Unpluging the Volt

[DaveEV]

Sowing FUD is a valid marketing technique, nothing evil about it.

If it breaks the golden rule, it's certainly does not qualify as "nothing evil".

The reason they don't move their car? "Finding a parking space here in the afternoons is nuts." So if she gets to the EV spot early in the morning, hey, free rockstar front-door parking for her! Even though she lives like 5 miles away from the office...

Wow, what a self-centered douche-bag. This is a great reason to implement a "EV parking only while charging" policy. Not charging? Don't get to park there!

 

[garygid]

It might be said by some that even a parked car might have a leaky valve stem.

 

[Herm]

Whats the protocol if a Volt and a PIP are fighting it out for the solitary parking space with the one charger?.. The PIP has limited range but gets a bit more mpg out of it ice... the Volt is the other way around. Perhaps it comes down who has enough gas in the tank..

 

[smkettner]

I put a card on the windshield and got an email back from the person. The reason they don't move their car? "Finding a parking space here in the afternoons is nuts." So if she gets to the EV spot early in the morning, hey, free rockstar front-door parking for her! Even though she lives like 5 miles away from the office...

I would make it a point to be in early, very early.

 

[hill]

How about the new PHEV Prius with J1772? It's not hard to imagine that not long after they hit the street in March 2012, they will far outnumber Volts.. Many of these drivers with 12 miles of range will be soaking up as much juice as they can using those convenient free public chargers. . . . . . . . . . snip

Actually - the PHEV Prius range was just released officially the other day, and it's almost 30% higher then you're claiming:

Toyota Introduces 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid
• Extended Electric Range
•Selectable EV Mode
•Expected 87 MPGe
•Quick Home Charging

RICHMOND, Calif. (Sept. 16, 2011) – Toyota, the world leader in hybrid passenger cars and SUVs, introduced the Prius Plug-in Hybrid at the annual Green Drive Expo here today, as the newest member of the Prius Family. . . . . . . . "

I was able to get almost 18 miles EV . . . even in the proof of concept test mules that have smaller traction packs.

 

[Packet]

Here's a thought: what if we designed signs that had an updated version of the old California "EV Courtesy Protocol" suited for J1772 chargers, and got those made? Offer a sign for free to any place that has a charger that seems likely to have issues.

Something like:

These spaces are for Electric Vehicles only while charging.

If you need to park for more than 2 or 3 hours, please consider moving your car when charging is done. If you must leave your car longer, leave a phone number on the dashboard so that you can be contacted if someone else needs the charger.

Thank you for driving green!

 

[walterbays]

We could argue about whether GM is evil, or merely callously focused on shareholder value. But whatever you believe about GM, it is not Volt drivers who are at fault for AB475. GM's bill harms them at least as much as it harms Leaf drivers. In reducing the public infrastructure GM makes the Volt an expensive small hybrid with middling gas mileage, instead of an innovative range extended EV. Basically, unplugged, a Volt is just a $19k Chevy Cruze with a $20k pair of fuzzy dice. So don't say Volts don't need a plug; they just need it in a different way. They need it much more often than we do. Most of the time we don't need it at all. But when we do need it, we really really need it. I think a lot of Volt drivers realize this and would be willing to share - if only AB475 hadn't outlawed sharing.

Also, as Chelsea mentioned, before AB475 the worst thing that could happen to a Volt driver if he were unplugged without permission would be that he had to pay an extra dollar for gasoline. Post AB475 the worst thing that could happen would be that his car was towed away.

Whatever reasons GM had for pushing the bill through in this form, it was certainly not for the benefit of Volt drivers, and Volt drivers are not to blame for AB475. Have you hugged a Volt today? (Its driver might just be the one more voter or consumer who convinces a public agency or retailer to install some more charging stations.)