Comments on: CEO of Compact Power Inc. on Timing of the GM Volt Battery Contract Announcement

By: Carcus

Carcus — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:09:49 +0000

Dr. Patil’s interview does sound encouraging.

Couple of related links,

1. From the Oakland Business Review, a quick company profile for CPI and some info on their battery makeup. (Lithium-ion, manganese-ion spinel chemistry, flat-format cell not cylindrical, proprietary polyethylene-based high-strength separator).

http://blog.mlive.com/oak_business_review/2008/02/volt_battery_efforts_roll_ahea.html

2. From Battery University.com, how to prolong lithium-based batteries.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

By: Grizzly

Grizzly — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Herm #58

They indeed may be taking both down to the wire to sweat out the best possible contract price.

By: Herm Perez

Herm Perez — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:14:52 +0000

I think GM should use both suppliers, it gives them a backup in case of spectacular failures after two years with one of the companies… and the other advantage is that both companies would compete with each other and lower the price..

By: Grizzly

Grizzly — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:40:39 +0000

I think what’s taking so long that GM is trying to decided how to award it to both and keep both companies happy and viable. I always found it peculiar that Patil stated months ago that the mules were in fact running with only his company’s packs. If GM has the packs and are testing both they wouldn’t disclose this to either company.

By: RichardG

RichardG — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:46:55 +0000

One thought; if A123 is going public soon they will be subject to a “blackout” period of several weeks where no material announcements are allowed (SEC). Perhaps GM has to wait for the IPO.

By: nasaman

nasaman — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:18:45 +0000

52 VancouverJon……… You asked, “A couple days ago, I read something that says the plug-in Vue may double the mpg of the non-hybrid version. That’s a big difference. Which is it?”
——————————————————————————————-

The General Manager of the Saturn Division has said (in print) that the 2-Mode Vue should have ~50% higher overall mileage than its non-hybrid Vue equivalent, and that the Plug-in Vue should have DOUBLE the overall mileage of the 2-Mode hybrid Vue. Hope this is helpful.

By: Jim I

Jim I — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:06:16 +0000

It could be that they both work equally well, and they can’t make up their minds!!!!!

Or, they could be giving both companies the evil eye and waiting for one of them to break under the pressure and make a better pricing offer……

But as with most of this project, we have no idea what is really going on………

By: cybereye

cybereye — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:35:03 +0000

Jackson @ 50

ummm, that a good idea.

By: VancouverJon

VancouverJon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:18:19 +0000

Nasaman #47: “GM expects this new CUV, with its newly-developed Li-Ion battery, to achieve overall mileage (local & highway) DOUBLE that of the 2-mode VUE that it’s derived from, which would make its overall mileage slightly higher than that for either a Prius or an average motorcycle!”

Could you confirm this? A couple days ago, I read something that says the plug-in Vue may double the mpg of the non-hybird version. That’s a big difference. Which is it?

I guess this just reinforces how bad journalists are at getting the right information…we see that in almost every Volt article…

By: noel park

noel park — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:45:14 +0000

#36 Tagamet:

Google schmoogle. The Mighty Volt Nation Has Spoken (TMVNHS?? – LOL). Somebody, Andy Warhol if memory serves, said that everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. My life experience has lead me to believe that it’s more like 15 seconds, but enjoy anyway.

#43 N Riley & #45 Estero:

I hate to say it, but maybe it goes back to Lunoir’s comment about the Feds and the loan guarantees at #8. And/or the tax credits. Maybe they don’t have enough cash to go forward without one or both of the above. Or maybe they can’t make firm enough long term committments to the battery guys to justify their making huge capital expenditures for new plants, equipment, etc., until they know that one or both of the above are really going to happen.