Quote from: Scooter Montgomery on December 15, 2011, 09:47:55 AM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volkswagen-Jetta-/350514992465?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item519c525551

here you go.

I love this quote in the ad:


"Very Little Needed for Safety"


120V IMO needs safety.  Wait until someone gets killed by electrocution on a DIY EV and the circus begins.

mitt

I finally got a chance to drive a Volt last week.  I also drove a Leaf and a Plug-In Prius.

The Volt and the Leaf both had very smooth acceleration (Volt was still in "electric" mode). 

The Volt is definitely lacking in space and the center stack was quite confusing.

The Leaf was much more spacious, but then there's that whole range issue.

I know most of you guys hate the Prius, but when you look at the upfront costs, and the cost per mile (whether it's in selectable electric mode or hybrid mode), it's the clear winner.

I just bought one of these for cheap.



I think the guy was running from the cops or something and needed to get rid of it fast.
Anyway I drove all the way home from out side of Reno and I have yet to put gas in it.

Quote from: zooom on December 15, 2011, 08:31:23 AM
I used to know a guy who bought 3 Yugo's so that he could have 1 running car and spare parts at the ready...he bought all 3 for $350 and had a running car for 4.5 years and over a 100K miles....finally said to hell with this, and rented a flatbed towtruck with rear towing hook-up and dragged all 3 to the junkyard in 1 fell swoop and they gave him $500 for the lot which he used as the downpayment for his next car while he drove his sisters car for a couple weeks while shopping...

Yugo Commercial from 1988

Quote from: Randimus Maximus on January 22, 2012, 10:11:02 PM
I finally got a chance to drive a Volt last week.  I also drove a Leaf and a Plug-In Prius.

The Volt and the Leaf both had very smooth acceleration (Volt was still in "electric" mode). 

The Volt is definitely lacking in space and the center stack was quite confusing.

The Leaf was much more spacious, but then there's that whole range issue.

I know most of you guys hate the Prius, but when you look at the upfront costs, and the cost per mile (whether it's in selectable electric mode or hybrid mode), it's the clear winner.

Until I can pull up to a station, fill up my car in 5 minutes, and have a range comparable to gas, people will not take these cars seriously in the US. They should be selling like hot cakes in Europe and those US cities where people rarely leave, like LA and NY.

There needs to be a way to swap out discharged batteries for fully charged batteries in a minute or two.  This is already done with propane gas tanks, and can be done with some electric forklifts.  We just need a battery standard agreed on by the major car companies (impossibility #1) and we could just visit battery stations instead of gas stations.  Battery charging stations could be located right next to sources of cheap power wind farms, dams, coal and nuke plants etc and  delivered to more convenient  locations by the truckload.  it would also be a good way to make sure batteries are regularly inspected for wear and tear and amortize (is that the word? I'm not an accountant) the cost of replacement batteries. 

Quote from: 77south on January 23, 2012, 12:20:55 PM
There needs to be a way to swap out discharged batteries for fully charged batteries in a minute or two.

תחנת ×"חלפת סולל×" ראשונ×" ×'צומת ×'יל"ו - Better Place Israel

Quote from: ducatiz on January 23, 2012, 12:23:42 PM
תחנת ×"חלפת סולל×" ראשונ×" ×'צומת ×'יל"ו - Better Place Israel

Damn Israelis thinking they're so slick! We'll show them! Instead of having a lift for the battery, we'll lift the car onto the battery! Ha! beat that! USA! USA!

I am guessing in 10 years, all these 2012 electric cars will seem like the discman.  A less than perfect transition from the walkman to the ipod. 

mitt

I guess even expensive gas isn't helping to move these things...

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/gm-shutting-down-chevy-volt-production-for-five-weeks/

I drove my A3 to a hotel in Napa that had the plugs for electric cars.  It was a busy weekend and I couldn't find a place to park, so I parked in the electric recharge spot and put the plug under my hood.  Probably confused the hell out of people. 

Personally, I believe hybrid cars are for sissies.  However, Consumer Reports rated the Camry Hybrid as the best family sedan.  Best or worst, it still looks like smashed ass. 

Quote from: mitt on January 23, 2012, 08:56:03 PM
I am guessing in 10 years, all these 2012 electric cars will seem like the discman.  A less than perfect transition from the walkman to the ipod. 

mitt

and they will take their rightful place nestled in between the 8 track cassette, LaserDisc and the Betamax players

Quote from: sugarcrook on March 02, 2012, 10:34:39 PM
I drove my A3 to a hotel in Napa that had the plugs for electric cars.  It was a busy weekend and I couldn't find a place to park, so I parked in the electric recharge spot and put the plug under my hood. 

Quote from: RAT900 on March 03, 2012, 12:54:37 AM
and they will take their rightful place nestled in between the 8 track cassette, LaserDisc and the Betamax players

+1

Also, ridiculous expense aside, the fact that they're all make the beast with two backsing ugly can't help sales of any of these cars.

Quote from: Speedbag on March 03, 2012, 04:20:24 AM
+1

Also, ridiculous expense aside, the fact that they're all make the beast with two backsing ugly can't help sales of any of these cars.

I wonder how much sales would improve for the Prius if someone in the design department spent more than five minutes on how the car looks?

As a tool the car functions well which is why sales are good.  But man is it ugly.