> had 142 miles of range decades ago
It's intesting that they managed to get 2x the range of the first-gen "LEAF" without Lion technology
Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
31–40 of 59 posts
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have no idea what GM was thinking in regards to the design of the Bolt. “You know what Americans hate? Hatchbacks. So let’s go for that for our big re-entry into the EV market.”
I love my Bolt. Inexpensive, smooth, carries kids, has a roof rack.
Agreed, there's a lot to be said for it. I drive a Tesla Model 3 and my wife drives a Bolt, which means I get plenty of seat time in both. I wouldn't say the Tesla is definitively better. There are things I definitely prefer the Bolt for.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#33Reminds me of the "abandoned" Subaru(or actually Fuji) dealership in Malta: https://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/time-capsu... Only the car in question is much more unique.
Is there an interview with owner or something that explains more than it exists and hasn't been updated?
I tried to find any additional information, but apparently the owner is not interested in any media attention.
Worst part is I've been to Mosta - the city where the dealership is located, was aware of its existence then but when I saw it I didn't realise what I was looking at.
I remember thinking "what a weird country to have such old cars on display".
Anyway Malta is full of unusual vehicles - it's the only European country where I saw kei-cars on the streets.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh, Americans actually like vehicles that happen to have a large hatch in the back, but they do not like cars that are shaped like hatchbacks. The Model S is shaped like a sports sedan. It does not look like a hatchback.
It is however a hatchback. I dump my bike in the back as I have with every hatchback I've owned. You can even camp in the back. But if you prefer, you can call it a liftback.
I've been under the impression that hatchback versus lift back depends on the car's dimensions. A longer car with a shape closer to a conventional sedan would be a liftback and a shorter/boxier car with a shape closer to a traditional SUV would be a hatchback. But it is essentially the same.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is there an interview with owner or something that explains more than it exists and hasn't been updated?
I tried to find any additional information, but apparently the owner is not interested in any media attention. Worst part is I've been to Mosta - the city where the dealership is located, was aware of its existence then but when I saw it I didn't realise what I was looking at. I remember thinking "what a weird country to have such old cars on display". Anyway Malta is full of unusual vehicles - it's the only European…
We sold our classic 1959 Mercedes 220S cabriolet to a buyer in Malta. It seemed fishy to us at first (that someone would want to ship the car to Malta), but the buyer was totally legit, did everything exactly as he promised, and has sent us in-progress shots of the further restoration work he's done to it.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
GM was in the red for every Bolt sold, somewhere between selling each unit at a $4000 to $9000 loss[1]. And GM's CEO Mary Barra full on admitted to GM investors that GM EV's will likely not see profitability until between 2020 and 2030 [2], and AFAIK it's mostly due to focusing on Cadilliac branded EV's first. I don't know of much reason to spend high capital to create a production line, and then take a loss per unit…
> GM was in the red for every Bolt sold, somewhere between selling each unit at a $4000 to $9000 loss[1]. Tesla consistently has a larger loss per vehicle, and unlike GM there is no actual profit center to compensate if the government subsidies happen to dry up.
Tesla's been able to improve to the point where they are still profitable without emissions credit sales.
https://tesla-cdn.thron.com/delivery/public/document/tesla/3...
They could cut the $330 million in R&D costs too, but i don't think they should given their niche.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Companies that produce compliance vehicles do it only where they have to comply. Hence companies like Toyota that make EVs only when forced to by law. That does not describe GM. GM sells & markets the Bolt (and formerly the Volt) in all states and provinces of North America. Which is more than you can say for most manufacturers. It's really just a family of Tesla, GM, and Nissan, and of those two only GM and Tesla ha…
GM was in the red for every Bolt sold, somewhere between selling each unit at a $4000 to $9000 loss[1]. And GM's CEO Mary Barra full on admitted to GM investors that GM EV's will likely not see profitability until between 2020 and 2030 [2], and AFAIK it's mostly due to focusing on Cadilliac branded EV's first. I don't know of much reason to spend high capital to create a production line, and then take a loss per unit…
That's amazing concidering how crappy the bolt I test drove 6 months ago was. It was like they took their cheapest subcompact, threw some batteries and motors in it, and started charging $40k for a car that if it were gas would be maybe $20k at best.
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
I tried to find any additional information, but apparently the owner is not interested in any media attention. Worst part is I've been to Mosta - the city where the dealership is located, was aware of its existence then but when I saw it I didn't realise what I was looking at. I remember thinking "what a weird country to have such old cars on display". Anyway Malta is full of unusual vehicles - it's the only European…
We sold our classic 1959 Mercedes 220S cabriolet to a buyer in Malta. It seemed fishy to us at first (that someone would want to ship the car to Malta), but the buyer was totally legit, did everything exactly as he promised, and has sent us in-progress shots of the further restoration work he's done to it.
I learned to drive (among other adventures) in a ‘64 220S sedan, Mercedes Blue. I believe your Cabriolet must have also been one of these special “heckflossen” huh?
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
We sold our classic 1959 Mercedes 220S cabriolet to a buyer in Malta. It seemed fishy to us at first (that someone would want to ship the car to Malta), but the buyer was totally legit, did everything exactly as he promised, and has sent us in-progress shots of the further restoration work he's done to it.
I learned to drive (among other adventures) in a ‘64 220S sedan, Mercedes Blue. I believe your Cabriolet must have also been one of these special “heckflossen” huh?
Ours was a long body Ponton. Fintail/Heckflosse followed the Ponton series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_Ponton
http://www.mbzponton.org/pax058/people/sokoloff/sokoloff.htm
Somewhere, I have a video of us rolling the odometer over back to 00000.0 on a roadtrip back from a meet in Pennsylvania (true mileage unknown, but we believe that was the first odo rollover for the car).
Re: Pristine GM EV1 Preserved by University Caretaker
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Vs GM's current token, the Bolt, at $36,500 for 259 mile range, with an 8/100 warranty. It's a perfectly cromulent car at this point: including a couple features Tesla 3 doesn't have like hatchback and headlights that steer into curves. But despite Mary Barra saying they're all-in on electric, it's still a gesture at ~20k sold/year. It's partly on the channels: I had to argue with several dealers to get a test drive…
> But despite Mary Barra saying they're all-in on electric, it's still a gesture at ~20k sold/year. It's partly on the channels: I had to argue with several dealers to get a test drive because many are both threatened by the Bolt and ignorant of it. With good reason. EVs, thanks to their mechanical simplicity and resulting lower maintenance costs, present a major problem for traditional dealers who are reliant on mai…
I don’t buy dealership that dealerships don’t like EVs because they make less money on repairs.
A lot of the work dealers do is warranty work (paid my mfr). Warranty work is due to manufacturer defect and defects can happen with ICE vehicles or EVs. Just look at the build quality issues Tesla was having.
Maintenance and repair issues go far beyond the engine. Power train, electrical, doors, windows, brakes, lighting - all of which EVs still have. Yeah, it’s great when you don’t need an oil or filter change twice a year, but that’s about all the maintenance an ICE needs.