GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
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Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#2To fully electric.
As the article says, both companies produced these as regulatory compliance vehicles. Now they're shifted that effort over to electric because the incentives are better for them.
The only companies trying to make hybrids for real are Toyota and Honda. Everyone else is just pumping out low effort compliance vehicles. It is hardly surprising that these vehicles haven't been hugely successful.
I'd love to buy an electric vehicle. Unfortunately prices remain impractical ($30K+ for a sedan) and the federal tax incentive is both expiring and regressive (the richer you are the more you'll get back up to $7.2K, after the new standard deduction ($25K) I'd need to earn near $90K with two dependants to get the full amount).
They're great for those living in California or similar. Our state offers no incentives and actually stabbed people who installed solar in the back (decreased the buy-back amount to almost nothing).
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#3> Later, [GM] found some success with the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid that runs on electric power but also has a backup gas engine. The car was too expensive, though...
As a happy Volt owner (I've yet to met one who didn't love theirs), I can't help but wonder if "expensive" is code for "lost service revenue because the thing is too dang low maintenance and reliable". ;)
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#4To fully electric. As the article says, both companies produced these as regulatory compliance vehicles. Now they're shifted that effort over to electric because the incentives are better for them. The only companies trying to make hybrids for real are Toyota and Honda. Everyone else is just pumping out low effort compliance vehicles. It is hardly surprising that these vehicles haven't been hugely successful. I'd lov…
Where are you located? The Chevy Bolt is being offered with pretty good incentives. Between those prices, gas savings, etc. Getting a Bolt might make sense.
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#5> Later, [GM] found some success with the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid that runs on electric power but also has a backup gas engine. The car was too expensive, though... As a happy Volt owner (I've yet to met one who didn't love theirs), I can't help but wonder if "expensive" is code for "lost service revenue because the thing is too dang low maintenance and reliable". ;)
My 2013 Volt is 107K (85K EV miles) strong. Almost ZERO maintenance costs.
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#6As a 2017 Volt owner, this makes me sad. If they so choose, there could be a huge market for plug-in hybrids, where you get all the benefit of EV for local transit but you still have the fuel backup for long range trips. The infrastructure for a fully EV fleet just isn't there yet to assuage range anxiety, though they are working hard on it. Plug-in Hybrids are the perfect stepping stone to help a society learn how to move into a more electric-only future.
At the same time it is good to see more companies jumping into full EV designs, so the future is, IMO, bright, but it may be harder to sell this in the short term.
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#7I read recently that Honda has stopped all Clarity sales except for CA, especially since the Volt is no longer available. That is a shame because it is a really nice car and fills in the gap between pure EV and a hybrid. 40 miles on full electric, but a gas engine run at peak efficiency for long trips.
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#8As a 2017 Volt owner, this makes me sad. If they so choose, there could be a huge market for plug-in hybrids, where you get all the benefit of EV for local transit but you still have the fuel backup for long range trips. The infrastructure for a fully EV fleet just isn't there yet to assuage range anxiety, though they are working hard on it. Plug-in Hybrids are the perfect stepping stone to help a society learn how t…
All my fellow Volt owners who have gone Tesla don't have any range anxiety issues. People that went Bolt have SOME but mostly they are happy with their path too.
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#9To fully electric. As the article says, both companies produced these as regulatory compliance vehicles. Now they're shifted that effort over to electric because the incentives are better for them. The only companies trying to make hybrids for real are Toyota and Honda. Everyone else is just pumping out low effort compliance vehicles. It is hardly surprising that these vehicles haven't been hugely successful. I'd lov…
Not sure what your mileage needs are, but I recently picked up an off lease 2016 eGolf with 33k miles for $12,500 from the VW dealer as my commuter. Gets about 80 miles to a charge in town/city driving, more than enough for my daily commute. Wife drives the long range ICE family vehicle. Some day I hope to be able to affordably replace that as well!
Re: GM, Volkswagen Say Goodbye to Hybrid Vehicles
#10To fully electric. As the article says, both companies produced these as regulatory compliance vehicles. Now they're shifted that effort over to electric because the incentives are better for them. The only companies trying to make hybrids for real are Toyota and Honda. Everyone else is just pumping out low effort compliance vehicles. It is hardly surprising that these vehicles haven't been hugely successful. I'd lov…
Where are you located? The Chevy Bolt is being offered with pretty good incentives. Between those prices, gas savings, etc. Getting a Bolt might make sense.
It starts at $36,620 and has up to $3,750[0] in federal tax credits. Making it a $30K+ Subcompact non-luxury vehicle. It doesn't make sense.