Comments on: $25B Loan, Not Bailout, to Detroit

By: Bryce

Bryce — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:41:39 +0000

Essentially you are right. The combustion engine never actually drives the car, it just generates electricity at low RPMs. It is a Range Extended Electric Vehicle. For the most part, most folks wouldn’t use any gas at all.

By: Question

Question — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:02:14 +0000

I have a question. Is the Volt really a “Hybrid”. I see it as a 100% Electric propulsion or are my 4 eyes decieving me? The internal combustion engine is never part of the drive train is it? From what I read it’s basically an elctric generator under the hood.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:30:03 +0000

why would the govt pay us for interest on a loan??? lol

battery hog…..lol….ok, I though this was hybridcars.com. Home of electric cars right? with batteries in them…..right? Maybe I am at the wrong place. Maybe I am on exxon mobil’s website right now. My mistake mr. anonymous.

By: IsawNothingFromTheProfit

IsawNothingFromTheProfit — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:08:05 +0000

"The US government made money on it."
Hmm.....
Strange, I don't ever recall the USSA Govt repay the tax payers money with the interest collected. Did you?....I didn't think so.
Yes it is true it was paid back but the dynamaics are much differen't. Back then Oil prices and Car Sales. Note, there is/was back then no mention of Hybrid or global warming as an issue.
NOW, there's Oil, Global Warming, competition on Hybrid vehicles and a push for "Greener" products and push for energy efficiency. All of which puts the 3 at the bottom of the barrell. Why don't you go out and Buy one of the American cars that's 40K (Volt) and support your failing car company. The US Car business all came up from small companies. It's time for a change and I hope the small companies that offer Electric/Hybrid/PHEV or even conversions come up to rise in glory.

By: AP

AP — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:40:12 +0000

hybridman2,

Yes, Chrysler paid back every bit of its "bailout."

With interest.

Ahead of schedule.

The US government made money on it.

By: Moderator

Moderator — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:34:54 +0000

Take a look at this for all you “By American” idiots…
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=autos_autos+–+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories

Sure, buy American so your “American” comapny can invest your $$$ on products that really work and sell the elsewhere because you want big Trucks/SUV’s, according to Ford CEO.

Talk about a slap in the face for the American people.

By: doubledgedsword

doubledgedsword — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:04:46 +0000

Your both right. However, I think development should be done on 100% Electric. We already know hybrid works great. Now we need to take it up a notch above the foreign cars. They don’t have any plans for an EV yet, at least Toyota and Honda don’t.
That other guy I think makes a good point on the small bunesses doing the conversions. Other than the attitude the idea seems fairly viable.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:40:24 +0000

Nope. I think that the criteria made for this tax credit was just to help boost sales to a poorly efficient vehicle, aka the Volt.
Kudos to you if you drive a more efficient vehicle but if ita a Volt then you're just supporting the conversion from a gas HOG to a battery HOG.
I personally drive an EV conversion.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:08:24 +0000

lol.....so u think......less batteries are a good idea....

well, okey dokey

I will be driving along using no gas with a $7500 check in my hands and you can drive your gas burner

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:55:26 +0000

Bryce, I think you’re missung the above’s point. It looks like the auto industry has the Government by the nards, hence their approval of this massive loan to re-tool. Also, the goon mentions how the ammount of battery is required. I checked on the Prius and it uses only 1.2 KW.h or something like that worth of batteries as opposed to 4.5KW/h for the Volt. If you don’t give a crap about how much energy / efficiency then YOU probably wont care for any of the vehicles offered anyway. And why would battery capacity even be a requirement? So basically what you are really saying is that in order for the already efficient hybrid or PHEV’s to qual, they have do design in inefficiencies to compete? What stupid concept. We all know adding more batteries is going to require more energy to move the additional weight of the vehicle, or do you? You stupid moron!