Comments on: Chevy Volt Video Update

By: Rafael

Rafael — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:25:38 +0000

Countless times in history great ideas have been ignored by those that can make them happen or by consummers themselves. When someone picked them up, awsome things happened. I just think it’s about time the car industry is seriously investing into Edison’s dream of an electric car and that people is also seriously considering going for it. By the way, isn’t it ironic that some GE technology is being used in your car? (GE was founded by Edison, as you already know).
I hope this new electric technologies turn out to be a great success for you and other manufacturers… We all need it to be.

By: Tagamet

Tagamet — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:55:25 +0000

PDNFTT

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:52:01 +0000

Made in USA, what a joke.
I was all over the VOLT a couple years ago when it was first announced. At that time the price was announced at $25,000.
I was finally going to be able to shed my Hondas and buy a GM product for the first time in 30 years.(77 Cutlass). But now they have pushed it to $40,000 – What a joke!! I’ll bet 3/4 of the people who signed up would unsign if you made it possible on the site. I guess I will be looking at the Plugin Prius for my next car. What a shame for the USA.

By: Tagamet

Tagamet — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:54:36 +0000

Steven,
Do some more reading. The Volt’s wheels are only EVER driven by electrons. The “fossil fuel” engine, will be able to run on E85 and at some point will have a diesel option because it’s targeted for world wide distribution. GIven that (even with a fossil fuel engine as *backup* to maintain 30% SOC), being able to drive for 40 miles daily FOREVER without a drop of fossil fuel can be considered the old saw of Big Oil controlling everything.
Be well,
Tag

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:37:52 +0000

Hi, I think one important thing Chevy is going to screw up is the overall design of the power train system. From the sounds of it it looks like after the batteries are depleted and fossil fuel engine will kick in to drive the vehicle. It will be sad if they desin the engine as a direct drive rather than an electric drive system. Basically they need to look ay how trains are built. Yes trains have Diesel fossil feul engines but the trains are totally electric and use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries as well. The batteries should only be used durring start and acceleration. Once the vehicle is up and moving say past 20 Mph the diesel engine should kick in and drive the vehicles motors and recharge the batteries. The engine should also be diesel so bio fuels and other diesel alternatives can be utilized. Unfortunataly the automakers are too far into the pockets of the oil companies to design a vehicle in this way because it would get too good of gas mileage and be very cheap to operate with the availability of other fuel alternatives.