Festiva vs. GM Volt

[sketchman]

^Didn't know how they worked. As per my habit of reinventing the wheel, I often don't research before theorizing.

[scitzz]

There is, above all, one very large failing to this car.

It is a General Motors product.

'nuff said....

[linchero]

gm

i wouldnt buy anything from government motors.

[Festiva Time]

Diesel-Electric

Like a "diesel-electric?"



Karl

Now, we're talking!........Just like a locomotive!

[getnpsi]

Infastructure of what we already have can extend fossil fuels use by a great deal. Greening up all diesel powered engines across all platforms will fix a lot of issues and start to ween us. By that time electric will continue to catch up.

As far as the current diesel electric passenger size vehicles out there, unfortunately, no consumer wants to be a mad scientist to make such awesome gains fiddling with their cars to make them go. I admit if i had an original model T ford or larger truck of that era I simply could not drive it without a manual or someone showing me how. Never dealt with one. Hop in and go is what sells. Just look at all the Lexus/Mercedes out there with blown up engines because owners think luxury cars don't even have motor oil inside.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Mattman,

You're right on 70s mpg. I had access to my first car, a beat-to-s**t cancer-stricken yellow 1968 GM Opel Kadette with, I think, a 1.1 liter engine. I never once opened the hood in 2 years of driving 35 miles r/t in-city to school, and I consistently got 38mpg. It had pretty big wheels (15", maybe) and wasn't really that small, so it probably weighed about as much as a Festy.

You can't tell me that engines haven't gotten more efficient since 1968 model year. Or maybe it's that 1,000 pounds of safety gear modern cars haul around -- I get that figure from noting that a MiniCooper weighs in a 2600 lbs. empty, 900 or so more than a Festy.

[sketchman]

...a MiniCooper weighs in a 2600 lbs. empty, 900 or so more than a Festy.

That's crazy. They need to make a Cooper Carbon version. Stripped out and comp body. I'd "think" about owning one. Not about buying one. Still too much for what you get, but I'd look at it and smile.

[Safety Guy]

The "New Mini?"

I call 'em "Midis." (In the grand scheme of all cars, they're about medium sized.)

And now to get the bad taste outta my mouth, I've attached two pictures of the "real thing."

Karl

[sketchman]

Yeah. I like the old ones better too, but I'll never find one that I can afford in this lifetime. New or old, so I just look.

Pretty.

[scitzz]

Exactly! Nothing better than letting those who can afford it pave the way and solve a lot of the little everyday problems that inevitably come up.

It's like just about anything else that's new: guns, car models, computers, etc. Wait a year or two so the bugs get worked out and the technology (and familiarity with that technology) improves.

With electric cars, however, it will probably be more like another four to ten years before they become really practical and affordable.

I can wait!

Karl

I love early adopters

[genghis1]

I believe the Nissan Leaf will be a game changer.

[genghis1]

Here's a short video of a of people raving about their experience driving an electric car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erg_D1O_ARs&feature=player_embedded