Archive for September, 2008
EEStor Rides Again, This Time on a Bike
An interesting potentially revolutionary sideline to the Volt/electric car story is the secretive Texas company called EEStor. They have reportedly been working on a special low-cost, low-weight, super-high energy density electrical storage device similar to an ultracapacitor, called the EESU. As much of a breakthrough as this device seems on paper, no one [...]
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GM Q&A: Chevy Volt Production
I had a wide-ranging discussion with Robert Kruse, to whom I posed many of the questions readers here asked. Bob is GMs executive director of EVs and Hybrids. In this segment we discussed Volt production.
How many Volts are you aiming towards producing in the first year?
We have not announced a specific number for [...]
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More Chevy Volt Interior Details
I was able to follow-up with Tim Grieg, the Volt’s chief interior designer via email to gather some more details. Thanks Tim.
I asked him three questions:
1. What are the data options the center display will provide?
Too many to list in a single e-mail, but the CENTER display (on top of the Integrated Center Stack) [...]
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GM Welcomes Chrysler to Join Them in the Electric Car Future
Earlier this week Chrysler attempted to shock the world by displaying three new production-intent electric and range-extended electric vehicles. Word was also out that the automaker was in advanced talks with A123 Systems to develop automotive batteries and had formed a strategic partnership with GE.
Chrysler must have been interested in sharing some of the publicity [...]
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How Charging of the Battery Works in the Chevy Volt
Those who follow this site closely should have a good understanding of the relationship between the generator and the battery in the Chevy Volt. Unfortunately Edmunds did not, stating that the engine does not recharge the battery, and created a bit of an Internet frenzy over, well, nothing, they were just wrong.
The battery is recharged [...]
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Calculating the Volts EPA Rating, More than 100 mpg?
Bloomberg has reported that the EPA has reached a preliminary agreement to awarding GM a 100 mpg window sticker EPA rating for the Chevy Volt.
This information reportedly came from Volt vehicle line director Tony Posawatz who noted that the EPA agreed to use a testing method that would produce at least a 100 mpg result. [...]
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Bob Lutz Video: GM Wasn’t Prepared for Volt Initial Public Reaction, Current Volt Mules are Chevy Cruzes
In this video segment, I filmed at the Centennial last week, GM vice chair Bob Lutz talks about the origin of the Volt concept and how “vague” in their thinking GM initially was. He said there was nothing to prepare GM for the reaction it received. After that they told themselves that they have “stumbled [...]
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GM Officially Announces it Will Open Chevy Volt Engine Plant in Flint Michigan
In a major step forward towards production of the Chevy Volt, GM CEO Rick Wagoner today announced that GM will move ahead to open a new engine factory in Flint, Michigan, investing $370 million to do so.
This 552,000 square factory will be tooled to assemble the special 4-cylinder 1.4 L combustion engine that will turn [...]
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House Approves $25 Billion Loan for Chrysler, Ford, and GM
Times are getting tough all around. This has been true for US automakers in particular. GM has been working hard to shore up liquidity to ride the economic downturn, with the hopes of a 2010 recovery and the dawn of the Chevy Volt.
Today the US government gave them a boost.
The House of Representatives [...]
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Continental Begins World’s First Mass Production of Lithium-ion Automotive Battery Packs Today
Continental Automotive, one of the two Chevy Volt pack-making team partners announced the opening of a new factory in Germany today. The plant is being billed as the first in the world to mass-manufacture lithium-ion battery packs for automotive use.
The plant has the capacity to produce 15,000 packs per year, which could be doubled [...]
Popularity: 3%
One Step Towards a Cheaper Volt: Senate Passes Plug-in Tax Credit
US lawmakers certainly have their hands full these days. Somehow in the midst of wrangling with the fed over the massive Wall Street bailout plan, the Senate managed to pass a wide-ranging tax bill on Tuesday.
Included in the package is a new tax credit for people who buy plug-in electric cars. The credit starts at [...]
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Chrysler Goes Electric
As you might have heard by now, Chrysler made an announcement today that they have three electric vehicles in running prototype form. These include the Dodge EV sportscar, the Jeep EV range-extended electric vehicle, and the Chrysler EV range-extended minivan.
Chrysler indicates that these vehicles are “production-intent” and that one of them will be produced [...]
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Recent Posts
- GM’s CEO Arrives to Capitol Hill in Chevy Volt Prototype, Senate Hearings Underway
- GM CEO Will Drive Volt Mule Inside Washington DC Today, UAW Agrees to Drop Job Bank
- GM: Out of Time, Out of Money, Out of Options
- GM Submits Long-Term Viability Plan to Congress: $18 Billion Needed
- Detroit 3 Viability Plans Go To Congress Today: GM’s CEO Will Drive to DC in Hybrid Malibu
- GM-Volt Exclusive: Bob Lutz Details Volt Mule Energy Use in Highway Driving
- GM’s Canceled LA Auto Show Conference: Was it Going to be the Volt Battery Contract Announcement?
- Flextreme Concept Wins Prestigious Design Award, Still Not Production Intent
- What Would Happen to the Chevy Volt if GM Failed?
- GM Viability Proposal Leak: CEO Likely to Work for $1 and Brands Likely to be Shed
