Comments on: Volt Pricing to Take High Battery Warranty Cost into Account

By: anvilis

anvilis — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:29 +0000

Batteries will improve by leaps and bounds over the 10 year warranty period. I am most likely going to want to replace the battery after 5 years anyway. I expect GM to provide a battery warranty as an optional cost. Build in the cost of, say, a 5 year warranty (low risk), and charge an additional fee for an extended 10 year warranty. By the sounds of it, this extended period is where GM expects to suffer the most losses. This method provides a lower cost vehicle to the consumer, and it lowers the risk to GM. Everyone wins.

By: Kathy Smith

Kathy Smith — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:01:11 +0000

i have a problem with my Li-ion batteries. i don’t know if this one needs to be replaced or what…

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By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:47:32 +0000

In addition to standard failure modes associated with Li-ion batteries, there will inevitably be failure modes associated with large scale manufacturing and process variability that comes with it. There will be failures that can’t be predicted until manufacturing volumes are sufficiently high and the process can be dialed in. Without knowing the fallout rate from manufacturing, they have to make conservative estimates initially.

By: Bob Goldschmidt

Bob Goldschmidt — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:01:39 +0000

This is an ideal area for the government to provide subsidy. By taking on part of the warranty exposure, the government will more quickly reduce our dependence on imported oil as well as lower CO2 emissions.

By the way, it appears that Johnson Controls is building a major lithium battery manufacturing plant here in the US.

By: Thomdbhom

Thomdbhom — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:14:01 +0000

#53 voltman

Thanks. I hope I’m not becoming annoying with my questions. I just want to understand the details supporting a high battery warranty cost. You mentioned a few things the batteries need to do. By the time Volts are available, I imagine that GM will understand most of those things:

-energy density
- power rate (charge/discharge)
- cycle life
- High/low ambient temperature performance (-40 degF – 140 degF)
- Safety
- cost
- production

After all, GM will put the batteries through many tests to simulate conditions and determine boundaries. GM may also have a good idea about calendar life.
I guess I’m not convinced that a high battery warranty cost is sufficiently justified. In the end, I guess it doesn’t matter. GM will price the vehicle as they see fit, and they don’t need to justify the price to the public. It will be offered and we can choose to buy it or not. I won’t belabor this point anymore.