Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Uploaded: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 1:58 PM

Electric cars charge into Palo Alto Saturday
Event to bring drivers, crowds to Palo Alto High School for annual Electric Car Rally -- with rides

by Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Online Staff

Posted by sarah, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Aug 26, 2009 at 4:05 pm

What about the 230 mpg Chevy Volt?

Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:39 am
Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online

Since 90% of most people's driving is within the range of existing batteries, perhaps the solution to wider use is a volunteer association where some optimum number of E-car owners timeshare a long distance capable vehicle. Another possibility might be a trailerable MG set to be hooked up only for extended travel.

Posted by A Noun Ea Mus, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Aug 27, 2009 at 11:13 am

website for this event...

Web Link

I wonder if the Aptera will be there.

Posted by Chevy Volt, a resident of Atherton, on Aug 28, 2009 at 12:43 pm

You ask about a 230 mgp Volt. Do your really believe that Chevy/GM will actually build this car?. It is strictly a PR ruse Chevy has hid behind for the last 5 years. A real 230MGP Volt DOESN'T EXIST You and I will both win the lottery and money will grow on trees first

Posted by anon., a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2009 at 1:41 pm

The volt will be a start if it is built, and I think it will be. The problem is with these numbers.

They are highly manipulatable.

If I buy a Volt and I charge my car every night after filling my tank once when I buy it, and I never go far enough to use the gasoline engine, and I getting infinite MPG? No, of course not.

There needs to be a metric miles per dollar, or soon perhaps dollars per mile that tells us what the cost of these cars really is and stop the hype of manipulating the numbers on hybrid/electric technology.

Posted by Mike, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2009 at 2:06 pm

There is a metric- it is miles/unit of energy. In this case the equivalent energy was converted to gallons of gas. Road and Track reported the same figures but it could have come from GM.

Remember, GM builds what they think will sell, or now perhaps what the White House tells them. If people will pay for a 230 mpg all electric (at about $45K) then my guess is they will make it.

Tesla came out with the sport model first at $120K price point because regular folks were not deemed ready to buy a $50K electric sedan. Now they think the time is about right. Maybe it is for the Volt as well.

Posted by Good Laugh, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2009 at 7:16 pm

I went there last year to Palo Alto High to see the show.

Mostly rattle traps and duck tape specials. Absolutely nothing there of any technological breakthrough.

Even the plug-in hybrid guys got glazed over eyes with no answers to a these easy question.

Say there Mr. Plug-in hybrid Promoter:

How much does that battery reduce the usable load of this here Prius?

or

How much does that battery pack reduce the safe breaking distance in rain or snow or for that matter on dry road?

or

What is the carbon footprint of mining manufacturing, assembly, installation, removal and proper disposal of that there extra heavy battery pack?

Posted by Robert kohr, a resident of the Evergreen Park neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2009 at 8:59 pm

For the lazy, here is the link for the google map to the high school:

Web Link

Posted by anon., a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2009 at 1:14 am

Miles per unit of energy is NOT a good metric with which to compare cars, because as anyone knows the whole reason we compare cars at all is that they differ in their efficiency at using energy.

Posted by anon., a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2009 at 1:34 pm

And also, if one source of energy is cheaper than another, ie. an equivalent amount of electrical energy is cheaper than petroleum then focusing on miles per unit of enery does not show that at all, but dollars per mile does.

Posted by Family, a member of the Palo Alto High School community, on Aug 29, 2009 at 3:05 pm

We were there around 2:00 and there was only ONE blue Tesla to ride and each ride was 10 minutes in length so we did the math and did not wait in the 95 degree heat. Did Tesla not want to participate? Or did Jerry think ONE Tesla would be enough? Very disappointing.

The statement below is very misleading.

"More than ever before, we'll be trying to offer rides to members of the public," said Jerry Podhorsky, chapter president.

Posted by A Noun Ea Mus, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Yeah it was hot!

There is an electric van called "The Moose"

Web Link