The Energy Blog

Volt Status Update

GM released some more information on the status of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid last week in meeting with journalists and analysts at its battery research labs and design studio near Detroit. No real news to those of you who are following the Volt closely.

A Reuters article summarized the information quite well, also see this post in GCC. The main points are:

• Executives are still committed to launching the Volt by November 2010, calling it the "No. 1 priority project"
• GM has started testing of two 16 kWh, 170 kg battery packs, one from a subsidiary of Korea's LG Chem and the 2nd suppled by Continental AG using A123 Systems technology.
• The goal for the battery is to  be able to run at least 150,000 miles, last 10 years, provide 60-mph acceleration in less than 9 seconds and provide an all electric range of 40 miles.
• Testing some Volt-like technology in a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu began last year and battery testing in the Malibu will begin this month.
• Relatively small aerodynamic improvements have increased the electric range by more than half a mile.

Volt Price Tag to Escalate Initially

GM has confirmed reports that the first Chevy Volts will cost $35,000 not the $30,000 that they had claimed previously.

Canada.com first published the report, that includes the following statements:

GM has found it can't re-engineer features such as windshield wipers and high-powered audio systems fast enough for the all-electric car, so it will be forced to put expensively redundant systems into the first-generation Volt.

The redundant systems will be eliminated later, probably in the second generation of the Volt, after engineers have had time to rework them for the new world of electric propulsion. "It's starting to look like it's going to be close to $35,000," Dee Allen, a spokesman for GM, said of the first-generation Chevy Volt.

In a later post Wired confirmed these statements, and quoted Allen as saying ". . . if it comes in closer to $35,000 and it means meeting the 2010 deadline, that's the direction we're going to go."  Wired also added air conditioning to the list of accessories adding to the cost. Wired also made this statement:

GM has no doubt it will solve the problem, but not in time to meet the 2010 deadline. The first-generation Volts will have workarounds GM called "redundant systems." Allen couldn't tell us anything more about that, but said second-generation Volts will be "more refined."

It seems to me that knowing how much energy these systems would use and from what source it would come should have been a basic part of the design concept, which leads to the thought that GM has not been as forthcoming as they implied.  Air conditioning and wipers should be standard features in a modern car. A 10 speaker audio system should be an option in my thinking. I wouldn't need such a system for my commute to work or for someone to drive around town shopping, which would be two of the main uses for the Volt. And I would think that most of the initial buyers would be more concerned with economy rather than creature comforts.  I know many people desire such an option, but perhaps it should be a feature that reduces the 40 mile range or becomes a relatively expensive option. I didn't realize that wipers used much power. Would an extra battery solve the problem for air conditioning and wipers? The direct cost for an additional Li-ion battery should be around $1,500. But then maybe the gas engine isn't quite large enough . . .   

Latest on the Volt

Jan 31 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp plans a strong production run for its plug-in Chevy Volt, according to a senior executive on Thursday who also urged Congress to approve tax incentives to help spark demand.  . . .

"As volume (of batteries) scales up, you will move down this curve to see better economics going forward. You can't get hung up on the economics of the first unit or the tenth unit," Jon Lauckner, GM vice president for global program management, told an energy forum at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.  . . . 

Lauckner said GM still hopes to start production of the Volt by the end of 2010 and said the company is planning a healthy roll-out.

"We're talking about large numbers -- in the tens of thousands," he said. "It's not a niche market."  . . . more

GM-Volt.com Reaches Major Milestone: Waitlist for Chevy Volt Climbs to 10,000

GM-Volt.com claims to be the definitive source of real-time news, information, and discussion about the General Motors Chevrolet Volt plug-in vehicle and related topics. 

A key component of the site is the Chevy Volt waiting list. People who are interested in purchasing the car are signing up. Even though the expected production date is November 2010, as of 1/26/2008, the waiting list passed the major milestone of 10,000 prospective buyers.

This is not an official waiting list, but the names on the unofficial waiting list, on GM-Volt.com, will be given to GM when the time is right.

Wal-Mart in Discussion on Possibility of Selling HEVs and PHEVs

(Bloomberg) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott said he held talks with automakers on the possibility of selling gasoline-electric hybrid cars and plug-in automobiles at the retailer's stores.

" Maybe there isn't room for Wal-Mart in this right now, but something tells me that there may be some role for us in the future."

-- H. Lee Scott

Don't hold your breath until this happens, but it would revolutionize how cars are sold, their pricing and bring these cars to the attention of the general public.

GM Forms New Organization for Hybrids, Plug-ins and Advanced Batteries

General Motors has formed a new engineering organization especially dedicated to implementing hybrid and extended- range electric vehicles (E-REV) and advanced battery technology. The global team will be led by Robert Kruse, executive director of vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicle and batteries.

"The future of automotive transportation will be based on electrification of our vehicles," "By having a vehicle engineering team in place and focused on delivering the technical aspects of hybrids and E-REVs, we can accelerate these programs and get them into production quickly and efficiently."

-- Jim Queen, GM group vice president of Global Engineering

GM's newest vehicle engineering team will develop vehicles using a variety of propulsion systems including gas-electric hybrids and GM's innovative E-Flex architecture. Vehicles that will be engineered by this team include the production E-REVs based on E-Flex architectures; Chevrolet Tahoe and Silverado 2 Mode; Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid; Saturn Vue 2 Mode Plug-in; Saturn Vue and Aura Hybrid; GMC Yukon and Sierra 2 Mode; and the Cadillac Escalade 2 Mode.

This should be great news for the affected technologies.  GM seems to be recognizing the importance of these technologies.  The Volt is not mentioned, I believe they already have a separate organization for it. It uses a different and hopefully more advanced technology, which is quite far along in development. It seems they want some common design elements in the mentioned vehicles.  I hope this is a step foreword and not just a bureaucracy for the sake of the media.

Noted in Passing: GM Starts New Design Studio for Volt

CNN Money Reports:

GM has taken another step toward bringing its Volt plug-in electric car to market by opening a new studio where work is being done exclusively on its next generation of electric vehicles.

The studio, made from a former management training center on the grounds of GM's Warren Technical Center, has clay and vinyl models of the next generation Volt.  . . .

Designers using computer and small clay models already have cut 30 percent from the wind drag of the original concept, said Ed Welburn, vice president of global design.

Toyota's Own Plug-in Prius

EV World had a recent article confirming that Toyota has been testing its PHEVs for at least three years, longer than most have believed and that the diagnostic codes on recent Prius models have become more complex, making it more difficult to make aftermarket conversions to plug-ins. . . . here.

I am experimenting with a few very short posts, like this one, referring to posts on other sites with articles that should be of interest to visitors to my site. Let me know what you think about this.

Latest on the Volt: Lutz Sees 60,000 to 100,000 the First Year, First Battery Delivered

In an interview  published in the Detroit Free Press on October 31, 2007, General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said he continues to be increasingly confident that GM will bring the range-extended Chevrolet Volt to market by 2010.

"We got our first experimental battery pack today" from LG Chem, Lutz said. The battery pack doesn't yet have a cooling system, he said, but doesn't need one for the stage of testing GM and LG Chem are in.

GM expects to receive an experimental battery pack in December from A123Systems, the other battery supplier with which it has a contract, Lutz said.

By the first quarter, GM expects to be running the E-Flex operating system in late model Malibus for testing purposes, he said.

Lutz said the first-generation production version of E-Flex will appear in a vehicle that will look much like the concept car shown at the 2007 Detroit auto show, but with a more traditional front end.

"The engine-motor configuration didn't work. ... Now it has a more classic-looking front end. ... It will be called the Chevrolet Volt."

Lutz said the company has not determined how many Volts it will make in the first year, but said he believes "it's a very safe bet that it will be produced in the tens of thousands" in its first generation.

"This is not sanctioned, not an official GM number, but in the first full year of production I would like to see between 60,000 and 100,000 and then go up from there," Lutz said.

Bob Lutz's Latest on the Volt

In an interview in the September 20 issue of the New York Times in David Pogue's column here are a few exherpts to give you some of his latest takes on the Volt.

Do you really believe in it?

Yeah, I firmly believe it. A lot of us see it as the most interesting and most fascinating technical challenge of our whole careers. I mean, this car means more to me than anything else I’ve had anything to do with in the 42 years that I’ve been in the business. I think this is because it’s transformational.

Technical issues?

Well, the problem is nobody has done a lithium ion battery pack this big. But our battery suppliers say, “Hey. Stop saying that. We’re telling you the battery’s going to be OK.” We get the first experimental packs from our two developmental suppliers in October. And then we can start bench testing.

Price?

My personal target still is to bring this car into the market at, you know, nicely below $30,000.