10-Mile Range Volt Prototype out in 2008, 40-miler in 2009

25 Responses to “10-Mile Range Volt Prototype out in 2008, 40-miler in 2009”

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   Ziv Says:
   August 2nd, 2007 at 8:13 pm

   I’ll bite, because this tastes quite nice, thank you… Build the prototypes sooner, and continue to build the buzz, as well as the final product. Especially if they are going to be using a LiIon battery, this is great news!
   I still have this sense of foreboding, that GM is going to drop the ball and charge off after Hydrogen fuel cells or some other pie in the sky boondoggle…  
   
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   Paul Says:
   August 2nd, 2007 at 11:37 pm

   I’m looking forward to seeing one of these in person, so I’m glad it may be on the road in 2008.

   I don’t understand the slow ramp-up in battery capacity. For testing purposes, it seems like they could just add more cells right away, even if they don’t fit (for now) in what will be the battery compartment of the final vehicle. Then the range extender and charging system could be tested against a production battery capacity.  
   
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   Matt986 Says:
   August 2nd, 2007 at 11:39 pm

   I think it would be good to get a limited-range prototype built, so they can test the other components of the vehicle – the generator unit, the control unit, and any other computer type equipment they would need to manage the E-Flex system. That way, they could get the hardware tweaked and ready for production even if the battery production is lagging.

   Get the rest of the platform ready, and then when the battery units are good to go, they can just plug and play.  
   
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   Drake Says:
   August 2nd, 2007 at 11:49 pm

   Heck even with a 10-mile battery I would be happy in the short-run. I am sure that the batteries will be upgradable, so 4-5 years down the road I could just swap out my old battery for one that goes for 50-60 miles (who knows, maybe more).

   We need a plug-in option sooner than later.  
   
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   Johnnie S. Paul, Jr Says:
   August 3rd, 2007 at 6:35 am

   I agree with Matt, no need to wait till the battery is ready for a full mock-up prototype. There are going to be to many innovations incorporated into the Volt that will need to be tested out for viability.

   I hope that we will be able to see the product/prototype in pictures, like the current concept, so we can watch the product evolve.

   Here to 2008 and beyond…

   Johnnie  
   
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   Dave Says:
   August 3rd, 2007 at 9:44 am

   Would anyone here BUY the 10 mile range version with what we know? I wouldn’t.

   I’d like to see one, but if it’s going to cost GM in the long run, I’d advise they wait until the 40 miler is ready. If they put that thing on the market with 10 mile range, I think the press would crush GM faster than they crushed the EV1. The naysayers would win…GM failed again. Why risk it unless they could guarantee a battery swap???  
   
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   OptimisticMF Says:
   August 3rd, 2007 at 10:10 am

   I feel they should put one out as soon as possible. I would buy one today (maybe I’d lease it) if it were available.

   It will take time to work out the bugs and the best way to do it is to get it on the road. Also, it will take time for the masses to understand and accept the concept. The Prius was a goofy, niche car for more than a couple years before it caught on. The Volt is an even bigger leap of the imagination for most people, so get it on the road and let the car do the talking!  
   
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   Matt986 Says:
   August 3rd, 2007 at 10:39 am

   Guys (and ladies), this is not meaning GM will have a 10 mile Volt FOR SALE in 2008…

   It’s saying they will have a PROTOTYPE.

   For those of you who would buy a 10 mile Volt next year, sorry, there won’t be one for you. For the rest of us, we’ll just have to wait for the production model.

   Let GM test what they need to, even with a 10 mile range battery. It will help the whole thing get to production quicker.  
   
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   Lyle Says:
   August 3rd, 2007 at 11:18 am

   Matt986 is correct. The news is referring to a working prototype next year. This will be a limited range test car, in no way near ready for sale. In fact the 2009 40 miler will still remain a test car. GM hopes to have about 1000 of these by end of 09 (I hope) which will probably be floated out to a few testers. I am expecting mass production in 2010, but GM will not officially confirm any of these speculative numbers.
   Right now the only thing there is is a single concept prototype, which I think actually is just a non-engineered shell with a golf cart motor to make it move on and off display locations.  
   
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    kent beuchert Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 12:33 pm

    The BIG question is why is Toyota so cautious and going with such an inefficient design? The answers may be that 1) they don’t have access to any advanced batteries
    (likely) 2) they want to steal GM’s thunder after months of getting slammed by environmentalists for dragging their feet
    about plug-ins, claiming they weren’t interested (very likely). Notice the extreme
    press coverage they obtained by cobbling together some Prius cars and sending them to their biggest customer areas for “evaluation” (what a crock!). The press, stupid as ever, ate it up. I counted something like 500 Google alerts for media articles. Not one of them questioned what could possiibly be gained, in terms of those “area differences” claimed by Toyota, when the test cars only had 8 miles of electric range, and had a recharge time period a mere fraction of what the commercial product would have. Notice that Toyota is now committed to producing a 20 mile range plug-in. So why haven’t they waited for all those “test results” in order
    to determine “locale differences.”? There obviously won’t be any. In other words, the “testing” claims were phoney – Toyota simply wanted media coverage of their decision to produce what amounts to a thrown together product. So now Toyota is producing a plug-in that still includes a transmission and other paraphrenalia that
    shouldn’t even be in a plug-in. Their plug-in Prius is a dead end, technologically.
    Toyota claims that NIMH batteries are “time tested.” True enough, unfortunately that time testing has convinced everyone else to avoid these batteries, as too heavy, too weak and too expensive. Yoyota’s decision has already been charcterized as “cautious.” I would go beyond that and say so cautious that it’s dangerous. If the VOLT can hit close to 50 miles range, the Prius is toast the day it goes on sale. The styling of the VOLT will
    consign the Toyota to treehuggerland, since
    only confirmed Toyota treehugger loyalists
    will be able to ignore its styling inferiority.  
    
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    OptimisticMF Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Matt, I was only responding to Dave’s question. I know there will not be a car available in ‘08, but I would buy one if there were.

    I’ll keep pestering my pal at the dealership. Hopefully he’ll tell me when they begin putting out their sales campaign to the dealerships.  
    
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    carlivar Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 2:20 pm

    I would absolutely buy a 10-mile version if it was cheaper and available sooner than the 40-miler.  
    
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    Steven B Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 3:37 pm

    I just want to know one thing: Is GM going to make a set of those prototype Volt 10-milers for use in a Project Driveway-like program like they’re doing with the hydrogen fuel cell Equinox? Does anybody know if that’s part of the program? I’d like to be able to follow news on it if that’s the case.  
    
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    Brian Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 7:11 pm

    Steven B:

    GM has announced (actually I don’t know if it was an official announcement, maybe Lyle can confirm) that they will produce 1000 Volts in the late 2009/early 2010 timeframe. I am assuming that they would do a similar program that the fuel cells are currently on.

    By the way, Project Driveway starts this fall, get ready for lots of attention being payed to GM’s alternative fuels programs!  
    
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    Tom Crowley Says:
    August 4th, 2007 at 1:48 pm

    I would like to see GM come out with a 10 mile TEST version.
    Like stated above they have a lot of testing an fine tunning of the other systems on the car.
    What type of Heating & Cooling?
    The amount of glass on the body will have a big impact on the heat gain and heat lose.
    Will there be a 12 volt system inside for TV’s, Vcr’s, DVD’s, other radio’s.
    how much current to run my amp?  
    
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    Lyle Says:
    August 4th, 2007 at 3:27 pm

    Brian
    I know the plan is to have 1000 Volts by the end of the decade, this was a quote from GM. They might do better..who knows. I think these will go out to a public test group, analogous to whats going to happen in Project Driveway with the fuel-cell Equinoxes, only that project will be limited to people who live near hydrogen fueling stations (big cities)  
    
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    kent beuchert Says:
    August 4th, 2007 at 6:08 pm

    If Toyota thinks that the public is so dense as to believe that a less than 20 mile range plug-in can compete with a VOLT that also kills it in styling and looks, Toyota needs some new executives to make their decisions. The Prius was NOT designed to be a plug-in, and it shows – it still requires an automatic transmission, for God’s sake. No wonder Toyota thinks they are too expensive. Perhaps if they designed them properly ….  
    
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    Greg E Says:
    August 8th, 2007 at 9:54 am

    I think GM would be smart is offering 3 battery options.

    1 option 30 miles ( Smaller Battery but cost less)

    2 option 50 miles ( Larger Battery Cost more)

    3 option 100 miles ( Most expesive battery)

    This way let the consumer decide how far they can go on electic charge. This way they can bring it out sooner. By offering a much larger range but charging the customer for it will allow the car to market to all segments.

    The larger battery model could also have a more powerfull electric motor for faster 0-60 times.

    GREG  
    
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    matt Says:
    August 10th, 2007 at 9:00 am

    hi there, just seen this website. – I´m all for electric cars, but I need a car, EV or not, that can go 600 miles or more per day, with short refuelling times.
    A solution could be swappable batteries, where gas station simply refuel and/or recondition those batteries – The infrastructure though will cost a lot and take a decade or two.

    Interesting in the meantime (for me and my target group) are fuelefficient cars. – Did you guys yet see the LOREMO (LOw REsistance MObile)?
    http://loremo.com/daten_en.php

    Vmax 100mph
    efficency 150+ mpg
    accel. 060: 20seconds

    a small, 20HP diesel engine will be used – the body withstands Euro NCAP pretty well (american not yet tested), extremely lightweight, at ~ 1,000 pounds
    It´s still only a concept, though a prototype is expected to be driven to IAA Frankfurt, Sept 14th
    Production start planned for 2009.

    regards
    Matt

    PS.: Don´t know if you noticed, I pretty much like the concept, I preordered mine already )  
    
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    RP Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 6:36 pm

    You guys are comparing a Prius that went on sale in 2006 with a Volt that *may* go on sale in 2009-2010.

    Everyone is waiting for Lithium Ion batteries to get cheap enough to use. Why do you think the Tesla EV costs over $80,000?

    Toyota can’t go live with Lithium Ion today, the price would scare everyone away from EVs.  
    
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    Tom Says:
    September 14th, 2007 at 4:11 pm

    It depends on how much faith you have in Chevy’s 50 MPG gas-only estimate.

    Let’s compare a “10-mile” Volt to a Prius: much better acceleration, instant throttle response, dramatically simpler drivetrain, quieter, no incessant clicking and whirring and jerking around, night-and-day EV-only abilities, and potentially BETTER GAS MILEAGE.

    So would I prefer a Volt with 40 mile range? Yes, duh. Would I still seriously consider buying a 10 mile Volt? Definitely. Instead of a Volt with crappy range, think about it as a Prius-dominator.  
    
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    Steve Says:
    October 21st, 2007 at 10:25 pm

    Really, everybody should wake up. I would buy the Volt today if it was offered, but chevy has to figure out how to make MONEY after the sale. That’s the only reason they are still sticking a gas motor in there. You will still need oil changes, starters, alternators, air filters, exhaust pipes and mufflers…everything you have now. Less of it though, and they have to get that number UP, UP, UP. They could put that car out TODAY, if they wanted to. They already had the EV1 for 10 years. But they made NO money after the initial lease price for warrenty work. They won’t make that mistake with the Volt. Maintenance and repairs on the Volt will be guarenteed to cost the consumer plenty. When they get their guarenteed return profit figured out, the Volt will be on the market. And I will buy one.  
    
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    Jake Says:
    January 10th, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    Hey good buddy,
    gotta get rid of that echo in that empty room when you give your bi/monthly update.  
    
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    Ron Says:
    January 16th, 2008 at 6:19 am

    You guys worry too much. Toyota’s president let the cat out of the bag for some odd reason at the Detroit auto show, perhaps purely out of desperation at the thought losing their number 1 spot with the popular prius, and GM couldn’t have asked for a more instructive or uncharacteristic lapse of reticence. Now they know they’re onto something big with the Volt. Could you imagine the Toyota’s president’s face if he actually were to unexpectedly catch sight of an imported Chevy Volt driving around the streets of China in his own neighborhood sometime in the near future? He’d probably turn all kinds of pretty colors before passing out!

    Think about it: Solar panel companies’ stocks are soaring while Ethanol companies falter. Key market insiders expect China to ramp up power inverter production on a worldwide scale to meet global grid-tie-in system demands on the horizon, in step with projected solar-based demand. (inverters turn DC solar power into AC grid power) The future is CO2-free electric and everybody whose anybody knows it. At the very moment, the big execs at all the auto companies are finding out that everybody knows that everybody else knows it too! It’s a sweet sound isn’t it? Can you hear the starting gun? Run rabbit, run!  
    
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    busherman Says:
    November 9th, 2008 at 4:08 pm

    YOU GUYS R ALL IDIOTS..there is no infrastrusture for this for the general public, what does this mean for my car?no gas, no car. GM is only giving this to the rich and weathly people. Welcome to the new age of control and punishment. Chaos will spur soon..
    I have to scrap my car, and buy a hydro car??with what $$???
    We need gas at the moment until the infrastuctre is implement and available for all people of the world or north amaerica. thats why they rigged up the gas prices, but it did not work, the elites have failed. there new plan is to ban gas from the importing it in our country.  
    
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