One of the prime objectives of this site is to get the facts straight and dispel rumors. All along the E-Flex team has told us they are working towards November 2010 production. Certainly working prototypes will appear earlier than that, and something like a captured test fleet might even arrive a year earlier.Automotive component maker Continental is partnered with battery maker A123 as one of the two teams producing Volt battery packs. Continental CEO William Kozyra has just said in a newly published interview:
“Continental is well positioned to support that growth with technology that we’ve developed, including for example the lithium ion battery technology that we’re developing for General Motors for the Chevy Volt. We’re General Motors’ partners on the development of lithium ion. You’ll see lithium ion batteries in production here at the end of next year, and the development is going quite well. ”
When asked if whether not only the battery systems themselves will be in production but also if they will be placed in a production vehicle, he said “Absolutely”, ” Specifically in the Chevrolet Volt in late 2009. ”
Error? Captured test fleet? GM surprise? Your guess is as good as mine.
Sources at GM when asked about this report that the 2010 date remains unchanged .
Source (BusinessWeek)
This entry was posted on Monday, March 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Battery, Production, Timeline. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (2:26 pm)The cat’s out of the bag now. I guess GM will have to come through in 2009.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (2:39 pm)My gut says he meant “yes they will be in cars” and not so much as “production cars”. He was probably thinking of the Mules, maybe a small test fleet.
Either way i’m set on Late 2010 (oct/nov). Anything before is great anything after that sucks, but i will deal with it and buy one when i can.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (2:40 pm)can’t believe i got to a post before nasaman, or Jean-Charles Jacquemin!
Mar 3rd, 2008 (2:52 pm)Given GM’s new approach of discussing issues and making instant decisions without having to go to higher authorities, I would not be surprised if the first few Chevy Volts show up at dealerships in late 2009.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (2:55 pm)Music to my ears.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (3:11 pm)GM already told you flat out that 2009 sales to customers is not possible. Obviously the battery supplier will have to have their act together by well ahead of 2010.
Ain’t gonna happen, people.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (3:20 pm)http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/18/your-questions-answered-by-top-chevy-volt-executives-part-2/
Q: Is there any possibility of this car coming out in 2009?
A: (Tony Posawatz, GM’s E-Flex vehicle line director) “No.”
Mar 3rd, 2008 (3:31 pm)Just get the VOLT out there…. send a “mule” my way… Up here in Canda… there would be the real testing…. Cold?..You bet… hot in the summer..scorching ! and all in short bursts….It’s like they say here in Alberta Canada…if you don’t like the weather…wait 15 minutes….
I run a service company and we are currently running the Malibu MAXX.. good cargo space and decent Milage (8.9 – 9 8 L/100km)
28 – 31 MPG (Canadian Gallons) If I could get a Volt getting (combined ) 50 MPG (US Gallons) that would give me close to 60 MPG Canadian gallons and my current cost of fuel would drop by at least $150. per month at today’s prices….
Let’s Go GM….2010 ….. late summer/fall. I will definately be upgrading and the Volt is the car I want.
Incidently… 40 % of the “Cabbies” that run from the city to our International Airport (about 18 Miles out) are switching to the Toyota Camery hybrid because of the fact of less maintenance and much better milage than the standard “fuller” sized cars.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (4:02 pm)Automotive manufacturing is extremely competitive. I’m amazed that GM is as forthcoming with so much information as they have been. I’m sure that there must be a few details, though, that they have to keep to themselves, and the actual release date is probably one of them. GM understands full well how important something like this is. What a coup it would be to blindside Toyota and produce an ‘09. Maybe that’s where the 10,000 figure came from?
Can you imagine if GM actually DID produce an ‘09? We in the cheering section would go bananas!
Under-promise and over-deliver is a good strategy, but then I’m probably just wishful thinking.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (4:21 pm)#7 OhmExcited
Your information is so 2007/11/18!
Mar 3rd, 2008 (4:50 pm)These kinds of announcements are causing me too much stress!!!!
Tagamet – You are going to have to start handing out pills to calm everyone down!!!!!
When my local dealer calls me and tells me that his first Volt’s are available for order, or on the way, then I will believe it. I suppose that if Mr. Wagoner or Mr. Lutz called me directly, that would work as well!!!!
Other than that, I am looking for a Volt as my 2010 Christmas present……….
:)
Mar 3rd, 2008 (5:10 pm)Jim @ 11 –
Don’t sweat it man. Just wait 15 minutes, and someone at GM will say something else.
(BTW – why would you trust Lutz for anything? How many times has he contradicted himself in the last six months?)
Mar 3rd, 2008 (5:42 pm)There are general consumers and there are fleet purchases.
Two VERY different things.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (6:11 pm)#3 John P. hehehe .I feel yea, brother . I enjoy reading nasaman , Jean-Charles Posts . I hope to read there input soon . I am thinking we have gone from Not knowing if Li-ion battery was even going to work to these A123 system battery rolling of the line in 09′ . these last two week have been fun . Well if the battery pack was the big hurdle , whats left, can anybody think of anything that could stop production at this point? I sure will enjoy passing the gas stations on my away work.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (7:07 pm)I wonder if they are going to do the Toyota method of limited fleet testing for about a year before the model goes on sale to the public. This would still leave the 2010 date for the public intact.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (7:27 pm)#15 NZDavid
"I wonder if they are going to do the Toyota method of limited fleet testing for about a year before the model goes on sale to the public."
Yes, please sign me up for a 1 year lease on a car in the testing pool ( glad to be in the pool as a tester). When the lease expires (testing completed) sell me the public production Volt.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (7:34 pm)Well if the Volt is to be a 2010 Model it would have to come out in 2009 or else it’s going to be perceived as late since all the other 2010 models come out in Sept/Oct 2009.
Or it comes out in Late 2010 as a 2011 model? Who knows.
I think anything we see in the press is suspect, until the car debuts at the North American Auto Show.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (8:12 pm)I don’t think the car will come to market in 09. But I think there will be quite a bit of testing in para production vehicles, and that’s what I think this is about.
Given the time line on this vehicle this is good news since they’re going to have to run these though the paces. The fact that Conti will have a completed production ready pack by 09 means that they are serious about this vehicle and the time line.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (9:14 pm)GM will be making a MAJOR announcement at the Genieva Auto Show tommorrow concerning hybrids. Could it be…
Mar 3rd, 2008 (9:16 pm)I’m with David — make me a mule tester. I drive 6-800 miles per week and I’m willing to lease for a year (can you believe that GM has people waiting in line to lease a vehicle for their testing purposes???!!!)
Mar 3rd, 2008 (9:17 pm)All I can say is "Three couches, no waiting!" Anticipation is often even better than the actual event. This time – I don’t think so. The Javitz center meeting should be exactly the "fix" we need.
Mar 3rd, 2008 (9:23 pm)Javitz meeting…..what’s dat?
Mar 3rd, 2008 (9:27 pm)"Javitz meeting…..what’s dat?"
First show me the secret handshake…
Mar 3rd, 2008 (10:11 pm)I’m buying the fleet testing theory. I’m actually very glad, as I would hope they go through live, large scale testing before selling to public in 2010..
Mar 3rd, 2008 (11:35 pm)23 Tagamet
Well I guess we know what ONE of the questions GM will be getting at the Javits Center in a couple weeks, right? See Ya there!
Mar 4th, 2008 (3:15 am)Well if you look here, it seems that we have a better product than the Tesla in Belgium : range in pure electric mode 40 miles. Recharge time 4 hours. It combines diverse propulsion modes and seems to outperform a Porche 911 when running in hybrid mode, but its cost forbid that I ask for buying one 83,000 € : that is 126,000 $ using yesterday exchange rate of 1.52$ for 1 €.
http://www.imperia-auto.be/en/
Mar 4th, 2008 (11:09 am)Sure Jean-Charles, rub it in about the exchange rate…
Mar 5th, 2008 (9:19 am)[...] we heard comments from Continental’s CEO about production level battery packs and Volts in 2009. GM [...]
Mar 6th, 2008 (12:07 pm)[...] had recently heard some comments about Volt production in 2009 by both an executive at GM and the CEO of Continental [...]
Jul 22nd, 2009 (2:13 pm)I just hope the design remains a 4 door hatchback, not a sedan. I have no use for a sedan, but I will buy a hatch-back. Gotta transport stuff, not just people!