GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Apparently GM invited a group of bloggers to a round-table sit down with GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz. Some of the interview is reported on Jalopnik (link) and includes some Volt-talk.

I wasn’t invited, but since it took place on the West Coast and I’m on the East Coast, perhaps that is why? Maybe next time.

Here’s what Jalopnik (who was represented there) quoted Mr. Lutz saying about the Volt:

“The beginning of the next year, we’ll take some cut up old Malibus, slap the battery packs in…we’ll invite you people [auto journalists / bloggers / random people on the street] out there, so you’ll know when we’re testing them [the Volt], because we want the entire development process to be transparent.”

I am particularly struck by this statement for two reasons.

The first is that Mr. Lutz indicates his desire to keep the process of Volt development transparent. Indeed that is among the reasons for this website, to help keep the transparency publicly available for all to see.  This has been true all along, and so it seems will continue to be.  They are making up for EV-1 mistakes.
Second issue is mention of the fact that the Volt mules will be old Malibus. We have previously heard the idea floated of making an E-Flex Malibu as the first car, instead of moving the Volt from concept to production.(see previous post)

We also discussed and agreed that the Volt name and new design were important for the success of the car.

I remain hopeful the old Malibus will just be used as the mules, but when E-Flex hits the street it will be in the form of a production Volt.

I’ve asked if GM will show us the mules. According to Tony Posawatz they are already in existence, running in some preliminary tests and without a production battery pack inside. So far, no images provided..but time will tell.

For those of you who might not know, Project Driveway is the name GM is giving to a modestly-large scale hydrogen fuel cell vehicle test it is planning.

For the event, GM will be giving out 100 hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinoxes to selected and fortunate parties in the U.S. located in L.A., N.Y.C., and Wash D.C. You can actually sign up as a volunteer on GM’s website. The volunteers will keep the cars for up to 2 years, and the test will be the largest fuel-cell test in history.

The vehicles are modifed Equinoxes using GMs 4th generation fuel cells running compressed gaseous hydrogen. A similar car was recently demonstrated to drive uninterrupted for 300 miles in New York State. The reason the roll-out is being limited to these three big cities is, obviously, there must be a hydrogen fueling station nearby.

The project has been promoted with a launch date this fall. By my calculations, fall begins in 2 days.

Well, the update is, as per ABC news, the cars will not be rolled out to the public until January. However, in an effort to keep their word, GM will roll out the media fleet this fall.

In some communications I’ve had with GM people, there has been some difficulty in establishing the fueling stations at least near where I am, in New York City. This delay in being able to set up the infrastructure is likely the delay for the roll-out, and not the vehicles themselves.

Certainly, people here have shown passionate disinterest in hydrogen power for reasons such as the need for energy to produce the hydrogen in the first place, and the lack of widespread infrastructure. Storing energy in a lithium-ion battery seems to make more sense. Some people in GM do agree with these concerns too, but point out that certain locations such as Iceland where there is tremendous geothermal reserves, storing energy as hydrogen may make sense.

GM is thinking globally about hydrogen too, and the element fits in to the developing “portfolio” of energy diversified vehicles.

[UPDATE: As per GM spokesman Rob Peterson: "Program timing for Project Driveway has not changed. The media launch of the vehicles will take place in October, with several test drives at select locations available soon after. Overnight drives will begin in January as scheduled."]

Thanks for helping us set the facts straight Mr. Peterson.

Trying to keep its eggs in more than a few baskets, GM is a member of the USABC, or United States Advanced Battery Consortium. Among this entities other members are Ford and Chrysler.

The consortium is actually a subunit of the parent body known as the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) which was founded in 1992 to help promote the development of fuel cell, hybrid, and electric vehicles.

It was announced today that USABC is giving a 6.5 million battery development contract to EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1 which is in turn an alternative energy company.

EnerDel makes a lithium-ion battery using “patented lithium titanate and hard carbon technology and cell design technology” which is based on initial developments coming out of Argonne National Lab.

From the press release…

“Under the full three-phase program, EnerDel is working to develop a fully integrated battery system for use in hybrid vehicle applications. The USABC program aims to produce a cost-competitive, lithium ion battery that is lighter, smaller and higher in power than existing battery technologies for hybrid electric vehicles.”

It looks like we have another big player in the lithium-ion battery pack field and more evidence that this will be the future of automobiles.

EnerDel Website

An article surfaced in which the Mayor of Lordstown, Ohio indicated that there are rumors the Chevy Volt may be built at GMs Lordstown assembly plant.  The facility currently employs 2800 autoworkers, and 5 years ago received a 500 million dollar facelift from GM.  The plant is located 40 mile southeast of Cleveland (hey they can drive them there all-electric!)
As of now, the plant produces Pontiac G5s and Chevy Cobalts.  We already know that the Volt will be built on the Cobalt platform, so a facility geared to that car makes sense.

This is more evidence of GMs relentless and definitive pursuit of Volt production.

Today, on national television CBS aired a segment about the future of cars and the fact they will be running on electricity and not gas. Featured was the Tesla Roadster, as the small silicon valley “scrappy” start-up.

Also profiled was GM and the Chevy Volt.

There are interviews with Bob Lutz, Denise Gray, and Rick Wagoner. Denise Gray, the battery director, is is described as having the whole load of success or failure on her shoulders because a working battery pack is the critical step.

Mr. Lutz states the car will be priced “nicely” under 30,000..not just under $30,000.

Also mentioned is that Chris Paine who made the film “Who Killed the Electric Car?” is making a new film called “Who Saved the Electric Car?”. The segment also touts the electric car movement as a grass roots approach..I agree and is the main reason for this very website.

The whole video segment can be seen here: (VIDEO LINK)

You can read a synopsis of the segment here: (CBS Sunday Morning)

Of course, there is the resident skeptic Vijay Vaitheeswaran.

Check out the video and let’s see what you think.

GM continues to advertise the as yet non-existent Volt heavily to help change its image from the maker of gas-guzzling trucks to the new lean green electric GM.  This is truly unprecedented, marketing a product that doesn’t even exist in prototype and is 3 years away.  Pundits say GM is taking a risk, I say they know its a sure thing!

Here is the TV ad:

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_J2Jx51XZs]