Archive for April, 2008
Th!nk to Enter U.S. Market
Th!nk is the Norweigan carmaker that has begun production of a small, low speed electric car called the Think city EV. The company to this point had only announced plans for sales in Europe, beginning in the U.K.
At the Geneva Auto Show they announced a larger 5 seat monocab Think Ox concept, and [...]
Popularity: 4%
Poll: World is Running out of Oil
70% of respondents of a new international poll believed that world oil production has already peaked, and only 22% believe enough new oil will be found to allow it to remain a primary fuel source.
Steven Kull director of the poll’s publisher WorldPublicOpinion.org said "What’s most striking is there’s such a widespread consensus around the [...]
Popularity: 4%
GM CEO: Chevy Volt 2010 Deadline Down to the Wire but So Far So Good
At the Beijing Auto Show, GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced plans to bring the Volt to market in China, as automakers are in increasing competition to grab market share of the rapidly growing Chinese auto market.
On the sideline of the show Wagoner told reporters:
"At this point the focus for us 100 percent is getting the [...]
Popularity: 5%
The Volt Won’t be an Electric Camaro
I got to spend a little time chatting with CNN auto reporter Peter Valdes-Dapena, as he was researching a new piece he’s written on the production Volt’s design. You will find a couple of quotes from me sprinkled in.
To read more about my interview with Volt chief designer Bob Boniface go here .
The CNN article [...]
Popularity: 4%
Toyota Attacks the Volt…Again
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) are having a conference in Detroit this week. One paper that was presented was written by Toyota and called ‘Study on the Potential Benefits of a Hybrid System”.
The results were summarized by our friend Mike Milikin of Greencarcongress.
In the study Toyota compared the E-REV concept to the PHEV Prius [...]
Popularity: 5%
Volt Mule Spy Photo Clarification: the Real Deal
As you have seen in our last post, there are pictures of the Chevy Volt mule car in motion circulating on the Internet as spy photos. There has been related conjecture about whats under the hood of that mule. I understood no li-ion pack mules are running yet, but other sites reported the [...]
Popularity: 4%
Spy Photos: Chevy Volt Mule on the Test Track
Spy photos have surfaced on the Internet of one of the Chevy Volt test mules making its way around the test track presumably at GM’s Milford proving grounds.
We know GM has been running these using 2005 Malibu skins for the past 6 months. Except for using a 1 to 2 mile range NiMh battery [...]
Popularity: 4%
Even Chevy Volt Battery Suppliers Surprised at GM’s Volt Aggressiveness
The automotive lithium-ion battery industry is in it’s infancy. Aside for some relatively small companies making limited production prototypes, there will likely be no substantial lithium-ion powered EVs on the road until the Volt arrives in 2010.
Forbes has published a decent review of the current state of the technology. They compare GM and [...]
Popularity: 5%
Will the Volt be Too Powerful?
Mike Allen is the senior automotive editor for Popular Mechanics. In a new article he seems to take issue with Detroit’s strategy that plug-in hybrid vehicles have powerful powertrains. He is in fact taking aim at the Volt.
He invokes images of the famous VW (hippie) microbuses that had 40 hp engines, and recommends [...]
Popularity: 5%
Chevy Volt Vehicle Line Engineer on the Reduced Gas Storage Capacity
Our last discussion regarding GMs decision to reduce the size of on-board gasoline storage was very productive. We stayed on topic, which was very helpful. Most comments were positive, although there were certainly some who were unhappy about it.
I pointed out our discussion to Tony Posawatz who is GM’s Chevy Volt/E-Flex vehicle line [...]
Popularity: 4%
GM Has Given the Volt Team a Blank Check
I’ve tried to find out how much the E-Flex/Volt program is costing GM, I’ve asked the top VPs. They are only willing to say that they know but generally do not disclose those numbers publicly. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported nearly $1 Billion is being spent, but that is unverified.
When talking [...]
Popularity: 3%
U.S. Nanowire Lithium-ion Battery Expert Gets a $10 Million Grant…From Saudi Arabia?
One of the most popular posts on this site was actually not about the Chevy Volt, but an interview I did with Dr. Yi Cui of Stanford University.
He had developed a silicon nanowire anode for lithium-ion batteries. A result of his unique chemistry were experimental cells that could store 10 times the energy of [...]
Popularity: 4%
Recent Posts
- EPA Closer to Giving the Chevy Volt at Least a 100 mpg Rating
- GM, Natural Gas, and the Volt
- GM and Chrysler in Merger Talks
- More Details About Chrylser’s Electric Car Plans
- As GM Goes So Goes the Nation
- Lutz Provides More Volt Details: Photovoltaic Roof to be Unveiled in January, and Volt Development Ahead of Schedule
- GM’s Electric History
- Project Better Place CEO Calls the Volt a Niche Product
- The Production Chevy Volt Has One Charging Port, and Unnamed Object Identified
- Video: 60 Minutes - Race For the Electric Car
