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Production Chevy Volt will not Have a Polycarbonate Roof

March 10th, 2008 | Posted in: Design

One aspect of the Chevy Volt concept that draws attention is its polycarbonate roof. Some are thrilled by the unique aesthetics while some more pragmatic folks are concerned abouts its greenhouse effect and the need for electrically powered A/C that might reduce the car’s EV range.

In recent interviews about the actual production Volt, it hasn’t been clear if the PC roof was being kept in. There were even some insinuations about a self-tinting roof, and of course the more recently silent lot of folks requesting solar panels in the roof.

A new article features an interview with Mark Verbrugge, the director of GM’s Materials and Process lab. He says:

“Its durability and robustness over time is the question,”

and

“We’d very much like to use it. We’ve wanted to for years, but we haven’t been able to resolve all of the problems that have come up in our validation programs.”

Plain steel?

Source (Design News)

Popularity: 3%

(8 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)

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Posted by: Lyle

67 Responses to “Production Chevy Volt will not Have a Polycarbonate Roof”

NZDavid Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:20 am

Good, polycarbonate scratches really easily. As to its replacement, another good question for march 19.
Texas Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:32 am

What do you mean by recently silent? I’m guessing because the point was made that solar panels are great but not for the Volt 1.0 because we just want the first model out the door on time. Is that what you meant? OK, I thought so. Thanks!
David L G Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:32 am

Maybe this will lower the price a little…
Jack Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:58 am

To my estimation there’s no way that a polycarbonate roof was going to be used and for many reasons . For one it is not a good insulator for cold and hot weather.
Spin Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:12 am

Sometimes its no fun to be green…….
Dave B Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:21 am

This is one of those things GM should just apply the KISS model. I mean, a sunroof would be nice [perhaps an option], but it isn’t worth a ridiculous price increase. Glad to hear better heads prevailed.
Rashiid Amul Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:28 am

I didn’t like the roof anyway. Glad to see it gone. How about a convertible or sunroof option?
mmcc Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:37 am

Great news. I never could understand the practicality of it anyway. Keep it simple for version 1.0. If somebody wants a sun roof, they can order it with a sun roof.
banjoez Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:49 am

Just another way to dumb it down. As time goes on I’m getting a gut feeling that we will be seeing a re-engineered $38k Cobalt. I hope GM proves me wrong but as time goes on my enthusiasm dwindles. The concept was exciting but it seems like every week something gets taken out of the equation for the production car and the price keeps going up.
JJ Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am

Good for you, banjoes.

We are now whittling down to the serious buyers–the people who will join GM going into the future.
john1701a Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:31 am

>> We are now whittling down to the serious buyers

Moves from the Prius playbook. Interesting.

Toyota intentionally left off features at first, so only the die-hard would still find the buy appealing.

It makes sense when there are only a small number available. Of course, there was no advertising before or during that initial rollout… quite different from GM’s approach.
banjoez Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:35 am

Yeah, and if it gets "whittled down" too much GM won’t sell enough of them to make a difference.
nasaman Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:35 am

After reading the cited article (& another one in Design News, "Composites Are Pushed for Hybrd Vehicles"), and recalling that commercial airliners & small private planes alike use plastic for large windshields that must withstand impacts from birds, hail, etc at speeds of 400-500mph, I’ve added these two questions to my list for GM at VoltNation:

1) Will the fender, door & hood outer panels be composites? –(one of the BEST features of my Saturn SW-2 was its composite exterior –no dents & shine like new after 14 years!)

2) Will the roof consist of an opaque composite rear section plus a front section using laminated clear glass (like the windshield), with an insulated, reflective sliding cover beneath it (as with a sunroof) in the cockpit?

…and for both questions above, "If not, why not?"
Van Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:39 am

Lyle, a question that I do not recall being asked is: After the initial roll out, are other models such as a hatchback or convertible being considered? I would certainly expect options like a sun roof or moon roof to be available upon initial roll-out.
Tim Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:49 am

Here is GM’s May 1990 video of the R&D involved with the EV-1. This was all done 18 YEARS ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_A98NOWmUw&feature=PlayList&p=1EE949459BE0D49B&index=5
thomdbhomb Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:50 am

Don’t most concept cars lose flashy details when they make it to production? To me, the Volt’s basic concept; 40-mile E-REV with decent performance at affordable price; is all the flash I need. I’m into function more than form. My Volt will be an in-town workhorse/commuter. If a lot of glass is important to you, get a Pacer.
kent beuchert Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 9:19 am

Another one of those things that goes over well in auto shows
but may become a nightmare problem for owners. If in doubt, don’t use the stuff, although itdoes look great.
jscott1000 Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 9:35 am

Well I guess there is now room for that solar array afterall. I was really looking forward to the polycarbonate roof. The one really futuristic aspect of the design. Oh well, at least it’s still an electric rechargeable vehicle…it is isn’t it?
Statik Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:14 am

I don’t think this is a big shocker. Show car does not equal reality.

The ’show Volt’ died when they announced the changes to the front end, you had to figure eventually this would translate to the entire car…inside and out.

Anything that looks new or cool = dollar bills, now that we know 10k a year for a few years is the production quota, I think we can assume their isn’t going to be alot of ‘twirlly’ crap on it until we see Gen II out of Europe.

Be that as it may, just get it out…and get it out on time. With only 10k available, success will be measured only in getting to market first.

PS) Easter is less than 2 weeks away.
AES Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:19 am

As I remember, the newest 911 Targa went with glass over polycarbonate for a couple reasons:

-the weight savings were minimal
-the polycarbonate got brittle at lower temperatures
-it scratched
noel park Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am

Good.
nasaman Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:33 am

20AES

That’s good to know. BTW, anyone can look at Lyle’s overhead view of the Volt (top of this thread) while asking yourself, "For the front section of the roof, why not use laminated clear glass (like the windshield), with an insulated, reflective sliding cover beneath it (as with a sunroof) inside the cockpit?"

(From the overhead view of the Volt, it’s easy to see that this front section of the roof is actually somewhat smaller than the windshield —and it won’t be hit by birds, things falling off trucks or rocks kicked up vehicles ahead!)
Sentinel Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:40 am

Never really cared for the see through roof anyway. And I beleive the "auto tinting" thing requires battery juice as well. A big NO-NO as far as what GM has said about this car over the 7 months I’ve been following the Volt here. I always though it would make the interior HOT in the summer and cause the AC to work overtime to cool it down.
Jeff M Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:32 am

Being one of those outspoken pragmatic folks you mention, I’m glad to hear it, even though us pragmatic folks also never expected to see it on the production version anyway.

And I sure hope that if any sunroof on the Volt is an option, and not a standard feature. I went out of my way to get my current car with OUT a sunroof (the trim level I bought is usually loaded up)
as I can’t stand them. I think it’s because of my height, with a sunroof open I’m too close to it, and it’s just plain too loud.
Texas Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:47 am

Tim #14, I really enjoyed the old EV1 videos! I shed a tear for that car. lol. Did you all notice the one main item that really dated things? Yes, the glasses the engineers wore. Wow, we really have come a long way.
Jeff M Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:50 am

Hey Tim, thanks for the youtube pointer! The trailer on it is clear it was an internal GM video.

It should be noted that the eventual car only had on electric motor instead of 2 different ones each driving one of the front wheels. Also soon after they made it into leasee hands, they ended up giving up on the lead acid batteries and went with the Cobasys NiMH’s.

Also 8 years after that video was made, GM also had a prototype EV-1 that they streetched so it was a 4 or 5 seater, and… had a "range extender"!
Grizzly Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

I’m not sorry it’s gone, but it’s going to change the entire design of the roof. The reason is that with its shape the distinction between "roof" and "rear window" is a blurry one. If it were metal all the way to the cross member that wouldn’t leave much in that way of rear view.
Van Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

As I recall, the 1953 Mercury sported a see through roof over the front seat.
Rashiid Amul Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

With oil hitting $107 a barrel today, this car can’t get here fast enough. This car, coupled with Nanosolar is the answer to our prayers (not intending to bring religion into this, sorry). But even the Pope has declared pollution as a sin. That means for the millions of people around the Earth who follow the Pope, must now give up polluting. That is a huge huge task. Now, I don’t really follow the Pope (or any religion really), but here is a guy who thinks similarly to us here when it comes to polluting our environment. The way I see it, the environment movement can use all the help it can get.
We really need to be off of oil and the rest of the fossil fuels.

http://green.yahoo.com/news/nm/20080310/hl_nm/pope_sins_dc.html
noel park Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:04 pm

23 Jeff M:

I completely agree. NO sunroof for us, thank you very much.

I just saw a test on the latest Mitsu Evolution in either Automobile or Motor Trend. They pointed out that the roof has been made out of aluminum, which lightens the vehicle overall, and has a useful effect on the roll moment, or whatever the term of art was. Someone suggested glass instead of polycarbonate for scratch resistance reasons, but glass is even heavier.

If electric range is so critical that they need to re-engineer windshield wipers and stereos to save power, weight is an equally critical factor. Let’s have range and less frills.
noel park Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

#27 Rashiid Amul:

What can I say but AMEN!
Jeff J Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

#28 noel park , your statement makes sense to me . I’m with the more range less frills crowd. I do think GM will come out with a sharp looking Volt time will tell , and the count down is ending soon .

The way gas prices are going I would drive a elec. brick to work!!!
Jeff J Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Make that $108.17 a barrel .
OhmExcited Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

So are we iterating back toward a Cobalt?
john1701a Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

3 years is a heck of a long time to wait.

What do you think will happen in the meantime?

I bet the intense demand will alter the features of Volt quite a bit.
Luke Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 2:28 pm

This is one step closer to being the kind of real car that you can buy!

I like sunroofs, but I’ve seen the frame my Ford Ranger flex enough times to realize that the roof must be an important part of the structure on a unibody car. I’d be afraid that the roof would crack when I pick my way through a steep entrance. I’d be much more comfortable driving a car where most of the roof made out of the same structural material(s) that is(are) used in the rest of the car.

Given all of this, I assume that every aspect of the unibody figures into crashworthiness to some degree….

(I’d be easily swayed into accepting a car with a see-through roof by talking to an engineer and looking at some of his/her results from a finite element simulation (LS-DYNA?)… But even though the Volt project is the best view I’ve seen of the automotive development process, I’d be pleasantly astounded to see that level of openness here!)

I would gladly give up the see-through roof if it means that the Volt would get a strong, well-handling, and crashworthy chassis for a reasonable price!
noel park Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

#32 OhmExcited:
I have commented on this issue a lot before, so I’ll try to keep it short.
I hope that we are iterating toward a base Volt with extra cost options for those who want a glass roof, sunroof, high powered stereo, and so forth.
While I would like to see even more flexibility, something like what Chevrolet does with all of its cars now would work. There is a base LS, the next step up is the LT with power windows, locks, etc, and then one or two more stages of more cool goodies. On top of that they have several individual options, one of which is a sunroof, if memory serves. They even do it with the Cobalt, so why not the Volt?

Just let the individual customer decide how much of this stuff he or she wants.

If I have to wait a few weeks to have my car built to order, no problem.
Jim I Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

Obviously I am in the minority on this issue, but I really don’t see how it can take any longer to set up a glass roof from a manufacturer than it does to set up the custom presses for a stamped steel roof. So all this talk about every little thing delaying the delivery of the vehicle, is just nonsense.

This car is 31 MONTHS from the earliest delivery, and there is no changing that, so there is plenty of time to gets parts set up for manufacture and delivery to the assembly plant.

Now if you just do not like a clear roof, that is an entirely different issue. So it should be an available option, just like a solar panel roof.

Personally, I would rather that GM dazzle me with the choice of being able to choose "supercar", or a stripped down version for you "no frills" people.

I just hope that the GM people do not walk out of the Volt Nation meeting thinking that we will be thrilled with a $40K Electric Vega. I sure as heck won’t, and if that is what is delivered, I will wait for Gen-2 or an offering from a competitor, that is sure to be delivered at about the same time, or shortly thereafter. If they are going to ask $40K from me, and I am willing to go that high, I expect some serious quality and luxury….

End of rant.
Jake Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

I think for the sake of everyone who doesn’t want to pay $35,000+ we should be happy for the removal of this feature and features like it. I don’t know how expensive this would have been compared to a metal roof but in a car this important we don’t need random extra features fouling up the works. Some glitz is fine but anyone expecting it to be as fancy as a concept car is deluding themselves.
dodahman Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 4:20 pm

Transparent Aluminum, thats what we need!!!
Where’s Scotty when we need him?

You could make one heluva Pacer with that stuff.
Jordo Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:33 pm

I do think the the large clear roof would help make the car feel a bit bigger from the inside and I did kinda like the way it looked, though if the PC looking unproven, i’m glad they make a change. I’m sure they’ll make a sunroof an option, I love mine, but dont really open it much, just the sliding thing

I do hope the money and time they get back from stopping the polycarbonate can be put to good use on something else that needs development
Tim Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:08 pm

After reading the comments here and listening to people complain about the price of gas, the price of oil, and the (alleged) cost of human lives to obtain oil, I don’t think GM realizes just how important this car is. This car MUST be built. It MUST be accessible to anybody that wishes to own one and be an active part in the revolution. Think back to how the automobile revolutionized America and the world. That revolution will pale in comparison to this car and those that will follow its lead. General Motors started us on this "addiction" to oil a long time ago. I think they can make amends by producing this car AS PROMISED (not the roof necessarily, but the range, price, and basic styling).
When I first heard about the Volt, I knew I wanted to buy one. I have a small sporty looking turbo boosted red convertible that I would trade IN INSTANT for a Volt as it was first presented. The only drawback that I have heard of so far is probably what the price will end up being. If GM is willing to take a loss as what was mentioned, then I hope they realize that they will have to produce quite a few units to meet the demand that WILL be there at the originally mentioned price range. I just can’t wait for the fall of 2010.
Kevin R Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 9:05 pm

followup to #38 Jim I:

I’m with Jim. This will be my first "brand new car" in years as I’ve bought used for decades. I’m saving for this car and willing to pluck down $35K. But I will not under any circumstances buy an electric car that is stripped, barren, and totally utilitarian. It must have some luxury elements inside of it. It must turn heads when it’s driven. It must make a statement that it is a totally different, totally new type of car! If it’s stripped, I buy an electric from someone else.
jscott1000 Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

Doesn’t the Corvette have a polycarbonate roof panel?

Nevermind… I see Chevy has a recall on the polycarbonate roof. That’s probably what killed it for the Volt.
Grizzly Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:11 pm

The biggest question is who will get the planned 10K issues for the first year.   Despite the desire to own this vehicle, the schedule, time line, and planned delivery are to say the least, aggressive.   Regardless of my own desire to own a Volt, I understand that I may very well be looking at the possibility of a Gen2 in 2011.

If Gen1 can iron out the problems, Gen2 should open the floodgates. Someone on this thread quoted crude at $107 a barrel.   Fox news tonight quoted north of $108 and rising…. and $4.00/gal soon.

GM, it’s time.
BillR Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

I think as well as scratching, polycarbonate will yellow with extended expose to sunlight. I know that they looked at a polycarbonate with a thin layer of glass on top, but my guess is that it would be expensive.

As far a weight savings, my recollection is that the design crew is not looking so much for weight reduction, because regenerative braking returns most of the kinetic energy in start/stop situations. The big concern was aerodynamics, because it represented a continual loss that could not be recouped.

My feeling is that you may see sunroofs, etc., just that they will be made from conventional glass, not polycarbonate.
mlrtyme Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

I feel somewhat betrayed. I have spent hours telling co-workers, friends, relatives, and others about this awesome new car that Chevy is designing. I show them pictures of the concept, and they love it. After looking at the front end of the volt in the wind tunnel, I too am concerned that this will be a 35K electric cobalt by the time they’re done reworking it. Actually that front end in the wind tunnel looks very similar to the new Malibu, which I am not fond of. I liked that the Volt Concept shared some of the aggressive stylings of the new camaro front, but with that gone, my fear is the car goes back to looking like every other Honda/Mazda/Toyota/Dodge offering currently.

I am still hopeful that the Volt will hit the showrooms with enough luxuries and styling to warrant being the first car I’ve ever purchased brand new. However, as good a concept as it is, almost everyone I have introduced to the Volt showed interest only after I showed pictures. Their fear was that this would look like another Prius (read: ugly geek-mobile), and they had no interest in learning more until they saw my screensaver. A vehicle has to be more than just an intelligent concept for Average Joe to purchase it. Put the wind-tunnel Volt next to the new Camaro on any showroom, tell the average person to pick, and watch them grin as they drive their new Camaro off the lot.

I LOVE the concept. Our family even went so far as to run all our race cars on Alcohol as it is better for the environment. I want sooooo badly to be impressed by the final product. I guess time will tell. However, I kinda liked the idea of the polycarbonate roof. I am still keeping that money in the bank to run down to the dealership and purchase it (whenever it becomes available) but I want a car to turn heads for all the right reasons…not the wrong ones.
Spin Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Say no to drugs
Eric E Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:17 pm

No surpises here!
Clear Polycarbonate is much stronger than glass and is very tough to break. It would likely contribute positively to crash test ratings. The down fall is that it also scratches very easily and adhesives don’t stick to it very well. The scratching is not trivial. It scratches so easily that wind and dust alone could make it cloudy and impossible to see through in short order, thus significantly affecting the resale value. Standard urethane adhesives simply do not hold it and the available adhesives which do work make it difficult to replace…which, because of the scratch factor, replacement would be common and therefore very expensive.
Lastly, I believe the self tinting feature that is common in prescription lenses is currently only affordable in glass. It responds to ultraviolet light by darkening (and is healthy for the eyes) but does little for infrared light which creates the most heat build-up.
I, for one, new that the polycarbonate roof would never be part of the final design.
Mike D Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 12:29 am

#49 i agree

The polycarbonate roof LOOKS cool on the concept, but the points you make make it an obvious turn-off

If i lived in an area with alot of sunshine, (which is anywhere but here in michigan) i’d be annoyed if the entire roof was transparent…i’d have to wear sunscreen when driving to aviod a neck sunburn. The car will still look sleek and beautiful with an opaque roof. My vote is with the solar roof, long as the $$ makes sense. If it doesn’t, a plain ‘ol roof with a glass sunroof option is fine, too!
David L Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 1:44 am

I was rather looking forward to the Volt having a clear roof with a variable-tint capability. However, I cannot see any reason that it needs to be polycarbonate … there are all kinds of things that can be done by layering glass and plastic together.

#13 nasaman … Those are very good questions! I look forward to reading the responses from GM after the VoltNation event.
Brett Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 2:52 am

Many good points were made today. I am sorry to see it go, but think GM made the best decision. Clearly, sales of this car will benefit from having several trim levels since people will be buying it for diverse reasons. Someone else mentioned that many people only get excited about the car after they see how cool the concept looks… I have had that same experience over and over again. This is why Lutz is adamant that form and not just function be integrated into this car. He knows what he is talking about!

Finally, Grizzly #27 makes a key observation… the whole shape of the roof will have to be redesigned with this change.
Ken in So. Calif. Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 2:55 am

Ford produced and sold the Crown Victoria Skyliner with a tinted plexiglass roof over the front seats in the 1950s.

Here is a link to drawing of the 1955 version:

http://www.groupchi.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=21606

If you google "Crown Victoria with transparent roof" you can find photos and writeups. One says that the steel roof outsold the transparent roof 15 to 1 because of the heat buildup.

My preference would be for a solid roof or sunroof instead of a tranparent roof.

One article I read said that the Volt would have plastic (polycarbonate?) windows as a weight saving feature. My preference would be glass because I think that plastic would easily scratch and might yellow with age and/or become brittle.

Lyle, thanks for your work in bringing us this always interesting website. Thanks to the person who posted the youtube video of the Impact. To me, the Impact’s aerodynamic shape seems more pleasing than the Volt concept car.
BillR Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 7:09 am

Yes, I would also like to thank Tim for the video of the Impact (EV-1). Extremely interesting.

Doesn’t seem like it was 20 years ago, but I guess it was.

The one thing I get from this video is that GM obviously has a great deal of data/experience that they can now draw on when they design this next generation of electric vehicles.
Guy Incognito Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 9:56 am

They should abandon the transparent roof altogether, it makes the thing look like a fishbowl. It was obviously done for looks anyway, rather than practicality.
Andy Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 10:14 am

I guess I am in the minority, but I hate to see the Volt lose the clear roof. I don’t really care if it is PC or glass, but I liked the way the roof let light into the car and made it feel bright and open. I am not a price-sensitive consumer usually, but I would have a hard time trading in my $40k BMW for a near $40k Chevy without some creature comforts and unnecessary frills. My motivation for wanting a Volt is not completely altruistic; I want to reduce dependency on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions to be sure, but I can do that without spending $40k on a stripped-down version of the concept vehicle that I fell in love with. For the second time in my life, and the first in nearly 15 years, I am entertaining buying a domestic car, and it is only because GM was the first to introduce a vehicle that appealed to my social conscience as well as my sense of desire. If they strip it down too much, I will probably just buy a BMW motorcycle and drive it whenever the weather permits and keep my 3 Series for the rest of the time. My average MPG across both vehicles would go way up from just driving the 3 Series, and I would still have a vehicle that I could take a client out to lunch in that doesn’t feel like an Avis $19.95/day rental. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am more excited about this vehicle than I have ever been about almost any purchase I have ever planned, but I just hate to hear that the price keeps increasing and the features keep decreasing. I disagree with most that the Volt should be stripped down with other trim levels offered down the road. I actually think it should be the other way around; I think it should be as close to the concept as possible, even at a higher price. There are already economical cars out there that fit the no-frills customer who wants great gas mileage. Dollar for dollar, the environment would probably be a lot better off if everyone bought a $20k Prius instead of half as many people buying a near $40k Volt. My only point is that the high-end, environmentally responsible buyer is under-served, and will not gravitate to an electric Cobalt. At the same time, they probably would not be willing to pay $100k for the Tesla Roadster. There is a market for the Concept Volt at or above the projected price point, but with fewer features and creature comforts, I think a big part of the original target market (those with enough money to buy a $35-40k vehicle just to feel good about their contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses) will fly to a competitor or wait a few years for a better alternative. I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but it’s the only one I have on the matter
noel park Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 10:25 am

Omigod, I’m agreeing with Guy Incognito again! Where will it all end?
Pete Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

Thank goodness the clear roof is gone! Have any of you folks ever visited a hot weather state? In Arizona, a great parking space is determined by the amount of shade, not the distance from the store!
Shawn Marshall Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Those who so desire can affix a solar array to the roof and run their radio.

I don’t need fenders and doors;just give me 40 gas free miles at 65+ mph and I’m with ya.
Halgard Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

I work in a manufacturing plant and polycarbonate does scratch easily and chip. We use it for machine guarding and are eliminating it from our facility. I also would not want people walking by looking at everything I may be carrying. I want solar panels in the roof and hood. Most cars sit outside and could be charging for free. I have two panels for my boat and they work great. See the Fischer auto - it has a neatly designed panel in the roof. They should also sell sun shields that are flexible that can be plugged in.
LB Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 1:19 am

I liked the idea of the clear roof; being an owner of a ‘96 Chrysler Sebring raptop and a ‘87 Olds Cutlass Supreme with T-Tops, I like the sun. But, the T-Tops on the Olds are
glass, (tinted dark) and when it’s a pleasant seventy degrees out, it’s gets up to the nineties under that greenhouse glass top, and when it’s in the nineties it’s well over 120 degrees. Have to open up the car and wait for the heat to get out before getting in because you can’t even breathe in that oven. Don’t even think about touching the glass that
has been cooking in the summer heat because you’ll burn your fingers. And of course the heat escapes during the winter through the glass requiring the heater to be on constantly. I live in NY, so imagine driving around under that large Volt roof in Florida or sunny California. So I would not be missing the glass roof but would like a sunroof or convertible. I think an electrically operated convertible roof would use up much energy. Manually operated roofs are easy to use in small two seaters, but the Volt looks to be larger than a Sky/Solstice/MX-5 Miata/Z4 where the manaul roofs are easy to use. Also it seems that aerodynamics is very important for the electic car to get the most out of its battery power and a convertible will mess that up. Also is the safety factor. Where I live, in ceratin neighborhoods, and not just a so called bad neighborhood but surburan malls, if theives see something, anything, cell phone, an old coat, CDs, iPod… they will break the cars’ windows and take anything they can get. A see through roof will just encourage them more. Unless… some type of shade can be installed to shut out prying eyes and the sun when they are not welcome and to open it up when the sun’s warmth on a cool day is welcome.#40 Transparent Aluminum - Great invention! I like it! I agree with those of you who are interested in just more than an econo car. I’m in the market for a car now and the car must have some fun factor involved. It’s the reason I haven’t even considered buying any of the current hybrid offerings. It’s the reason why the Volt is so interesting and appealing. If the car ends up looking like a Honda, Toyota or Malibu, I’d probably pass on it. Perhaps I’ll get one, take the drive train out of it and stuff it into the new Camaro or a Corvette. It won’t be as fast and it may not get it’s 40 miles per charge, but it will be fun and will be good for all of
the other reasons we want the Volt. I’m just dreaming. If this experiment with the Volt is a success for GM, hopefully other GM cars, including the few exciting ones, will inherit
it’s drivetrain and/or technology.

I’m looking forward to next week. Can we bring cameras?
Mike Huggins Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

I bought one of the cool diecast Volt’s and put it in my classroom and all the kids thought it looked so cool. We have talked about it in class many times. Many of them were sadened by the news about the roof not being transparent as they thought that asthetically this made the car "super sweet" as quoted by a couple of 16-18 year old high school students. I agree that it may not be practical but lets not forget the power of Mom, I want that car because it looks really cool! I have several students who get just that with the subtle right look to daddy and his pocketbook.
Kevin R Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 12:54 pm

I did a PowerPoint presentation of new technologies on the cutting edge and several of the slides involved the Volt and Honda Fuel Cell.

When the Volt popped up the ohhs and ahhs from 226 kids was pretty astounding to me. I loved the car but to have ‘hip’ with it kids react the same way was pretty terrific.

Like others here, they loved the futuristic styling and many stated that they would get their parents to buy one because it looked like nothing else on the road and they loved the electric aspect of it.

These are 16-18 year olds who are already buying cars or will be in the next two years. Just in time to swamp dealerships all over mid-Michigan. I guarantee that 1/3 of these students will either be drivers of the Volt or influence someone to buy one.

When I showed the Honda, the boos and ich’s that came from them was also pretty much universal. They hated it, hands down. The look of it put them right off without me even getting to explain the technology. Once I finished explaining the technology, they still wanted the Volt, no matter what.

Go Volt!
LB Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 7:53 pm

The kids know what’s good! Cool!
Frustrated would-be Volt buyer Says:
March 13th, 2008 at 6:19 pm

That’s okay. I don’t need one. (May I have a convertible please? No, I didn’t think so…)
MB Says:
March 14th, 2008 at 10:49 am

I was hoping for solar panels, they could be useful in a plug-in hybrid car. Maybe as an aftermarket option?
MP Says:
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 pm

I think a plug in for solar panels would be ideal. Just a port on the dash. Use a flexible solar panel ( http://www.Powerfilmsolar.com ) as a sunshade and a charger. In the Summer you take a sunshade with you anyway.

Production Chevy Volt will not Have a Polycarbonate Roof

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