Any moving part is subject to wearing out depending on many factors. I realize they may not teache the principles of an electric motor in "science(spelled correctly)" class but common sense should tell you....oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to....never mind.That 13 year figure is just based on gas consumption alone.
An electric motor doesn't need air filters changed, or oil filters/oil change, nor a timing belt, or anything really mechanical, not even a spark plug !
If you just add the oil changes every 3000 miles into it, I'm certain those years turn to less then 10 !
Everything else added, probably 7 or 8.
What is even more amusing about the Chevy Volt is its sales numbers. GM bet on selling 50k/yr. yet they are selling less than 500 a month. I give it 2 years and GM is going to axe the volt because its such a marketplace flop.
Well, honestly, they introduced it into one of the worlds most less attractive markets.
You have gas at over half the price cheaper then in Europe, and Americans as a whole, don't have that kind of money to purchase it.
It's half the price of a house there !
I think it will sell good here, when it comes out in August as a 2012 model.
The Leaf is great as a second car, I agree.
But if you just want 1 car, and only drive 1 car, then the Leaf fails !
I'm not paying double insurance, double registration to own 2 cars.
Not worth it.
You don't get the point : With the Volt, I can travel to California, or even Florida for that matter, without worrying where I get my next electricity hook up from.
And if I do succeed, I'm stuck "fueling up" for atleast 4-6 hrs.
I can't even drive to my mothers place about 100 miles away. What good does the Leaf do me ?
And another thing, I heard at minus 30 degrees, an all electric won't even start. The Volt starts up with the gas engine at freezing cold temps !
luxury hybrid cancelled.....
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/05/27/gm-reportedly-cancels-luxury-hybrid/
I watched the Volt video on your link, Moreluck.
Looks like Fox News is embracing the Volt, too !
Numbers are going up too, according to your fox link :
GM recently boosted its 2012 production plans for the Volt by a third to 60,000 vehicles.
A normal consumer that drives 10 miles each way to work, and does a few weekend shopping trips,
will drive around 8000 miles per year. With the Volt in the above scenerio, you won't see the gas pump once ! Unless, you plan to take it for longer trips now and then.
$1.50 worth of electricity will get you up to 50 miles.
In mpg costs, that works out to about 130miles per gallon !
If I win the lottery tonight, that just might be my new car, or if I win super big, then it's the SLS AMG Mercedes !
well, there are other benifits, too.
You be spending 10 minutes at the gas pump every 2 weeks, you'll be getting 3 oil changes per year (the Volt 1 as keeping fresh oil in it), after 100.000 miles your little 4cyl on the focus is just about to die, while the one in the Volt is hardly used.
You'll have other maintanance costs by then, too (perhaps fuel injectors cleaned or replaced, timing belt replaced, tune ups, and so on).
But, your probably still ahead of the game, if gasoline stays the same price, too. Which I doubt, since the US dollar will continue to slide as the National debt kepts on growing, but in the other hand, if more people buy electric cars, that can keep oil prices down...
well, there are other benifits, too.
You be spending 10 minutes at the gas pump every 2 weeks, you'll be getting 3 oil changes per year (3 oil changes a year? WTF...its 8000 miles so maybe 2 at the most...heck my TDI gets one a year and its free or the first 36k miles...in fact all maint is free the first 36k.) (the Volt 1 as keeping fresh oil in it), after 100.000 miles your little 4cyl on the focus is just about to die, (WTF again...maybe if you drove it without oil...its just breaking in...new car engines last 200k easy) while the one in the Volt is hardly used.
You'll have other maintanance costs by then, too (perhaps fuel injectors cleaned or replaced, (WTF again...if your using crappy gas they might need to be cleaned) timing belt replaced,(this i would agree with...all 4 bangers should have their T-belts replaced at 100k), tune ups (all new cars can go 100k before a tune up and you can do yourself for 50 bucks) and so on).
But, your probably still ahead of the game, (ya think) if gasoline stays the same price, too. Which I doubt, since the US dollar will continue to slide as the National debt kepts on growing, (yippie...down with America!!! Go Canada!!!!) but in the other hand, if more people buy electric cars, that can keep oil prices down...