Chevrolet teams up with Walt Disney World to reveal new electric car

DCLcruiserJul 06, 2021

You have a rare case, but that doesn't mean it isn't valid. Restaurants/Malls and Hotels/Motels/Resorts will all add EV charging infrastructure just like how they added A/C, Color TV and Pools. I can drive my Tesla to EPCOT today, from NY, almost 1200 miles in 21 hours, of which 2 hours in charging. If I split that over 2 days, and charged overnight, even less time in the car. Google says without stopping it would take me about 18.5 hours. I'll happily stop a few times for food/bathroom and save $$$$ on gas, plus the other EV benefits. Although I question ever going to Olive Garden...

DisneyCaneJul 06, 2021

I know that they have them and the trip can be done without running out of charge. The issue is that I take road trips which involve days of 12 hours of actual driving (over 700 miles). In that day there is typically a brunch stop, a dinner stop and a couple of quick bathroom stops. Normally brunch will be at a fast food place and dinner will be at a sit down casual place like Olive Garden. With a gas powered vehicle, in less than five minutes we can fill the tank to the top at both meal stops and before we start driving for the day. Unless the chargers are co-located with the meal stops (which would allow charging while eating) and at the motel for the overnight stop, we will need to add several 20 minute+ stops throughout the day that don't coincide with anything useful to the trip. Even if rapid chargers existed at every gas station, it doesn't solve the issue completely because the issue is that it takes a lot more time per mile of range to charge an EV than it does to fill a gas tank. For everyday driving, EVs are perfectly convenient. You can charge overnight and have more than enough range for any driving you do during the day unless your commute is over 100 miles each way. From my home in South Florida, an EV to WDW would work fine. There's more than enough range (with the Bolt barely enough) to make the trip in each direction. I can charge at WDW while in the park (I'm assuming that with more EVs the number of charging stations will increase) so I'm not wasting any time charging. I'm not "anti-EV" in any way. They just have severe limitations with respect to long road trips. I wish a manufacturer would design an accessory generator to go in the frunk (with exhaust vents built in) that will allow for extended range by charging with a gas powered generator while driving.

DCLcruiserJul 06, 2021

Just about all of the major cross-country routes have Tesla supercharges and soon Electrify America DC fast chargers. People have even done Cannonball runs cross country in ~45 hours. So it's very possible to take a leisurely trip with friends or family. Again, you could say the same thing for gas stations. It's just that we had a century of stations built. Give it time.

DisneyCaneJul 06, 2021

A little bit of Apples vs. Oranges. Tesla has several models and all they make are electric vehicles. They also have a decent number of Apple-like cult customers that are buying a new Tesla to replace an old Tesla and who have been customers for a long time. There are many Chevrolet customers who will find their non-electric models more appealing. I wouldn't buy a Bolt if you paid me because I think they are ugly and too small. I'd definitely be interested in the Cadillac Lyriq or the Hummer because the vehicles are appealing AND they are EVs. I wouldn't buy any of the current Tesla models simply because I do not like the appearance. In a few years when GM has rolled out several electric models across their brands then there will be a more valid comparison.

TimeTripJul 05, 2021

Yeah it's sales certainly pale in comparison. Tesla still rules the roost :-). I'm curious what will replace the bolt once they widen their ultium platform.

wdwmagicJul 05, 2021

But meanwhile Tesla did 201,000. I think even at the heavily discounted prices, it is still a very unattractive option next to what Tesla is doing.

TimeTripJul 05, 2021

https://insideevs.com/news/517731/us-chevrolet-bolt-sales-2021q2/ Looks like folks are liking the redesign. I'm glad they've done it. Bolts have generally been a good value since they're usually heavily discounted. I wonder if these sales are at a heavy discount like the previous version.

Disstevefan1Jul 04, 2021

Yes, folks are afraid of nuke waste even though it can be stored perfectly safe forever. Folks don’t know all the different types of fuels, reactors; some reuse the waste etc. If humanity really wanted to solve the problem, it would be solved with new technology nuke power. Right now, the global warming issue is too valuable as an issue that is being used to push agendas; if its solved it cannot be used. This is the reality.

GimpYancIentJul 04, 2021

Nuke power is now old technology, yes its safer than it used to be but clean? I suggest a reality check on the amount of nuke waste contained at plant locations. Attempts have been made to create long term repositories but guess what No One Wants Them In Their Back Yard. (You wouldn't be thinking about the flux capacitor and the Back To The Future DeLorean?) Oh Yea! This planet will definitely exist well beyond the human parasites.

Disstevefan1Jul 04, 2021

Or simply use modern, safe, clean nuclear power. Humans should be allowed to procreate as a global human right. PS. Don’t worry, Global warming or not, the planet is not going anywhere. The earth will exist well past humanity.

DisneyCaneJul 04, 2021

The convenience of an electric car on a road trip depends greatly on how many miles you want to drive in a day. For 300 +/- miles, it's fine. If you want to do a cross country trip you will spend A LOT more time charging than you would filling a gas powered vehicle. Unless you have rapid chargers co-located with the restaurant that you want to take you meal breaks at, it will be very inconvenient. As for the Bolt needing more range, I assume the limitation is to try and keep the cost down by having fewer batteries in the vehicle. As a daily driver/commuting vehicle, the range is more than enough to just be able to charge at home overnight.

DisneyCaneJul 04, 2021

When they do those test drive/ride along things at auto shows, the throughput is very low. A very low percentage of people on a given day at Epcot would have a chance to experience it.

John park hopperJul 04, 2021

If you are serious about wanting to stop global warming and save the planet stop the ridiculous human population growth.

Disstevefan1Jul 04, 2021

I am totally on board with the use of waste cooking oil for fuel but how does that play with the “global warning stop burning oil or the world is going to end in 12 years” folks? Oh wait that was said about 2 years ago? I mean the “global warming stop burning oil or the world is going to end in 10 years” folks? PS. I love the smell of McDonalds French fries! Mmmmmmmmm.