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I speak only for myself but I think it's has to do with GM spending decades and billions of dollars to produce something a Tesla handily out performs. I'm awar

I speak only for myself but I think it's has to do with GM spending decades and billions of dollars to produce something a Tesla handily out performs. I'm aware that a Tesla Model S is twice the cost but nonetheless I consider the Model S to be lightyears ahead of the Volt, if for no other reason that it does 300+miles on electricity alone.

rayiner 10y ago
> I'm aware that a Tesla Model S is twice the cost but nonetheless I consider the Model S to be lightyears ahead of the Volt, if for no other reason that it does 300+miles on electricity alone. Which is a ridiculous way to look at it. Engineering is all about system optimization: maximizing a performance function while keeping a set of metrics within limits. Having a twice-as-large cost limit gives you an enormous advantage in optimizing the other metrics.
- Retric 10y ago
  How about this the Tesla Model 3 costs just as much as the volt and has a 215 mile electric range. Which one do you want? IMO, hybrid car with an ~80 mile range and a ~50 HP gas engine that only runs at a single RPM and charges the battery's would be a great option. Instead the volt is just a 1997 Prius with a slightly larger battery. Yay for stagnation. Note: Less than 40 HP can maintain ~85MPH on the highway. The battery can also kick in for a little extra acceleration, but you want some extra to recharge the battery ahead of time. Instead, they add a 'full' engine and a full transmission which costs extra and adds more weight.
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    Is projected to cost just as much and is projected to have a 215 mile electric range. If I'm supposed to use it tomorrow, the choice is really easy.
  - sremani 10y ago
    Absolute dumb comparisons, just because you made Tesla Model 3 Rez does not take any credit away from Volt. Show me a Prius with 200mpg, and I will show you at least 10000 Volts with 200 mpg or better.
- r00fus 10y ago
  Well, lets think of it this way - the Tesla maximizes electric range. There is no other production car that has as large an electric range. Combine it with the superchargers and other chargers, and you can go quite far without gasoline. For some people, getting rid of petroleum as fuel is the goal.
  - rayiner 10y ago
    Still a meaningless comparison without controlling for price. Could Tesla have released a car at the same price that had sufficient electric range to be viable in the market? It's highly unlikely that was possible at the time the Volt came out.
    - r00fus 10y ago
      Why does price have anything to do with engineering success? Tesla has a product and it's wildly popular and they sell it at the prices it commands. None of this diminishes the Volt (I'd prefer one over my Prius), it's just not an aspirational vehicle.
hvjackson 10y ago
I actually think the range is one of the least impressive things about the Tesla. They just spent a lot of money and put a really big battery in there. Yes the range makes it very practical but it's not particularly difficult.

rayiner 10y ago

> I'm aware that a Tesla Model S is twice the cost but nonetheless I consider the Model S to be lightyears ahead of the Volt, if for no other reason that it does 300+miles on electricity alone. Which is a ridiculous way to look at it. Engineering is all about system optimization: maximizing a performance function while keeping a set of metrics within limits. Having a twice-as-large cost limit gives you an enormous advantage in optimizing the other metrics.

Retric 10y ago
How about this the Tesla Model 3 costs just as much as the volt and has a 215 mile electric range. Which one do you want? IMO, hybrid car with an ~80 mile range and a ~50 HP gas engine that only runs at a single RPM and charges the battery's would be a great option. Instead the volt is just a 1997 Prius with a slightly larger battery. Yay for stagnation. Note: Less than 40 HP can maintain ~85MPH on the highway. The battery can also kick in for a little extra acceleration, but you want some extra to recharge the battery ahead of time. Instead, they add a 'full' engine and a full transmission which costs extra and adds more weight.
- maxerickson 10y ago
  Is projected to cost just as much and is projected to have a 215 mile electric range. If I'm supposed to use it tomorrow, the choice is really easy.
- sremani 10y ago
  Absolute dumb comparisons, just because you made Tesla Model 3 Rez does not take any credit away from Volt. Show me a Prius with 200mpg, and I will show you at least 10000 Volts with 200 mpg or better.
r00fus 10y ago
Well, lets think of it this way - the Tesla maximizes electric range. There is no other production car that has as large an electric range. Combine it with the superchargers and other chargers, and you can go quite far without gasoline. For some people, getting rid of petroleum as fuel is the goal.
- rayiner 10y ago
  Still a meaningless comparison without controlling for price. Could Tesla have released a car at the same price that had sufficient electric range to be viable in the market? It's highly unlikely that was possible at the time the Volt came out.
  - r00fus 10y ago
    Why does price have anything to do with engineering success? Tesla has a product and it's wildly popular and they sell it at the prices it commands. None of this diminishes the Volt (I'd prefer one over my Prius), it's just not an aspirational vehicle.

hvjackson 10y ago

I actually think the range is one of the least impressive things about the Tesla. They just spent a lot of money and put a really big battery in there. Yes the range makes it very practical but it's not particularly difficult.