michael
Well-known member
Based on my great enthusiasm for my electric car, my friend looked into one. I tried to steer him to a FFE, but he couldn't deal with the possibility of needing to go beyond electric range...despite the fact that he would still own two regular cars.
I told him that the Volt forums were consumed with discussion of how little gasoline had been consumed, leading one to wonder why all these people didn't just buy a pure electric. Nonetheless, he went with the Volt. He paid almost exactly the same as he would have for an FFE fully optioned.
I've tried out his Volt, and it is a good car. Drives well and is well appointed. I do feel that the interior of the FFE is nicer, has features like power seats, etc that are lacking in the Volt (for the same money, they included a gas engine, something had to go I guess). All in all it's a pretty nice car, makes a sensible replacement for a long-range ICE vehicle and I may well get one when the lease on my wife's ICE runs out.
But the interesting point is he now LOVES the idea of electric cars, hates the thought of going to a gas station, watches the little economy ball....but he has already fallen into the Volt-owner's hole....he can't bear to burn even a drop of gasoline. He points out that the half-gallon lifetime consumption was logged at the dealer before he got the car...not his fault! I believe he is likely to modify his driving to avoid burning any gas rather than taking advantage of the fact that the Volt has a engine which can be used when needed. In many cases, the additional electric range provided by a pure EV would have allowed the trip.
I believe that many Volt buyers would have been better off with a 70-80 mile electric car rather than with a 40 mile Volt with a gas engine that they frantically avoid ever using, especially in the case of families that have one or more ICE vehicles still available for long trips.
I told him that the Volt forums were consumed with discussion of how little gasoline had been consumed, leading one to wonder why all these people didn't just buy a pure electric. Nonetheless, he went with the Volt. He paid almost exactly the same as he would have for an FFE fully optioned.
I've tried out his Volt, and it is a good car. Drives well and is well appointed. I do feel that the interior of the FFE is nicer, has features like power seats, etc that are lacking in the Volt (for the same money, they included a gas engine, something had to go I guess). All in all it's a pretty nice car, makes a sensible replacement for a long-range ICE vehicle and I may well get one when the lease on my wife's ICE runs out.
But the interesting point is he now LOVES the idea of electric cars, hates the thought of going to a gas station, watches the little economy ball....but he has already fallen into the Volt-owner's hole....he can't bear to burn even a drop of gasoline. He points out that the half-gallon lifetime consumption was logged at the dealer before he got the car...not his fault! I believe he is likely to modify his driving to avoid burning any gas rather than taking advantage of the fact that the Volt has a engine which can be used when needed. In many cases, the additional electric range provided by a pure EV would have allowed the trip.
I believe that many Volt buyers would have been better off with a 70-80 mile electric car rather than with a 40 mile Volt with a gas engine that they frantically avoid ever using, especially in the case of families that have one or more ICE vehicles still available for long trips.
so the computer in the Volt will force the engine to run at a certain time if the engine has not run. It does this to use some of the gas and to also move the oil around. No fuel stabilizer is needed. Best thing to do if not using much is leave the tank empty. I used to only keep like 2-3 gallons on board. Less weight as well. And I too was in that camp of hating when I did have to run the engine especially when I was like 2 miles or so short of my destination and it would come on for such a short period of time. I'm so happy to have the FFE now. I've yet to have any range issues. But I also plan my trips and the wife has a PIP woof we takes road trip we just go in her car. Oh yeah and the Volt is exempt from smogging in CA. I was suprised to find that out when I first got the car but if you check the DMV rules on smog it says that plug in hybrids are not required to smog. So that's nice I guess.