Electric Vehicle charging at Walt Disney World

[flynnibus]

flynnibus: You can't even talk about "break even", if the two vehicles you are comparing are simply not comparable on multiple levels, unless you are willing to assign a dollar value to all the different ways a Volt is superior and more feature-rich than a Cruze

Sure you can... just like I can compare a VW Jetta to a Honda Civic.. even tho they are not 1-to-1 clones. The these cars are not some aliens that are unique - they are cars with features just like every other car. It so happens one of the huge differentiators between the cars is the power train and the premium you pay for it compared to other cars you would consider buying otherwise. I know you are defending your purchase here... but its still a car. There is still a premium associated with that powertrain... and the benefit of that powertrain is reduced expenses on fuel. You can do such comparisons on Hybrids and electrics...

Not paying for gas is great.. but you paid somewhere else.. the up front cost. And you gotta decide if that up front money is really worth it to you. Same way I can compare a VM diesel to a Toyota Prius if that's what floats my boat.

I guarantee you these numbers are even conservatively high for the Volt, backed by my own experience. In 15 months I've had to pay for 3 tire rotations and a bottle of wiper fluid. ~$35 a month for electricity, and the occasional fill up for ~$27 bucks to take a long trip. The Volt is dirt cheap to own, and high class to drive.

I'm glad you like your car... meanwhile my beater civic still gets 35mpg and cost nearly 15k less even after subsidies. 15k buys ALOT OF GAS.. like.. more than 7 years worth of gas for me.

Could I have spent 15k more on a car for other things? Of course.. and I have.. that's why my other cars cost 40 and 50k each. But neither of those cars did I spend that 25-35k more based on the promise of 'saving money'.

The promise of the powertrain is reduced operating cost... for that to deliver I need to actually have the ROI.

 

[ddrongowski]

I think policing the spots would be a huge hurdle for Walt Disney World without some sort of outside regulation (is there any?). People will see empty, close spots and take them.

Plus with the way you are suppose to pull forward out of the parking spots, a charging station post would mess things up, and be a eye sore.

 

[flynnibus]

I think the new DTD rebuild is a great opportunity to put in some vehicle charging stations. It's the part of the property most accessible to the public, and the part of the property that is likely to have the most transient visitors. Put some charging stations at the hotels too as a Phase 2.

But in classic Disney style.. only do it if someone else will pay for it

 

[ddrongowski]

I don't think there are any premiums, at least with a good dealer. I negotiated mine to below the sticker price.

No doubt a Cruze would save you money on gas over your mini-van, and cost less to buy than a Volt (but not less to fuel and maintain!) But a Cruze is not a comparable vehicle to a Volt in terms of performance, handling, ride, and tech features, so you pay less and get "less". Some things are priceless, like driving past a gas station in bad weather or a dangerous neighborhood at night because you've got plenty of charge.



Few people need a Level 2 charger for a Volt. I didn't get one for home, and don't use one at work. After almost a year and a half, I still see no use for one. Just regular outlets. I commute 68 miles round trip, no gas. I charge at night from when I arrive home at the SLOWER 8 amp rate and usually done charging by ~3 AM. At work I charger at the faster rate from 8 AM and it's done around 2 pm. I arrive to work/home with 15-20 miles range left, so my Volt has an estimated battery range of ~50+ miles.

On longer trips and vacations (150 to 500+miles) I have gotten between 191 and 69 miles per gallon, just by plugging in overnight at the hotel/motel or using the occasional Level 2 station.

Or just drive it like a regular car, only charge overnight at home, and you'll still be amazing at the savings and mpg.

You don't typically use all the battery in your Volt before recharging, unless you have a mega-commute, so the ~9 hour charge time is exaggerated worst case. You always keep it plugged in when at home, top it off like a cell phone. Just doing that, it's not hard to do 60,70 or more miles in a day all EV, especially in your climate (I live in hilly chilly New England!), more if you happen to run in to a Level Charging station while out.

Your electric bill may go up ~$30-35 a month, per 1000 miles a month. Yes, that's really cheap, 3 to 5 times cheaper than gas.

To the red highlighted area. Are you paying for that electricity at work?

 

[ptaylor]

You do know you have to replace the battery packs right? Do a search about prius replacement costs and then you will understand why the prius used car market is growing to fast. Again pay now or pay later, but you will pay for energy.

I wont be replacing the battery. I am on a 3 year lease. However, there is an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the battery system. Pretty good if you ask me.

 

[ddrongowski]

Hmm, you know nothing about the Volt, do you? It's got an 8 to 10 year warranty.

Ever hear of Pontiac or uhm Hummer? Things can and do change, I remember just last year GM saying they were going to stop making volts. Looks like they changed their minds, but for how long? I have no problem with people getting what they want and feel is best for them, be it a all electric, hybrid, gasoline, diesel, etc.., as that is their choice. But just because someone likes some item does not mean it is the greatest thing and everyone should strive for it. There are areas around here that flood and cars are not the ideal. 4x4 higher vehicles are what get thru here. Please do not take this response as snotty or a jab, it is just what it is.

 

[Master Yoda]

I wont be replacing the battery. I am on a 3 year lease. However, there is an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the battery system. Pretty good if you ask me.

It is good as far as a warranty goes, but the real questions is how long does it actually last? I know that I can get 300k or more out of a well maintained engine. The fact that I had a 100k warranty on it is irrelevant as soon as the odometer hits 100,001.

 

[ddrongowski]

They've even got reserved parking spots with charging stations in some of the retail parking lots around Austin. I know the Walmart closest to my house has at least one.

The whole foods next door had charging stations, but they also removed them. People complained about them being eye sores here.

 

[ddrongowski]

I wont be replacing the battery. I am on a 3 year lease. However, there is an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the battery system. Pretty good if you ask me.

That is very good.

 

[Master Yoda]

Let's assuming someone is able to do something stupid (like to try power an arc welder with their Chevy Volt battery from the USB port and they void the warranty. The current replacement cost of the Volt battery is ~$2900, with exchange of the old "core", plus installation labor of course. Not worried about the battery battery. I'd worry more about some Dodge-y transmission with a only a 50,000 mile warranty...oh I just remembered, THE VOLT HAS NO TRANSMISSION.

You do not that electric motors can and do fail don't you? They are not a bullet proof device that can run forever.

 

[ddrongowski]

It is good as far as a warranty goes, but the real questions is how long does it actually last? I know that I can get 300k or more out of a well maintained engine. The fact that I had a 100k warranty on it is irrelevant as soon as the odometer hits 100,001.

Amateur I have on my vehicles 200,000+ miles each.

 

[ddrongowski]

That's simply not true, and has never been said by GM. It's full steam ahead for the VOltec, with work on Gen 2 which will be out in the next 2-3 years.



I don't, but I will keep correcting misinformation and lies when I see them.

Keep in mind, *who* wants the masses to believe certain things about EVs (and the Volt in particular, because it has no range limitations) and why they want that. That's where all the propaganda and falsehoods are coming from.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...lling-chevrolet-volt-plug-in-for-5-weeks.html

 

[Master Yoda]

Amateur I have on my vehicles 200,000+ miles each.

I am almost there. I am over 220k on my Sedona and the wife's Pathfinder is right at 198k. I really want to see if I can get at least one of them to 500k.

 

[flynnibus]

I'd worry more about some Dodge-y transmission with a only a 50,000 mile warranty...oh I just remembered, THE VOLT HAS NO TRANSMISSION.

Wow.. they really sold you on the pitch didn't they?

The car does have a transmission and differential.. the wheels are not direct driven by the motors... and you'd never have your gas or secondary motors without one either.

 

[wdwmagic]

The whole foods next door had charging stations, but they also removed them. People complained about them being eye sores here.

That is crazy, how are they eye sores? I would bet most people wouldn't even see them.

 

[ddrongowski]

I am almost there. I am over 220k on my Sedona and the wife's Pathfinder is right at 198k. I really want to see if I can get at least one of them to 500k.

Oil change every 3500 and 50k transmissions and yes you probably will see 500K. What amazed me is Honda on some of their cars recommends oil changes every 8k miles. That's a lot of miles between changes. I do have a neighbor that has a Nissan hardbody truck with over 700,000 miles.

 

[ddrongowski]

That is crazy, how are they eye sores? I would bet most people wouldn't even see them.

This is Franklin TN... The most expensive city in TN to live in (at least that's what they tell me). Now remember Nissan USA HQ is here, and the city is very very beautiful, but they do not want anything that stands out. Heck even the area between lanes of the road here has landscaping that is weekly maintained. A little over the top as I am concerned, but I only work in Franklin and live in a different city.

 

[ddrongowski]

It's a planetary gear set. Look it up, that is NOT a transmission. A transmission "shifts gears" to change to different sprockets to get different drive ratios. The Volt does not shift gears and does not incur the complexity and wear that a transmission does.

And just because you are ignorant about the Volt and I'm informing you, does not mean I'm the one "sold on the pitch". Rather it sounds like you've been subliminally sold on the "pitch" (tar, oil, get it? by Big Petroleum controlled media interests...scary, isn't it?

Just keeping it real here but are you saying that automatic transmissions do not have planetary gears?

http://www.repair-transmission.com/planetary_gear.html

 

[Master Yoda]

Oil change every 3500 and 50k transmissions and yes you probably will see 500K. What amazed me is Honda on some of their cars recommends oil changes every 8k miles. That's a lot of miles between changes. I do have a neighbor that has a Nissan hardbody truck with over 700,000 miles.

I spent a couple of years managing a Jiffy Lube so I am intimately familiar the maintenance schedules listed in owners manuals. The recommendations typically list the oh so ambiguous "normal conditions". "Normal conditions" only really exist in a lab and are almost impossible to apply to any real world driving. That being said, the 3k recommendation is overkill for 95% of the cars out there. Most cars under most conditions can go around 6k between oil changes on conventional oil without any problem. However, once you start hauling a trailer, all bets are off. Towing even a small trailer kills your average vehicle. Live on a dirt road....better buy a K&N filter because you are going to be cleaning or changing that sucker every 2 months.

 

[ddrongowski]

That is crazy, how are they eye sores? I would bet most people wouldn't even see them.

Also remember it does not take a majority to make something change. Just are very vocal individual or minority.