General Motors on Track To Build Chevrolet Volt

[Intrepidation]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=120505

DETROIT — In this latest chapter of the saga of the Chevrolet Volt, the project is still alive and well. Speaking to the Society of Automotive Engineers earlier this week, GM engineering chief Jim Queen said the automaker is planning to build its Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car in the future.

"We will get this into production," Queen said. "We are very, very serious about this."

However, Queen admitted that GM is still trying to figure out how to make the Volt provide "profit for the enterprise."

GM execs are making a considerable effort to reassure the public that the Volt is not being shelved. In a posting on the GM FastLane blog on March 24, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz insisted that "we're not unplugging anything," in reaction to the drumbeat in the media that the Volt is little more than an expensive science project.

"We are 100 percent committed to making this happen," Lutz wrote, adding that the Volt is "the toughest and most exciting effort GM has undertaken."

GM took the wraps off its plug-in electric concept in January at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, but noted that it needed to have suppliers more fully develop battery technology in order to make the Volt a reality.

"We are very optimistic about what we hear from the battery guys," said Elizabeth Lowery, GM's vice president of environment and energy in a recent interview with Inside Line. "We're doing architecture, while they're doing the batteries."

What this means to you: Still no firm date, though, on when the Volt will end up in your driveway.

[the_yellow_dart]

:thumbsup:

[vrazzhledazzle]

GM unveils new Chevy Volt concept

In Shanghai Friday, General Motors unveiled its second Volt concept car. Showing the versitility of GM's E-Flex fuel system, this Volt concept is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a gasoline motor.

The car is capable of traveling about 300 miles of combined fuel cell and battery driving, producing no emissions, GM claims. This version of the Volt features a battery pack that is about half the size of the one shown in the gasoline powered Volt. The fifth generation of GM's hybrid system is also have the size of the one featured in its predecessor, the Chevy Sequel but still offers the same performance and range as its predecessor.

The E-Flex system was first unveiled at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show and was equipped as a gasoline powered serial hybrid which would have been capable of obtaining gas mileage of more than 150 miles per gallon.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-volt...t-hydrogen.html

[regfootball]

ah, this is the at work.

nice. GM will get china to build the volt. "it's the only place we can make money doing it". sometimes 'profit' comes from PR and brand image, not just dollars. build it and you will benefit.

Edited April 21, 2007 by regfootball

[dwightlooi]

I think that they should ditch the 1.0 liter gasoline engine for this...

30 kWe (~40hp of generation capacity) Recuperated microturbine.

Runs on gasoline, kerosene, diesel, propane, pretty much anything that burns and does not leave behind gunk.

Manufacturer's product brief page

One moving part. No coolant, no pumps, no chains, no belts, no radiator needed. Just put in where you put the spare tire.

If the 20~40 mile range Li-Ion battery doesn't work out drop in a Prius grade battery which is good for 5 miles on electric power. It'll still be a good hybrid. When long-life Li-Ion batts become available and get cheap enough they can be phased in later.

[Windy-57]

I find this very impressive. I think (if it's possible) GM has made themselves an underdog and people aren't giving them credit for being the powerhouse that they are still. It's amazing (almost scary) what they can accomplish when they put their mind to it. Don't forget, GM didn't get behind on the hybrid game because they weren't able to develop one or because Toyota and Honda were able to develop them that much faster, it was a rational business choice, one that hasn't gone their way, to focus on other things such as trucks and SUVs. And, I think it's hard to make an argument that they don't have some damn fine trucks and SUVs.

Further, think about how far GM has come in the fuel efficiency/emissions reduction game in a short couple of years since putting some real focus in that area. They are leading the way in ethanol development, are making a push for diesels, are on par or better (as far as I know) with everyone else in hydrogen development, have the most economically viable hybrid (the mild hybrid in the VUE), will have the world's best hybrid system on the road in a few months (dual-stage), and are neck and neck with the competition to deliver a plug-in hybrid. And, that's despite being behind by a couple of years when they got started; I know they don't get extra point for that since it's self-inflicted, still it's impressive when you consider the pace of development.

If GM keeps up these efforts and brings a high-quality Volt to market sometime around 2010, they'll start to see significant improvement in the brand image away from being a producer of gas guzzlers to a leader in technological advancement. Good stuff GM, keep it up.

Edited April 23, 2007 by Windy-57

[Camino LS6]

At this point they have to build the Volt. And it has to be good,very good.

On this one car, profit has to be measured in a different way. The car itself doesn't need to make money, but it has to bring the respect of consumers home to GM. As a goodwill ambassador, the Volt's mission will be to validate the technological capabilities of GM as a whole.

This car has to be really right.

[Z-06]

I find this very impressive. I think (if it's possible) GM has made themselves an underdog and people aren't giving them credit for being the powerhouse that they are still. It's amazing (almost scary) what they can accomplish when they put their mind to it. Don't forget, GM didn't get behind on the hybrid game because they weren't able to develop one or because Toyota and Honda were able to develop them that much faster, it was a rational business choice, one that hasn't gone their way, to focus on other things such as trucks and SUVs. And, I think it's hard to make an argument that they don't have some damn fine trucks and SUVs.

Further, think about how far GM has come in the fuel efficiency/emissions reduction game in a short couple of years since putting some real focus in that area. They are leading the way in ethanol development, are making a push for diesels, are on par or better (as far as I know) with everyone else in hydrogen development, have the most economically viable hybrid (the mild hybrid in the VUE), will have the world's best hybrid system on the road in a few months (dual-stage), and are neck and neck with the competition to deliver a plug-in hybrid. And, that's despite being behind by a couple of years when they got started; I know they don't get extra point for that since it's self-inflicted, still it's impressive when you consider the pace of development.

If GM keeps up these efforts and brings a high-quality Volt to market sometime around 2010, they'll start to see significant improvement in the brand image away from being a producer of gas guzzlers to a leader in technological advancement. Good stuff GM, keep it up.

That is what came to my mind when people were ranting especially Grampa Flint after they saw the Volt. Most people still think it is too good to be true.

I think the other manufacturers are caught off guard regarding plug-ins, of course my good ol' friend GXT will counter argue.

The hydrogen readiness of the Volt makes me think how in advance GM was thinking about this flexibility. They do not have to spend resources on different platforms for different powertrains like Hybrid, Hydrogen, ICE, etc. It can end up like zeta's equivalent of powertrain.