GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

As we know, the Chevy Volt should be able to drive for 40 or more miles on pure electricity when fully charged. Since most drivers travel less than 40 miles per day, it is quite possible gas could sit in the tank without ever or hardly ever being burned. Indeed, GM engineers decided to downsize the tank from 12 gallons in the concept to some smaller amount perhaps around 7 gallons. We were also advised that the car could run without any fuel in the tank at all should the driver desire.

It is frequently asked then how the Volt might deal with gas sitting for too long in the tank and getting stale. I discussed this with Volt lead engineer Andrew Farah, who in fact confirmed the Volt team is thinking about this:

GM-Volt How can you deal with the gas getting stale if not used?

Farah: We have talked about it. Remember its (the tank) a complete sealed semi-pressurized system. What make gas go bad is some of the volatile evaporate as well as the absorption of water. The good stuff evaporates and the bad stuff condenses. The tank is special to prevent this, but will it be enough? We don’t know. Over the next couple of years were going to do some work to make sure we’ve got that understood. But we still like to say,’ maybe you will change your fuel rather than change your oil’.

There is also some debate about how big we should make the tank. During the discussion in New York (Volt Nation) some of your guys said maybe it should just be a gallon, they said “I’m always going to run on EV, I just need a little backup to get me to another gas station. This is something the customer can choose whether to put a gallon in or not.”

Farah also noted the tank will likely contain a specialized system for sensing water accumulation, and that perhaps a dashboard light might advise you if your gas has indeed finally gone bad.

We have reached another milestone here at GM-Volt.com. As of today, over 20,000 people have expressed interest in buying a Chevy Volt when it arrives by signing up on our virtual waiting list.

When the site began, it was my hope that I could create a place where we could demonstrate to GM that we really wanted this car to happen, so that the concept wouldn’t die.

I believe we have done this, in a loud, large, and resounding way. GM knows full well about us and at this point the Chevy Volt program is in full gear, well-endowed, and moving rapidly towards production.

However, our work does not end here.

It still isn’t clear how much the Volt will cost, although most estimates put it around $35,000. Also not clear is how many Volts will be produced in the first model year, estimates put that at at least 10,000.

Now that the waiting list has grown large and strong, we must continue to make it grow.

The next steps will be to see how we can influence the roll out of the cars. With the help of a dedicated Volt fan and programmer, I plan to upgrade the waiting list into a dynamic feature which will show in real time the number of members and the population distribution.

My effort will be directed at how to ensure that those here who want one, will be able to get their Volts.

This will be challenging. There is a method and process through which GM delivers car to dealerships. There are about 4000 Chevy dealerships, so if only 10,000 cars should be made, how will they be distributed? GM vice-chair Bob Lutz has mentioned the possibility of early distribution to “smile states” such as California, New York, Washington D.C., and Florida, but also indicates that final plans haven’t been made yet.

We will need to develop an understanding of the distribution process to try and ensure that GM-Volt waiting list members get first right of refusal in the order in which they signed up.

Right now I’d like to hear form you on ideas for how we can make this happen.

Next stop, 30,000.

We all cant wait to get into our Chevy Volts and drive off on electric power. After all, what could be better than not using gasoline for most driving needs? We are aware the source of energy for the Volts battery will be the electric grid. All indications are that the energy costs will be cheaper, at current average rates, roughly 80 cents for 40 miles of electric driving.

The Wall Street Journal reports our GM friend Rob Peterson saying that the utility companies will become more important than the oil companies in this electric car future. The story raises the question as to just what the utility companies think of this.

Per the story, "most utilities view the cars with a mixture of excitement and trepidation." The issue is that nighttime charging when demand is low will be a benefit to utility companies, but daytime charging could increase demand and thereby cost.

A study by the Oak Ridge National laboratory is cited as indicating that indeed electric costs could rise in the latter scenario.

The idea of smart meters that could titrate electric rates to the time and purpose of use was discussed and it was noted that these are already being rolled out in California.

There was also mention of studies which show the grid should easily be able to handle the demands of electric cars and allow dramatic displacement of petroleum as an energy source.

Bottom line, the grid will handle it, it will cost less than oil, and both the individual and the utility companies will benefit from plug-in cars.

And, in my opinion, the tide of the sea change is unstoppable.

Source (Wall Street Journal )

In September GM introduced the Opel Flextreme crossover concept vehicle which was based on an E-Flex drivetrain platform with a diesel range extender, and a 34 mile lithium-ion battery electric range.

By December Frank Weber had told us that the Flextreme was not production intent.

Also we have been told that the Chevy Volt is intended to be a global product.

Yesterday, however, Rick Wagoner made the comment that GM now actually has a program in place to produce a series of production E-Flex vehicles under the Opel line.

Wagoner also reported that the development program is already underway at the GM Technical Center in Warren Michigan. This is in light of the announcement of a $10 billion dollar investment by GM Europe into the Opel line which well help to bring this E-REV to market.

Source (Green Car Congress )

GM CEO Rick Wagoner spent some time with reporters today in San Francisco after giving a speech at the Commonwealth Club today.

In the not-too-distant past he had said the 2010 Volt launch was not guaranteed.

However today he said "so far we’re on schedule."

And in response to the fact that Volt battery development work was progressing well, he said "our optimism is building."

In his speech he suggested that oil prices were unlikely to retreat and admitted the recent consumer swing from SUVs to compacts cars is "rational."

Did he say $20,000 for the Volt?

Source (Reuters )

Previously I shared GM vice-chair Bob Lutz’ discussion on how much the Volt will cost, and it boiled down to how much suppliers will charge GM for the lithium-ion battery packs, clearly the biggest chunk of the total cost of the car.

As Lutz has said, one of the motivating factors for using lithium-ion cells, is that cost is expected to come down considerably as automotive cell production is scaled up.

Design News offers an interesting discussion about the current cost of the batteries.

Key factors in the batteries are energy density, recharge time, cost, durability and safety. It is explained that today’s best li-ion cells hold about 150 W-h / kg, whereas gasoline holds around 4,000 W-hr/kg, or 25 times the energy per unit weight. Batteries takes hours to charge, gas a few minutes to pour in.

The USABC has set a goal cost for batteries in  40 mile EV range cars to be $293 per kwh. The best expert estimates for current lithium-ion cells are between $500 and $1000/kwh, will the cells alone at $300/kwh, packaging, cooling, and controls making up the rest.

So if we consider the Volt has a 16 kWh battery pack, that’s $16,000.  What Conti/A123  or LG Chem/Compact Power plans to charge GM for those packs, based on tens of thousands of units, is of course publicly  unknown.   Between the lines, I get the feeling more than GM would like.  However, one certainly one can see the competitive value of having two teams pitted against each other.

Source (Design News )