I am a battery scientist and like to start my own venture, I want to make a battery which will last long, very powerful, safe, excellent cold and high temperature performance and pricing competitively to phosphate, metal oxide based batteries. I have solved all problems except high temperature cycle life. Anyone who has both battery expertise and also like to start his/her own venture is welcome to contact me at lifepo4@gmail.com.
I have 8 years Lithium battery research and development experience! I will provide my info and very willing to exchange ideas and thoughts. Thanks!

You can figure Gen 2 will have an extended range battery, reduced charging time and AWD.

Gen 3 may feature wireless charging, steer by wire and biometric door locks/ignition.

Baby steps…

Absolutely right. Crawl before you try to walk.

I’m there for Gen 1. If something better follows quickly, I’ll get one of those for my wife and drive the Gen 1 for work.

Bring it on.

I also liked the fact he was already talking about Gen 2 and 3. It sounded like they already have ideas they’re working on for those, but at the same time, staying focused on getting Gen 1 out for the consumer. That is the important thing, get it out there, then make improvements as time goes along. As the saying goes, you have to crawl before you can walk.

Death to oil.

Electricity could become even less of a factor if local/state governments partnered with local businesses and retail establishments to set up charging spots in parking garages and parking lots.

California was working on doing this to improve upon the horrid air quality in some of their cities. The cost of providing free electricity to E-REVs, EVs, etc. would end up being cheaper than the enormous medical costs associated with poor air quality cause by ICE vehicles (e.g. emergency room visits for asthma attacks, cancer treatment).

Here’s an example:
A city could set up 2 charging stations in each of the area’s Wal-mart parking lots. These charging stations would be no more than a post sticking out of the ground with a standard all-weather electrical outlet on it. These 2 spots would be clearly marked as charging spots and would be place mid-way back in the parking lot. This would lower the amount of instances of ICE vehicles there by accident. Another option would be to just make it illegal for ICE vehicles to park in such spots. Either way, there would be 2 spots at each Wal-mart. These spots would then be monitored. If they are used a lot, then extra spots would be added as needed, allowing for evolutionary, need-based growth.

Wal-mart is just an example, however. These charging spots could be put in company parking lots so that people like Rashiid, who commute long distances to work each day, could charge while at work.

Gen-1 Volt will probably only last a production year or so and will very quickly be followed by Gen-2 and Gen-3 which apparently are already in design. Very interesting.

I hope Gen-1 can be easily upgraded or GM will have a more difficult time selling cars that buyers know will obsolesce in just a year or 2. That’s why I’m not buying a new Malibu now and instead waiting on the Volt. Then again, the Volt is such a technology leap, I probably won’t matter much anyway.

I’m looking forward to Denise’s segment.

Thanks, Lyle!

You forgot to add in the cost of electricity I think.

But we all know that electricity is cheaper than gas (on a Joules per mile basis), so you still save money, just not as quickly as you calculated.

Lyle, I would be clueless without you.
You do excellent work sir! Thank you very much for your tireless effort.