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BREAKING: GM Releases New Production Volt Photos

August 14th, 2008 | Posted in: Images

Volt chief designer Bob Boniface has just given a speech about the production Volt in Traverse City Michigan.

Along with that, GM has just released new teaser photos of the production vehicle.

You can see more of the front quarter and now for the first time ever, the rear.

Other facts coming out of the meeting is that because of the aerodynamic design changes, and additional 6 or 7 miles of AER has been achieved, and that GM expects to have 50 prototypes using production parts running by year-end.

I may get the chance to talk to Bob later today, so if you have any questions for him place them into the comments.

Posted by: Lyle

192 Responses to “BREAKING: GM Releases New Production Volt Photos”

Gsned57 Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:06 am

HOW MUCH???

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John Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:10 am

I’m excited that GM appears to have kept a lot of the original design “flavor” of the concept car. If they can make this car look unique enough and make it something that gets recognized when it drives down the street, I think that will really help sales and public perception.

I’d like to know when the final production car (and pricing) will be revealed and what interested customers can do to get their name on a waiting list to purchase a Volt.

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Red HHR Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:12 am

Way Cool!!

Cant wait to se the HHR version, in RED!

Red HHR

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:14 am

Great!!!! Let’s see more.

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Red HHR Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:15 am

Is that a side port plug in I see?

Red HHR

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FME III Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:22 am

Quit teasing. Let’s see the rest of it!

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am

Lyle says:

“You can see more of the front corner and now for the first time ever, the rear.”

+++++

Where do you see that? I only see one picture showing the left front fender and part of the grill. Are there more pictures I can’t see?

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Gsned57 Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am

#5 red hhr, I completely missed that. I think your right. Then another question I have is will there be another port on the passenger side or is it just going to be on the drivers side?

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Dale Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:24 am

Looks inviting – like the comments on the size – it was one of my largest concerns – need to be able to put golf clubs in the trunk.

Planning on buying a Volt and a 2 mode plug in Vue as soon as possible!

As with the Camaro I would like to know colors and options pricing ASAP

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CBK Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am

Just what does “6 or 7 miles of AER has been achieved”
mean? Does it mean they have added that to the 40 previously
announced?

IMWTK

BTW, why is the site so slooooow?

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:26 am

# 8 Gsned57

Look for a port on both sides.

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noel park Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am

The Reuters story about the GM-Volt.com waiting list is on the short list of news items on the Yahoo opening page this AM. You don’t even have to click to “more news”! Dr. Dennis really is becoming world famous. No Noel, alas, I guess I had my 15 seconds of fame!

If this keeps up, maybe GM will really have to pay serious attention to the loyal troops on the waiting list.

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ROBERT M. SPERRY Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am

I agree with several other above – How much and how soon can we get on an official waiting list.

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o.Jeff Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am

Lyle,

Can you please ask Bob Boniface what impact the battery in the center of the car has on the vehicle interior space? i.e. Will there be a center console between the front seats? Will there be room for cupholders or cargo in the center console? Will the battery come up above the front seat cushion?

Jeff

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DC Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:30 am

Just wanted to let you know, the Volt and your website got a full segment on a local radio talk show yesterday. Big O and Dukes on WJFK (Wash DC) did a whole segment on your website, the waitlist and the Volt.

Podcast is available on Itunes or wjfk.com. Sounds like they could have used someone to call in that had better information though. Tons of love for the Volt.

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Ben Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am

This suspense is horrible. Show us the whole thing!

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am

OK, now I see the other photo. It was just extremely slow loading in. Is this site slow today to everyone else, or is it just me? I have tried three computers with the same slow loading time. Extremely slow loading of the home page and subsequent pages. It took over 5 minutes just to get from the web-address entry to see part of the home page. Usually I have it in seconds. Anyone else experiencing problems?

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bratman Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am

http://content.subaru.com/sub/misc/2009/nyautoshow/r1/

I laugh….why wait til 2010 people. A electric car has been in production and its the Subaru R1E. New york City is already testing the overseas version. They are planning on releasing it to the US very soon, much sooner than 2010. People wake up, GM is decades behind in the production of anything like this.

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am

Clarification from the following website:

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/chevy-volt-design-details-slowly-emerge-0814.html

“Overall, Boniface said, airflow improvements have taken out 120 “counts” of aerodynamic drag, each count imposing a range penalty of roughly 0.025 miles in the city and 0.055 miles on the highway. In other words, those improvements have added 6 to 7 miles to the production car’s all-electric range. He did not, however quote a coefficient of drag.”

So, I take it that the current design has added to 6 to 7 all-electric miles, but compared to what car? The concept or mule. Either way, it is good news…

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Cire Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am

I like it! Looks like its a 3d model. Which is fine, just stating what i noticed.

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scott Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am

“Other facts coming out of the meeting is that be the design changes, 6 or 7 miles of AER has been achieved, and that GM expects to have 50 prototypes using production parts running by year-end.”

Lyle, I hope what you meant to say was, “Other facts coming out of the meeting is that BECAUSE OF the design changes, 6 or 7 miles of ADDITIONAL AER has been achieved”.

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Schmeltz Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am

NRiley:
“Anyone else experiencing problems?”–Yes, the site is very slow loading today for whatever reason. Possibly the massive increase in site visits since the Rueter’s article?

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:38 am

This site is dead slow today.
I wonder if the server is being overloaded because of all the press lately.

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:42 am

If you have noticed, the wait list has grown by almost 2,000 in the last two days.

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Keaton Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:44 am

Lyle,
Get some new servers, this website is realllllly slow today.

Anyway, looks amazing, cant wait to see the whole thing!

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Plug Free Volt Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:47 am

Does the production Volt have the “see through” doors ?

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:49 am

Article says,
….6 or 7 miles of AER has been achieved.

I thought they were shooting for over 40 at the beginning of battery life.
6 or 7 miles is way short.
Lyle, this is something you can ask about. Thanks.

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Jarn Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:50 am

All the images in low-res and hi-res are available here:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/production-chevy-volt/975983/full/

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:52 am

The left front corner looks very attractive in the limited picture that GM provided. However, it could just be a model in 16th scale or something.
We really have no way of knowing if this is the real production car.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:52 am

#27 Rashiid Amul

“thought they were shooting for over 40 at the beginning of battery life.
6 or 7 miles is way short.”

You did understand that was additional miles, didn’t you?

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:54 am

N. Riley #30

The article states:
Other facts coming out of the meeting is that be the design changes, 6 or 7 miles of AER has been achieved, and that GM expects to have 50 prototypes using production parts running by year-end.

If it says additional miles, I completely missed it the first time and this time too. How do you know they are additional?

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Michael Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:55 am

Red HHR #3

I’m glad to see someone else likes the idea of an Volt-HHR. I’ve mentioned it twice. But I’d like mine in that copper color (Sunburst Orange Metallic).

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Ivan Bial Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:55 am

Please make the Volt so a big frame( six foot four) can drive it..

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Anthony BC Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:55 am

Hey Lyle, the site’s loading really slow today. What’s up?

Those pics are “Looking Good!”

GO GM, GO VOLT for 2010!

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:56 am

Noel Park,

CNN has a story about an S-10 pickup converted to an EV.

“http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/08/14/electric.cars/index.html”

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:56 am

#28 Jarn

Thanks for the link. Good photos.

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noel park Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:56 am

#17 N Riley, et al:

Yeah, I’m having the same problem. I hope it is because there is a lot more traffic, LOL.

#19 Aspherical:

Thank you for the very useful clarification.

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:58 am

#28 Jarn

Thanks for the link for the photos!

#31 Rashiid Amul

Check my post at #19

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Murray Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:59 am

Wow…we are blowin up the servers today! popularity is runnin wild!
(Hi Mom)

Thanks for getting the teaser photos Lyle…

My question is simple:
Mr. Boniface can we still expect a full & final production Volt design to be released sometime next month?

Maybe we should just “leak it” out earlier than that to this GM-Volt.com website since it is getting so much “pub” lately….

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:59 am

Aspherical #38.

Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate that and feel much better too.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

#31 Rashiid Amul

Aspherical posted a link in comment #19.

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/chevy-volt-design-details-slowly-emerge-0814.html

Good info. Quote from story:

“Overall, Boniface said, airflow improvements have taken out 120 “counts” of aerodynamic drag, each count imposing a range penalty of roughly 0.025 miles in the city and 0.055 miles on the highway. In other words, those improvements have added 6 to 7 miles to the production car’s all-electric range. He did not, however quote a coefficient of drag.”

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Ivan Bial Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

It’s official..GM has not learned its lesson.

I could run GM better then its current management.

The world is waiting of GM to produce hybrids.

What is there big announcement?
Cadillac Escalade hybrid with a WOW – 20 MPG..

Wake up folks put your effort into Chevy or Buick hybrid passenger cars.

GM management is still trying to sell us what we don’t want or need.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Production Volt to be shown at LA Auto show in November.

Quote from Aspherical’s posting:

“Traverse City, Michigan – Continuing to tease the public and the media with details on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the car’s designer today showed a handful of slides that revealed further details of the car’s design. The entire car won’t be revealed until the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.”

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Guy Incognito Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

I’m assuming the “6 or 7 miles of AER (all electric range) has been achieved ” from the article is a misprint?

Came across the article on Yahoo, probably explains why I had such a hard time logging in today.

“Over 33,000 buyers signed up for GM electric car”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080812/tc_nm/volt_list_dc

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THOM Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

What is AER???

Better hurry up. BMW has a PEV planned for next summer

http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/22/news/companies/electric_cars.ap/index.htm?postversion=2008072212

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JonP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

Did anyone else read the article Aspherical posted?
Here is the link:
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/chevy-volt-design-details-slowly-emerge-0814.html

In the first paragraph:
“The entire car won’t be revealed until the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.”

Maybe it’s me, but isn’t that the 1st we’ve gottten as far as an actual date/place they will reveal the production Volt!!!!!

That is great news! The pictures look great to.

The article also says at the end:
“Boniface also showed a picture of the instrument panel center stack that will be used in the production Volt. The shiny white plastic panel has few actual switches; instead, most of the controls are activated by “capacitive touch” switches that sense light pressure from a finger.”

That sounds great to, can anyone find that picture??

Go GM How about who won the battery contract?

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

I have been looking at the pics at:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/production-chevy-volt/975983/full/

It appears that the battery pack will be lifted into the chassis from the bottom and secured there. The picture I keep looking at is Pic 6. It’s a nice view of the ICE and and what is most likely a generator. The one thing that is bugging is what the hell is that red circular thing in the battery pack area near the bottom of the pic?

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

#42 Ivan Bial

“GM management is still trying to sell us what we don’t want or need.”

where have you been getting your bad info?

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Cire Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

#42, “Cadillac Escalade hybrid with a WOW – 20 MPG..”

The increase from 15 MPG to 20MPG saves more gasoline then going from 30 MPG to 50 MPG. They are doing the right thing by increasing the lower milage velichles. You cant put the blame on them when people buy them, if nobody bought them then they wouldnt make them. They cant force anybody to buy a velichle.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

#45 Aspherical

Loading the battery from the bottom is the only way that makes sense.

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Talks Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

My questions

1) What will be the initial AER for VOLT ?
2) What will be the AER after 10 years or 150000 miles.
3) Is acceleration figure still the same (8.5 sec). This question is connected the recent change of the eleclectric motor power from 120KW to 100KW. I am ok till 8.9 sec.
4) What is the new mileage value for VOLT in ICE mode. We know that it was 50mpg eariler.

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JonP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

#45 Aspherical

It looks like that is just a shell of a battery pack, maybe thats just a weight to simulate the load of a real battery. Doubt that is a 400l weight though so i’m not sure.

Your totally right about the pack being installed from the bottom. Launaker told me that at Volt Nation when i asked him about the ability to upgrade the packs down the road. He said yes but as long as they were the same dimensions.

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Me Here Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

if we are looking for small improvements, what about wheel covers in the rear (ala insight)

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JonP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

#49 Talks:

I’m not working on the volt project but here’s my informed guesses.

1) What will be the initial AER for VOLT ?
45-50 miles depending on driving style or conditions
2) What will be the AER after 10 years or 150000 miles.
38-42 miles depending on driving style or conditions
3) Is acceleration figure still the same (8.5 sec). This question is connected the recent change of the eleclectric motor power from 120KW to 100KW. I am ok till 8.9 sec.
I don’t remember them changing the electric motor size, i know they changed the ice motor.
4) What is the new mileage value for VOLT in ICE mode. We know that it was 50mpg eariler.
I read the reuters article that said 150mpg but i think that was a typo. I’ve been saying all along that a ICE engine that will only have maybe 5 different running modes (rpm’s) can easily be optimized to get very high fuel mileage. My guestimates say closer to 60-70mpg from the ICE generator

Hope this helps, again i don’t work for GM so its all speculation

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Barry Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Congradulations to GM. My first car was a 1966 chevy impala, 327 v8 which made 20 mpg with power. The camaro I purchased in 1983 was the biggest disappointment in GM. For the last 25 years I switched to nissan and toyota cars because I had better service. I dont like the prius hybrid and I dont like the hydrogen idea. This all electric drive with a generator assist makes the most sense of all the ideas out there on the current market. When can we expect this to be available for purchase? how do we get on the waiting list?

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JonP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

Aspherical:

in picture #9 that is the fire wall he has his hand on right, and the other guy has his hand on the steering wheel shaft?

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Murray Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

OK, thanks guys…got it… not September … November at the LA show, now that I see that I think I already knew it. Either way I’m excited and a little scared to see the final design…

I’ll keep repeating my new mantra….
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

#54 JonP

Yes. Notice how close the ICE is to the firewall. It makes perfect sense, but just interesting to actually see it…

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JonP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

#53 Barry

“When can we expect this to be available for purchase? how do we get on the waiting list?”

there is no official GM waiting list, but you may join our unofficial waiting list to show GM the amount of demand thats out there. There is a link at the top of the page that says “Wait List”. As far as when we can purchase one… That’s a little more difficult. GM has said there will be a limited release of probably 20K units in late 2010(as 2011 models), but i expect those to go very fast and have a very high markup. I would expect me & you to be able to buy one with a smaller markup in late 2011, and normal purchase in late 2012.

Just my opinion on purchase date, there are plenty of different opinions on that here.

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GXT Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Hmmmm… my impression of the AER would have been improved more by an actual number as opposed to a 6 or 7 mile improvement over an unknown number.

Hard to say if they aren’t giving the actual number as it is still too low or if they don’t want to release it at this time. Based on the other recent revelations (e.g. still working on how to get the power to the ground) I suspect that it is still too low.

The lights do look very nice.

I wonder if they shouldn’t be skipping the added complexity/cost of fancy buttons.

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Jason The Saj Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:30 pm

Ask Bob,

Dear Bob,

Have you guys looked at using a GPS mapping system in conjunction with a topical geological survey map system and route planning for efficiency. Both offering the using more efficient routes, as well as estimates of how much batteries are necessary.

I’d love it, if the Volt could “learn”. Let me explain, I drive the same route to work every day. My commute is 60 miles round trip. This is a bit more than the Volt’s 40 electric mile range.

My thought though, is that the Volt could be designed to “know” my route. And determine when to run the engine for most optimum performance.

For example, it might determine that instead of driving the first 40 miles on electric and last 20 on gas. That using gas on a couple of hills would allow the rest of the trip to be done on electric. And be more efficient.

To me this looks to be the future of efficient cars. That they become SMART. And I think if GM could develop this, perhaps for a top-of-the-line Volt/E-Flex system. That it might really turn heads from a marketing stand point.

“The first vehicle that is not only efficient but smartly so, learning the routes you commonly drive and optimizing itself for your commute.”

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mitch Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:32 pm

#18 Bratman…

I searched the web for the RE1, and you are SSOOOOOOooo right, its a stunner. Look at it here.http://omor.com/SF/archives/2004/11/autoblogging_fr.html
DEFINETLY makes the volt one UGLY fish..(removing toungue from cheek now)

#42 Ivan.

Did you realize that the full size SUV / truck market is STILL the 3rd biggest market in N.A. and the MOST profitable? That is GM / Ford /Chryslers playground,and they are not packing the marbles and leaving it, just expanding to new territory…Look at some rationale, one does not spend Million of $ jointly with BMW & Chrysler and 3 years to drop it, it is still a market, and they are smart to use what has been develloped ina market that will pay for the deveollopment without a loss. You would rather they introduce it is cobalt and lose money it seems. As the technology acheives scales of economy, it can be scaled to smaller cars WITHOUT a HUGE price adder, making it not attractive.
This market may not be your area (I know its not mine) but please…play in the right sandbox…trolling here on a thread that is several DAYS old shows you are probably a few french fries short of a happy meal.

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User Name Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:32 pm

The autobloggreen article says: ” … [the Volt] is expected to be shown in production form at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October”.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/08/14/new-shots-of-the-production-volt/#comments

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Paul-R Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

Bratman,

That Subaru R1E looks great! 65MPH? That’s one fast golf-cart.

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GXT Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:36 pm

#52 JonP:

GM has already claimed “only” 50MPG for the ICE.

As they have been optimistic on most other things and the engine they are using gets only (IIRC) 40 MPG highway in a conventional car, it is likely to be closer to 40MPG.

While the Volt can operate at peak RPM, it also has different conversion losses when going from gas to battery to motor as compared to a conventional car. I have no idea what the net tradeoff is.

Your AER number also seems high. It should be significantly south of 40 under less ideal conditions (highway, AC, heater, stereo , etc.). Unless they come up with something better than Mitsu, It will probably drop to the high 20’s in some situations.

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Jerome Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

#51 Me Here, I had the same thoughts regarding wheel covers after seeing a picture of the EV1 yesterday. It could be that wheel covers are too much of an asthetic turn off for most buyers?

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frankyB Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

I like the front, the wheels and the fender has survived more then we were expecting. As for the back, well they don’t show too much of it…

I still want it red

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Murray Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

#19 Aspherical….
“So, I take it that the current design has added to 6 to 7 all-electric miles, but compared to what car? The concept or mule. Either way, it is good news…”

I want to follow up on this question… if we are getting 6 to 7 addiional AER miles — exactly WHAT is that compared to? the Malibu-mule, some earlier version of the ‘new’ design, like that camoflauged 16th scale we saw a few months back OR is this compared to the original concept ???

If its compared to the original concept — I’ll take one of those and give up the 6 to 7 AER miles….

AHHHHH there I go again… back to the mantra….
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……
Its more about the electrification of the car – not how cool it looks – forget about the concept……

I would still LOVE to hear the answer to this question……

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Joe OBrien Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Please ask him if a sunroof will be an option. For the tiny ounce of drag it would produce, MANY of us still want a sunroof instead of being forced to look at a capeted roof all the time.

At least ask him to kake it an OPTION with a range disclaimer.

Please

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Bryce Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

Waiting list is one of the options up top my friend. : )

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Brian Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Are those special low energy using headlights? I better not have to light a candle on the way home at night.

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srschrier Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

The images of the production Volt provided today by GM are really good. Would it be possible for someone at GM to provide at least a computer generated image of a complete production Volt?

Images of the team working with the clay model Volts already provide a strong hint of the complete production design.

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mike casey Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm

I’ve been waiting for the volt for so many years now, I think GM is fooling around like they have in the past, they will fool around for so long and there will be so many EVs out there the Volt will just be another looser for GM

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DonC Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:48 pm

#49 Talks

1) What will be the initial AER for VOLT ?

As mentioned by JonP, this will be very dependent on how you drive. With the Prius some people get 45 mpg and some get 60 mpg. My guess is that using the standard mpg tests it will initially be 42 – 44 miles.

2) What will be the AER after 10 years or 150000 miles.

GM is obviously going for 40 miles using the combined tests that go into the current mpg estimates.

3) Is acceleration figure still the same (8.5 sec). This question is connected the recent change of the eleclectric motor power from 120KW to 100KW. I am ok till 8.9 sec.

I haven’t heard about the different motor but downsizing the motor would make sense given the gen set will only deliver something along the lines of 60 Kw. That’s not so bad BTW, it should be able to get you up a 6% grade at 70 mph.

My guess is they downsized the motor either because the battery discharge is limited either by the limitations on the battery itself or by design to preserve the life of the pack.

The big question is how efficient the system is. If this drive system had the efficiency of an ICE then it would be a turtle, but it should be considerably more efficient. If they decided it could be more efficient then the smaller motor may not make a difference. I’m really hoping for something closer to 7 sec. than to 9 sec. I do think this is important.

4) What is the new mileage value for VOLT in ICE mode. We know that it was 50mpg eariler.

Again this really depends on the efficiency of the drive train and the speed. If the engine can use it’s first and most efficient set point I’d think 50 mpg or even better is possible. As you move to the higher and less efficient set points that number will drop. You’d need a good understanding of the engine and the set points to have a good guesstimate.

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Bernie Torbik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

Lyle:

My questions for Bob Boniface are:

1. Will the Volt use “run-flat” tires, and eliminate the need for a spare tire?
2. What wheel size does GM plan to offer as part of the “standard package”? I think the original concept had 21″ wheels that looked terrific, but I wonder what their current design calls for.

Thanks.

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DaveP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

#45 Aspherical:
(good catch on the article clarification. I especially like that the rear doesn’t look too different since that will be the part most often seen on mine

As for the red thing, I obviously have no more information than anyone else, but it sure looks like an exhaust pipe… I’d imagine they’ll have to route one through the center hump next to the battery pack. Maybe red means it’s going to be “hot”. But I don’t know why it would hump up like that. Maybe it would have to go over some kind of brace or something. Just a theory.

#28 jam:
Great catch on the picutres… Clay models are nice and all, but some of these photos show them making actual METAL stuff! Now that’s what I call some serious progress. (provided the metal stuff turns into a car, which I expect it will But I think that’s the first time I’ve seen photos of them putting together an actual \Volt car.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm

#59 Jason The Saj

“The first vehicle that is not only efficient but smartly so, learning the routes you commonly drive and optimizing itself for your commute.”

You just may have a good idea there. Take a look at it, GM!

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RZ Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

A couple of Bob questions

1. Is the body going to be steel or have they considered using the dent resistant plastic body like the Saturns …They are light weight and might get a bunch more electric miles.

2. Recharging supposedly can be scheduled to off peak energy hours however most people are going to charge it in their garage with a GFI circuit breaker that sometimes needs to be reset after a power outage or whatever so what will the car do if it can’t get power when the scheduled time comes? Could they make the software tell it to try again later or maybe honk the horn to let you know you need to go down to the garage and reset the outlet? Maybe use onstar to have it call you and let you know to go plug the thing in

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Ronald Kelley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

can I recharge the battery ever day at work even if I only drive 27 miles one way to work without any adverse affects on the battery my employer said he will sey up a free ele. hook up and I can then go 54 miles aday without gas good deal

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Murray Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

#59 Jason the Saj … that is a really cool idea on the true ’smart’ car and at first I was thinking that this wouldn’t really work with the Volt as it is in fact always being driven by electric motors — never by gas — but I thought about it a few more minutes, sometimes it takes me more time than others (I’m sometimes a bit slow) and yes I could see how it could “optimize” the “when” to start the ICE and recharging the battery in order to become more efficient once it learns a pattern over the course of a driver’s commute.

I like it — but I’m also familar with something called ‘agile development’ and to put it simply … lets just take baby steps and get a v1.0 working….then we can come back and take a look at more enhancments

Excellent idea!

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SamH Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Man, these little partial photos and tidbits are maddening. It reminds me of trying to get to second base in high school – a little flash here, and little tease there – I think I’m getting automotive blue balls!!

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sri bhamidipati Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

I still don’t understand, why the volt does not use hybrid i.e. charging the batteries while breaking (the enigine may slow down based on deceleration but the inertia of the vehicle itself can generate few watts to be stored in the battery and the same alternator that is used to power up lights etc. can be used to charge).
Also there is lots of talk about using the heat from exhaust to generate some wattage.

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CBK Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

#42 Ivan Bial

Maybe you don’t want one, but I bet there will be those who do. Not
everyone on the planet is going to want a Chevy electric or otherwise…
JMHO

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Frank D Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

Close-ups of Volt look great! The website is slow, probably because Wired.com ran an article about our waiting list and Kyle…great job Kyle! The more demand, the more Volts GM should build!

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MetrologyFirst Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm

Bernie @73:

It appears to me from the photo that the wheel size is down to about 17″ diameter. I was truly hoping for 18″-19″, but it looks “OK”. I will researve judgement until the wheels can be seen in proper context of the whole car. If they dropped them to 15″-16″, that would really mute any styling cues left from the concept.

I am very happy that the side shot appears to show some styling details and texture behind the front wheel. This is good news. At least the car will likely not have slab sides that would further turn the car’s looks into a generic ho-hm design. This car needs to have some pizzazz, if GM expects people to pay more than a Prius.

Like it or not, this is Prius competition. If this car has the appealing looks and design to go with the tech advantage, the Prius will take a big hit in sales. As long as GM has the supply, of course.

For those of you who think looks don’t matter, you have lots of options from lots of companies. There are rolling golf carts everywhere these days. Take your pick. Those of us who do want to drive an appealing car, the Volt is our last hope for something we can drive without holding our nose doing it.

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Jim Mbongo Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Hi Lyle,
I have this quick question for Bob: in the vent the planned battery is still not ready by 2010; does GM have a plan B?
Congras GM. It’s great to see that all the work that is being done, day after day, to bring this car out on time.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Jason The Saj and Murray

Certainly the Version 1, 2 and possibly 3 will see some neat innovations. The Volt will be a “learning platform” for GM. Many good ideas will come out of it. I can’t wait to see what Version 4 and 5 will look like.

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Lyle Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Sorry about the site speed today..looks like all the traffic is slamming the server. Although dedicated, i may have to upgrade to a server bank.

Bear with us..Karl, our programmer, is constructing a fix.

Interview with Bob coming soon.

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Chris Jackson Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

I can only assume that GM is refusing to release photos of the whole car for 1 of 2 reasons: Either the design hasn’t been finished yet, or they really fear that people will be disapointed by the re-design. Why can’t GM release all the photos ?

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

#80 sri bhamidipat

The Volt will use braking to charge batteries.

#82 Frank D

Its LYLE, not KYLE. Maybe just a typo?

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mitch Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

From the site linked at #19

“Missing from the presentation was the overall shape of the car, which is likely to be taller and blockier than the concept shown in January 2007 at the Detroit Auto Show.”

Taller is ok (I push 6′) and blockier, seems to me a more aggressive ,get that Prissy..I prius out of my way, kinda look. In fact I like the lighting details,and the rear end from what I see even more than the concept

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

83 MetrologyFirst

“Like it or not, this is Prius competition. If this car has the appealing looks and design to go with the tech advantage, the Prius will take a big hit in sales. As long as GM has the supply, of course.”

Agreed, If (and that is a BIG if) GM can get the price down after any tax rebate to a level to compete with the Prius. Remember, by 2010 or 2011, the Prius will be a plug-in with good EV range and very good MPG. Price of the Prius has not been discussed by Toyota, but I think it will exceed $30,000 although I don’t know why it should. Battery cost should be much lower for Toyota by then. We will have to wait and see. But, I am pulling for the Volt.

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57paf Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Follow-up to #69: In addition to the headlights, will the Volt be using LED tailights, side markers & turn signals? The red lights look like LEDs and the headlights look like HIDs. I hope that they can maximize the use of LED lights and LCD control panels (reflective during the day with backlighting off) to help battery drain.
Also, what kind type of plug will be provided for 220V, 3 phase charging? I would prefer a 3 hr recharge vs. 6 hrs at 110V.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

#87 Chris Jackson

“Why can’t GM release all the photos ?”

Because they want to introduce it in LA in November and let it make a splash. This is more about the public and PR than about letting its loyal gm-volt fans get peek looks. We may see more later, but we probably will not see all of the car at one time until November. Maybe some of our graphic artist here could take the multiple pictures being shown over the next few weeks or months and give us a representation of the Volt.

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Jim in PA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Has anyone seen the new Honda hybrid in the news today. It has a more futuristic, aerodynamic, Saturn/Opel EFlex look to it. Definitely distinctive compared to the other Honda econoboxes. GM needs to keep the body style sharp! This is what they are up against. Oh, and it will be $1000 cheaper than the Prius.

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Jackson Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

I couldn’t log in until after 2:00, EDT.

I don’t want ’see-through’ doors: I’d have to wear pants all the time -!

But Seriously:

I’ve also had thoughts about a ’smart – learning’ possibility, but it seems to me that the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine, for you newcomers) will run better if it is run long enough to fully warm up each time. This isn’t going to be conducive to “a few seconds here, a few seconds there” operation. My problem isn’t hills, though; it’s a 5 – 10 mile stretch at highway speeds. Long enough to profitably run the range extender, maybe?

Questions:
What about that warm-up problem with the ICE? Will it need to run for a fairly long time each time? Will it be packed with insulation to retain it’s heat longer, when off? What about ICE emissions?

Is an HCCI cycle being considered for the ICE?

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benson Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

What GM is doing is brilliant. As the one fellow said earlier, a flash here, a peek there. Kind of reminds of the great strip tease artists from the early part of the last century. Driving many on this site crazy with anticipation.

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Jim in PA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

#91 57PAF – Hey what about single phase 220V charging, instead of three phase 220V? Most houses have single phase 220 for major appliances, but I have never had a house with three phase power. But that three-phase would have an advantage for fleet vehicles with central charging stations.

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Talks Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

#50 Jonp & #72 Donc..

Thanks for the reply. Hope all our estimates are true.

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Sentinel Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:03 pm

New pics look GOOD!!!!…. I can’t wait to see the rest of the car, hopefully I can afford one :- /

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Jim in PA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:03 pm

Here is a question for GM – Will the onboard electronics trigger a periodic ICE cycle whether the battery needs it or not? It seems like a good idea to keep the engine parts lubed and moving. Otherwise, people who try to NEVER use gas will be in for a rude awakening when 1 year later their battery goes low and the seized engine won’t start. Can someone smarter than me tell me if this is a concern?

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Gary Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

For those who want high resolution desktop wallpapers, you can get them at http://media.gm.com/wieck/home/site/index.html, and click the Most Recent link (recent as of today at least).

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Frank Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

Great Job GM, will you Have an Electric only Model soon ?
Hope So…

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kent beuchert Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

The biggest question is whether those extra miles of range have resulted in more than 40 or not. Did they start out at 33 miles?

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DG Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

Honestly I think the port should be below the windshield closer to the driver side. anywhere else its susceptible to fender bender damage and the repair costs for wiring and electrical aren’t cheap.

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kent beuchert Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

What’s the business about 3 phase electricity? That is only used infactories where high output electric motors are used that require 3 phase. The Volt certainly doesn’t require that to recharge. It cannot even accept the power available in most homes (220V/40 amp). The fastest the batteries can be recharged are at the beginning – one hour for 4 kilowatthours – that only needs a 220V/20 amp feed.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:18 pm

#93 Jim in PA

Where in the news did you see the Honda hybrid? Fox News? That was the Hydrogen Clarity or FCX concept car Honda is starting to lease in California for $600 per month for testing. And we know what problems come with a hydrogen fueled car, as discussed here endlessly.

Now, I want to see the new Honda hybrid they are due to show at the Detroit Auto Show in January. If you have a link to that, I would like to see it. It is supposed to look something like the Clarity and beat the Prius in price and MPG. But, Honda has been very closed mouthed about it.

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mikeinatl. Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:25 pm

For those of you who have not looked, the Subaru R1E looks like a SmartCar. It is tiny. It has a 50 mile range and can go up to 65 miles per hour. It is all-electric. Whoop-dee-doo.

Google it for yourself and look.

This is NOT competition to the Volt concept. It is basically a fancy golf cart as far as I am concerned. Not many people can live with just a 50 mile range.

The VOLT with its Range Extender engine will be a real car and is now reported to be able to go almost 50 miles “all electric” then gives you the ability to keep on going for several hundred more miles, if needed, on the Range Extender before you charge up and/or fill up again. As I said, the VOLT is going to be a real car.

I sincerely hope the VOLT concept prevails and drives the electric car industry until we get to a point where the batteries can go for hundreds of miles between rapid charges.

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Jeff Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Off Topic:

If the EV1 had not been such a major misstep for GM, the Volt could be named EV2 rather than Volt. As you may know, the luxury brands tend to use letters and numbers rather than names to identify models. Not say Volt is not a “potentially” good choice especially since Chevy is not considered a luxury brand, this is just food for thought. Instead of engine displacement, how about using the energy capacity of the battery pack in the name…K16 (16 KWH) or M57 (57.6 MJ)?

Of course, auto companies have considered themselves mostly ICE companies by placing the word motor in their official company names. With the introduction of the Volt, an outsourced part (battery pack) becomes more of a significant item than the ICE.

General Motors Corporation
Ford Motor Company
Toyota Motor Corporation
Nissan Motor Company, Limited
Honda Motor Company, Limited
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (Bavarian Motor Works)

If the A123 battery had been developed before the intense government regulations on auto manufacturing and the auto industry’s ability to crush newcomers, I believe the roles of GM and A123 would be reversed. A123 might be picking an auto assembly company to build a vehicle for their battery pack. The naming of the vehicle might be K16, M57, or just A123?

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Steve F Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

The other thing I found odd about the R1E car was the implication that it can be “Charged up to 85% in 15 minutes… using a standard household outlet”.

This is absurd on it’s face. To charge a car like that in 15 mins would take some sort of massive power input device, like a huge capacitor or a second set of batteries.

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Jeff Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

Lyle,

Questions:

- What percentage of the parts are actually “PRODUCTION” parts for the 50 prototypes? Somehow, I highly doubt that all of the vendors can generate “PRODUCTION” parts yet.

- Will the battery packs be an actual “PRODUCTION” part? If so, a battery pack vendor(s) has been selected. I doubt a company would build or retrofit a production line for 50 units.

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brad Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

I think I might like it even better than the concept. Looks futuristic but not out of this world. Go GM! Go Volt! I want mine now!!!

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Frank B Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

I don’t think the additional 6 or 7 miles was worth the design change. GM took something spectacular and turned it into something ordinary and very unexciting, WHY?

Bob Lutz, please rethink what you’re doing. You build the excitement, even in the TV spots, then the dull drums set in. Looks any Toyota, Honda or Nissan. a BIG YAWN.

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

#99 Jim in PA

Yes, I would be concerned if I didn’t run the ICE for a few weeks. Every start with oil that hasn’t been used in awhile will wear the ICE more. There is also the stale gas issue. So if you have to never use the ICE to recharge, I foresee a situation where you may have to burn a half-gallon of gas every weekend or so to lube the engine and burn the stale gas. That is if GM allows for manual startup for the ICE. Not a big deal since you can store that energy into the battery…

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BillR Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Great news!

Thank you Lyle for providing these updates, and thank you to the people at GM for sharing their knowledge, data, and progress with us. They certainly aren’t obligated to do that, and I am one who greatly appreciates the info that they provide.

Also, thanks to #28 Jarn for the link to the hi-res pics. These are a must-see.

Boy, there is a lot of great news here! Although the Volt is not the same as the original concept, it still looks to be a head-turner. Congratulations to Bob Boniface and crew for designing a sharp vehicle in light of the design constraints for an efficient car as well. With a 170 inch overall length, I scaled the Concept Volt to have about a 125 inch wheelbase (usually long wheelbase means poor turning radius as well). The Yukon/Tahoe XL (i.e. Suburban) has a wheelbase of 130 inches! This just wouldn’t be practical in a small car. At VoltNation the GM engineers verified the wheelbase would be between the Cobalt (103.5″) and the Malibu (112″).

Regarding aerodynamic drag, the 120 points of drag I believe means the drag coefficient has been reduced by 0.120. So if the Concept Volt had a Cd of 0.36, it is now 0.24. The Prius has a Cd of 0.26, and the EV-1 had a Cd of 0.195.

Regarding the hi-res photos by Jarn. This is exciting stuff! Call the Volt vaporware all you like, but we know that Malibu mules are running, and now we have pictures of the real prototype. And Bob Boniface expects 50 prototypes operating by year end using production parts? Woohoo!

Now for my off-the-wall prediction. Although not ready for full scale production, GM is further ahead than many realize. The final design has been frozen for months. Mules have been running for months. If 50 protoypes will be ready by December, someone is making battery packs, and most of the production parts are defined.

Therefore, I expect to see a limited production run by end of next year. Maybe only several thousand, but enough to do a larger “Project Driveway” Then in 2010, I expect to see full production with 60 to 100k per year.

In other words, I see GM being almost 1 year ahead of schedule.

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Bernie Torbik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

#103 Metrology First:

Thanks for the comment. I suppose 17″ is fine, but the issue is will there be a large open space in the wheel area. I’m not an expert but I’ve been told that this can increase drag and reduce AER.

As for the run flat tires, I hope these are used but won’t compromise the ride. They aren’t cheap but the benefit would be a weight reduction of ~ 50 lbs or so.

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mitch Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

#106 Mikeinatl

See the link in #60 (me) t

he concept looks like a smart for 2 (sp?), the reality is like a cracker jack toy from mattel. (I take it back..Mattel makes good looking stuff)

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Jim in PA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm

#105 N Riley,

The article on the new Honda hybrid is in the Boston Globe car section, found online at:

http://www.boston.com/cars/news/articles/2008/08/13/honda_to_price_new_hybrid_lower_than_toyota_prius/

I see from the bottom of the article that it was sourced off the AP wire.

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Statik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

This is a popular thread.

Not sure why we got 9 pictures of dudes working on various indescernable parts, but I appreciate them just the same.

I guess GM figured they should ‘officially’ release these pictures as it seems to be the same components that were visable in that ABC video a couple days ago. Interesting to see these pieces in high-res nonetheless.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

#106 mikeinatl

I agree with what you said about the Subaru R1E except it will meet a lot of needs as a commuter car or around about town car to run errands for the wife, etc. It will sell very good if the price is good. No more than $12,000, maybe a little more. Other than that, it is not in the same class as the Volt. No car is, really.

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Steve Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm

My questions:
What are they doing to ensure that the ICE automatically starts starts up reliably?
Do they still think they can get 50mpg, both city and highway, when the ICE is running?
If it’s 40 miles AER at EOL, what is it new?
Does the 40 miles AER at EOL apply for straight highway driving at, say, 60mph?

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Grant Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:06 pm

I would like to know if the tires will have the self-inflating option available. That could be both a low-cost and very useful add-on I’d pay extra for.

Plus a solar roof to cool the battery and run the supplemental electronics (dives for flame cover).

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Benny "Peak Demand" Cole Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

GM is getting ready to make the Volt look boring.
They should give up an mpg or two, and make this car look hot, hot, hot. People should buy it for its looks.
Now, people will buy it despite its looks.

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Statik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Seeing how this a ‘picture’ thread, I’ll link some others, although totally non related to the Volt.

GM also released pictures of the new El Camino…er, um…I mean the G8 Sport Truck or G8 ST:

http://www.nextautos.com/pontiac-announces-official-g8-sport-truck-name-with-a-whimper

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Statik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:12 pm

One more link, “GM Fastlane” Blog has been updated. It has Bon Boniface chewing the fat on the VOLT, with references to the pictures release today.

http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2008/08/all_eyes_on_the_volt.html

“We believe the Chevrolet Volt’s exterior design is an attractive balance between aerodynamic performance and styling. ”

/jurys still out

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Frank B Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

Bob Lutz and the GM Volt Team. This is on CNN.com today;

Quick Vote
Would you drive an electric car?
Yes 86% 97995
No 14% 16607
Total Votes: 114602
read related article »
This is not a scientific poll

Bob, the Volt could absolutely OWN this market if you don’t give in to ans Ordinary car. Please notice 97,995 responded yes, and the days not over yet. And you’re talking about 20 or 30 thousand units in 2010, hopefully a 100,000 units by 2012. You could have your 100,000 units in 2010!!

Forget the 6 or 7 more miles, stay with the dream and be 100,000 units richer.

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KC Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

Why does it have a grill if its electric?

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:17 pm

#107 Jeff

“Of course, auto companies have considered themselves mostly ICE companies by placing the word motor in their official company names.”

Well, that is true, but an electric car is driven by motors, also. So, General MOTORS is still correct.

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Statik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Also, there is NO offical word on when the public will get to see it. Actually, just the opposite. A article just dropped a couple minutes ago on Marketwatch with this quote from today:

“The company plans to have 50 prototype Volts completed by the end of the year, but (GM electric-car spokesman Rob Peterson) said they will keep the final production model under wraps a while longer. ”

“Peterson declined to comment on when and where the public would get its first glimpse of the final product.”

GM also revealed Thursday that the console of the Volt will be mostly touch-screen based. “There’s a similarity between the center console and the way an iPod is controlled,” Peterson said.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/gm-shows-chevy-volt-photos/story.aspx?guid=%7BCAA88751%2D374C%2D4631%2DAD0C%2D71C7C2695836%7D&siteid=yhoof

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noel park Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

#35 Rashiid Amul:

That’s what I’m talking about! A bit too much of a science project for me, alas. I’ll just keep nursing my old gas S-10 along and wait for the factory version. 8 years old, 207,000 miles, and still running as well as ever, thank you very much.

Chevrolet acually built a number of BEV S-10s back in the EV1 days. There was a guy in Arizona who used to buy them up, refurbish them, and resell them. When I first found him he had one for sale for $25K. I snoozed and lost. By the time I started to get serious he had sold it. He said that he had given up on the idea. Nobody wanted to sell them any more, so he had no source of raw material! I think I just typed “electric chevrolet S-10 pickup”, or some such, into Yahoo and it came right up.

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

#115 Jim in PA

Thanks for the link. The picture shown on the page at the link is the CR-Z hybrid and not the 5-door hybrid they mentioned in the story. That is the way I understood it several times I have seen this picture associated with a story about the new Honda hybrid.

If it is smaller than the Civic hybrid, it may be too small for a 6′2″ 240 pound guy like me. I am just hoping GM will allow us larger guys to fit into the Volt. I know there are a lot of guys (and gals) larger than I am.

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noel park Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:39 pm

#121 Statik:

I thought someone said that you were taking the day off. Now here you come getting me all upset again. I said it for the Camaro, and I’ll say it for this thing. The wrong car (truck?), in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

I wonder how much money they p***ed away developing this thing? Money which could have been spent developing high mileage vehicles which the market actually wants. How about the SSR? GTO? They’re giving out rebates on the G8 car. WTF?

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tBay Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:47 pm

that looks SHARP. and the addition to the AER is wonderful. so thats like what, 47-50 miles ALL electric??
VOLT for the WIN!!!
GO GM!!!

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 4:01 pm

#129 Noel Park

I guess the G8 ST was so far into the pipeline they had to continue. The Pontiac people have a strong lobby in GM, I suspect.

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Firefly Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

…WHERE IS MINE??!!!….

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Jason M. Hendler Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 4:35 pm

I have to tip my hat to the marketing guys who are very affectively managing the anticipation of this vehicle. These little teasers just further whet the public’s appetite for this vehicle.

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George K Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

As I said yesterday, I would like to see richer colors, at least as an option. By that, I mean more than the standard Cobalt “red”, “blue”, “black”, “white”, etc..

Also, back looks great so far. But, I need to see that this is an ELECTRIC CAR!. The Tahoe hybrid has “hybrid” in large letters all around it. I want people to know that this is THE car for the 21st century. Now is NOT the time to be humble!

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Husky Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 5:23 pm

What is all the talk about the subaru vehicle ? What a joke. The volt looks ten times better.

http://omor.com/SF/archives/2004/11/autoblogging_fr.html

The vehicle on this site looks like a golf cart…

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N Riley Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

#134 George K

I sure don’t want the word “H Y B R I D” in large letters along the lower sides of the Volt. The name Volt on the back should be enough. I would not mind a “hybrid” symbol on the back of the car. Don’t gimmick the Volt up, GM, and the same for your other hybrids. If I purchased a Tahoe Hybrid (which I don’t plan to) I would have the lettering removed before it left the dealership. I would like to purchase a two-mode hybrid Malibu or Impala as a car to use until the Volt comes out.

The problem is I need that two-mode Malibu or Impala this fall, not in two or three years.

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mustang Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 5:59 pm

it will cost about 40.000$ but I think they are gonna cut the price, but with a waiting list over 30.000 it could also be a no.

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Ted in Fort Myers Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 6:00 pm

I’ll take mine in silver GM as soon as you can get it to me.

Lyle,
Any chance of an early dealer list for the Florida Rollout? I would hate to have my deposit at the wrong dealer.

Take Care,
TED

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Van Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

Nice pictures! Plus the extra one at Hybridcars.com. Too bad we can not get them all, a handful suggests 4 or 5 were shown.

I agree with #10, the question is how much further does the Volt go. The city mileage penalty did not seem like a lot, about 3 miles so if the city AER was 32, they may have gotten it up to 35.

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Whistleteeth Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 6:40 pm

Same as #1. How much?

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Plug Free Volt Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 6:47 pm

The concept had an angular front clip with a round rear clip.

The production model has a round front clip with an angular rear clip.

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Shannon Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm

This car is anything but green…which I’m sure will not be a color choice. Batteries of any kind have a limited life. I suppose this will just be more landfill material and we’ll worry about that mess later. I mean, right now we have to worry about what to do with all of the used up worthless computer monitors and such. I don’t see alot of that getting blasted off into space on a garbage shuttle. That combined with the fact that our energy crisis with oil ties directly into electricity. My electric company just doubled their rates due to oil prices so this is not a solution to anything by going electric. Global warming is a farce, but to think about alternative energy solutions is still a wonderful idea. Keep trying. I see this as nothing more than marketing as their are alot of suckers out there who think this will make a difference.

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Aspherical Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 7:03 pm

#142 Shannon

I see this car is not for you. This car is for those who would like to use energy created more efficiently than using an ICE, which is terribly inefficient compared to power plants. This car is great for those cities that are powered by hydroelectric, nuclear, wind power, solar, geothermal, etc… It also lessens our dependence on oil. As for the batteries, I’m sure there is some money in recycling those battery packs. You are underestimating the potential effect.

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DonC Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 7:08 pm

#124 KC

Why a grill? Well, it doesn’t really have one. The front thing is faux. However, there is an ICE so some vents may be needed.

But yeah, it’s like they have to make it look like a regular car.

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Rashiid Amul Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 7:21 pm

#24 me says,

If you have noticed, the wait list has grown by almost 2,000 in the last two days.

————–
Check that.
Have you noticed, the wait list has grown by almost 3,000 in the last two days. It jumped almost 1,000 today alone!!!

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JBFALASKA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 7:22 pm

Lyle, and GM Volt website made US News and World Report.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080814-30-000-Line-Up-to-Buy-Chevy-Volt-Maybe/

Congrats. The article says GM is looking to make our Volt Occult the official waiting list. Good news as Mr. 2246 on the numbers count.

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Jackson Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 7:31 pm

Shannon, that’s uncalled for.

You do know, don’t you, that every automobile on the road has a battery; and unlike the Volt’s, it contains a highly toxic material: lead.

The reason this isn’t a horror story is a very effective battery recycling effort: a rare success story in the responsible use of (hazardous) resources.

Even though the Volt battery isn’t toxic, there will no doubt be a serious recycling effort to recover the materials from a $10,000 item.

There are a lot of ways to make electricity, with new methods appearing on the horizon almost daily. There’s only one source for gasoline. Won’t make a difference, you say?

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DaveP Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 8:09 pm

#125 N Riley:
“Well, that is true, but an electric car is driven by motors, also. So, General MOTORS is still correct.”

And there’s always the chance maybe GM will get bought out by a big name conglomerate and become General Electric Motors!

(Couldn’t resist. Probably should have. Hard to be a resistor to the Volt, hee hee. Ooops, I should really stop, now.)

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LyleL Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 8:12 pm

112 BillR said:
“Therefore, I expect to see a limited production run by end of next year. Maybe only several thousand, but enough to do a larger “Project Driveway” Then in 2010, I expect to see full production with 60 to 100k per year.”

[Waving hands wildly] me! Pick me as a participant in an as of yet unannounced Volt “Project Driveway”. I’ve gotta pen, it’s armed and not afraid to use it! Show me the dotted line!!

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dylan Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 8:13 pm

why not put a 220/110 volt charger for faster charging with the 220v . i have a 240v outlet in both my grages and one outside and everyone hase a 220v plug somewhere in their house (dryer,oven,furnace,ac) and a 110v ,mode for people who dont have access to it

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Shannon Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 8:30 pm

Well, the Volt battery isn’t toxic under certain conditions…let’s be clear on this and not just bite into the hype of lithium batteries…There is also another concern….High-power lithium cells need to be carefully used to ensure safe operation. For example, if a cell is short-circuited, the large current will cause internal overheating, a rise in pressure and the cell could explosively rupture. In general, battery manufacturers do not like to use the word “explode” and have invented other terms. One interesting euphemism is “spontaneous disassembly” or “decrimpling”. All except low-rate cells should incorporate safety vents to avoid a dangerous build up of internal pressure. These vents are especially ed weak points in the steel can, which rupture at a particular internal pressure. Such vents are not resealable, so the battery is then unserviceable (a safety report may require to be filled out and the battery sent away for analysis). Just wear your fire racing suits…It’ll be okay.

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Gary Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 9:03 pm

I am very interested in the volt, but VERY APPREHENSIVE about what the final design will look like. I read on the web that the re-design to acheive better mileage will make the VOLT end up looking more like a Toyota Prius instead of it’s original concept with high character and high curb appeal. The reason stated was that the “sloped roof, with the chopped off back look” helps the mileage and aerodynamics considerably. Some indication of this can be seen by the “sneek peek” photos — to me it looks like the hood is A TON shorter in the sneek peek look than it is for the concept car — maybe a hint that the VOLT will not be as cool as we all hope…………………………………………………

Of course, I don’t know the final design any better than anyone else — but for the sake of all of us who are getting hyped up over the prospect of a REALLY COOL electric-ish car with the ability to turn heads and make people wish they had one — I hope they stay very true to the concept as much as possible.

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Jake Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 9:04 pm

Well, it looks pretty awesome so far. Almost like it’s worth $40,000…

Seriously though, I don’t want a darn touch screen in my car. I’m sure I’d get used to it, but I’d rather pay less money have have nicely-lit knobs and buttons.

It needs a front grille because there is still an engine under the hood that will run at least some of the time.

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NZDavid Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 9:06 pm

Three questions.

1. When do I (Lyle) get to drive a mule?

2. What is the new EOL AER. & which test cycle?

3. What is the MPG for the 1.4 ICE & which test cycle?

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Jim in PA Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 9:26 pm

#151 Shannon,

Seeing as how we all currently drive around on top of 12-14 gallons of explosive/flammable gasoline (under the right conditions of course), the potential hazards of a battery don’t keep me up at night. Furthermore, driving is inherently dangerous, with the vast majority of injuries resulting from blunt force trauma in a crash. This won’t change, no matter what our propulsion system is. You’re barking up the wrong tree with concerns of battery safety.

Also, if your utility relies on oil for electric production then congratulations on being in the “elite” 5%. You see, 95% of the electricity produced in the US is by means other than petroleum (coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydro making up about 90%). And also, using fossil fuels to generate power at a central plant is about twice as efficient as a million little engines, in terms of lbs of fuel burned per KW produced. So turning to electric cars in fact has a HUGE impact on petroleum consumption and Jihad funding.

So it seems to me that you are in search of facts to support your preconceived dislike of the Volt. But so far I haven’t heard a convincing argument. Keep trying.

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Shannon Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

I actually just wanted to see how many people would get their feathers ruffled. Seems the global warming arguement is falling apart and the greenies have nothing left to cling to. Me personally…I drive a V-10 gas guzzlin truck with 40″ tires that is anything but energy efficient. For those that like the Volt, knock yourselfs out for a 40k or higher toy car. It’s not got enough balls for me and I’m sure it will end up in the final phase looking like an egg or something as did the other hybrids.

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Grizzly Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 10:42 pm

N. Riley #90

“Remember, by 2010 or 2011, the Prius will be a plug-in with good EV range and very good MPG. Price of the Prius has not been discussed by Toyota, but I think it will exceed $30,000 although I don’t know why it should. Battery cost should be much lower for Toyota by then. We will have to wait and see. But, I am pulling for the Volt.”

*** *** ***

We’ll have to wait and see. The down side to the PI Prius is that it’s still
a hybrid so it’s married to that complex tranny. If they continue to work that technology you’ve got to wonder how effective it will be for AER compared to BEVs and RE BEVs.

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Grizzly Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 10:43 pm

57paf #91

“Follow-up to #69: In addition to the headlights, will the Volt be using LED tailights, side markers & turn signals?”

*** *** ***

Sure looks to me like the front blue side markers ARE LEDs.

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Grizzly Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 10:47 pm

Jackson # 94

“Is an HCCI cycle being considered for the ICE?”

*** *** ***

From what I have read recently about HCCI is that due to the complexity of programming involved it’s at least 5 years from being viable. In fact there was a very good article just a couple months ago in Pop Science (or was that Mechanics?…I get both) about this. So if they’re planning to use it in the ICE for the Volt it probably won’t be any of the first few gens.

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Hous Volt Pharteen Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

God, I love the headlights….I am done in a good way. I want more. This is like being in south beach where you see a nice girl walking on the beach and all you could say is that I want to see more…I want more.

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kubel Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

Looking better and better. I love those red and blue accent lights in the front, unfortunately, I don’t think those are legal in the US.

And my eye spies a driver-side mounted charging port.

Questions for Lutz:

1) Will this be available to BUY (not lease, I don’t want to lease this car, I want to buy it and own it myself)?

2) Will these be limited to only a handful of dealerships? Will all dealerships handle repairs necessary to Volt electronics/batteries?

3) Are plant retoolings and shift changes on schedule for future production of the Volt?

4) Will the Volt contain Ultra Caps?

Finally, I would mention to Lutz that their marketing department did a good job on the Olympics gas station ad. Whoever was responsible for that should come up with some more like it.

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Jim I Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

I was not able to log on for most of the afternoon.

I missed a lot.

I like it!!!!

Off to the next post.

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Ken Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 1:02 am

I am impressed with the progress. I have a few questions, one I of which has been asked before but not yet answered…

1) Can potential buyers who live in states besides the top five (California, Texas, etc.) be able to buy the first production run? (or like Nissan with their Altima Hybrid) will only buyers that legally live in pre-designated states (like California) only have the ability to buy the Volt? How far away can the Volt Service repair facility be located from the Buyer’s residence?

2) Regarding options: Will the standard Volt offer amenitites similar to the Toyota Prius (back-up camera, side air bags, Bladder-style Gas Tank, etc.) Wi-FI is going to be offered on some Chrysler models–Suggestions: a USB port located in the Glove Box of the Volt as well as WiFi and Bluetooth, would be a great option!

What about getting Steve Jobs at Apple involved with a iPod/Sound System to compete against Ford’s Sync?

3) If GM could get potential Volt Buyers pre-qualified when placing a deposit on the Volt; this would assure GM of firm Buyer commitments, be a great time saver and a way to verify a smooth transaction for both GM and the Buyer.

I look forward in any GM responce

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darladeena Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 1:48 am

The grill looks like they used chicken wire. Did they? lol

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The Daily Five: Friday, 15 August, 2008 | EcoTech Daily Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 6:35 am
Cire Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 8:09 am

161, Ill answer what I know so Bob Lutz doesnt have to.

1) Will this be available to BUY (not lease, I don’t want to lease this car, I want to buy it and own it myself)?
Yes, its going to be a real car.

4) Will the Volt contain Ultra Caps?
Not the first generation volt.

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Frankie Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 8:39 am

Shannon is a dillweed. Ha Ha there I said it……

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Jim in PA Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 8:59 am

#156 Shannon,
Unfortunately what you don’t realize is that a car like the Volt will have better acceleration, better cornering, and better handling than a lumbering beast like the one you drive. So if you think “having balls” means easing your truck up to 65 mph over the course of 15 seconds, and then taking it down to first gear to take a corner, then have fun driving your glorified school bus, Mary.

And have fun sending all that oil money overseas to Saudi Arabia and their Jihad friends. Funny, I always thought that V-10 truck guys hated terrorists. Silly AM radio man.

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noel park Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 10:54 am

#141 Plug Free Volt:

Well maybe now it will have better aerodynamics going forward than going backward, LOL!

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Toby Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am

I said it before (in another thread)… The front of this thing looks extremely similar to the front of the current model Acura TL. Very sexy, and very exciting!!!

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europa67 Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Questions:

What kind of provisions have been designed into this car for protecting the occupants from EMF’s. And what are the results of crash test? Curious if the battery pack will explode or spray acid everywhere. For the record, I love this car and think it’s great but I’m probably not the only one thinking about these issues.

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Drew Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

While I think this is a great concept. I doubt GM will make it to market on time with this car. It’s all in the batteries. And they’re nowhere yet on those. Even Toyota is having problems with Lithium.

I hope I’m wrong.

Cool car.

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mitch Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

Shannon = Troll..

#170 – Agree…V10? must be a dodge boy ahhh HAHAHAHAHAHA

#174 spray acid? Lithium ion..not acid lead batteries

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Cliff Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

How about a convertible version (that doesn’t consume the trunk space)? The lines are good for a convertible (and I personally ONLY buy convertibles).

And is it front wheel drive? The fanaticism about real-wheel drive for sporty cars is really stupid. Front (or all) wheel drive is the only thing that makes sense for those who want to be able to drive reliably in moderate snow, especially on hills. Just because real wheel drive is a little better at 150 mph doesn’t mean it makes sense for sporty cars for daily street use to have real wheel drive.

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Jake Says:
August 15th, 2008 at 7:14 pm

I guess Shannon hasn’t been around here enough to notice that we’re not all “greenies” in the traditional (derogatory) sense of the word. I certainly am, but I’m encouraged by the number of eager Volt enthusiasts on here whose politics are (as far as I can tell) relatively right-leaning. Ideally this site would transcend politics anyways. We are united in our support for the Volt despite our diverse backgrounds.

I agree with Cliff #176 regarding front wheel drive. That would be much more useful to me during a New England winter. I wonder if you’d get more noticeably torque steer than with an ICE, though, due to the electric drive?

I also just realized that the front grille is probably needed to cool the motor controller and whatever other power electronics are under the hood. It’s not just the ICE that will produce heat.

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Xebra Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 1:19 am

The Volt is very much looked forward to in the EV space, what with the prices of oil being what they are and environment concerns being at an all time high. The EV industry as a whole will benefit from the development and production of the proposed Volt as of course will be the people interested in buying EVs

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The Daily Five: Sunday, 17 August, 2008 | EcoTech Daily Says:
August 17th, 2008 at 5:23 am
paul Says:
August 20th, 2008 at 8:36 am

i applaude you GM for finally developing this type of vehicle. it’s been a long time coming, but hopefully you will begin a treand of creating vehicles that use little to zero fuel at a cheaper and cheaper pricetag. and if you can do this, the people will come back to you in droves.

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Right-Winger Says:
August 21st, 2008 at 12:38 pm

I’m not into the green movement, nor do i care so much for global warming theories. That said, i’m excited about what the volt could mean for the auto-industry, here are my right-winger thoughts on the volt..

People should stop saying it should come out immediately, those SAME PEOPLE who want it as is and now will talk about what a piece of garbage it is if it breaks. It’s key for the volt to take it’s time coming out so when the first car that GM (perhaps any manufacturer depending on it’s time frame) comes out, it leave a positive impression that can be built on. The volt isn’t just a car, it’s a new way of doing the whole car thing.. GM better not mess that up.

To me there is a niche that the volt appears to be able to fill that no car sold in America does for me (i do NOT like the interior or exterior of the prius). That is a car that gets good mileage with luxury features. As it is now, to get things that i like (HUD, comfy leather seats, attractive styling) you have to buy the car with the big engine (my long distance car is a grand prix gxp, not for the engine but for the GXP only items). With the volt i get styling that *I* think is wonderful, a nice hatch-back that doesn’t look like an 80’s ford escort. and hopefully a wonderful interior with comfy seats.

As for the price being over 35k? fine by me. Let people like me who are willing to pay a premium for a quality vehicle help pay for the initially expensive batteries. after 2 years or so when the price for them drops, you can have your little 19k egg-shaped thing.

another thing that excites me about the volt are the possibly infrastructure changes do to the platform it’s creating. In my local airport they have covered parking. I bet they’ll sell solar panel ones with plugs at a clightly higher price, hell, i bet a ton of places in Cali (remember they put EV1 chargers in hotels and other places there) will have those. While i think that the greenies are going way over-board, i think everyone can agree that cleaner air is a good thing. So while i would NEVER support an EV only car (trapping people within a certain distance of their home) an EV with a generator i am VERY keen on, not to mention all the things that will go along with it.

Think about the prius modders, they do some impressive stuff with that thing.. Imagine what they could do with this FAR FAR better platform, i certainly see solar panel roofs being an after-market add-on right quick (imagine fighting for the SUNNY SPOT rather than for the shady spot in the summer?) when this car comes out and sells a good number of vehicles (or a different one with the same sort of tech) i think we will see some serious changes for the better just because of this type of vehicle

sorry for rambling

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Dan Petit Says:
October 16th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

While an extra 6 or 7 miles range more than the 40 (if I understand the context correctly for the “August” commentary time frames as compared to now, October 16, 2008), there is a vast difference in the net National Benefit for those 6 to 7 more Miles range!!
We have heard the term “penny pinching” when a person is very efficient with their money,
But GM is “BILLION PINCHING” in saving us our domestic dollars available to circulate here in the US by merely adding that extra range from aerodynamics. Why? Because that little bit of range keeps a far higher percentage of our transportation dollars here in the US for those of us who must drive 50 to 6o miles a day.
Energy independence is also Carbon Independence. Greatly reducing in ANY way the production of carbon dioxide, I predict, will have GM Execs, engineers, and employees as National Heroes although they may not fully realize this yet, nor may many others not agree with me yet. I’ll bet anyone a hundred bucks right now that this will be generally accepted as true by the year 2012 (01/25/2012).
Dan Petit Austin, TX

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Dan Petit Says:
October 27th, 2008 at 9:03 am

Advertising suggestion:

How about a spin off of the country western song
“Rub it in, Rub it in,”
where the guy’s girlfriend rubs in the suntan lotion,

“PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN”…..”PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN”
“LET THE HEALIN’ BEGIN, WITH THAT GAS-SAVIN’ GRIN”
“PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN….

Dan Petit, Austin, TX.

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Dan Petit Says:
October 27th, 2008 at 10:03 am

I read in a previous post a few minutes ago about someone who seemed to have skepticism about warranty aspects for the Volt.
While new technologies come with risks, those risks for those of us who drive our vehicles normally if not conservatively in the acceleration department ought not to be fearful about warranty coverage.
When I teach shop techs diagnostics, the most wasteful of all wasteful things for our time, diagnostic energies, and bay-time, are when either of two things happen;
1. The vehicle is so abjectly abused by someone that the owners are “cornered” into not disclosing the abusiveness,
“My son/daughter would never do that”, (then attempt to hold the shop to “fixing ‘it’ “, when in absolute-fact the PCM reports the abusiveness). (All I would need are event times and dates).
2. The vehicle is “serviced” by a friend of the owner who has no business touching anything whatsoever. Why? Because technology is so compound-complex, HE IS JUST FLAT GOING TO DO SOMETHING WRONG 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME, and has somehow grossly compromised not only the vehicle, but your otherwise professional trust for factory or independent shop personnel who have hundreds-of thousands of dollars tied up in their facilities. The vast investments shop owners have tied up in buildings, personnel, equipment, etc, means that they mean business in the most serious and consistently-professional ways.
Warranties do not mean you have the “right” to abuse “your” vehicle because of three things: 1. You likely have not paid cash, so therefore, your financing agency is part “owner” until you paid it off. (Fair Isaac ought to consider somehow the carefulness a person has into their credit rating algorithms).
2. As long as an OEM is somehow responsible for executing warranty considerations, the vehicle in that sense is still partly their responsibility.
(I recall a customer who lent her 3.8Litre turbocharged vehicle out which had a special warranty. The many abusive borrowers routinely abused it by blowing clutches, tranny’s, the turbo, you name it. The OEM paid out $28,000 in “claims” for a vehicle that cost $24,000. All because the owner thought that abuse was a “right”.)
So, why would I want to pay another dime out for my AC Delco oil filter because some “Motor” tv show has motivated people to abuse vehicles, then, the abusers hound the Dealerships to fix it or that they’ll “Call their Lawyers” when it was their own son’s or daughters’ abuse?
All I need are dates, times, number of events, and one more thing:
Front Passenger Occupant (in SRS Data Freeze Frame) present.
(A complicit witness). That is how badly abusiveness wastes our time in the service bays of independent shops, that I would ask OEM’s to let us have these several additional datastream Freeze Frame Items.
Thank you for your considerations.
Sincerely,
Dan Petit. Austin, TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 9th, 2008 at 11:02 pm

Maybe instead of a tax credit, we could apply for a 7 year mortgage at 3 percent or so (if I can “pass through” a retail sale of my current vehicle with my own buyer for that and save a little sales tax), and get the financed balance below 25k or so. That may end up as a 350 a month payment. That sure would be nice.
Dan Petit Austin, TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 10th, 2008 at 8:52 pm

While scanning a hybrid vehicle the other day, I was reminded of another idea that I wanted to contribute for the Volt charging system.

By having the 120 volt or 220 volt charging cable suspended all along the ceiling of the garage from, say, either the circuit breaker 120 volt plug area, or, from the clothes dryer 220 volt plug area, the charging cable would not be a hazard on the floor. Instead, a sprung swing arm could come down from the ceiling of the garage to plug into the Volt. That way, you could not miss it when leaving in the morning if you are in a hurry.
Also, while scanning a hybrid, there was a Parameter Identifier (or Datastream item) that described the way that particular traction battery pack was to be cooled with an indication of what the cooling temperature of the incoming cooling air was sensed to be:
“Inhale Air Temperature” (for especially when charging back up at the faster rate of 220 volts which makes the battery array get a lot hotter), the next idea that I want to contribute is that here in Texas, where in the Summer, garages often are still at 95 degrees by morning, the suggestion is to adjust the top panel of the garage door so that there is a one half inch crack all along it (times 18 feet equals about a square foot), then, even though there will be electricity used to run an attic exhaust fan to vent the garage air into the attic, (which my garage has in order to reduce peak garage temps, but also it seems to have extended the life of the roof asphalt shingles), but anyway, the battery charger processor monitors the intake (or “inhale”) temperature of the air, and adjusts the charge rate accordingly. By venting into the attic, the exhaust fan in the ceiling of my garage cuts on at 100 degrees, where the garage interior stays at 95 or lower when the outside temp is 95 or lower. This may help in maintaining the peak maximum charge temperature of the batteries to a very comfortable margin in maintaining their longevity in the hot Summers of the South.
Dan Petit Austin TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 11th, 2008 at 5:19 pm

I’m thinking of several more approaches for us to be able to finance a Volt. Lots of folks are using their home’s equity to finance major improvements to the home as well as for other things.
Since most home values tend to go up somewhat every year, and, since second mortgages often can be financed easily at very low interest rates if you have sufficient equity, the first idea is to have a national standard for the very very lowest fixed interest loan with a second mortgage in conjunction with the purchase of a Volt.
Current guidelines as I understand them prohibit the use of two sources of security regarding second mortgages. However, for those folks whom are great at calculating the real benefit in reducing the fixed interest rate to possibly an even lower rate than the 3 percent “conventional loan” that I proposed earlier, if there were a way to “double-secure-for-one-percent or one-half percent” fixed Federal Loan with Federal protections, where there is available a better than 50 % equity in a home, and, the addition of a Volt purchase would not bring the net available equity lower than 40 % equity, then the purchase of a Volt with it’s own anticipated depreciation as the loan retires, and, the second security of, say, no more than 85% (15% cash down), of the depreciated value of the Volt as a second security, then maybe the Volt could qualify for a 1% or a half-percent Federal Loan wherein the Lender makes the 1% or the half-percent when utilizing the home equity second mortgage. The Volt title would be part of the equity or not part of the equity of the home.
Dan Petit Austin TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 11th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

I just saw on the news (12-10-8) that the loans to GM were blocked. Supposedly the reason was to force Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The problem I have with that is that since GM is entwined with literally thousands of companies, that this may trigger a Chapter 11 bankruptcy cascade and possibly an immediate layoff of perhaps tens of thousands before Christmas. I doubt that those opposed to the loans to GM have thought about that possibility.
I agree 100 percent with what seemed to be the story line on the local news (if true) that the White House would direct part of the 700 billion bank “bailout” (which bank bailout I do not think will yield as good a return on taxpayer investment as well as a formal loan to GM). Directives from the White House in this regard would impress me if those opponents were not just staging all of their opposition.
Dan Petit Austin, TX.

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Dan Petit Says:
December 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

If there will be an SUV version of the Volt, maybe there could be a “Science and Educator Edition” (SEE), which would not have all the distracting luxuries that most people may want. Not having carpeting is a good thing if you don’t want a harbor for molds, dirt, etc. Just a quick wiping-clean of a vinyl floor has always worked great. (Stepping on greasy service bay floors would have ruined the carpet in the vehicle I am now driving, as I teach shop techs).
A single in-dash CD, power windows for a 2 door model, possibly with remote mirrors would be good. Less (options) sometimes being “more” regarding retention of value and cost of ownership very-long-term.
Maybe there could be a special program where key individuals who would be providing educational content to the public regarding the Volt would be desirable, in some form of reduced-cost program.
Dan Petit Austin TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 14th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

One of the techs who I have taught waveform diagnostics suggested that he would put in a 220 volt recharge plug if I “were to get a Chevy Volt”. That brought about several ideas that might have some merit.
How about a smart outlet system which is sensitive to the following conditions:
1. There happens to be a lot of surplus energy in the grid, and that could light a green LED on the 220 plug authorizing a “go ahead” if there is an energy request.
2. There is not a wattage surplus on the grid, but if there are these subconditions present, a limited charge can be authorized:
*Ozone action day, and, I am going home preferably on electricity only based on my distance and AC request and traffic conditions.
*There seems to be some difficulty with the ICE or, I do not want to buy gasoline today.
a Yellow LED would be lit on the 220 outlet, and, the energy used will be at a higher cost per kilowatt, say 25% more.
3. There is a shortage of energy on the grid, and, a RED LED would be lit. Only if there is an emergency where there must be a recharge of the traction battery in order to get the vehicle operable, the owner could plug-in three to five times successively, and, a restriction-of-energy-request could be manually overridden based on conditions and even a cellphone call. A RED LED could go flashing and be charging up the vehicle to a minimum required charge and the cost of that energy would be 50% to 100% more than the regular cost of electricity in addition to an operators cost for manual override.
This is absolutely necessary to prevent brownout potentials, which greatly overload EVERYONE’S HOME AND BUSINESS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS.
While most recharges could be overnight, there actually could be a significant “buffering” effect when a “Green LED” request is in progress if the outlet were able to be turned off momentarily by the grid authority.
While the switching mechanism (or a “Contactor”), in addition to the necessary electronics would be necessary, these types of smart outlets would actually really be necessary (at very high production scales by, possibly 2012, for apartment and condominium residents, and also for the use of their guests. When charging, the charge authorization request could be a limited-watt-hour or partial charge authorization where a Yellow LED could be flashing in addition to the Green LED or the RED LED.
(No commitment toward any set Kilowatt Hours to be delivered).
Composite carbon energy production of the grid will always be far less than to run an Internal Combustion Engine on an Ozone Action Day.
Dan Petit Austin TX

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Dan Petit Says:
December 19th, 2008 at 7:23 pm

I was having a conversation with very good friend today , and the subject matter came up about my being opposed to the retrofitting of “anything with 4 wheels” with electric assist propulsion. I had previously written about my opposition to anything which was not carefully engineered in a proper Original Equipment Manufacturers developmental program. While the gist of the conversation seemed to not allow me to explain why OEM designs are the only ones likely to be economically-feasible for the motoring public, I am glad for this space to explain it here.
In diagnosing the most difficult advanced systems compromises, (really messed up processor communications), for the 92 local Austin Texas shops whom I support, it is absolutely clear that when expensive computers/processors & their internal software become damaged, the causes are from the very slightest and simplest deviations in electrical wiring, servicing errors and omissions.
Every day, simple errors are causing also the nearly-immediate (over the course of 2 days to 30 days) destruction of not only processors and their internal software systems and subroutines, but as a result of that, the destruction of automatic transmissions as well as other electronics such as Instrument Panel Cluster, ABS systems, and on and on.
Do It Yourself unskilled servicing ALWAYS causes damage-risk, if not in the short run, then always in the long run. Non-factory add on equipment not grounded at the 12 volt battery (for one example out of about 75) is a really gross error as simple as that concept is. These are damages that range in the $400 to $4000 range.
Yet the attempt at the re-engineering of an extremely wide variety of “anything with 4 wheels” with anything as powerful as assisted propulsion while expecting Internal Combustion Advanced Systems to remain able to communicate reliably is just not casually-realistic. While anything going onto the road with an Internal Combustion Engine (with a drive-assist), is still subject to the annual emissions tests, longitudinal field studies over both Summer heat and Winter cold driving conditions with extensive recording of baseline datastream ranges for a wide variety of operating conditions (before as well as very extensively afterward), would be needed.
While there are highly qualified organizations in Austin who can do this extremely well as properly-equipped, my objection is where unskilled “Do It Yourself” “incorporated” or “LLC” *marketing* may cause severe public safety risks, without any clear recourse against insufficiently-skilled set-ups. Electrical-Automotive design skill which is sufficiently thorough is EXTREMELY RARE, and, once discovered, such dedication ought to be *highly* compensated.
This is one of the reasons why I am relentlessly supporting the openness that GM has, so that we can all understand the extremely important things that are required for GM to set the Industry-standards for safety, value, reliability, and environmental improvement that are very critically required of us all.
Dan Petit, Austin, TX

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