My 2013 Chevy Volt in the Mojave Desert over the California Aqueduct. (Credit: Brooke Crothers)
My 2013 Chevy Volt is the best car I've every owned so why do I need a Model 3?
I'll answer that question: the Model 3 is a force of nature with the connectivity, brains, EV-only range, and charging infrastructure that my Chevy can't offer.
But that doesn't change the fact that the original Volt was a stroke of GM genius (hat tip to former GM executive Bob Lutz*) and the fact that it was an early EV pioneer (released December 2010). And the fact that it's still a relevant, highly-practical EV.
(And to anyone who still drives a first-gen Volt: you're driving a classic that rivals any Tesla in EV pedigree. Think: GM EV-1.)
The Plug-in Hybrid: still relevant as an alternative
For those who don't obsess over the Tesla Model 3, don't have $50,000 to burn, and want a lower-cost, practical EV, there's the Volt. (Aggressive GM lease deals make it, financially, easily within the reach of most car buyers.)
And the plug-in hybrid is a still a good idea. Drive locally (which most people do) and the Volt is a pure EV (with battery-only range rated at 53 miles on the 2nd gen Volt). Take a long trip, and the range-extending gas engine kicks in, which gets you another 300-350 miles.
That eliminates the need to track down charging stations on a long trip while allowing you to return to EV-only mode once you've reached your destination (note: quicker 240V charging is coming to 2019 Volt models). To me, that's still an eminently practical solution -- especially when there are large swathes of California that have no charging stations.
2nd gen Chevrolet Volt.
Even with the Model 3, range anxiety can become a problem if you opt for a model that doesn't break the bank, i.e., the one advertised by Tesla for $35,000. That no-frills Model 3 gives you 220 miles.
That may seem like a lot until you drive in parts of the country with only a few pumps spread out over of a vast area. I also have a Chevy Bolt in my garage (240 mile range) and have taken it on long trips into the California desert. No, 240 miles (rated range) doesn't always cut it: drive for a couple of hours into the desert toward places like Death Valley and it doesn't take long for the anxiety to kick in.
And it's not only the anxiety of not finding a plug. Even if you do find a 120V plug, then you're going to have sit there overnight (or maybe two nights) until it fully recharges.
Why the tepid reception? GM must take some of the blame
Whenever I can, I ask people around me (and people I meet) if they would buy an EV. And I'm still surprised (very) at how little the average car buyer knows (or cares) about EVs. In short, an EV to most people is an exotic car. So exotic that they never give it a second thought. And try to explain the difference between a hybrid (Prius), a plug-in hybrid (Volt), and a pure EV (Tesla) and you can see their eyes glaze over.
Tesla, by the sheer force of its brand name and Elon Musk's fame, is slowly but surely overcoming this and getting through to the average car buyer. But GM was never able to achieve this.
I blame GM to some extent. In eight years -- since the Volt went on sale in December of 2010 -- I've never seen a national GM TV advertising campaign that features the Volt (or the Bolt EV for that matter). And only a fraction of Chevy dealerships -- even in 2018 -- around the country sell more than a couple Volts a month (if that).
What a shame. Such a well-conceived car, with very high owner satisfaction (Consumer Reports), and eminently practical, to boot. Case in point about practicality: My father bought a used 2015 Chevy Volt in February of 2017. He bought the Volt because he didn't want to worry about a charging infrastructure (or lack thereof) if he took a long trip. So, the security of having a backup gas engine was very important to him. But over the long haul -- after a year and a half -- the real beauty of the car (for him) is that it's become, in essence, a pure EV. No more gas stations. No more engine maintenance. The problem is, it took owning the car for him to appreciate what a great EV it is. **
Again, it's a shame that GM never capitalized on, what I believe, is a huge latent demand for a plug-in hybrid. Yes, the plug-in hybrid will survive in the form of the Volt, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Prius Prime etc. but, at this juncture, it looks like the EV future belongs to Tesla.
----
*Bob Lutz's role in the birth of the EV market is well documented in the movie "Revenge of the Electric Car.")
**He never did take that long trip. And has only filled the tank once. Yes, once in a year and a half.
Model 3 in Century City, Los Angeles showroom, April 2018.
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "EV Pioneer Chevy Volt Vs. Tesla Model 3: Plug-In Hybrid Is Still A Great Idea"
Post a Comment