Comments on: Bob Lutz Insists Chevy Volt is Not a Plug-in Hybrid

By: Zobeid

Zobeid — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:21:56 +0000

I know why GM (and other car makers) are so uptight about CAFE standards. Sure they can meet a 35 MPG standard. . . But if they admit that publicly, then Congress will demand 45 MPG or more. That’s how the game is played in Washington DC.

All the car makers now understand they have to move toward more efficiency, but they want to go there on their own schedule, in response to the marketplace. They don’t want to be strong-armed by the government. That’s human nature. So, they fight against CAFE and tell congressmen “we can’t do it”, but meanwhile they are gearing up to do it. Some might call that dishonest, but they are highly motivated to behave this way.

By: Storm Connors

Storm Connors — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 04:38:33 +0000

I don’t know why GM is so uptight about CAFE standards. If they build enough Volts, they can keep selling Hummers and still meet the standards. If the CAFE was restrictive enough, then other mfgs wouldn’t be able to meet them at all!

By: Guy Incognito

Guy Incognito — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:18:47 +0000

I don’t care what Bob Lutz or Lyle or the rest of them say what the Volt is defined as.
The Chevy Volt is, in fact, a ’serial plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
My advice to the good folks at GM would be to stop trying to define the Volt in their own terms.

By: GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Concept Site » GM Calls the Volt an E-REV

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Concept Site » GM Calls the Volt an E-REV — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:32:35 +0000

[...] We have had spirited discussion along the way about exactly what the Volt is. Common misrepresentations have included calling it a hybrid or series hybrid, or more commonly a plug-in hybrid. Bob Lutz has specifically said the Volt is not a hybrid (see post). [...]

By: noel park

noel park — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:29:36 +0000

Szyszek, #30:

Amen.

Dude it up with some special styling cues and wheels to differentiate it from the base Cobalt, and get on with it.

Honda has done a poor job of this with the Civic hybrid, which is not enough different from the base Civic, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

As I keep saying, we are babying our 1995 Impala SS along until GM comes up with a car with enough better mileage to make it worth switching. The 1994-96 SS is a perfect example of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. The base Caprice Classic was a styling disaster but, with a minimum of expensive changes, Jon Moss, et al, turned it into an effective buzz generating enthusiast car. I know, I know, too many doors and too big and heavy, but the Chevy faithful were desparate, and it really caused a stir.

They are still popular in LA. You should see the homeboys shake their heads when they see my wife drive by in her SS.

As I have said 1000 times, where is Jon Moss, now that we need him?

By: Szyszek

Szyszek — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:29:14 +0000

Bob got me thinking: Volt is built on Cobalt’s platform. Cobalt is a $13k car. Swap its 2.2 4-cyl engine for 1.0 3-cyl turbo (even swap), swap tranny for electric motor (even swap), add some fancy electronics and materials ($2k) and $10k battery pack – bingo, you have $25k Volt. All you have to do is to make enough of them so you can get everything in bulk (engines, batteries, electric motors etc). Like… 60,000 of them?

By: vernon-ga-tech

vernon-ga-tech — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:54:59 +0000

Listening to Bob say the Volt is going to be built on a compact frame gives me some pause. With oil hitting $100/barrel, I just hope GM is going full steam at electrification of their entire fleet. It would be nice to also see mid-size Chevy and Buick cars and SUVs all based on the RxEV model. (Maybe trucks also).

By: noel park

noel park — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:38:44 +0000

Well, I think that #19, John 1701a, and #17, Mike G., among others, have it right. Forget the semantics, just give us the car.

As we always say, “Call me anything you want, just don’t call me late for dinner”.

What an awesome bunch of bloggers. You guys are great!

By: Tony Belding

Tony Belding — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:54:48 +0000

I have to strongly disagree with Mr. Lutz on this one. He’s trying to redefine “electric car” so it includes something you fill up at a gas pump.

The buying public won’t care about how the Volt’s drive system works internally. There’s no reason why they should have to concern themselves with whether the engine is connected mechanically to the wheels or not. What concerns them is that it can accept energy from a wall socket or from a gas pump. That makes it a plug-in hybrid.

This is exactly the car that PHEV advocates have been asking for. It’s the archetypal PHEV.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:57:59 +0000

IMHO, Mr Lutz’s definition of hybrid makes more sense (and is probably easier for the public to understand) than the serial vs parallel hybrid terminology.

The term “hybrid” should refer to the power source(s) that drive the wheels, and that’s all. The presence of an IC engine running a generator should not change that definition. Just as the electric starter motor in my Trailblazer does not make it a hybrid.