GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Thanks to all for your outpouring of support to keeping the Volt name. Obviously, the choice is excellent and meaningful and will help the car to be the big hit it deserves to be. Nearly everyone agrees that the first E-Flex car should be the Volt, unique in name, appearance, and engineering. 95% of those polled here voted in favor of keeping the Volt name.

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I was able to get an official response on this issue from GM spokesman Rob Peterson who represents the E-Flex division.

He says, and I quote:

“There’s been no formal decision as to the final naming of the vehicle. Obviously, the Volt has alot of name recognition publicly, so a decision to name it something else would involve significant discussion. That said, the project is still referred to as the ‘Volt’ and ‘E-Flex Systems’ within the company.”

So it appears our car is still called the Volt by GM, although the ultimate decision apparently isn’t final. GM clearly recognizes the value and publicity of the name, and hopefully, logically, will be unlikely to change it.

BTW, in case you haven’t seen it, the graphic above is a photo of a sand sculpture of the Volt which was built on Chevy Beach, and environmentally themed sand sculpture exhibit in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Just now an article appeared on Bloomberg.com. The authors cite “secret sources” (not sauces) as saying that GM expects to have an early working Volt prototype out in 2008 which will get a 10 mile all-electric range. Their secret source goes on to say that a 40-mile version will be out in 2009. Official GM spokesman Scott Fosgard is noted to decline a comment.

The article points out thats GM’s plan is more aggressive than Toyota’s plan for a shorter range PHEV expected to max out with 10 miles, and we suspect to use NiMh batteries. Toyota is described as being unable to produce longer electric ranges within an affordable price range. Bob Lutz, however, is quoted as being confident that GM can overcome these technical and pricing obstacles.

This indeed is very new information. I cannot verify the secret source, but considering it’s been two months since the battery contracts were awarded, and the very aggressive efforts of those battery makers, it wouldn’t surprise me. How does it taste to you?

As we know, the Chevrolet Volt doesn’t just represent a car but more importantly represents it’s technological underpinnings. The vehicle also heralds a major frameshift in the fundamental engineering of the automobile as we know it. Furthermore, this frameshift in turn, completely disrupts the fabric of energy flow on a global level as it applies to human locomotion. No longer will gasoline be the currency of motion. Rather the utility companies will supply the elctricity we need to power our cars. Where that energy comes from will also vary, but can be generated from coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, or solar sources.  In fact, people could generate it right at home with solar panels on the roofs of their garages.

The Volt is the concept prototype for this new E-flex series hybrid platform, and it reasonable to expect that many vehicles runnig on the same platform will emerge in the years after the Volt’s release.  Other range extenders like hydrogen fuel cells will also arrive.

Autoweek published a report yesterday including an interview with Tom Stephens, group VP of GM global powertrain.  In the report the author states that “It is unclear whether GM will use the Volt name for a specific model or incorporate the new technology into an existing model, such as the Malibu.”

I disagree.  Early after the Volt was first announced, there was some debate about the name issue.  But now there shoudnt be any.

The first car to arrive with this technology must be unique in appearance, name, and form.  Other cars can later incorporate this technology, and indeed there may one day be an E-Flex Malibu.  But considering the profound nature of what the Volt symbolizes it will have to come first.  After all, the Prius didn’t first appear as a hybrid Corolla.

What do you think?