

EV hopes are weighed down by miserable sales














Comments     Threshold


Here we go again.
By bah12 on 3/7/2011 6:08:29 PM , Rating: 3

Um, not much of a mystery there scooby as you pointed out yourself.
One How can you not wrap your mind around what a HUGE deal that is. You can debate all you'd like the EV vs. Hybrid debacle, the fact is this car is 100% undeniably useless after 100 (ish) miles.

Hybrid and extended range EV's (read volt), are a niche market, the LEAF is a niche of a niche market. Only a bafoon would be baffled as to why this car is selling poorly. My father-in-law bought a golf cart with windows and mirrors (literally) that was street legal, mainly to get it almost free because of a tax loophole (see below). Arguably the LEAF is little more than that. Sure it has a farther range and fully enclosed body, but I don't care if it's range is 300 miles if the damn thing runs dead and you are stuck at a plug for 4 hours it is pretty darn limiting.

Just really wish you'd pull your proverbial head out and see that comparing the Volt to the LEAF is really an act of lunacy.

RE: Here we go again.
By ZachDontScare on 3/7/2011 6:16:55 PM , Rating: 2
I wonder if you can stick a small $200 backup generator in the trunk for emergency recharges.

RE: Here we go again.
By Spuke on 3/8/2011 12:14:31 AM , Rating: 2
Sure but it will more than likely cost more than $200. There is a good 4000W generator that costs ~$350 but it's not small at all. Small will cost you $800 minimum just for a generator (1000W). Battery chargers are cheap. You can get a 40 amp portable for $100 which will run on that generator (depends on the continuous watts rating of the generator). The main problem is that battery chargers are designed to charge lead acid batteries and will only give you their rated capacity for a relatively short period of time. So even though you have a 40 amp charger, you will more than likely get less than a house outlet over the course of a few hours and probably would take longer than the 4 hours a house charger would take to charge your battery.

RE: Here we go again.
By vol7ron on 3/7/2011 11:58:56 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah, but just look at the picture. That Volt is so much sexier than the LEAF. Looks alone, I know what I'd rather drive down the street.

