The Detroit News today reported an interview with GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz. Lutz verified for the first time publicly that a Chevy Volt prototype with an actual full-sized lithium ion battery is actually running.
To me this marks a dramatic and critical turning point in the nearly year and half we’ve been following the car’s development.
This is the PROOF of CONCEPT. Yeah we have been sort of sure they could pull it off, but the running of this mule verifies it. From what I know the mule has all of the basic components the final Chevy Volt will although in rough form, now most importantly including the full 16 kWh 40+ mile range lithium-ion battery pack. Keep in mind the mule is using a late model Malibu shell that has nothing to do with the final design of the car.
It’s a big day here at GM-Volt.com folks, time to rejoice…just a little over 2 years left to the showroom. Stay tuned.
DIGG post here and tell the world!
Source (Detroit News )
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 8:34 am and is filed under Battery, Prototypes. 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.
Apr 24th, 2008 (8:38 am)It is a good day! Hopefully pics/vids to follow soon!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:45 am)Good news. At least something in the future looks promising except for economy, environment etc…
Well lets focus on the good stuff.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:51 am)Great news. Sends a chill through my body.
Can’t wait until I no longer have to buy gas. Today’s price: $3.71 p/gallon for 87 octane.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:54 am)Wow, cool beans.
Does anyone know whether or not the pack is hooked to the generator, or whether they have “dead weight” on board to simulate the weight? Also, we do not know which pack is in the prototype, do we?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:56 am)Maybe we should name this day:
April 24, 2008 – The day of the Mule.
Go Volt!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:58 am)And GM is not alone. Virtually all of the major and mid-tier carmakers have electric car programs in development, with most slated to begin appearing in showrooms in the next several years.
Run GM, RUN!!!!!!!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:00 am)Congrats GM, keep pushing – hope everything goes well.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:18 am)Congratulations GM and Volt Team! You’ll go down in history if you’re able to pull this off sooner rather than later and we’re all behind you!
I’ll take mine in midnight blue-black. Tell me the FOB and cost, I’ll be right over.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:18 am)The RACE is on!
Who will have there car out first and have a system that is dependable
GO GM GO!!!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:26 am)I live in Southeastern Lower Michigan, upon whose highways one often sees such “mules.” I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a modified burgundy Malibu!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:46 am)I was never in doubt. Kudos to GM.
I think we all know the ability was always there…but with oil demand ever increasing and the planet running a “fever” it finally had to be done. I am very thankful it’s an American company and thrilled it’s GM.
This technology will only get exponentially better and spread through the industry. As usual the Japanese will copy it like they do everything else we created. Emulation is the highest form a flattery….
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:47 am)Black Volt (with all the options of course).. Priced where it is affordable….. When and Where can I pick mine up.. Central Alberta Canada… Heck… I will go to Detroit to pick it up…
GM Call me with it is ready…….
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:48 am)I meant WHEN it is ready
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:55 am)Fantastic! I hope that everything that can go wrong does go wrong quickly, so that all the issues can be found and fixed and a great car can be for sale 2 years from now.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:12 am)Nice going GM!!! We are all pulling for successful road test. Let’s hope you can get it into production 6 months earlier than expectations.
I am ready for mine today. I may want two.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:12 am)Careful, the fact that they have it running doesn’t mean it’s WORKING.
But I take it that it IS, and have high hopes that it will perform AS EXPECTED.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:14 am)Lyle, Great Information:
Those of you that attended the meeting in New York were able to view the VOLT concept auto. Now they are presently using a Malibu,
is this going to be the approximate size of the finished product ? The Malibu is is a fairly good size auto so if this tests out good it should work fine in the VOLT?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:17 am)This is not big. This is HUGE!!!! The 22nd was Earth Day… the 24th shall be forever known as VOLT Day. Go get em!!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:18 am)Matt 986, “careful”….
Dude, they made the EV1 years ago….it’s only a battery change for range issue and the small “ICE” spins a generator for charging… it’s not reinventing the wheel by any stretch. It is a genius idea however.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:21 am)I can only quote the immortal words of Daffy Duck: “WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO!”
I can hardly wait to read the early test reports. Good or bad. Good is obviously good for accelerated timelines, bad is also good because it means they know what to fix.
I just paid over $50 for the first time to fill a small sedan. FIFTY DOLLARS! I once complained that it cost over $20 to fill the same car. I don’t even want to think about the next fillup of my diesel truck…
I wish I lived closer to work so I could bicycle, but that’s just not a viable option. I need a solution today. I suspect that 100,000 Volts would take about a week to sell if they hit the dealers today. People would be fighting over them, no doubt about it.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:35 am)WOW!!! this is GREAT NEWS!!! The gas stataion by my house just hit $3.74 for regular too.
GM needs a MASSIVE media blitz to educate the public on how being able to plug their car in is a good thing.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:35 am)I didn’t think Li-ions were even going to be dropped into mules until June, then I thought even that schedule was going to be pushed back. This is definitely good news and maybe they’ve got even more resources applied to the Volt program than anyone imagined.
One notable quote from the article:
“We talked about the eco-extremists (my word, not his) and how out of touch they are with the reality of building a car today, especially the Volt.”
How right that is. How often have these people suggested that all GM needs to do is drop nimh batts in the Volt and it could be out this fall? Clueless.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:35 am)It’s great to see a plan come together!
Thanks, Lyle, for continuing to provide top notch Volt news! This is so great! I wish I could be there!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:36 am)I agree with Statik. There needs to be a video. We all know this is a mule and won’t be perfect. Give us something…….Please! Way to go GM!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:37 am)YES!!! Great job GM, hope everything goes better than planned. Mabey we can get it on the road earlier than expected. 2009 anyone??
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:42 am)Bravo GM!!! Lets all hope for good results in their test vehicles, and that any glitches found can be quickly resolved. So glad to hear this—it is very encouraging!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:46 am)Pretty slim picking here, “we have the car running (with lithium batteries)….” Is the parenthetical something Mr. Lutz said or the author inferred?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:59 am)#19 Vincent
In the same post, you say it is nothing new and a genius idea. You contradict yourself. In applying your “nothing new” logic, every new model ICE car is no different from the cars that preceeded it. So, new models don’t need testing and refinement. I prefer that my new model choices went through some testing and refinement.
Your “nothing new” logic minimizes the difference between the Volt and the EV1. The Volt is not an EV1 with a different battery and an added ICE generator. There is more to it than that. The Volt needs mules and prototypes to work things out. This step in the process is a big deal. It makes the Volt more real. It should make the Volt better (…or, possibly, prove it infeasble—NOOOOOOO!).
The Li-ion mule is good news that things are progressing.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:10 am)What a fantastically executed plan! GM worked many parallel threads to bring all of this development together rapidly. The mule now has all subsystems present and operating.
From this point on, it is all about optimizing and polishing, which is a significant effort, but it’s all downhill from here.
I really hope that GM uses BOTH battery pack suppliers, and qualifies a third as a backup.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:12 am)21. Grizzly – oh so right you are… I hate how people talk like, “GM needs to do (this) or (that), the solution is simple” when in all actuality these people have NO idea about the development process required to bring a car to market. As an example, check out the responses to this article:
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/can-gm-ramp-up-hybrid-sales.html
Not only do the respondents not know about the development process, at least one of them thought that GM built the Model T, and another said that GM should built carbon-fiber Lincoln Continentals (a car built by Ford that isn’t even in production anymore). This person also suggests making 4-dr Corvettes solely because they have fiberglass bodies… I’m assuming he thinks that would improve the fleet fuel economy??
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:13 am)*build* Lincoln Continentals (not built
)
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:13 am)Well, I think the Think City will be first to market, but it’s what people expect and electric car to be, small, lightweight and limited range (100km). No doubt they will sell out almost immediately because there are plenty of people that can live with the limitations. However, this is where the Volt has the real advantage. It appeals to all those people who just don’t think they can live with the 60 mile range, also to all those people who don’t feel safe in a little electric car. The Volt will appeal to a far greater market than the Think City does. I wish them both luck because they both are what we need.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:14 am)Gas is $1.25 (per liter/Canadian). That calculates to be about $5.20/gallon American. I can’t wait until I can actually BUY a car like this.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:19 am)#21 Grizzly:
“eco-extremists”? Who’s that?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:23 am)Tom 27,
Wake up Capitan Obvious.
An Internal combustion Engine is nothing new.
Secondly, an electric car is nothing new.
Putting a small ICE to generate electricity when a battery runs out of power in a vehicle thats battery powered is New.
Get now genius???
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:30 am)Super Cool,
Remember when Certain Politicians wanted to tax the heck out of gas to artificially motivate people to get off of it??? Well, the world market has taken care of it.
AND NOW, Chevy is showing us that they are going to take care of us, getting us to work and back on little or NO GAS! While still taking care of the family drive to Grandma’s house, 120 miles for me.
One car, Bridging two transportation realities.
I have no doubt that we’ll eventually be able to go 300miles + on batteries alone. but for the 2010’s this is the beginning of a “Beautiful Friendship”
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:39 am)I want my volt… my current car will be my last 100% gaz driven car… 2010 is perfect for me…
I want it red so people will see that cool car and want one too…
I’ll take all the option and toys of course
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:50 am)I don’t see how this is a “proof of concept.” Running a car on lithium batteries is not a gigantic leap forward in technology.. it’s the performance, longevity, and integration with the generator that gets everyone all a’bubble here.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:10 pm)Good news about the Volt. GO VOLT!. I read an article today on Autobloggreen that a Japanese company developed a new lithium ion battery that will double the energy capacity and increase the energy density by 30-50% of current batteries. It seems that with all the recent announcements of Dr. Cui and now this, we may well see a greatly improved Lithium ion battery in the near future to give us the range we want in our vehicles. Let’s hope so.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:14 pm)I don’t see how this is a “proof of concept.” Running a car on lithium batteries is not a gigantic leap forward in technology..
——
I agree. EV Conversions are already doing this without any huge R&D budgets.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:22 pm)Vincent, # 35, There isn’t any reason to be rude here.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:25 pm)This is AWESOME.
Let the real world road testing begin! I bet the Volt passes all the tests with flying colors. I’ve only gotten positive vibes from Bob Lutz and the engineers so far. This car IS going to happen. One way or another, we’ll be driving the world’s first range extended (series) electric drivetrain hybrids in 2010 (or 2011).
The critics like that Wall Street Journal writer will look like fools. Maybe he has a lot of money invested in oil stocks or something. This Business Week writer will enlighten him about the the Volt program:
“The scientists I have interviewed over the past few years tell me that not only is the technology within reach, but that it makes too much sense NOT to pursue WITH GUSTO. Do costs have to be brought down? Yes. But never has an application of technology come along that so perfectly matched the peculiarities of the U.S. driver.”
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2008/04/wsj_attack_on_c.html
The Volt is going to take the world by storm. Drivers all over the world are going to laugh as they pass gas stations on the way to work every day … maybe flipping birds at gas price displays. A LOT of people will only be buying gas 4-5 times per YEAR. Gotta love it.
The Chevy Volt is a great idea whose time has come … and it IS coming. No more of those “in 5 more years” promises. OPEC, Big Oil, and the Wall Street oil speculators are not going to like the Volt. They don’t like that “power to the people” stuff. They want to exploit us drivers if they think they can get away with it.
The Volt gives us drivers the power to say “we don’t NEED you’re steaaanking oil”. People love having alternative choices. The whole world is going to love GM for developing this great, historic automobile. Up to 150 miles per gallon vs. today’s 20 mpg or so? That’s HUGE to say the least. Some people could be buying NO gasoline whatsoever if they have short commutes.
It’s REALLY going to happen folks. C’mon GM … hurry up with the Volt. Do a high quality job on it though. I want it to be a home run for GM. A cool looking exterior and interior and world class high technology under the hood. Get ‘er done!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:26 pm)In response to Ron #20 “I need a solution today”
We do have a solution today although it is imperfect as all real world things are. You can ride a BEV motor scooter. Current models have actual top speeds of about 40 mph and ranges in excess of 25 miles. I ride one daily, even down to 40F temps.
http://www.zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/electric-scooters/zapino-electric-scooter
http://www.evtamerica.com
http://www.x-tremescooters.com/electric_mopeds/electric_mopeds.html
http://www.electricmotorsport.com
I have a z-20a from evtamerica. It will do 15 mile trips at 35mph
without breaking a sweat (shows more than 50% charge remaining) even with 30F cold batteries. If you need to exceed 40 mph, check out the electric motorcycle from electricmotorsport. These things work, they are available today, and they will save their purchase price in gas while we wait for the Volt to get to production.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:31 pm)This is AWESOME.
Let the real world road testing begin! I bet the Volt passes all the tests with flying colors. I’ve only gotten positive vibes from Bob Lutz and the engineers so far. This car IS going to happen. One way or another, we’ll be driving the world’s first range extended (series) electric drivetrain hybrids in 2010 (or 2011).
The critics like that Wall Street Journal writer will look like fools. Maybe he has a lot of money invested in oil stocks or something. A Business Week writer will enlighten him about the the Volt program. I can’t seem to post the link for some reason but here’s BW writer’s quote:
“The scientists I have interviewed over the past few years tell me that not only is the technology within reach, but that it makes too much sense NOT to pursue WITH GUSTO. Do costs have to be brought down? Yes. But never has an application of technology come along that so perfectly matched the peculiarities of the U.S. driver.”
The Volt is going to take the world by storm. Drivers all over the world are going to laugh as they pass gas stations on the way to work every day. A LOT of people will only be buying gas 4-5 times per YEAR. Gotta love it.
The Chevy Volt is a great idea whose time has come … and it IS coming. No more of those “in 5 more years” promises. OPEC, Big Oil, and the Wall Street oil speculators are not going to like the Volt. They don’t like that “power to the people” stuff. They want to exploit us drivers if they think they can get away with it.
The Volt gives us drivers the power to say “we don’t NEED you’re steaaanking oil”. People love having alternative choices. The whole world is going to love GM for developing this great, historic automobile. Up to 150 miles per gallon vs. today’s 20 mpg or so? That’s HUGE to say the least. Some people could be buying NO gasoline whatsoever if they have short commutes.
It’s REALLY going to happen folks. C’mon GM … hurry up with the Volt. Do a high quality job on it though. I want it to be a home run for GM. A cool looking exterior and interior and world class high technology under the hood. Get ‘er done!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:42 pm)#34 vincent
Again, your assertions are flawed. Despite your assertion, using an ICE generator is not a new concept (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric). The concepts that go into the Volt are not new. But, going from concept to reality is not as easy as you suggest. Maybe you are a genius and you can go from concept straight to production. With your talent, you should get some loans and beat GM to market. You’ll make a fortune. Good luck with that.
I come to this site because I am enthusiatic about the Volt. I want information and educated discussion. I tried to debate your thesis with you, respectfully. You took it personally and called me names. IMHO, you demonstrate immaturity and inexperience. I’ve concluded that you haven’t added anything constructive to this site and I can’t learn much from you.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:49 pm)Rashiid, Your right. I should have been more polite.
Thanks.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:54 pm)I want to echo GM Volt Fan, #43,
Do a high quality job on the Volt, GM. It absolutely needs to be done right. I really want this car and so do many others. We have faith in you. Please don’t mess it up.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (12:58 pm)I am a commuter, 60 miles each way, and I can hardly wait. This will seriously cut my fuel costs!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:01 pm)#35 vincent
Despite what you say, using an ICE generator is not new (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric). So, you are wrong again.
Your thesis demonstrates ignorance of practical matters. You can prove me wrong by using your genius to skip product develoment and beat GM to market with an affordable 40-mile, 4-seat plug-in e-rev.
Also, your name calling demonstrates immaturity. IMHO, you don’t seem to add value to this site. I’ve concluded that I can’t learn much from you.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:01 pm)Noel #35
That was Lutz’s term, not mine. I just pulled the quote from the Detroit News article.
I imagine they collectively like to blame GM for all the world’s problems, crushing Ev-1s, and whatever else they can, and they often sport bull horns outside press briefings they’ve not been invited to.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:02 pm)good to see tangible progress and thorough testing. i say just slap the Volt technology and drivetrain into a Malibu and save the costs of developing a new chassis/body! call it the electro-bu…
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:14 pm)This is a great news. Congrats GM & just keep going GM!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:18 pm)Here is Jay Leno showing his 1916 Owens Magnetic which is a series gasoline-electric hybrid to Ed Begley, Jr.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX1TDkswa9U
Westinghouse invented the series hybrid car in the late 1800s.
Related:
Jay Leno Talks Cars, Alternative Fuels, and Lost Technology
Interview By Ron Cogan
http://www.greencar.com/features/jay-leno/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_features
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:23 pm)GM Volt Fan #43,
I think like you but we have to admire Lyle who founded this blog. The new technologies like Internet – if correctly used – may empower people to get their voices heard. Just like GM-Volt.com does it. You are right by saying that some conservative forces may not like it, I must say I am glad they do.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:27 pm)#19 Vincent
#44 vincent
So, how do you politely counterpoint my points?
matt986 astutely said, “Careful, the fact that they have it running doesn’t mean it’s WORKING.” You countered, in your post #19, that the Volt is an EV1 with a battery change for range issue and the small “ICE” that spins a generator for charging. You minimzed the need for mule tests by saying the Volt is an EV1 with minor modifications. If that is so, should GM skip the product development mules and prototypes?Can GM use the EV1 specs, with “minor” modifications, to design a Volt production facility? I also wondered how you describe something as “nothing new” and “genius” at the same time. That seems contradictory. Please explain how it isn’t.
You said in your post #35 that using an ICE generator is new. It isn’t (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric).
Please educate me and respectfully add value to this site.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:35 pm)For some reason, my post #s 45 and 49 didn’t post right away when I clicked “Submit Comment.” Normally, they do. I assumed that my posts got moderated because, admittedly, they are a little hard on vincent. When I tried to get my message across a third time (omitting words that might get my comments censored) I noticed my post #s 45 and 49 finally went through. I apologize for repetitive posts. There is probably a third post from me (my aforementioned third attempt) that will eventually get through.
p.s., thank you Rashiid Amul for your attempt at keeping things respectful.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:57 pm)No worries here Thom, #55
The point is that this is not “New” technology by any stretch.
Generators are simple as are “ICE” units.
Generators are “old” (see Tesla) as are Engines. Your wikipedia refers to Subs and Trains. Not cars. Wikipedia is good for basics but it’s limited….the point I was trying to make is… the only “NEW” component in the mix is the battery technology reaching range, storage and reliability. You may not be aware that this has been done already by GM years ago search EV1.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (1:58 pm)OK Lyle:
I been out doing home work !! I just had a meeting with one of the Exc. Vice Presidents at my bank. I went into his office and pulled up our sight for him. He is so impressed that said they will start a finance program for the VOLT ! He wants one, and said, BRING IT ON !! So, now all the pieces are in place it’s time for GM to deliver ASAP.
Have a Great day, God Bless America.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:09 pm)On a side note (regarding Sentinel, #21), I’d personally prefer GM hold of educating the masses until I get my Volt (or two).
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:13 pm)Lets give credit where credit is due.
Although the concept for a series hybrid car has been around for a long time, it is GM that is putting all the hardware together with new technology electronics, software and battery packs to make a working high volume production vehicle. And they are doing it out in the open, instead of a closed lab somewhere.
Congratulations GM Volt Team!
We can’t wait to see the finished product!!!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:17 pm)#50 Grizzly:
Yeah, I knew it was Lutz and not you talking. I just thought that he was putting his foot in his mouth again. I’ve been called such names many times, and much worse. So I guess I was all too ready to take it personally. Sorry if I seem overly touchy.
#53 Tim:
Thanks for the cool links. Good old Jay! I think that his remarks on natural gas make a lot of sense. The problem is that it goes right back to “range anxiety”. The NGV Civic in the photos will go 200 miles, but where do you fill it up then? It’s a non-starter with Mrs. Park, even if I would buy a Honda.
That’s one reason why it’s smart to use a gas engine in the Volt. It takes advantage of the established gasoline infrastructure. Plus, they can evidently use an off the shelf European engine, and not have to develop a new engine along with all of the other new stuff.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:20 pm)#59 Jim I:
I think that’s a very fair way to put it. It’s one thing to have a brilliant idea, and quite another to develop it into a viable, reliable 21st Century commercial product.
Well said.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:21 pm)Putting batteries with electric motors isn’t new, and charging batteries from generators isn’t new, and attaching motors to wheels isn’t new. That said, putting all the Volt pieces together and having the set of pieces integrated into a functioning whole in the mule really is new, and remarkable, for packaging if nothing else. Having the mule start and stop and keep on running is both new and a great achievement, which we all can enjoy. Let us hope the development to a polished car goes quickly.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:27 pm)Tom M #54,
I hope your bank has some branches in Western Europe, if not please give me the adress of yours.
I’ll try to convince my banker but they are so conservative here …
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:34 pm)Noel #61
I completely agree with you.
For the methane question, Opel (GM) sells (gives, to the first 50 buyers) a natural gas home compressor, see :
http://www.opel.be/contact/magazine/page.asp?page=125&news=MilieuMag
As you can see, today there are already 40 buyers of a CNG car in Belgium since the beginning of 2008
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Apr 24th, 2008 (3:50 pm)I will offer to buy the mule when GM is finished with it!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (4:03 pm)Agreed,
MUCH credit is due. People have no idea whats involved in packaging, logistics, coordination of suppliers and so on. It took me 3 years for my product to be “perfect” and it just hit the shelves of retailers in 27 states. It’s a LOT of hard work and late nights and little sleep.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (4:17 pm)I think the first mule belongs in the Smithsonian.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (4:30 pm)It’s not my concern whether GM invented the technology, or just adapted it to a modern platform. I’m not concerned about Natural Gas vs. Hydrogen vs. Electric. I’m not concerned about GM vs. Think! vs. Toyota.
I’m just excited to hear that the Lithium-ion system is in place to test at this stage in the vehicle development life cycle. This is great for anyone looking for a viable alternative to the rising costs of fuel and increasing pollution. By no means will I ever be considered a “tree hugger” but when helping the environment is offered as a by-product of helping my pocketbook, sign me up! Also, if this pushes other automakers to develop competing technology quicker, then we (the consumer) win.
I spend enough time building a car from scratch with already-proven technology. I can only imagine the headaches and long nights that an endeavor like this creates. Congrats to GM and thanks again to Dr. Dennis for providing up-to-the-minute information via this site.
No electromalibu!!!! It needs to have it’s own distinct personality.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (4:37 pm)#5
“Maybe we should name this day:
April 24, 2008 – The day of the Mule.”
Day of the Mule! Or as another said “Volt Day!”
Haha! Congrats GM! And it happened on my birthday too!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (4:49 pm)When I think of parallel development and the compressed product development cycle for the Volt, I just can’t express how good this news is. Even if it isn’t a “full blown” mule per se, it shows that GM is going to open as many parallel projects as necessary to get this vehicle on the road. Why wait? Certainly there are tests that can be conducted right now even if (and we don’t know for sure) this is not the fully decked mule they had anticipated for June. In June they can deck out another mule, or several more.
I’ve always had my doubts about 2010, and time will tell, but there’s no doubt that GM is serious about this car.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (5:07 pm)When #16 matt986 said,
“Careful, the fact that they have it running doesn’t mean it’s WORKING,” you said in #19
“Dude, they made the EV1 years ago….it’s only a battery change for range issue and the small “ICE” spins a generator for charging… it’s not reinventing the wheel by any stretch.”
Then in #66, I think it was you (are you vinent?) who said,
“MUCH credit is due. People have no idea whats involved in packaging, logistics, coordination of suppliers and so on. and it just hit the shelves of retailers in 27 states. It’s a LOT of hard work and late nights and little sleep”.
Isn’t “not like reinventing the wheel” much different than “It took me 3 years for my product to be ‘perfect’?” Did it take 3 years because you “reinvented the wheel?”
In #56, you said,
“the only “NEW” component in the mix is the battery technology reaching range, storage and reliability. You may not be aware that this has been done already by GM years ago search EV1.”
If battery technology reached range, storage and reliability already by GM years ago with the EV1, then what’s all the fuss about Li-ion batteries?
I’m having trouble zeroing in on your point.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (5:22 pm)#64 Jean-Charles Jacquemin:
Honda offers a similar home compressor here. It strikes me as one of the cheapest ways yet devised to fuel a car. The “range anxiety” issue obviously comes into play when you are 200 miles from home and there is no fueling facility available. Or, if you get your sums wrong and are 10 miles from home, come to that.
Even so, if it was a Chevy, or even a Saturn, I would give it a go in a heartbeat. Another great GM car available in Europe and not here. Alas!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (5:34 pm)BTW, is it just me, or are we getting more and better comments every day recently? I get here at 8:00 AM PDT, and I swear that it took me about an hour to get through all of this stuff this morning. And all of it so well thought out and carefully reasoned that I was left with nothing to say. Amazing.
Somebody was, correctly in my view, commenting that people have a tipping of gas price where they change their choices and behavior. Can it be that GM-Volt.com has reached some kind of a tipping point and is gathering a new level of momentum? I dunno, just a feeling I had as I waded through all of these literate comments.
Well done to all!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (5:45 pm)Noel, #73. Agreed. Better comments, more comments, and new posters. GM-VOLT.com is growing fast. Have you noticed the wait list counter? 19,080 people signed up. I say 20,000 before summer.
Vincent, #66. Congratulations on getting your product out to 27 states.
I wouldn’t think that was a simple thing to do.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (5:53 pm)I need drugs if I’m gonna wait till 2011.
This is really great news. I wonder how long before we get some performance reports.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (6:22 pm)Eric E #75
That’s the next bone GM is going to throw us. Speculation on 0-60 times is going to have this group guessing like we were looking at a taped up 1/3 scale.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (6:39 pm)That can’t be the only mule. What about the Florida Mule. GM I will give it a real world test here in Florida. Great job GM. I can harly wait for my Volt. There were only 10,000 on the list when I signed up and now we are at 19,000. Amazing. Prepare to sell in Volume GM.
TED 239 410-8826
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Apr 24th, 2008 (6:40 pm)#76 Grizzly
Not me brother. I’m not going there. I have been driving a 2.2L, 5 speed, S-10 as my daily driver for the past 8 years. It turned over 200K miles yesterday! It is likely the slowest GM product on the road today. It has worked just fine in LA traffic.
Once again, I don’t give a d**n what the 0-60 time is, as long as I can merge onto the freeway without getting run over by a semi. What I want is maximum battery mileage and the best possible gas mileage when the battery runs out.
I want to save money on gas and give the finger to OPEC, et al, not necessarily in that order. If I want to go fast, I’ll get one of the Corvettes out.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (6:50 pm)Noel #78
That’s the beauty of the Volt my friend. Not only will you save on gas, you’ll also go fast if/when you want to.
I guess we’ll find you in the AER speculation debate. Aint’ this fun?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (6:58 pm)Its great that there is now a physical obect out there we can discuss.
Perhaps GM could paint a name on it like “Rocket” or “Spinning Jenny”
There may be many other possibilities.
“Bob” might be a good one.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (7:08 pm)Uh . . . I hope that the end look of the car is pretty darn close to the actual concept car, and not the old man burgandy car used as the Volt Mule car!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (7:15 pm)I have a toyota tacoma, 11 years old. I will keep it running however long I have to untill I can purchase an all electric car. Two more years, ten more years whatever. I’m ready to buy as soon as what I want to buy gets made. Come on GM.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (7:19 pm)Does anyone else find it sort of bizarre to be looking at a previous generation Malibu such as in the picture above, and in reality…it’s the Volt!? Kind of like Clark Kent up front, and Superman underneath.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (7:54 pm)Will all of us who are on “the list” have first crack at buying one? That’s only fair eh?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (7:57 pm)Texas@5
Instead of The Day of the Mule, how about “Earth Day +1″
The nice part of being around for a while is persective. The original Earth Days warned of the iminent ICE AGE and the Population Explosion Bomb that would kill off billlions within 5 or 6 years… There was even talk of intentionally melting the ice caps in order to stave off the ice age. I’m just excited that we WILL be getting “off” petroleum.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:02 pm)I wish I had a bottle of champaign in my fridge to celebrate. Oh well, I guess a cold bud light will have to do.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:37 pm)#53 Tim
Thanks for that link!
Just to be picky though:
The Owens Magnetic was designed with the ICE/Generator and separate engine as a solution to early problems created by gearboxes and did not store and electricity or have regenerative braking. It is just a similar solution to a different problem. So the Volt is still king IMHO.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:41 pm)We are one step closer to a brighter future today..
Who would have thought that the development of an automobile could be so exciting!
I know many of you say this is all old technology and could have been done a long time ago. And perhaps tht is true. But I would argue that it is very big leap to scale up from manufacturing 100 or 1,000 of something versus planning to make 50,000 or 80,000 per year.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:47 pm)Good on ‘em. Hope it performs as expected.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:50 pm)Hey GREAT NEWS!! Keep pushing Bob/GM Team!! You ARE changing the world!!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:50 pm)Please don’t tell me that the picture at the top of this article is the new body style. PUKE! they had it nailed. why would they change it to ugly econo box P.O.S. shown here???? it was cool, futuristic, hot, now it looks like my grand mother’s car. YUCK…. Take me off the list. I am going with the aptera if the Volt looks this ugly.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (8:55 pm)
Apr 24th, 2008 (9:26 pm)First..the photo is a MULE, not the production form, that has been specified several times…
Second: Hoorah, this is a great thing and a big day… I’m looking forward to hearing more, and am elated that it’s a Chevy and it’s viable… Cannot wait 2 long years, but I will =D
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Apr 24th, 2008 (9:29 pm)#92 “PriusChat Forums”
Wow! Those people over there at PriusChat really have a bug up their butts when it comes to GM. It was like reading a “bashfest” of GM and the Volt. That’s Ok. When the gas lines and rationing begin, we’ll be plugging in and driving along while they’re sitting in thier driveways.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:19 pm)Way to go GM! Fantastic news. Sign me up. Can’t wait to take delivery. I want one with all available options. Sedan model works for me. Hope the weight of additional passengers don’t compromise drive time per charge.
I’m a Realtor who puts a lot of miles on the road. Can’t wait to be gas free!
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:30 pm)GM , Huge great super , game changing. Nice to read good news for a change . I have four units sold the day I can get my hands on them.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:44 pm)Hey Bob,
Need any real world mule test drivers? Glad to help you collect data and keep it confidential until the official unveiling.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (10:48 pm)#5 Texas
“Maybe we should name this day:
April 24, 2008 – The day of the Mule.” – I like it!
But its hard to get too excited here, as all the experts are telling us this isn’t going to work.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/06/toyota-takes-a-shot-at-chevy-volt/
“lithium-ion is still too dangerous”
Volt will probably need an onboard fire suppression system. Probably a CO2 type system, and that will just add to global warming. I’m starting to get dismayed.
http://www.glgroup.com/News/The-Volt—GMs-Attempt-at-Green-Marketing-without-the-Green-Product-or-the-Green-Return-23868.html
“Lithium ion battery pack technology is still largely unproven…. existing battery manufacturing process is significantly environmentally unfriendly”
What is this new information on Li-Ion batteries. Does this mean I will have to give up my camera, cellphone, and other electronics because they have Li-Ion batteries as well. Or is this just Li_Ion for autos? Will Greenpeace be at the Chevy dealer when I buy my Volt, protesting environmental disaster and refusing to let me leave the lot when I purchase my new Volt? Now I’m starting to get depressed.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the-great-hybrid-showdown-chevrolet-volt-vs-toyota-prius/
“Unless GM is willing to heavily subsidize the Volt for many years, no matter how good it is, the Prius will kick its ass.”
Well, I guess plug-in will never work out. I am now so deep in depression that I may have to smoke some of the same stuff that Mike Allen of Popular Mechanics used to smoke back in the ’60s in his VW wagon, (you know, the one with the Peace sign and the five-leafed plant painted on it).
Well, at least maybe GM will let me come to the funeral when they crush all the Chevy Volt mules.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:24 pm)Well if that’s how it’s going to look, it wont sell, it looks to much like a ford product. The original concepts is why it was selling, a four seater wont sell the to family class, where are you putting he kids, and groceries!! Sporty looking four seater sells, I have a 06′ Daytona #1501, four door.
This Volt was for driving around town, with who in it?
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:27 pm)ALL RIGHT!!!
Yellow, with a black leather interior, no OnStar. Just let me know when I can put down the money to reserve it…
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:30 pm)You’re kidding right? Gas is going to hit $4.00 a gallon this year. In 5 to 7 years, what will the price be? The world is running out of Oil, and quite frankly, aren’t Americans tired of paying Oil Barons Monopoly pricing. Aren’t Americans tired of subsidizing the rest of the world’s safe passage for Oil? Our real price, factoring military costs alone, is roughly $10.00 per gallon to Americans to protect the shipping lanes and fight Wars in the Middle-East to ingrates. Time to change our habits and “Needs.” These are wants and unnecessary wants at that.
Retired US Air Force veteran.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:37 pm)I will miss the concept design – unmistakable, highly recognizable car on the road under the original. Hopefully GM won’t stray too far off the mark. No matter,….
CHEVY VOLT: American-Made, AMERICAN FUELED!!! Union-Made, Patriotic-to-Drive, and most importantly, the beginning of the end of our subsidizing Middle-East extremists. Middle-East Gas in our car equals terrorism in our country.
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Apr 24th, 2008 (11:58 pm)We must not forget,
GM still has to get the vehicle through crash testing, Airbag, RFI, Weather, Durability, Electronics, Hot weather, Cold weather, Ergonomics, (the list goes on and on) TESTING.
So the 2010 timeline is more realistic.
I’m pulling for ya GM!!!
And I’m patiently waiting with my 2 paid off vehicles for trade in when you are ready.
Paul
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Apr 25th, 2008 (12:34 am)Just bring it GM. Two more years and the will land to a street/highway near you. That will be cool. I know I will get my in 2011, but if I can get one in 2010 that will be nice.
In another note. Where is Nasaman. I have not seen his comments for quite sometime. When news like this, Nasaman usually makes a landing from out of space to Volt nation. Go GM!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (12:35 am)Just bring it GM. Two more years and the Volt will land to a street/highway near you. That will be cool. I know I will get my in 2011, but if I can get one in 2010 that will be nice.
In another note. Where is Nasaman. I have not seen his comments for quite sometime. When news like this, Nasaman usually makes a landing from out of space to Volt nation. Go GM!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (1:08 am)What’s even more exciting than the fact that this car is on it’s way home (to all of our driveways!), is the fact of how excited (and hungry!) the people here on this web site are for this car and it’s technology. Just imagine how hungry the rest of the world (who haven’t found this web site yet or don’t have access to it) is for cars that have this technology.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (2:08 am)I saw on PBS two nights ago about electric cars. Thee have been people making them for 20 years and the challenge has always been the batteries. They did show the Chevy Volt but said it would be years before it hits production. They also said in order to save the environment a major auto maker has to come out with an electric car and others would follow. They showed one guy making them now and the cost is $96,000. He is only doing about 10 a year. We need this car now to save our pocket books!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (3:46 am)40 mi.? yawn
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Apr 25th, 2008 (4:14 am)Jimmy #86
I just did that with a good Belgian beer last evening.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (4:47 am)The “new” component here is the battery. I fly electric powered radio control airplanes and have been using lithium polymere and lithium ion batteries for a couple of years. The lithium polymere are fragile and fire hazards, the lithium ion did not have the ability to deliver the amps. A123 batteries have changed that. There are folks on the ezone (ezonemag.com) that have over 500 cycles on the A123 batteries under abusive conditions and they are still going strong. Nothing else that I have seen to date will last. I for one cannot afford to be replacing an expensive battery pack every couple of years.
Len
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Apr 25th, 2008 (4:47 am)#33 Mark.
Stop showing off, I know gas is cheap in Canada hit $2.00 / litre here this week.
#98 JSOlson
The picture’s a MULE, the Volt will look completely different.
#104 Hous
Yeah Tagamets missing as well.
#97 BillR
Automotive Li batteries are quite safe, go to the Valence site and watch the video on one being shot!
http://www.valence.com/technology/safety_video.html
Not unproven Segways have been using LI batteries for years now.
Also Vehicle batteries can be recycled see:
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog4/
As to the Prius quote, well that’s completely subjective and I’m not even going to bother with that! OK maybe a snippet then. Massive diesel shortages in southern China. Also Strike going ahead at Grangemouth refinery next week. long lines at gas/petrol stations, etc, etc,
http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/3893
Don’t worry BillR It WILL sell well. PS I predict USD8 – 10 / gallon by 2011.
Finally: NOTE to GM. In acknowledging Lyles fantastic work with this site, & TV news appearances, how about RELEASING some MAJOR ANNOUNCMENTS here first before the popular press, huh. JMHO.
Even 12-24 hours would be great.
Remember, You heard it here first!
Kind Regards
David
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Apr 25th, 2008 (4:57 am)Just read this:
Coming to a town near you someday
http://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/articles/1/23176
GO Volt, GO
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Apr 25th, 2008 (4:57 am)The Segways are not pulling the amps that the Volt will. The other factor in favor of the A123 cells is you can charge and discharge them much faster than regular lithium ion cells without damage. This is what makes the “half tank in and hour” possible. I have close to a hundred different lithium batteries and very few have lasted over a year and I try to be very careful with them. The A123 cells have been an exception.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (5:18 am)Some company needs to get one of these cars into the general market place. All I see is a lot of hype and no action.
Where the beef?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (5:29 am)The skeptic in me wants to see the footage. Can you get some up soon please?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (5:39 am)#110 NZDavid
Thanks for the info, but you were taking my post far too seriously.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (6:19 am)Well, we all knew it was coming. So let’s see, “we’re bleeding enough at $3.75 a gallon, but were not at $2.50, 2.75, 3.00, 3.25, 3.50. By the time this car comes to fruition, so much pressure will come down on GM to have this be a success that everything will be riding on it’s success. It will be complete win or complete failure.
If it is a success, Toyota and Honda will quickly create a more powerful and stable battery (probably doing it now) than the A123Systems and then implement it in their own “Volt Like” car.
At this point EVERYONE out there, we need to buy American- just so we don’t become a third world nation. GM better not farm out the work to China or Tailand, etc.
Then we move to photo voltaic charge stations: Walmarts, Grocery Stores, Schools, churches, work parking lots, etc. Batteries get better over a decade; run 80-100 per charge. We integrate PV to charge our cars, light our homes, move toward true sustainability. Again,…we need to see $5-7 gas for that to happen. “Just trust me” the oil lobbies are too strong, but not at $5-7 a gallon.
We MUST keep something totally American now, even if production overseas would be cheaper to build.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (6:19 am)As a Realtor I drive approx. 80 miles a day. This Volt is so welcome to me and my family. It will mean that we no longer drive to ever gas pump we see.
It is not reinventing the wheel, it is adjusting an old idea to modern technology. I amreally glad that an American company has done this.
My only wish is that Chevy will push to get it to the market before two years. It’s time is now. Being first and the best used to be a Chevy and American. Let’s get it back.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (6:30 am)I look forward to driving the first PHEV CTS-V and flipping a bird to the local gas station every time I pass it by. Has anyone done an economic impact analysis on how many local gas stations will be closing in the next 20 years?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (6:35 am)NZDavid “Finally: NOTE to GM. In acknowledging Lyles fantastic work with this site, & TV news appearances, how about RELEASING some MAJOR ANNOUNCMENTS here first before the popular press, huh. JMHO.
Even 12-24 hours would be great.”
Nooo…Volts first
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Apr 25th, 2008 (6:59 am)Since GM has the prototype on the road and being tested, their is no reason they cannot ramp up production and bring this car into the showroom next year. If I was in charge of GM that is what I would be telling my Exec’s. their showrooms would be filled with people purchasing a unit. The gas prices are soaring and are hurting millions of people especially on short commutes.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:04 am)>> I am really glad that an American company has done this.
Done what?
Credit for using less oil cannot be awarded until less oil is actually used. It’s product delivery from which the measure of merit is determined.
Automotive history has a number of examples of technical challenges overcome, yet that breakthru struggled to achieve market penetration.
Details are sparse. It’s all quite vague. The tough questions aren’t even being addressed yet. That should be a concern to the true supporters. Be cautious about what you celebrate.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:05 am)I wonder how soon until we start to hear some performance numbers …. will the Li-ions really push the 40mile range???????
Excited!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:09 am)104 & 110:
nasaman is probably fishing or doing some consulting for NASA
Tagamet has been posting more in the forum section
Or, as has been happening to me lately, there are only so many things you can say and then you seem to turn into more of a lurker…
And Nov, 2010 is still 2.5 years away!!!!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:14 am)AND will they do it with the a/c running full tilt(i live in south Florida)
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:20 am)i wonder how much the electric bill will increase to recharge it each night?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:23 am)this is a great achievment for an american auto, find more about alternative fuel, the industry and the chevy volt upcoming news at http://www.fuelpress.com !!!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:26 am)Still unsure of Li-lifetime issues, not just the safety factor. NiMH is proven and hardy. Could there be an option? Maybe the range is shortened, I can live with that, as could many of us. Use the same space, give it to NiMH, do a comparison.
PS Mitsubishi’s small motor at each wheel design is a real space saver with the advantage of electronic 4WD
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:39 am)WOW, It’s a great day, I knew they would do it! Go Guys Go we are waiting for you.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:45 am)#100 jbfalaska. Agree completely. The true cost of gas for our cars is unknown to most Americans but if we factor in the need for our military to be stretched to its limit to protect oil depots and shipping lanes it approaches $10 a gallon, hidden in our income tax assessments.
We need to have the Volt and its counterparts sooner rather than later.
#110 NZdavid Your position is on firm ground as it would be the proper and ethical thing for GM to make their announcement of new Volt news to GM-Volt.com first then to the general media. This site disseminates much more accurate information on the Volt than the major media who always seem to skew, badmouth or misquote.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:49 am)Got to believe that lots of folks can’t wait to buy one!
GM needs this to jumpstart their sales. I’m CHARGED!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:54 am)Kevin R. said:
“This site disseminates much more accurate information on the Volt than the major media who always seem to skew, badmouth or misquote.”
I couldn’t agree more, Kevin. GM-Volt.com is the logical and proper first place for all “official” Volt news, IMHO.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:58 am)This is great news. i too cant wait for this vehicle to be put on the market.
ONE NOTE: IF IT IS ANY SHAPE OR FORM THIS UGLY or NOT AS CLOSE TO THE PROTOTYPES DESIGN, then it would be a GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.
Hopefully Detroit are listening.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (7:59 am)This is great news. i too cant wait for this vehicle to be put on the market.
ONE NOTE: IF IT IS ANY SHAPE OR FORM THIS UGLY or NOT AS CLOSE TO THE PROTOTYPES DESIGN, then it would be a GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.
Hopefully Detroit is listening.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:04 am)Has anyone noticed that this “prototype” looks nothing like the cool concept designs we’ve been seeing? I seriously hope this body shell was temporarily borrowed from a Cavalier just to prove that the engine and chassis work. Otherwise, they’ve bowed to a bureaucratic design-by-committee catastrophe that changed the Volt from sporty to nerdy in a single bound.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:14 am)Yep,
Definitely looks like an electric Cavalier. Won’t be buying a car that looks like that, as desperately as I do want to go electric. I really feel sorry for those ingenius concept designers who come up with remarkable body designs, only to have their work destroyed in a committee by pale, overweight, chinless, bureaucrats who bow to the oil companies. I think this drastic design change was implemented so the spotlight wouldn’t be pulled off the upcoming Camaro.
Your thoughts, please.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:20 am)Hi guys, greetings from Antalya / mediterraean coast. I will probably be one of the first buyers. When will be this car on the market and how much will it cost? Does anybody know about that?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:24 am)By 2010, I think drivers all over the world are going to be so fed up with high gas prices that they won’t worry about higher car payments they’d have to pay to get a $35,000 Volt. Some analysts are saying gas prices could be $7/gallon by 2012. That’s bad. Real bad. How could drivers all over the world fight back? Buy a “super hybrid” like the Chevy Volt!
People will be dying to “stick it to OPEC and the oil companies” if gas prices keep going up. It’ll be sweet. New Volt owners will be flipping birds at gas price signs as they drive around laughing. High gas prices will be OTHER people’s problem, not their’s anymore. People will pay more in car payments for that kind of peace of mind. They may have to buy gas 4-5 times a YEAR or so.
People will go to great lengths to keep their Volt charged up. It’ll be disappointing if they have to hear that IC engine in their Volt come on. They’ll buy a wireless charging system like eCoupled or something to make SURE the battery is at maximum charge as often as possible.
http://www.ecoupled.com/
I bet bosses all over the world will be installing charging systems for their employees. I bet those bosses will be just as fed up about gas prices as everyone else if not MORE so. You can only pass along gas price increases to customers so much before you start losing lots of sales.
Companies with big car/truck fleets will be looking at all sorts of hybrid technologies in order to cut transportation costs. Using hybrids for truck fleets that do a lot of stop and start driving is a “no brainer”. You’ll see a lot more UPS and Fedex trucks with hybrid technology in the next few years. The government ought to have a plan to convert the US Mail jeep and truck fleet to hybrid technology already. Same thing for garbage trucks, etc.
GM is already missing out on a lot of car sales by not having hybrids like the Volt this year. People will be even madder about gas prices in 2009. By 2010, people will probably want to personally cuss out oil company execs, Hugo Chavez, and the fat cat oil sheiks in the Middle East. People will think they really are a bunch of gangsters like Tony Soprano who are draining their paychecks like bandits every time they fill up.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/04/gas_prices224.html
In fact, I think people might be mad at GM too by November 2010. Why? Because they can’t manufacture Volts fast enough!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:26 am)#125 i wonder how much the electric bill will increase to recharge it each night?
It will go up about 1/4th the amount you’ll save on gas…thus a net 75% savings on what you currently pay to drive. Unless you install a PV to feed the grid during the day and then your cost will be zero and depending upon where you live and the state’s laws the electric company may have to pay YOU!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:28 am)I am only a little optimistic about the VOLT.
Remember this is the same company that poured millions into developing the EV-1?
Built less than 1000.
Leased them for a few years.
Took them away from happy drivers and
CRUSHED THEM?
They may build the VOLT, but then what?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:36 am)STOP MAKING COMMENTS about the Mule being ugly!
It’s NOT the PROTOTYPE! It is a Malibu body with the guts of the Volt and battery pack.
STOP ALREADY!
READ and you would be informed. Good Grief!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:44 am)How dissappointing!! How did we get from cool looking car of tomorrow to one of the ugly duckling 4 door sedans that got General Motors in the bad shape they are in today? It looks like GM is making sure the car will fail so they can go on making the same old stuff.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:45 am)#104, 110, etc….
Never fear, I’m still here! ….but have been preoccupied for several weeks with a granddaughter’s severe illness, so I’m generally limiting my posts to technically-oriented stuff like yesterday’s post #50 regarding vehicle weight vs range & truck electrification at….
http://gm-volt.com/2008/04/23/is-gm-really-building-the-volt-so-it-can-sell-more-gas-guzzlers/#comment-37976
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Apr 25th, 2008 (8:47 am)I second “theoldguy” remarks, only I would love a gunmetal gray with metallic undertones. Here’s a thought- perhaps the next version -if it’s smaller could be named “The Spark”
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:06 am)So, they were able to put in a lithium ion battery pack that can go 40 miles, and the car can carry a gas engine. This would have seemed more amazing if it happened before the Tesla. It’s a pure electric car with a gas engine to recharge the battery pack. To show a true committment to low emmissions, they should have the exaust pipe come out of the steering column.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:08 am)#125
The volt will take about 8 Kwhours to charge. I’m in NJ and pay about 11 cents for a KwH of power.
So 8(hours) * 11(cents) = 88Cents to charge my Volt and go 40-50 miles all Electric.
figuring it cost me right now about $6.50 to go the same 50 miles on gas, the car is worth it to me even at 40K.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:09 am)New people. This is the battery prototype, not the car prototype.
This is a 2005 Chevy Malibu, I believe. Not the Volt.
Bob McNabney #140 says, “It looks like GM is making sure the car will fail so they can go on making the same old stuff.”
Thanks for joining us. Could you please restrict your comments to something you know about. This is a test car, not the Volt.
If you read the article and comments on this post, you would know that, instead of making random rude statements that are wrong.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:09 am)Ok GM is a Large Co. Engineers like to keep tinkering. get her going and start shipping. Bet you cann’t do it by Dec. Oh make mine a 4×4 truck. Just bought a Cobalt best car for the money I’ve seen in a while. GO CHEVY or STAY at the PUMP.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:11 am)Paul, #143. Huh? Tesla doesn’t have a gas engine in their car.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:13 am)Good going! Now, how are we as a society going to generate all the extra electricity that we’ll need to recharge all these batteries? Energy isn’t created or destroyed, I seem to rember from high school chemistry,
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:15 am)Guys the picture is of an old malibu
We don’t know what the final Volt will look like yet, but it sounds like it will be pretty close to the prototype we have all seen pictures of.
********Side Note:
Intertesting to see how many people are buying a Volt, or one of the driving factors is how cool it looks. In todays finacial cliamate with the price of gas your worried how cool it looks. If there were 6 different models out maybe i could understand that logic, but were hoping GM builds the 1st one in 2 years from now and people are saying “it’s ugly” & “if that’s what it looks like take me off the list”. I couldn’t imagine any aspect of the car being less important than the look of the body style, lets build one then get cute.
Like i said before, when your losing your home in foreclosure because you got fired from your job because after standing in the gas rationing line for 5 hours you didn’t get any gas and can’t make it to work, then we’ll talk about how “cute” the volt looks.
Wake UP!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:16 am)murphy riggan @ 125,
In my area, electricity is $0.07 per kWh. The Volt’s battery holds 16kWh (or so we hear). Batteries usually hold about 70% of the electricity that goes their way, and turn the other 30% into waste-heat (is this battery different?).
So:
16kWh / 0.70 * 0.07 $/kWh = $1.54 per recharge.
Now, if we get a little pessimistic about the gasoline-efficiency, let’s say that the Volt misses it’s low-battery MPG and gets 40mpg. That battery now stores the energy-equivalent of about one gallon of gasoline. So, you effectively get your first gallon of gas for less than half-price, and you can fill it up at home every night, without sending your money to the middle east.
If you’re lucky and your driving is adaptable to this pattern, most of your during-the-week driving will get this sub-half-price fuel (from an American source and predictable economics)… GM has determined that this would work for a lot of the American population, and I think they’re right — I certainly could adapt my driving to 40 miles on a work-day.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:28 am)Most of the electricity must come from wind and solar farms and then clean up those coal fired plants; Lets hope this is the start of a transformation for this great country!!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:33 am)Dude… it’s a ******’ Chevy Lumina with a bunch of wires and **** taped on.
Get real!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:44 am)Well they didn’t quite make Easter . . . but sometimes Easter comes this lat, doesn’t it?
Maybe Maximum Bob just forgot to check the date this year
Great News!!!
It’s amazing how on the internet people think that because they can make inane comments, the should make inane comments.
I’ll buy one, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Ultimately the market will decide, and I have a funny feeling the market will decide this is one of the biggest steps GM has taken in its history.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:44 am)Current lithium car batteries are dangerous and costly. We do not know if either of these problems have been solved by GM. We need to know details about this prototype.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:45 am)Before we get too excited, remember we’ve been here before with EV1 and RAV4-EV. For whatever reasons, both programs lost corporate support internally and efforts were undertaken to convince everyone that there wasn’t sufficient demand.
Do we really think the oil companies will sit by passively while millions of people drive by their gas stations, filpping them the bird rather than stopping and buying their product?
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:45 am)Im glad GM is listening to what we want. Screw the oil companys.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (9:59 am)Ted, I think oil companies will have to start REALLY (not just lip service) thinking of themselves as energy companies. A lot of electricty will have to be generated to recharge all these batteries (if this is in fact a global paradigm shift away from internal combustion engines) and they have the cash on hand to build out new generating capacity. Imagine if the 50 billion or so that Exxon Mobil made last week went into building a massive photovoltaic or other type of solar array in Nevada that fed the SoCal grid.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:00 am)Dear GM and US Goverment,
That’s great news. I have been a fan of this car for almost a year now. However, now that it’s projected price tag is well over $35,000 (and I’ve heard it’s going to be over $40,000 when it comes out in 2010), it is unaffordable to me and my friends. Is there any way the US Government can give a huge rebate to consumers who buy this “GREEN” car. If the government can provide, say, a $15,000 to $20,000 dollar rebate for this car, then I could afford it.
Thanks,
Jeff
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:00 am)If you watch the oil companies you will see them try to transform themselves into energy companies supplying us with hydrogen fuel. The oil companies and the auto industry may try to get us into hydrogen fuel autos because it will continue the network of service stations and dealer service that we have now. The oil companies don’t want vehicles that primarily use electricity as propulsion. If we use electricity, we can “fuel up” at home, at work, everywhere. Without us coming by the stations once or twice a week, their whole structure is in trouble.
With the Volt, GM is giving us a way to not visit those stations nearly as much. Eventually, all cars should be electric.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:07 am)Aptera Motors plans to sell both electric and hybrid vehicles in late 2008. Mitsubishi will sell its iMiev EV beginning in 2009, with Subaru and ZAP Motors – Detroit Electric to soon follow. (Bringing up the rear… as usual when it comes to technology that doesn’t involve oil)
In 2007, Miles Electric Vehicles announced that it would produce a highway-speed all-electric sedan named the XS500. The company anticipates that the XS500 will be available for sale in the U.S. in early 2009. The XS500 uses Li-Ion batteries.Rubin, Miles. XS500. Retrieved on 2008-04-15. Hargreaves, Steve. XS500. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
In early 2008, Dodge announced the Dodge Zeo. While there are “no official release dates or prices”, they say it will be affordable to the average american. Dodge Zeo (Yeah people, just …trust us, its coming… we don’t know when or how much, but you just wait.)
Wake up people.. This “announcement” is all hyped up because GM, a giant car maker figured out how to put LI batteries in a malibu. Tesla is getting 220mi ranges without a hundred year old infrastructure. GM has teams of lobbyists fighting tooth and nail to keep the standards shrinking. They are not going to build themselves out of oil kick backs and profits.
This being news is a sad shame. I’ll believe it when I see it… see it running in a full body and glass and getting more than 40mi range.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:08 am)
Apr 25th, 2008 (10:12 am)The entire concept isn’t new. There has been a CHP with a three cylinder ICE available that uses different energy sources. There are thousands in use in Japan for home heating and electricity. Here in the USA there are several programs using this solution. The only difference with the Volt is that its on wheels.
http://www.icerenewables.com/index.php?Itemid=85&id=25&option=com_content&task=view
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:13 am)Jeff,
I think spending my tax dollars on buying you a car is a great idea. I also think the government should buy me a 44 inch plasma TV, as currently, they are too expensive for me and my friends to afford.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:15 am)PS Lets not forget GM pioneered the “flex fuel” vehicles. What good did that do? I am originally from MI and know lots of drivers of such cars and none… not one of them uses E83. Its not competitive and its not available. In my home town there is an Ethenol plant for gods sake, but no station. In the Cincinnati tri-state are, there are 6 stations offering E83….. 6… total. They throw the barking dogs bones at best, but never any meat. Like Pavlov’s mutts, they ring the bell and fido comes running… just to get boned again.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:18 am)Roger that # 143, in that case I wish you best of health for you and your loved ones. Take care. And viva La reVOLTlution!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:20 am)I sympathize and totally agree. Ethanol is just a huge boondoggle gift to big agriculture and its supporting cast (fertilizers made from natural gas etc) without any net benefit to everyday consumers. So GM screwed up developing flex fuel vehicles. Maybe they can get the Volt right.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:25 am)the question now is will GM sell it for less than 48 grand. if not, i give them props for starting this important revolution, but someone else will actually sell this type of product at an affordable price.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:26 am)Nasaman #143,
With all my sympathy to your granddaughter and your family. and thanks for taking the time to give your precious technical advice.
JC
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:28 am)I doubt seriously that the Japanese will wait two more years for GM to push this thing out the door.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:36 am)I hope the Volt inspires the competition. I foresee that I will never be able to afford a modern electric. I will just have to keep commuting
40 miles a day, sunshine charged. My electric still manages freeway speeds, and has not used a drop of gas in 27 years! Please don’t crush it, it should last another 27 years!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:44 am)Thank heavens it won’t be a Mailbu!
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:47 am)In the next 10 years …. gas stations and convenience stores will become places where Volt owners stop to buy cokes and snacks and look at the irritated faces of people with huge SUVs and trucks as they buy this expensive product called “gasoline” that you hear people bitching about on the news all the time.
In the long run … the teenagers will grow up and say “dude, why would you want to power your car with gasoline? That expensive, primitive, polluting 20th century technology? Who would want to drive one of those old gas bombs? Jeeaz. The government ought to ban those old internal combustion engine contraptions. I guess those people with gasoline cars just like wasting their money or something. They must like those noisy engines. Weird. They’re stuck in the past I guess. They could just quick charge their car at home for a LOT less.”
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:54 am)It will take a various technologies to get us off of oil. Ethanol, hydrogen,electric and for India and China maybe the air car http://zeropollutionmotors.us/
Ethanol needs to change to cellosic, which is happening but big oil will do almost anything to stop the transformation. check out this site
http://www.rangefuels.com/
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:58 am)A little off topic but very interesting. Here is an account on the use of a public recharging station in a supermarket in UK. Hope we will find such facilities sonn around us.
Link : http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/wordpress/?p=406
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Apr 25th, 2008 (10:59 am)Lyle:
Can you delete # 154 ? This kind of language is all uncall for !!!
If we can’t be civil stay off the net.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (11:01 am)Hey guys – this isn’t nearly as big a windfall as you think. Say that, in 10 years, most cars in the US run on electricity. What’s going to happen to the price of electricity, hm? It’s gonna go shooting UP. Until the basis of our power production is shifted from coal and petroleum, those oil and mining corporations will still be raking in huge profits. I say, if you’re going to buy and electric car anyway (~48,000 bucks for the Volt, unfortunately, from what I’ve heard), you might as well buy a big-ass solar panel or a small windmill for your backyard. Otherwise, you’ll be living off coal power, which will just get more expensive as more people use it (plus, it’ll be hurting the environment).
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Apr 25th, 2008 (11:03 am)Nasaman, Best wishes to your granddaughter and family.
I hope all turns out well for you and them.
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Apr 25th, 2008 (11:05 am)Lyle, I second Tom M in 176. This is a good site and doesn’t need comments like the one in #154 by Talk.
Thanks
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Apr 25th, 2008 (11:06 am)Oh, and about ethanol – have you heard how much food prices have gone up worldwide? Growing corn for fuel is probably not a good idea. Even using inedible things like “switchgrass” is actually not environmentally friendly. It takes a lot of fertilizer, transportation, and processing to make ethanol, so it’s most certainly not a silver bullet. The problem is that American politicians these days talk about ethanol a lot because most people don’t realize its limitations and hail it as a “green” energy source ( = more votes).
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Apr 25th, 2008 (11:07 am)Just contracted to pull the oil tanks out of a multi-family I own and replace with gas heaters. Next will replace m