GM-Volt - Chevy Volt Concept Site

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Will Volt Roll-out be ?Severely Limited??
2008-03-13 21:11:00
As people have pointed out in the comments of the last unrelated post, Larry Burns who is GMs chief of R&D has been quoted as saying, with respect to the Volt: “We’re not going to sell it in every city and we’re not going to sell it though every Chevrolet dealership,” and “It just doesn’t make sense ...
More About: Roll , Production , Limited

More with Contintenal EV Director on the A123/Conti Chevy Volt Battery Pack
2008-03-13 06:00:00
Below are more questions and answers with Darryn Nowicki Electric Vehicle Director , Conti nental Automotive, one of the Chevy Volt pack-making team members. What is the process of building up to be able to make packs on a mass scale? As far as being able to mass produce the batteries, we are gearing up to be able to ...
More About: Battery , Pack

Interview: Darryn Nowicki Electric Vehicle Director, Continental Automotive
2008-03-12 06:09:00
Continental Automotive is the Chevy Volt battery pack integrator working with A123 Systems. I had the chance to interview Darren Nowicki who heads Continental’s North American Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Unit, and has integral knowledge of the Chevy Volt battery packs development. Are you involved with the Continental team that has designed the initial prototype and ...
More About: Engineering , Battery , Interview

Bob Lutz? Boss Cool on Global Warming Comment
2008-03-11 18:53:00
Not to beat a dead horse, but this item continues to persist in the media. As many of you know, Bob Lutz recently was quoted as saying global warming was a crock of sh*t. This resulted in an impressive run of internet and print media discussions, in the end Lutz made it clear that his ...
More About: Global Warming , Environment , Cool , Global

Weighing the Benefits of Driving a PHEV
2008-03-11 12:00:00
Justin Hyde of the Detroit Free Press published a short article questioning the benefits of plug-in hybrid adoption. He makes a point about a law of diminishing returns occurring with increasing mpg. In the example he gives, he reports that going from 25 to 45 mpg will save a 15,000 mile per year ...
More About: Driving , General , Benefits

Production Chevy Volt will not Have a Polycarbonate Roof
2008-03-10 12:00:00
One aspect of the Chevy Volt concept that draws attention is its polycarbonate roof. Some are thrilled by the unique aesthetics while some more pragmatic folks are concerned abouts its greenhouse effect and the need for electrically powered A/C that might reduce the car’s EV range. In recent interviews about the actual production Volt, it ...
More About: Design , Production , Roof , Chevy Volt

An Analysis of the Toyota PHEV versus the Chevy Volt
2008-03-09 06:00:00
For a while, GM and Toyota have publicly argued that each PHEV architecture is superior over the other, comparing the Volt (an E-REV) to the prototype Toyota PHEV,  basically a Prius with a 10 mile range battery in the trunk. Ron Grebman of CalCars wrote a terrific analysis whether GM or Toyota is correct in asserting ...
More About: Research , Analysis , Versus , Chevy

Lutz: Why Do You Need Fuel Cells?
2008-03-08 06:57:00
GMs vice-chairman is Bob Lutz , he is the father of the Chevy Volt and shepherding its development along personally. When he says something about the car, it has validity, and often he will be the first to leak out news, sometimes I suspect, against the wishes of GMs PR people. One thing is certain ...
More About: Fuel , Hydrogen

A123 Systems Currently Makes Enough Batteries for 100,000 Cars
2008-03-07 12:19:00
A123 Systems is a U.S. based battery company that has created a patented lithium-ion battery chemistry using a nanophosphate cathode material. These cells are felt to be among the most energy and power dense as well as safest in the business. They with pack-integrating partner Continental Automotive, are one of the two teams developing ...
More About: Cars , Batteries , Battery , Production

Volt Nation Meet-Up: GM Opens More Invitations!
2008-03-07 01:27:00
Volt Nation is fast approaching on March 19th 4:30 PM at the Jacob Javits Center during press days of the New York City Auto Show. This historic and groundbreaking event will allow us all to get together, inspect the Chevy Volt show car, and have a townhall Q and A as well as one on one ...
More About: Meet , Public Opinion , Invitations

BUSH: U.S. Must Get Off Oil, and Mentions the Chevy Volt (sort of)
2008-03-06 18:04:00
Yesterday President Bush attended the Washington Renewable Energy Conference and made a speech. Some key comments: “We’ve got to get off oil” “dependency on oil presents a real challenge to our economy.” “The dependency upon oil also puts us at the mercy of terrorist” “our dependence on fossil fuels like oil presents a ...
More About: Politics , Sort , Chevy , Chevy Volt

Yet More Talk about Volt in 2009
2008-03-06 17:23:00
We had recently heard some comments about Volt production in 2009 by both an executive at GM and the CEO of Continental Automotive. GM sources and Continental sources have told me these statements are incorrect. In particular the Continental CEO was likely referring to the Mercedes lithium-ion hybrid packs we have heard about. This has also ...
More About: Talk , Timeline , Production

Exclusive: GM has Received Second Continental/A123 Chevy Volt Prototype Ba
2008-03-06 06:00:00
GM has confirmed that they have indeed received the second prototype Chevy Volt battery pack from the Continental Systems/A123 team. The 16 kwH pack arrived at the battery lab in Warren, Michigan on Monday March 3rd. It now takes its place alongside the first two prototype battery packs from the LG Chem/Compact Power ...
More About: Exclusive , Battery , Prototype

More Chevy Volt in 2009 Talk
2008-03-05 15:19:00
Recently we heard comments from Continental’s CEO about production level battery packs and Volts in 2009.  GM spokesperson Rob Peterson told me that 2010 was still the plan. Today we are hearing some more talk aboout 2009. In an article in CNN, GM exec Robert Babik told the reporter “GM is rolling out its all-electric Chevy ...
More About: Talk , Timeline , Production , Chevy Volt

Ric Fulop on How A123 Cells are Made, Nanophosphate Cathode Patent Awarded
2008-03-05 12:00:00
Yesterday A123 Systems, one of the two companies awarded Chevy Volt contracts announced that they were awarded a key patent for their proprietary nanophosphate lithium-ion battery cathode.  their system is widely acclaimed for its thermal stability as well as energy and power density, and getting this patent is critical for the companies future success.  Per ...
More About: Battery , Made , Patent

GM Announces its Next Generation Hybrid System: Includes Lithium-ion Batter
2008-03-04 14:45:00
GM currently builds cars using two different hybrid powertrains, the 2-mode hybrid, and the belt-alternator-hybrid system (BAS). The latter is found in current Malibus, Auras, and VUEs and gives a 10 to 15% efficiency improvement. This relatively low cost system replaces the belt and alternator with a small electric motor and a 36 volt ...
More About: System , Hybrid , Battery , Lithium , Generation

GM has Tested and is Encouraged by A123/Conti Battery Pack
2008-03-04 03:30:00
As those following things closely have noticed, GM received its first prototype Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery pack from A123/Conti nental on January 31st. We have heard before, and I have witnessed firsthand that the LG Chem/CPI pack has performed up to GMs specs. GM has been a little quiet on details about the A123 pack. ...
More About: Battery , Pack , Tested

Production Chevy Volt in late 2009?
2008-03-03 20:00:00
One of the prime objectives of this site is to get the facts straight and dispel rumors. All along the E-Flex team has told us they are working towards November 2010 production. Certainly working prototypes will appear earlier than that, and something like a captured test fleet might even arrive a year earlier.Automotive component maker ...
More About: Battery , Timeline , Production , Late , Chevy

How Many Chevy Volts Should GM Make in its first Year?
2008-03-03 06:10:00
There has been a lot of back and forth about this question. From our standpoint we want GM to make enough so that everyone who wants one gets one. GM seems interested in making sure the car operates properly on a wide-scale before opening the flood gates, although thats more of my conjecture ...
More About: Production , Make , Year , Chevy

Who do you Think Th!nk will Work With?
2008-03-02 12:00:00
Th!nk is the Norweigian carmaker that is building a small electric city car, which will be running on lithium-ion cells made by U.S. battery maker EnerDel. The Th!nk City, as its known, is an electric minicar, the first of which rolled off the production line in November 2007, and is expected to begin selling in Europe ...
More About: General , Work

Mercedes-Benz May be First to Put Lithium-ion Battery into a Mass Produced
2008-03-01 12:00:00
Luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz announced yesterday that they are ready to go ahead with lithium-ion batteries for full scale production in 2009. This demonstrates that lithium-ion batteries are safe and ready for major automotive use, and can be built for the scale needed. Mercedes has introduced the S400 BlueHybrid, which will be a parallel gas-electric ...
More About: Mercedes Benz , Battery , Mercedes-Benz

More Details on Pricing the Volt
2008-02-29 12:00:00
Recently we heard a statement from Dee Allen of GM about the Volt costing around $35,000. Since it’s of tremendous interest and importance, I decided to look into this in more detail. I managed to catch up with Mr. Allen who it turns out is GMs spokesperson on global product and brands, and ...
More About: Financial , Details

House Passes Energy Bill: Would Take Money from Big Oil to Give Plug-in Car
2008-02-28 06:01:00
We have heard that the Chevy Volt could come with a roughly $5000 price premium to early adopters due to the costs of the lithium-ion battery and specialized low-power accessories. An option that worked for early Prius adopters is the possibility of a U.S.government tax credit to people buying Volts. This could help offset cost and help get the country off petroleum. As comments on this site had varied both for and against such a credit, it seemed a good idea to take a poll. The final result of that poll was for 483 respondents 94% voted in favor of tax credits and 6% against. Yesterday bill HR 5351 was voted on in the house, and was passed. The bill takes tax money from oil companies, to the tune of $18 billion over ten years, and uses it to pay for among other things a plug-in tax credit of $4000 plus $200 per kWh for cars with a battery capacity greater than 5 kWh. Thus, if this bill were to become law, Big Oil would give you $7200 back if you bought a Volt. Not surprisingly, B...
More About: House , Money , Energy , Give , Plug

Chevron Has Nothing to do with the Volt
2008-02-28 02:18:00
I have just received official confirmation from GM that Chevron /Cobasys has nothing to do with the Chevy Volt, the source article of the last post was incorrect in that assertion.

Chevron and the Chevy Volt?
2008-02-27 18:13:00
The Car Connection just broke a story that the battery supplier Cobasys, which makes the nickel-metal hydride cells for GM’s hybrid Aura, Malibu, and VUEs is in deep financial trouble. Cobasys is co-controlled by oil giant Chevron , who is apparently in a financial dispute with the other co-controlling company, EDC. The article goes on ...
More About: Financial , Chevy , Chevy Volt

Will Mass Use of Plug-in Cars Increase Air Pollution?
2008-02-27 07:09:00
  We have reviewed and discussed the EPRI study which suggested mass-adoption of electric cars can be handled by the power grid, will result in net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and dramatically reduce U.S. petroleum consumption. A more recent study by GM suggests E-REV use will reduce tailpipe emissions by 80%. In the USA Today, two studies ...
More About: Environment , Cars , Pollution , Research , Plug

Lithium-ion Battery Separators
2008-02-26 06:54:00
In discussing the Volt, we are often concerned with the working of the lithium-ion battery. Still not-yet-ready for prime-time, these types of batteries a great for cars because they can hold a lot of power and energy in a small size and weight. The batteries work as electrons (electricity) flow between the anode (usually graphite ...
More About: Engineering , Battery , Lithium , Lithium-Ion , Lithium Ion

Profile: The Man in Charge of the Chevy Volt - Frank Weber
2008-02-25 06:01:00
As you may now by now from my numerous interviews with him on the site, Frank Weber is the Chevy Volt’s vehicle line director. He is profiled by the Detroit Free Press. He is described as a health-conscious musician with a penchant for tinkering and independent thinking. The German native is described analogously as ...
More About: Engineering , Charge , Profile , Production

About 10,000 Volts will be Produced in the First Year
2008-02-24 12:00:00
There have been discussions about how many Volts GM plans to produce at first. We have heard before that as many as 60,000 could be built and more recently that tens of thousands were intended to be built. In a recently published article by the Globe and Mail, GM vice-chair Bob Lutz gave a much ...
More About: Production , Year

Does GM Need Toyota to Make the Volt More Affordable??
2008-02-23 12:00:00
Motor Trend published a report summarizing some of the presentations at the Society of Automotive Engineers Hybrid Symposium in San Diego last week. One of these was by a Dr. Menahem Anderman of Advanced Automotive Batteries, which gave a “cold-eyed view” on PHEVs. His report concluded that GM won’t be able to make the Volt ...
More About: Toyota , Research , Battery , Financial , Make