Volt Nation is fast approaching on March 19th 4:30 PM at the Jacob Javits Center during press days of the New York City Auto Show.
This historic and groundbreaking event will allow us all to get together, inspect the Chevy Volt show car, and have a townhall Q and A as well as one on one time with GMs entire Chevy Volt executive development team. Bring your questions.
GM and yours truly here at GM-Volt.com are actually co-hosting the event, in my effort to bring all of us together as part of a widescale international grass root effort to make this car a reality.
Initial registration of 250 seats “sold-out” (its actually FREE) in less than 24 hours. They then opened up some more.
Now all spaces are filled.
Links:
http://www.javitscenter.com
http://www.autoshowny.com
Also we’ve started a new Forum for Volt Nation
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 6th, 2008 at 7:27 pm and is filed under Public Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Mar 6th, 2008 (7:46 pm)I wish I could put money down at the show. I’d be there. Bring back good news then.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:10 pm)Wish I could go.
Seems like price, delivery date and quantity are going to be the hot topics.
Any pics would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:12 pm)Kudos, Lyle, for achieving a really astonishing response to this pre-celebration of the coming automotive revolution (or should I have called it the coming automotive E-REVolution?!?)
PS: I’ve already jotted down about 9 questions for GM (& I’m just getting started)!
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:15 pm)I wonder when we will see the new, aerodynamically enhanced Volt 1.2? Any chance GM will have pictures of it at Javits? One can wish…
I have the feeling that Lyle, Nasaman, and the rest of the GM-Volt.com crew are going to be asking better questions than the national media, and getting better, more accurate answers as well.
Wish I could go…
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:17 pm)Great news! I just confirmed.
Looking forward to meeting some of you there, and asking some tough questions.
See you then!
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:30 pm)I wonder if GM is considering batteries as a option.. smaller ones to keep the cost down and larger ones for people who want longer EV range? And the option to add batteries after you buy the car. I rented a EV1 for 2 days in LA… I gave many rides to sceptics… every one was convinced in less than 10 seconds.
That first acceleration from 0 to EVgrin … nothing like it!
A first gear that never stops… no shifting…
Effortless acceleration… capturing energy while braking…
Once these EV’s get on the road… people will wonder why it didn’t happen sooner.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:35 pm)I’m Green with envy , I am hoping that a Nation wide VOLT club gets started 2010, Must have A GM Volt to be a member.I will be checking this site March 19 5:30pm please bring a I-phone for timely updates & pics . A web cast would be nice hint hint!!! Then Million Volt fans could Tune-in on all the action.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:39 pm)WEB CAST <WEB CAST webcast !!!!! Have fun guys would love to be there.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (8:54 pm)I wish I could go! Please give me update.
Thank you
Manoj
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (9:12 pm)I can do the still pics AFTER the show, but can’t do a webcast. I kinda think that GM will have that covered professionally.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (9:13 pm)PS I love the idea of a Volt Owners Club!
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (9:15 pm)Jeff J at 8, good idea. Pod Cast, You Tube, whatever…video would be awesome and I know there are some techies here that can help Lyle with links (nasaman) hint hint.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (10:21 pm)Way to go Lyle.
Looking forward to the pictures Tagamet. Maybe you could post them on the new forum?
Can someone ask if the international roll out will be at the same time as the main US roll out?
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (10:47 pm)NZDavid
I added the question to the list. Is there a reason the other forum would be better for the pics?
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (10:47 pm)Yup, after the success of Voltnation, there should be a million man/woman Volt march on Washington DC. Now that would get some press and open some eyes.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (10:47 pm)I would be there in a heart beat …but this is the busiest time of the year for me at work. I am working 7 days a week for about another month. This is also why I have not been posting much of late. Have fun without me.
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (10:52 pm)Grizzly,
Washington, DC is nice in July….
(Quote)
Mar 6th, 2008 (11:11 pm)We could have a MULE DRIVE
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (1:30 am)Tagamet, not really, just when I click on forum now I go to the new forum and it takes another click to get to the old forum lol.
When we get the club going, we could have those little mileage counters like on the Prius owners site. heh heh.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (3:49 am)Tagamet,
Lyle has set up a thread on the new Forum just for Volt Nation, pics, video, etc. I think that’s where we will all go to see what pictures you got. Like you & Bob Lutz, you and Lyle, and all the other famous people. Hey, how about a picture of you in the mule?
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (7:33 am)Field of dreams ,build it and they will come.Wish I can go but too far from the west coast.Anyone have some extra plane tickets?I hope Canada will not get shut out when they start selling in 2010 I want one for sure I drove the Honda all electric and it is Fun!!!
bguttmann@yahoo.com
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (9:03 am)I have ALWAYS had a GM product! I had to go to a Toyota Prius to get GOOD gas mileage! Why can’t GM do this TOO! I wish I could have purchased something made in the USA!!!
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (10:16 am)Hi Guys..
I will not be able to attend the meeting. So please ask the following questions.
1) Of late, you have produced a car with exceptional quality which is 2008 Cadillac CTS. What steps are you taking to make sure that all the cars under GM brand are of the same quality. Here I am not talking about interior or exterior, its
about driving experience, steering, brakes ,reliability etc.
For example, Toyota and Honda maintain that quality accross their entire lineup but GMs quality is erratic, some of their low end cars are worth to be thrown into trash.
2) Will Volt be using ultracapacitors to protect the battery and enhance the performance of the Vehicle ?
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (11:41 am)Should I expect a confirmation that I am on the list? I sent an email to voltnation@gmail.com on the 19th. I’m assuming I am, but I would hate to get there and not be on the list.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (11:48 am)Mike,
I got "in" the first go around and it was a few days before I got a confirmation.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (12:29 pm)I would love to go if I thought that GM had anything new to announce about the Volt, but from what I have read since the Auto show in New York over a year ago – nothing really has been accomplished. The production release of the Volt is STILL several years away, and the reality of the Volt is beginning to appear as mere hype to placate the public.
I hope I’m wrong, but I keep remembering the EV1 and what happened to every one of those units.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (12:32 pm)I would love to go if I thought that GM had anything new to announce about the Volt, but from what I have read since the Auto show in New York over a year ago – nothing really has been accomplished. The production release of the Volt is STILL several years away, and the reality of the Volt is beginning to appear as mere hype to placate the public. I hope I’m wrong, but I keep remembering the EV1 and what happened to every one of those units.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (12:35 pm)Hmmmm, troll or needs a response… Help me out troops
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (12:53 pm)27 Jim
To the contrary, Jim, a TREMENDOUS amount has been accomplished. I could enumerate some of the key achievements, but it would take more time than I can spare. So I’ll just say that a LOT of engineering (like wind-tunnel testing that reduced the Volt’s drag coefficient to the mid 20’s), design refinements of all kinds, plus far more in the way of mechanical design, electrical design, production engineering and documentation has been under way. But you can be sure GM isn’t going to reveal many specifics –no company would!
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (4:45 pm)Best way for GM to leverage this event is to minimally create a video podcast for download. A live webcast would be great – opportunities like this help build the community further. PODCAST!
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (6:29 pm)This is great! Deliberating with customers in order to give them what they want (as distinct from what the Corporation wants to give them) is what made GM great in its first century. This event is more than "just" the event, or of the Volt itself — it is a signal that GM has rediscovered where its strength lies — in the customer.
A return to that cultural method, expressed in the promotion and product of the Volt, is momentous
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (7:07 pm)Hi nasaman:
You don’t want to list the Volt accomplishments because they are just too numerous to mention. OK, that’s fine. Just tell me what has been accomplished with the Volt battery pack. Will it be invulnerable to low winter temperatures (existing EVs with the battery packs used today loose half their range during winter months)? How long will it take to get a full charge? How long will the pack last before it needs replacing? How much will the replacement costs be?
And will we see the Volt in showrooms before 2014?
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (8:14 pm)32 Jim
I don’t have inside or specific information, Jim, but my best "fairly educated" guesses to your questions are:
1) The battery packs will be well insulated & will have an ethlylene glycol mix from a heat exchanger in the car’s HVAC circulated thru them (similar to Mercedes’ technique)
2) Full charge will take approx 6 hrs, partial charges proportionately less
3) Packs are expected to last 15 yrs; GM’s standard 100,000 mi drive train warranty will apply (as you know, a car’s value is effectively "zeroed out" after ~15yrs for esthetic or other reasons, so the battery should never need replacing)
4) I’d really be very surprised if GM doesn’t make the announced showroom date of 2010 (or 2011 at the latest).
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (9:10 pm)Hi nasaman:
From what I’ve been reading, the new battery internal structure will be essentually dry, will be of the capacitance type, will require just minutes to charge, will be immune to the effects of cold weather – without the need for insulation and a warming source, and will be less than half the weight of today’s batteries.
I hope GM will be using such batteries in the Volt. If their packs require insulation and a warming source, the Volt will be a failure because the competition will be using them.
(Quote)
Mar 7th, 2008 (11:17 pm)Hi Jim,
A bit of a doublew edged sword there isn’t it? Either test the batteries thouroughly (which takes time) or use untested, bleeding edge tech.
(Quote)
Mar 8th, 2008 (11:58 am)If I could I would go..I frequently look for the updates on how the battery issues are going and hope at the show we will hear more
(Quote)
Mar 8th, 2008 (5:03 pm)Have you guys seen this SUV modified hybrid? They are saying it has the same range as the volt (40 miles) on electric only, but unlimited range with gas motor. They are describing it as the SUV that gets 150 MPGs. The videos are worth checking out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-cPHtQ0tTwI really like what these guys have done. They built that thing just by modifying an existing Saturn vue hybrid with mostly off the shelf parts. They built the whole thing including a custom transmission for the electric motor, in just 6 months. One thing they are doing that other’s aren’t is the use of super capacitors, this is explained a little in this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YheGphfNHcY&feature=relatedFrom what I understand the battery packs will be available in large quantities by this summer (just months from now).
It can do 0 to 60 MPH in 6.9 seconds:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpjxLntmajA&feature=related
Range is unlimited with gas backup with nothing special that the driver has to do (same as all the commercial hybrids being sold already).This car has been featured on CBS:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhM70MnTIvk&feature=relatedAnd CNN:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v09_uTp08zg&feature=related
(Quote)
Mar 8th, 2008 (7:01 pm)Hi Tagamet:
Yes, it certainly would be a double-edged sword, assuming that testing has been minimal on the "bleeding edge technology" that I mentioned. However, those new batteries have been tested for at least 3 years already. Eventually, if a product is to get to market, production has to begin – even if testing continues.
This is where the Volt comes into the picture. They can test it and test it and test it, but if GM is really serious about bringing the Volt to the showrooms, they need to start production (and not 5 years from now).
I have to wonder why they didn’t just put the EV1 back into production. It was capable of highway speeds, had every possible wind tunnel test conducted on it, and had a fair range considering the battery technology available at the time. Now we have Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries and the soon to be released ultracapacitance batteries. With those installed in the EV1, range might even reach 300 miles – without burning a drop of gasoline. To me that is much healthier for us and our planet.
(Quote)
Mar 11th, 2008 (4:18 pm)Will there be any confirmation of who has the passes to this event? I sent the CONFIRM email. I am making plans to be in New York and it would be nice to know that a pass will actually be there after all of the expense of getting there (from Colorado).
(Quote)
Mar 13th, 2008 (11:12 pm)I’m in agreement with Bob. Any news after the confirm e-mail? Don’t want to get there and not find our names on the list after taking the day off from work and making the trip to NYC and spending all kinds of $. Also, what is the plan when we get to the Javits Center? Walk in the front door and run towards the Volt, hugging it like a long lost friend? Would ID’s be required? Are cameras permitted? (I’m assuming yes since this is a press day; but one should never assume!) Any other helpful info on what to expect? Thanks!
(Quote)
Mar 14th, 2008 (1:14 am)Never mind. I found the e-mail with the info! I must need glasses.
(Quote)