"Drive the streets of Paris, Rome, Barcelona or London and you'll see the Smart Fortwohas become more than just fuel efficient transportation - it has become the "it" car in many countries throughout the world. In fact, we could say that the over 900,000 Smart Fortwos sold in 36 other countries are now a worldwide statement on innovation, intelligence, functionality and the simple joy of driving" according to Askville.com.
The Smart Car initially may seem like a smart buy at roughly $10,000 on the sticker price. At only 36 MPG however; this little accessory size car may be hip in Europe, but unimpressive to most Americans. What we look for these days is true fuel efficiency now that the days of military size vehicles are becoming passé.
That is why the announcement by General Motors at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show that Chevy was coming out with an automobile that would go 300 miles without refueling at 230 MPG makes the Smart Car look like a grade school dropout.
"GM will team up with three California utilities as part of a Chevy Volt demonstration project. The project, which be funded with a $30 million government grant, will distribute 100 Volts and build 500 charging stations for residential, commercial and public use" as reported by the Christian Science Monitor.
The Volt will carry a relatively hefty sticker price of possibly $40,000 but when you factor in the overall fuel savings, the price is offset dramatically especially if you live in a high commute area such as the Silicon Valley or LA basin where over 100 miles a day commute is the norm. Another savings will be realized in the current $7500 Federal tax credit for electric plug in vehicles.
The Volt, unveiled in August, will begin showing up in California sometime in 2010 according to GM. The thing that separates the Volt from other electric cars on the market has to do with the computerized system:
"When the onboard computer determines that the battery is down to 30 per cent of rated capacity (the limit GM engineers have designated to promote the battery's expected 10 year life), the little 1.4-litre four cylinder engine fires up, powering a 53-kilowatt generator that in turn powers the electric motor. The gas engine never powers the wheels nor does it recharge the batteries; it simply runs the electric motor until you have a chance to recharge the battery" according to driving.ca.
You still have to make the initial charge though, and that brings up the cost of electricity. According to GM "if the average American drives less than 40 miles, it will cost about a dollar a day for electricity". To see more savings, just as you are encouraged to run your household appliances in off-peak hours, utility companies recommend charging your electric vehicle during that same time period.
Not only will the Volt save money, it will also have a beneficial impact on the environment, as it will be completely emission free for the first 40 miles.
While that is potentially great news for the the ozone layer, what happens after the first 40 miles if a a driver is unable to stop and recharge? Will they be stuck? Not according to GM. "Volt uses a range- extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it for hundreds of miles on a single tank of Gas". full story
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