The awesome VOLT

As far as an alternative, I had a 1985 VW Jetta that got nearly 50 MPG, and never less than 45 mpg regardless of how I drove it. Then the EPA got involved. It's my understanding that most of the rest of the world still has access to high mileage diesels like my old jetta, but not here. I was intrigued with smart cars on a visit to Paris a few years ago. Had a drawn out conversation with a guy that owned one. Even after all the conversions between liters and US gallons, miles to kilometers the thing was getting over 60 mpg in city only driving. The EPA gets involved and the Smart Cars here get like 38 mpg combined. Let's get the EPA out of our drivetrains and enjoy the same mpg the rest of the world takes for granted.

I bought a 1976 chevy 3500 /1 ton pick-up back in the early 80's that was converted to propane and converted back to gasoline before I got it. It was owned by a propane co. so refueling was not an issue. I wonder what mileage a truck like that would get on propane or CNG.

Gasoline has 114,000 BTU's per gallon, and Propane has 91,600 BTU's per gallon, but much of the difference in fuel mileage would come down to combustion efficiency, and that may well favor propane.

lsayre wrote:Gasoline has 114,000 BTU's per gallon, and Propane has 91,600 BTU's per gallon, but much of the difference in fuel mileage would come down to combustion efficiency, and that may well favor propane.

With that truck only got 5 mpg. and being only 20 yrs. old, I couldn't afford gas and beer,so the truck was the first to go. Boy have priorities changed

Hold on guys! I own a VW Jetta TDI...that's turbo diesel...this car is not your mid 80's VW diesel! It doesn't smoke or smell, it has plenty of power..it has a 6 speed dsg, auto, sport mode, isnt load and can be shifted manually..no clutch..the torque is awesome! It will literally spin the tires....in mild weather, no waiting on glow plugs..in cold weather, the wait is about 1 second....typically, in mild weather, day to day driving on suburban roads I get 50 mpg. Any stretch of highway 20 miles or so doing 70 I get 60!

Holds 13 gal and I go 600 miles before I fill up..I round tripped to west Michigan once, 1650 miles going 85+ on only 3 tank fulls!

The car is still made and is now available in the passat and another model too ..

Natural gas vehicles get much worse mpg than gas...model to model

You answered your question for us stoker. You drive a German car, not a govment motors Volt. As for all the comments about the technology wont be developed unless we do this guys, Bull**It !If there was a way, it would be done IF there was a profit to be made. IF it could compete with gasoline. It can't YET, end of story, don't waste my money on the unions! Fine americans that they are. Making more then I am for not doing anything! Something like that "living wage" I keep hearing about.
Hey, my wife drives a German car also, gas Jetta, more bang for the buck. AND if I can, I will get a job at the new VW plant in Chattanooga when I make the final move. NON union mind you.

Kevin

stoker_RI wrote:Natural gas vehicles get much worse mpg than gas...model to model

Take a look at my previous posting on the CNG car developed decades ago.

Click on link: $5 gas by 2012 ?

An excellent example of a complete systems engineering design, not just a conversion of a gasoline engine. The entire report is posted in pdf format. This was done decades ago before all the electronics technology in autos came about. I suspect similar CNG fuel improvements would be possible.

Per Reuters, GM is losing $49,000 on every Volt it builds.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/ ... 4J20120910

lsayre wrote:Per Reuters, GM is losing $49,000 on every Volt it builds.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/ ... 4J20120910

That is to be expected when you bring a new product like that to market. It's a loss leader. All these other companies were losing lots of money on their electric cars, I think the Prius just started becoming profitable. Development cost a lot and they are betting on the future. I can give you a similar example from the military, you always here about these huge cost overruns for these advanced systems like the B2. The reason that plane cost so much more than what was projected is because they only built 20 of them. The original per unit cost was based on building more than one hundred of them. Development costs are now only spread over 20 aircraft.

GM ceased production of the Volt last week, it may be a dead duck at this point.

Its funny I have only seen 2 chevy volts and they were both being exhibited one was at the circleville pumpkin show the other was at a car show they were accompanied by GM reps.

Mr Mayor ... speaking of the Pirus, I was on my way home today on a local county road and got behid a Prius

BELCHING SMOKE

Did I ever have a good laugh!

OH I would have LOVED to have seen that!! I'd have shot vid of that!

The Volt is an awesome example of how well partnership of government and GM works.