Comments on: GM Takes Delivery of Second LG Chem/Compact Power Chevy Volt Battery Pack, and it’s Better Than the First

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:15:48 +0000

The middle class needs this car to survive! Get it out ASAP! At $4.00 gallon gas the economy could be heading for a depression.

By: Casadore

Casadore — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:22:49 +0000

The people must get behind this Volt or it will go the way of the Nuclear Car (a Ford) & Plane.

By: noel park

noel park — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:01:42 +0000

I just finished reading the book version of “The War” by Ken Burns.

If the US could ramp up from basically zero to the huge, massive, military equipment output achieved in WWII in 5 years, getting the Volt going by 2010 should be absolutely doable.

Think about it. The B-29, the P-51, and so many other then advanced weapons systems went from a clean sheet of paper to production of thousands, or tens of thousands, within that short time. Atomic bomb? GM played a huge role in that effort.

I have said it a hundred times, the engineering and design talent is clearly there if the mangement provides the political will and the resources.

By: RB

RB — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:51:31 +0000

The most important part of the comments says “the individual cells, and the pack, performed according to our math-based expectations.” That is, they verified their mathematical equations (probably a combination of lots of them inside some computer code) against actual cell performance. That is extremely important and very good news, because it means that many design and performance variations can be tested quickly through computer runs, rather than having to test each one on the mules, a slow and cumbersome process. The practical effect is that the first real car is going to be pretty close to expectations.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:35:39 +0000

Jean-Charles,

Yes, I see them now. I must just have missed them in the sheer comprensiveness of the data! So power density of 1.14 to 2.66 kW/kg; energy density range of 56 to 76 Wh/kg. That’s really not so hot, is it? Altair, for example, has power density of 4kW/kg and an energy density of 90Wh/kg and can stand pretty complete discharge cycles. I think that A123 is expected to be around 100Wk/kg and I think about the same as Altair for power.

That leaves EnerDel pretty back of the pack (if I’ve gotten that right), so to speak. The Voltishness performance goes so far as acceleration but much less mpg equivalent given the small ability to go all electric (the most was a 20 mile range). It could be a much more inexpensive however. A well powered sporty small car with good mpg for not much money.