The Toyota Prius was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle.
That should serve as at least some indication of how difficult it is to enter the electric/hybrid vehicle game, that only when global mega-giant Toyota came along did the world finally see a large-run production hybrid.
So when Tesla Motors entered the automotive marketplace – a newcomer startup with no parent to shield it from financial risk – “failure” would have seemed like a safe forecast for its all-electric 2012 Model S sedan. Yet the company did not fold, nor is the Model S anywhere near the end of its marketability. In fact, demand runs quite a bit ahead of supply at the moment.
With the Model S supercharger network in-place and constantly expanding, a Tesla driver can now stop and “refuel” in about 20 minutes to yield an additional 200 miles of range: more than enough to make it to the next supercharger. That takes the Model S from novelty to functional every-day transit solution in a way that skeptics had feared impossible.
It would seem obvious, then, that the Tesla Model S is hands-down the most important “green” car of the decade.
But wait. Other global mega-giant General Motors has also forayed into this territory, with the Chevrolet Volt. True, its all-electric range is only around 35 miles, but at this point, a petrol-powered generator kicks-in to give the driver all the range that he or she would ever need. That gives the Volt the undisputed edge in terms of instant broad appeal, because as we all know, petrol is everywhere.
So Green Car Reports is trying to see ahead, and predict which of these two green machines will be remembered as the most significant of the 2010s. Oh, and they threw a little-known truck called the Ford F-150 into the mix on account of its aluminum body.
Well, we want to know, too. What do you think? Is the newbie Tesla Model S the green car of the decade by virtue of how its paved the way for later all-electric cars? Or is the Chevrolet Volt, by virtue of its advanced gas-powered electric powertrain and the immensity of its creator (GM)?
Moving opposite to market trends.
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This example is a former NCRS award winner.
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Breaking out the spec sheets for a comparison.
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Hmm....This is a tough one, but I'm gonna go with the Tesla Model S. To effectively combine performance and efficiency better than anyone else makes Tesla a fine example of American ingenuity! Nevertheless, I still find the Volt to be quite intuitive in its initial purpose and capability. I just feel that GM needs to expand the Volt's tech to other applications. This technology is too good to limit to only one kind of vehicle.
They will still need to come up with a plan for those who already got it done who want to be rewarded for their time.
GM should give this to anyone who had it done that request a card. It is only fair.
We have run into this with give away's at work. No matter what you do the folks who did not get the same deal call and want it too.
Sorry copy and paste failed me here.
This is not just some simple choice here as many factors are involved if you really look at it. Just because it is electric does not automatically win the prize. You should consider how much emissions go into the making of electric and where it comes from also the impact of making the batteries and disposing of them.
Like I have said before electric no matter who makes it will for a good while longer still remain a part of the market not the entire market.
How many people would wait for a 20 min charge? Most in the public already hating to stop for 5 min. Also there is still a lot of work to do on the superchargers. Like in most non metro areas you would have to use most of your range to make it to a charger and back since there are still a great many areas without them.
Electrics still need more time and development. Some areas they would be fine now but most others unless there is a gas back up like the Volt or Prius there is no real way to use them accept for short run city cars.
As for the Ford. It has made some good gains but yet it is only 300 pounds to the better than Chevy. The GM trucks will make this up and more in just the next coupe years but yet both will still be challenged to meet the new coming numbers.
There is no way that the Volt can be "compared" to the Tesla. These two types of vehicles are vastly different, with the Tesla rather sitting in the "supercar-"bracket, while the Volt is in the "normal "gas-electric" stylus.
The Tesla is in fact the real breakthtough vehicle due to the specific power, distance ability, very effective battery-system, giving it the total edge over any mixed gas-electric vehicle.
The Volt cannot even be compared to the Tesla- if must be rated against the Prius and other similar mixed cars.
Go Tesla, go!!!!!
Hands down... Volt.
GM has brought a reasonable electric, reasonably priced, to the market place. The vast majority of mileage, is commuter milage, and the Volts all electric mileage will only get better.
Put a small quiet diesel engine, as the reserve system, and the vehicle would be an even greater mileage monster.
Most people don't realize that the colder the weather, the more juice is used up by the vehicle. Add the heater/defroster to the electric pull, and a reserve backup system is necessary. Ask any of us the the great white north.
Let a Tesla drive across country, on I94, in the winter and see if it gets 200 mpg.
Never mind the Tesla Zealots.
You are correct as they drove a Model T last year on back roads and just missed beating a Tesla from Detroit to NYC.
They even cheated in the Tesla and had a charger installed in a home of a Tesla roadster owner in PA to make sure they had some where to charge it.
What they have done is admirable in creating a class of car no one thought would sell but the going is going to get tougher from here on out for Tesla.
No more free plants and building a cheaper car for the average man in great numbers is not as easy as they think. Selling a low volume high price car is easy not lets do what is hard.
Without Tesla the EV market would have completely stalled. Musk creates interest and credibility in EV technology where all others have failed and will be remembered as the father of the EV market. People's idealistic view about what an EV should be will prevent the Volt from gaining full acceptance in that market; never mind that most people would probably log +95% on the battery if they had one.
Having said that, Musk is going to find it very difficult bringing affordable EVs to the market. This is where GM has the advantage. Anyone who has spent time to really learn about the technology packed into the Volt appreciates how ground breaking it really it. I drive over 90% on electricity in my Volt yet have no range anxiety. Winter in Utah have a dramatic affect on EV range and there is always the issue of unexpected destination changes. And the Volt's battery temperature management system goes a long way to preserving the battery. .
Chevy Volt vs Tesla Model S:
1- Environment: Volt drivers: 500 Million electric miles, Model S drivers: 70 million. VOLT
2- Electric drive engineering: Both cars have similar technology. TIE
3- Accessibility: Volt use gasoline to extend range, only on long trips, Model S uses an oversize battery, no long trips. VOLT
4- Engineering: Additional to the systems common to both the Volt includes the range extender, gasoline life extending and management technology. VOLT
5- Manufacture: The Volt design for manufacture is more advanced in order to be able to hit the low price they sell for. VOLT
6- Cost: Volt $35000, Model S $80,000. VOLT
7- Style: Volt looks futuristic, Model S looks European. MODEL S
8- At the race track, 0-60: Volt 8+sec, Model S 4+ sec: MODEL S
9- Daily driving: Volt feels peppy and free going, Model S feels heavier and draggy (no creep, lots of re-gen, deep acceleration pedal response). VOLT
10- Safety: Both are very safe. TIE
VOLT: 7
MODEL S: 3
No point on mentioning the Prius because it will not win any of the points above.
The Aluminum F150 would not even compete with the Prius.
Come on your are letting facts get on the way!
Nice well thought out post!
Interesting how this has sort of turned into a "my daddy can beat up your daddy" conversation.
Both cars are "winners" and it is nearly like comparing apples to oranges. The Volt (I have owned two) and the Tesla are incredible pieces of technology, each having merits that the other might not have. And wether I see someone driving down the highway in a Smart Car or a Prius, Tesla... Leaf or VW "E" Golf, KIA Soul EV all the way "down" to a Spark EV, --- if I were standing on a corner as a pedestrian, I'd probably shout "There goes a winner." And should I see someone going the opposite direction in a Hummer, I'd think of them as a "loser."
Probably though, the greenest form of transportation is what my great-great grandparents used here in Texas long ago, but who wants to ride a horse to work?
i like the telsa they showed the world that an electric car doesnt have to be ugly and it could look sporty every auto maker made their ev's so hideous that i'd rather deal with the high gas preces than to drive any one of them im a GM FAN forever but the volt is ugly i agree the prius shouldnt be mentioned in the same sentence as the volt or the telsa because every model year pruis has always been UGLY as shit the prius is GARBAGE and everything toyota makes is ugly and GARBAGE as well
Both cars have their advantages; however, this question relates to their technological significance in the future. The Volt is the most practical choice right now, but that is the very reason why it is not the most significant green car of the decade, as we predict their future. Considering Chevy's history - the EV1 was the most significant technology about 20 years ago. The Tesla is the most significant car today as we compare the plateforms and their signifigance to the future of zero emmision vehicles-HANDS DOWN!!!
In the future when the majority of cars on the road are running on electricity ONLY, no one will remember the Volt; we will look at Tesla and the multiple vehicle types it deploys...