our near your driveway (it is essentially the same as installing an electric clothes dryer and draws less current than a dryer does)
2) Unlike any other electric car on the market, the Volt does not need to be charged to drive. It has a range extender so that it can drive anytime
3) Far from being a "show stopper" most people will be quite comfortable letting the car charge overnight and driving the first 40 miles of the day on all electric before the range extender kicks in (remember, 40 miles a day is 14,600 miles a year)
4) GM market data says that about 80% of people can do their daily commute on all electric but if you have to drive farther, the Volt has unlimited range just like any other car (as long as you keep gasoline in the tank) I have driven several 300+ mile trips with mine no issues.
5) If you are also able to plug in at work, you will have a full charge to drive all electric on the way home.
6) We find in the real world that (based on how we drive with a combination of daily commute and long trips that average around 15k miles a year) after 10,000 miles we are:
a) Driving 70% on electric 30% on gasoline b) Have a lifetime average of 125 mpg (not including the electricity) c) It costs us $1.20 to recharge the car from empty and go 40 miles on electricity - even on a fuel efficient 35mpg car like the Chevy Cruze that would cost around $4.00 so the electric fuel cost is very low d) When the car does switch over to gasoline we get about 38 mpg on gasoline only mode (called charge sustaining mode) e) On most weekend days we drive well over the 40 miles on all electric because we find that we tend to drive in the morning for errands, come home (car is always plugged in when it is in the garage), do some afternoon travel, then have some sort of an evening event. It is easy in normal living to find yourself driving 80 miles or more on a Saturday or a Sunday without using any gasoline.
I hope that is helpful to better understand the car. In 10,000 miles we have only used about 80 gallons of gasoline and we have needed to make no changes in lifestyle to use it.
Just to provide a cost comparison, if we had instead purchased a BMW 328i (which is - in our view - a very comparable car) and a comparably equipped Volt, the BMW would have cost about $3,000 more at purchase (after the tax credit) and would have consumed around 450 gallons of gasoline at a cost of around $1,650. By contrast, we have spent a total of about $550 in fuel. After five years I expect the Volt to cost about $11,000 less than the BMW.
If you prefer a less prestigious car as a comparison, had we bought a Ford Fusion hybrid instead of a Volt we would have spent an extra $2,500 on the Volt (after all the tax rebates). In the first 10,000 miles alone we would have consumed an additional 160 gallons of fuel driving the Fusion at a cost of around $600. Even after we count the cost of electricity we have used, our total fuel savings so far is $400. Based on fuel savings alone, the extra $2,500 is paid back in four years. But the car also has other cost savings. For example, the oil life is still 78%, so we really do not need oil changes except every 30,000 miles or so.
Of course one does not buy this car for cost savings. You buy it because you like the car and like the fact that you can drive - like we do - 70% of the time on pollution free electricity and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
@ Tirlapur It makes me wonder! 12 hours of full charge time? I don't think this is designed for developing countries yet. Perhaps there will be a different model with lesser hours of recharge period. Despite the battery technology limitations, I think there's a potential market for the Volt. I look forward to reading-the performance handling in Bolaji's next blog.
Bolaji, Is the Volt cost effective? If it's a hybrid, what is the level of it's fuel efficiency?
@tirlapur, the Volt is certainly not intended for use in the developing world. So I think your point about this car not really being too suitable for rural areas of India is a bit irrelevant!
Obviously, the first challenge is getting vehicles like these to gain widespread adoption in America and some of the larger European countries. Just that is going to take many, many years. And also of course cost is a factor as well; this technology isn't cheap.
Anyhow, as far as the 40 mile range goes... I really think this is fine. For a good percentage of commuters, I think you could go all-electric and then plug it in at night. Sure, longer trips would require gas, but I know that if I had a Volt when I lived in California... I would rarely need to fill it up.
No, the Volt is not a good fit for everyone... but for many, it has a lot of appeal.
Wow, we got a picture! Bolaji, does your car look like that -- all red with big writing on it? If it does, it should be quite easy to spot in a crowded parking lot. That is an advantage, though. You wouldn't make the mistake of taking someone else's car for yours.
one of the facts I am interested to know is that - does the car battery gets charged by the energy wasted in braking or while going down the hill. If such energy recovery happens while the car is running on gas it could save on some of the recharging time of the battery and also increase the efficiency of the hybrid system.
I was recently reading an article espousing the benefits of thorium as an alternate nuclear reator fuel. I assume the technology for this vehicle is basically a small reactor that produces electricity for the vehicle power system. That would be consistent with the small amount of material needed. Will have to check into the Laser Power System announcement.
I imagine there will be many opportunities for electronics suppliers in the automotive industry with cars like the Prius and Volt. Hybrid and electric only cars seem to be experiencing a resurgence these days and I expect electric cars are now here to stay. Large profit margin parts will be found in the HV drive train which is an area that only a few suppliers really know what they are doing.
I imagine there will be many opportunities for electronics suppliers in the automotive industry with cars like the Prius and Volt. Hybrid and electric only cars seem to be experiencing a resurgence these days and I expect electric cars are now here to stay. Large profit margin parts will be found in the HV drive train which is an area that only a few suppliers really know what they are doing.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
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Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
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Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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