Comments on: It’s Official: GM Intends to Build the Chevy Volt’s Engine in a New Plant in Flint, Michigan

By: The Griffon

The Griffon — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:59:29 +0000

GM has previously announced it will build [Family 0] engines from 1.0 to 1.4 L capacity in North America. The Volt will still get a 1.0 L APU, the Cruze and other cars will get the new 1.4 Turbo, There are also 1.2 and a smaller 1.4 L engine in this family, either of which could be built at Flint for NA-produced subcompacts such as the Aveo sedan and the Groove-inspired B-MPV (substantially bigger than the concept minicar).

By: T.C.

T.C. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:19:45 +0000

how do you go about getting a job at the new plant? Do u have to be refered like GM now or does anybody know a new way of being employed.

By: GradStudent

GradStudent — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:28:49 +0000

Like everyone else, I really hope GM can pull the Volt concept out of idea-land into reality in a way that works and is affordable to the average car buyer.

2 questions I’ve been wondering about the Volt lately:

1) Why a brand new assembly plant for the engine – couldn’t they have retrofitted an existing plant and retrained the employees there to build the engine? Lately all I hear about is how they are closing plants left and right. Or does opening a new plant allow them to hire new staff at new rates and contract terms that are less costly than legacy plants?

2) This is a bit more out there: in theory, if you are gonna build a combustion engine that acts strictly as a electrical power generator (ie. not a mechanically linked drive source), isn’t it more efficient to go with a gas turbine based generator than a standard reciprocating engine? This would essentially be the same technology that powers an M1 tank, the APU on a commercial jet, or the power plant for alot of rail locomotives.

Ok, I realize the Volt needs to get to market quickly and cost effectively and going with what you have off the shelf is the best way to go in the short term. But in the long term, if the Volt is a hit, is it possible to create a small gas turbine electric generator that would fit in a small car and burn fuel more efficiently? I’ve seen those little 4-6 inch jet engines for model planes – maybe something a big bigger that could spin a electro-magnetic generator cost effectively?

I figured turbines might be less maintenance and more efficient. And in the winter, imagine how much quicker it would be to get some heat into the car! (yeah, I’m from Canada…) Peace-out.

By: Jeffhre

Jeffhre — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:30:21 +0000

I’m gonna say the volt will get 54mpg. Any takers?

By: stas peterson

stas peterson — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:13:00 +0000

This is the third major revision update of the of the Family 0 engines that are built in GM factories around the World, first introduced in 1996.

GM calls the Family 0 the smallest widespread engines from I-3 1.0 liter to 1.2 and 1.4 liter I-4 that it builds worldwide. The originally proposed I-3 1.0 liter turbo, is a member of the same family produced in the same engine lines and merely a chopped off I-4 block.

The I-4 turbo is the engine going into the Cobalt replacement the Cruze and the I-4 for the Volt wil have the updates of the third revision too. DOHC, VVTs, multivalves, Alloy heads, GDI, dual turbo ready, HCCI ready, and local US production to ensure there are no problems with exchange rates as there would have been importing the same engines from a European Family 0 engine plant.

The Plant that I want to see announced is the plant of the winner of the battery selection contest. I want that facility located as any major supplier usually does, near the assembly plant right here in the USA. I’d like GM to even participate in the construction of the factory, and its automation. That is GM’s real competence, mass manufacture. Longterm, it needs to know how to make battery factories.