AND 
The Chevy Volt’s Interior
“Space, comfort, convenience, and safety features” are how GM describes the rather futuristic interior of the Volt.
I had the chance to sit both in the passenger and rear sear of the vehicle.
The design encompasses the new dual cockpit theme that Chevrolet has adopted, which also appears in the upcoming Chevy Cruze.
The top of the dashboard sweeps to the sides and creates a nice flow. The doors contain unique and specialized inserts which can either have a graphic pattern or be chosen as a more conservative option.
The center console appears as a standard white surface, but Volt interior designer Tim Grieg also tells us it will be available in a “metallic black” option. Indeed multiple unique color options will be available throughout, including a deep, vivid red theme that Tim particularly liked.
There are two 7 inch LCD displays. The center display does not swivel, it is fixed. It is also highly configurable and touch activated. Customers can choose from simple basic to extensive data display.
The flush-mounted paddle shifter is also revolutionary and since it is so forward gives a lot of access to “properly placed” dual cupholders and center console. It was an opportunity as Tim says for GM “to re-invent the wheel” when it comes to shifters.
Within the console is an audio USB port. There is also bluetooth technology.
The controls on the center panel are “capacitive touch controls”. They engage by detecting electric current in the incoming finger which can be detected from a distance. The button will then provide the user audio and visual feedback. There is no haptic feedback. The dashboard glows quite strikingly at night.
We have heard before the car will sense a key fob’s presence, there is no ignition keyhole. There is a large VOLT button to turn the car on. The car also happens to have an “industry leading” 9.25 liter glove box.
The interior space is 24 mm wider than in the Cruze which also uses the global compact delta platform, thereby giving VOLT drivers extra space.
I found the back seat also quite comfortable and the roof appeared quite high internally. Rear visibility was remarkable due to the clear surface of the hatchback.
The rear seats folded down producing a very large cargo space.
Considering all of the color and design options that will be available for this interior, it will be hard to be disappointed. And overall it tells you loud and clear that you are driving a car that uses brand new groundbreaking technology.
My greatest applause to the design team. Check out the videos below:
[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cmQ4qhyB3w&eurl]
167 Responses to “The Chevy Volt’s Interior”
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I’m not sure about the Ipod like center stack. Maybe if it was a different color then white. I hope it has a similar amount of space in back with the seats down as my old SAAB 9000 hatchback which will get traded in with 250,000 miles on it for the Volt. Hope the volt lasts that long too.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Excellent!
I would suppose winter gloves must be removed to activate any buttons, that’s fine with me.
Please, do not use any Micro$oft products, instead use open standards for all communication and computer interfaces. Ford can have Micro$oft and it’s associated issues.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:32 am
Way Cool! I am saving up now!
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:34 am
When you say it glows are you saying that there is “back lighting” so we can always see buttons (good since we can’t feel them)? Can we dim it(lighting)?
Hope I could sit in one soon….
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS!
P.S. I’m getting my wife to want one bad. Then we will need two!!
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Nasaman had an interesting post at the end of yesterday’s link. I’d be interested in his take on the button, center left above. Top half says: “Econ;” bottom half says “Sprt.” Pure speculation here, but it looks like you may be able to “choose your gearing” by going between a fuel conservation mode and a sport/acceleration mode.
I’d like to see the Chevy badge on the steering wheel have a volt lightning strike through it, like we’ve seen elsewhere.
GM, why dials on the steering wheel (looks like for hands-free phone)? Why not buttons? Even if it is a better idea, you risk looking cheap.
Speaking of cheap, my only complaints about my last two GM vehicles deal with plastic panels in the door. Both broke within a few years (panel for electric windows controls, specifically). Please do not let that be an issue for the Volt.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Will GM make available the draft version of the owners manual or even the draft version of the service manuals? Inquiring minds want to know more!
Yes, there is now a reason to buy a NEW car instead of used.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Any word on the function of the green leaf?
Is the hazard button is too close to the CD slot? I could see myself, or my wife, always hitting that button when trying eject her Journey CDs.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:48 am
#1 Bearclaw Says: “I’m not sure about the Ipod like center stack. Maybe if it was a different color then white. ”
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The article above says:
“The center console appears as a standard white surface, but Volt interior designer Tim Grieg also tells us it will be available in a “metallic black” option. Indeed multiple unique color options will be available throughout, including a deep, vivid red theme that Tim particularly liked.”
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:53 am
LyleL Says: “I would suppose winter gloves must be removed to activate any buttons, that’s fine with me.”
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Actually, the more I think about these touch controls, the more concerned I am.
In cars, many people search for the proper button by feeling around for it, glancing down only for a split second to verify that they selected the right button by touch.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:02 am
9 Dave G:
They do for the radio usually or the music whatever is playing. It looks like there will be steering wheel controls for all that so it should reduce that concern some.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Interior design : 9 out of 10.
Nice job. I hope it feels as good as it looks.
Lyle,
Did you get a chance to ask about hardware/software updates?
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:05 am
This is probably a silly question… but I’m not a GM owner, never have been….
Will the Volt have Sirius XM radio capabilities?
So much for buying and installing your own radio head unit in this car….
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:06 am
#9 Dave G: “Actually, the more I think about these touch controls, the more concerned I am. ”
Ditto. Anything that requires you to take your eyes off the road is bad. HVAC and radio controls traditionally can be operated purely by touch so they can be handled easily while driving. Many car stereos have raised bumps on specific buttons (like your keyboard’s F & J keys) for the express purpose of eye-free handling.
I suppose it may be less an issue for HVAC if it has proper auto climate control. If I can set it to 74 degrees and let it figure out if it should heat, cool, or what the right fan speed is that would be fine. But for radio/CD/mp3 player controls, this is really bad.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:14 am
It’s off-topic to the interior, so my apologies. But CNN ran a nice article late yesterday about the E-Flex platform, and one quote in there puzzles the heck out of me – so I just have to ask opinions on it.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/17/autos/beyond_volt/index.htm?postversion=2008091804
“.. according to said Bob Posawatz, vehicle line director for the E-Flex program ..” ….
“”We’re only cycling it to a 50% state of charge,” with the E-Flex platform, said Posawatz, “so we’re not beating the crap out of the battery.”
50%? … Misquote? Updated information? Not to be taken literally?
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Questions remaining:
1) Will the left LCD behind the steering wheel have a configuration mode for an analog speedometer? Many people hate digital speedometers. This was one of the big reasons we didn’t buy a Prius.
2) What does the M setting on the shifter do? Some people have surmised it’s for “Mountain Mode”, but calculations based on GM’s data show that this is not necessary.
3) How will the Volt keep the gas in the tank from going stale.
4) Does the Volt have a transmission? If so, why? Wouldn’t this introduce transmission losses in efficiency? Electric motors usually don’t require a transmission.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Does the green leaf dispense marijuana like i asked GM to do? This was a must have option, I’m glad they went with it!!
Seriously, great video, and I really love the interior, will lolve it more in a darker color.
Love this car more each time I see it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:18 am
I am not the white center stack fan – but my boys 20 & 18 are!
I love the interior – I would like for them to integrate an I-pod in the extra glove box like the did for the CTS so you don’t have an extra wire dangling – makes for a much cleaner look.
Waiting impatiently for the opportunity to buy
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:18 am
I agree with the interface issues. This could be an ergonomic nightmare for a driver. Studies show that texting is more dangerous than being drunk. Could the “very cool” Volt interface be about as complex as texting???
I guess I will not be swapping out the radio on this one. It does not look like your standard singel or double DIN model…
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:18 am
I would expect that the ‘M’ setting is for ‘Manual’ mode .. similar to the method BMW (and others) use, of being able to shift manually, without a clutch, if one so chooses, by bumping the shifter.
This assumes, of course, that there is a transmission and gears to shift to-and-from!
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Has anyone heard if GM is still considering a solar roof?
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:22 am
What is the maximum driver height planned for the vehicle? Is there a lot of clearance for knees or does the center stack encroach on the right knee?
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:23 am
If it has bluetooth, usb and OnStar, general concensus is that it will have Sirius/XM (if still around by then, and iPod capability (for those that bought iPods, unlike me) but by the time this car is out for sale, we’ll probably have perfected wireless usb and bluetooth 4.0. So, I wouldn’t too much worry about it. I think the interior is tastefully done, but if GM really wants to quell the fears of those who believe that a touch sensitive console is an unsafe distraction, use voice controls in addition to the touch controls. I’m quite sure people will find that agreeable. But be wary of microphone placement or the family will be changine MP3s every 3.3 seconds. All in all, i like it. Can’t wait to buy one.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:28 am
OK, 2nd try at this comment, which I guess went into moderation purgatory the first time .. and apologies for being off-topic to the interior ..
Yesterday in an article with Bob Posawatz, vehicle line director for the E-Flex program, CNN had the following quote: “We’re only cycling it to a 50% state of charge,” with the E-Flex platform, said Posawatz, “so we’re not beating the crap out of the battery.”
… 50%? Did I miss something? Could it be a mis-quote (we’ve seen those before) .. or perhaps updated information? ..
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:29 am
As always, the problem is that the Cruze is 20-30K cheaper, and here is the new Cruze interior:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/02/spy-shots-chevy-cruze-shows-off-its-interior/
Ok, I’m always a pessimist, I’ll grant you…but to me, that Cruze interior is every bit as nice as that white molded plastic fiesta going on in the Volt.
I can’t tell you if the Cruze “also happens to have an industry leading 9.25 liter glove box” though.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I wonder what the impact of setting up my mobile amateur radio station in this vehicle will be? My current rig is a dual band (144/440) and draws 0.5A when listening but up to a maximum of 8.5A when transmitting at 50W. Admittedly, the vast majority of the time, I tend to transmit only at 5W or 10W, so the current draw would be less, but 8.5A is the max. I also wonder how clean this car is in terms of RF interference?
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Again for all those who are paying attention, GM had the opportunity to make a real statement to the auto buying public and the auto world and blew it big time. Innovation in design seems to be something the new crop of car designers have no idea want it is or much less how to do it! Working in aerospace for over forty years as a designer and manager I would think that this semi-computer look should have given way to a more modern styling motif, something akin to form and function or maybe even something like a 21st Century Spaceage look! Come on GM hire some designers with an imagination please.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:34 am
#12 Murray says
“This is probably a silly question… but I’m not a GM owner, never have been….
Will the Volt have Sirius XM radio capabilities?
So much for buying and installing your own radio head unit in this car….”
I have 2 GM vehicles (and 2 from Honda). With GM, you get what is in the car the day you get it. Nothing is compatible with anything else. Nothing can be upgraded, ever. So if you want Sirius, be sure to check before you drive off the lot. It is unlikely to be available, but maybe the dealer can find a way to do it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:34 am
All those bells and whistles are interesting, but a steady stream of dollar signs floated past my eyes as I read about them and watched the video. If the Volt’s MSRP is much above $35K (to say nothing of potential dealer price gouging) it’s not the car for my family’s budget.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:39 am
The post says “The controls on the center panel are “capacitive touch controls”. ”
What is controlled by these controls?
Capacitative touch controls are suitable for situations where there is only one thing to be controlled, and that one thing is either on or off. Otherwise, they require full attention to avoid mistakes, which are easily made, for example, by hving the side of a hand rather than just one finger extended toward the screen.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:39 am
@# 19
Bob Lutz was on the Colbert Report last night and he said there will be an option to have solar cells in the roof.
Take it for what its worth.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:39 am
#12 Murray Says: “So much for buying and installing your own radio head unit in this car….”
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You bring up an excellent point here.
I usually like to keep my cars a long time, up to 10 years or more. Within that time, I’m sure there will be a new box on crutchfield.com that stores my entire music collection, some DVDs, and does stuff I haven’t even thought of. They may even have useful mobile internet applications by then, like GPS systems that account for current traffic.
It would have been easy to design the Volt’s CD player and audio controls into a standard double DIN form factor. American car makers should really get with this…
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:43 am
#16 Dale says
“I am not the white center stack fan – but my boys 20 & 18 are! ”
Yes, the interior design seems to focus on the high school, early college age group.
In a pure marketing sense, there are not a lot of people in this age group with $40K, but maybe their parents will buy them one. It still seems to me to be a limited market.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Do they have anything that will stop children from being able to just push the on button and start the car? I have 2 younger boys and they just love to push buttons.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:51 am
#23 Statik Says: “As always, the problem is that the Cruze is 20-30K cheaper, and here is the new Cruze interior:”
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Your numbers are misleading.
The final price of the Volt will be $30K or $32K after tax credits, depending on who gets elected. GM’s CEO says the Volt will cost around $37K. Obama is offering a $7K Volt tax credit. McCain is offering a $5K tax credit.
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:55 am
#27 Rob says “All those bells and whistles are interesting, but a steady stream of dollar signs floated past my eyes as I read about them and watched the video. If the Volt’s MSRP is much above $35K (to say nothing of potential dealer price gouging) it’s not the car for my family’s budget.”
This kind of design is very inexpensive, costing less than than what is in many $600 laptop computers. They probably cost less than a traditional alternative.
Used in automotive, touch-screen tends to need frequent replacement, because the connectors to the screens warp, so that there are black lines or blackouts in parts of the screen. That occurs because the display gets much hotter and much colder than normal room temperature, and the press-on connectors used do not maintain good contact with the edges of the panel.
Screens also tend to be beautiful in the dark, though possibly distracting, but most are hard or impossible to read at some light levels and angles, during daylight conditions.
With a laptop, you use it inside Starbucks instead of outside. With a car, you drive it only at certain times of the day
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:56 am
#22 JimGalaxy Says: “… 50%? Did I miss something? Could it be a mis-quote (we’ve seen those before) .. or perhaps updated information? ..”
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This has been known since August 2007:
http://gm-volt.com/2007/08/29/latest-chevy-volt-battery-pack-and-generator-details-and-clarifications/
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September 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
WOW!! Capacitive touch controls with LED backlighting and configurable touch screens are VERY COOL! Some day ALL automakers will incorporate this technology because it is inexpensive, robust, uses very little power and conveys a feeling of “high-tech” luxury.
I see a LOT in the Volt to like and very little to dislike.
A few minor inexpensive convenience and security things I’d like to see in the Volt:
1) A removable hard cover over the rear deck to create a “trunk” to hide your stuff from view. Leaving your shopping in full view of passersby is inviting trouble. (OK, this is not so minor)
2) Plastic inserts in the cup holders that can be removed for easy cleaning.
3) A removable change holder in the front center armrest like my Buick Park Avenue. (VERY handy little item)
4) Carpet on the back of the rear seats to protect them from your “stuff”.
5) Replace that stupid shifter with capacitive touch buttons. It’s an ELECTRIC car for God’s sake. How much “shifting” will you be doing when the Volt has full torque at all speeds? People don’t like to be treated like fools.
At $30K/ea. (net after tax breaks) GM won’t be able to make them fast enough. I see dealer price gouging in the Volt’s future.
HOMERUN, GM!!!!
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:04 am
DaveG # 35 – thanks for the link .. I had seen it before. I read it again carefully, and I understand your point .. the battery will operate in a 50% swing area between 30% and 80% of maximum charge.
My confusion rested with the quote, ” “We’re only cycling it **to** a 50% state of charge,” (asterisks are mine) which is a very different thing to say. Maybe I’m reading too much into the way it was worded. Thanks again.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:06 am
#16 Dale Says: “I am not the white center stack fan – but my boys 20 & 18 are!”
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Two notes:
1) The center stack is available in colors other than white. It would have been better if GM showed pictures of other colors at launch.
2) Apple has completely abandoned white. The iPod Nano comes in every color but white. iPod classic is brushed aluminum silver or black. Even the Macs are brushed aluminum.
http://www.apple.com
By the time the Volt comes out, the white plastic center stack will seem old and crusty, like your kid’s old iPod that doesn’t work anymore…
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:10 am
I love this car. I can’t believe we have to wait so long to see them on the road. Waiting is going to be the worst part.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:13 am
@ #26 – they said there would be streaming music
@ #28 – from Tim Grieg, “We’ve also added tactile surface details; you can feel a raised part of the surface as you operate the controls.” and “The surface senses the electrical currents in your fingertips, and as your finger approaches [the button] it can sense the fingertip an inch away, and we can control it to within a millimeter. It’ll know where your finger is heading and start to shut off other controls to help inadvertent activation.”
@ #32 – You will still need some type of RF key within close proximity of the car to start it, even if the button is pushed. So just dont give your kids the car keys.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:21 am
#32-
If the push button starter is similar to the system in my Cadillac STS, you will need to have the key fob with you for the car to start. So unless your kids have the fob and are simultaneously pressing on the brake pedal when they hit the starter button nothing will happen
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Sign me up for the Metalic Black ipod stack.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Lyle (or anyone),
Did you notice whether there are volume and channel controls on the steering wheel for changing radio stations and the like?
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:25 am
#37 JimGalaxy
I wouldn’t read too much into the “We’re only cycling it **to** a 50% state of charge.” That was most probably a misstatement. The “50% swing area” has been pretty standard for a while.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:30 am
#43 Dave B – yes, the higher-res pictures clearly show + / – volume controls on the steering wheel’s far right. There is also a thumb up-down knob which could do anything .. could possibly be used for radio station up-and-down, but it’s not marked other than arrows for up and down ..
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I love the way the new production Volt looks inside and out! I hope they allow people to configure some analog gauges for the driver, and make it simple to change the look. I personally like the way it is, but I like to mess with stuff. I also wonder if the backlighting colors can be changed? That would go a long way for making the interior the way you want it, especially if you can change the color of interior panels. Did everyone see that there will be a hard drive with the nav option? I hope you guys and gals did not miss that!
My biggest hope is GM adds cooling to seats besides heat. I have read and have experienced that sweaty back makes me turn on the AC more than I need too. I figure that could help use the HVAC less and would be cheap to impaliment. Please Lyle, could you ask about Seat cooling? I also hope they add an option for a leather covered dash like the Cruze, that will definitely add a luxo option people might be interested in.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:38 am
The more I see of this interior, the more I like it. Very cool in my opinion. I have a dumb question, but I’ll ask anyway for practicality sake…Can that dash be wiped off without activating a whole bunch of functions? The reason I ask is for people that eat on the run as I occasionally do, and get greasy fingers from french fries or that big Mac, then go to push all of those buttons…get the picture? Now I’m hungry for some reason.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:38 am
You still have to look in order to initially guide your finger in the direction of the desired button. Audible and visible cues might help, some.
In the spirit of offering suggestions rather than criticism, there is another “new” tech possibility for car controls; a force-feedback knob, stick, or other fully tactile control. The driver could be guided as to what is selected by the main video screen, and more importantly, the detent-feel in the joystick (or whatever) could guide the hand without looking. Force-feedback means that this “feel” can be changed electronically, depending on the mode.
Another thought is that you have some kind of real button (one you can feel when it’s depressed) on the the steering wheel to act as an “Enter” key. In other words, if you initially guide your finger in the wrong direction you’re not spending a frustrating and distracting half minute in traffic trying to undo what you didn’t mean to do, because nothing happens until you hit “Enter.” It also means that only the driver can push buttons, partly answering the ‘button-pushing-kid’ problem.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:39 am
@ #36 item 5 – from Tim Grieg, ““We were exploring electric shifters that were flush with the console and liked the aesthetic,” he said. What’s in there is actually a mechanical shifter, not an electric version like what is found in many hybrids. That’s due to electric power needs and added safety equipment needed for electric shifters.”
@ #27 – from interview w/Tim Grieg:
Q: Is this expensive?
A: “Actually, from a cost standpoint it’s about cost-neutral,” he said. “It certainly is new technology, and if we were going to put it into any vehicle it would be this one.”
@ #20 – it will comfortably fit a 6′4″ person (95% of population)
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Great Photos & Video.
Great to see that tire pressures will be maintained.
Definitely the black console for me, what a nightmare trying to keep a white one clean.
NO plug, NO sale.
LJGTVWOTR
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:45 am
@ #47 – good question, i did see a lock/unlock button. Maybe you can lock the controls? I have this problem wiping the screen on my Ipod Touch, and have to turn the screen off to clean it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:45 am
I am ready to buy
Metalic black with a black or dark blue interior is the color scheme for my Volt.
I have deposit in hand..
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Dave (#9),
I share your concerns. I have a Vizio LCD TV, and it has the same tech on its’ front panel. I can’t just feel for the button, I have to actually look to make sure that it’s the right area of the bezel that I’m touching, and not say the area where the input is located in. It’s cool tech, but in practice, less so.
Take care!
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Lyle,
I had the chance to sit both in the passenger and rear sear of the vehicle.
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a) Can you tell us how tall you are and what is your inseam? and how much leg room did you have in the rear seat and behind the wheel?
b) Do you know what the GAP and CNL (Cancel perhaps?) on the left side of the steering wheel stand for?
c) Are the displays color configurable for night driving? or does it stay the same color?
d) Is the center display tilted toward the driver or is it centered?
R/Jim
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I am having a hard time understanding the need for the shift paddle. As this is electric, you have forward, reverse and park. The shifter seems excessive, and the space could have been used for something else or left completely open giving it a more futuristic feel like some of the previous demos showed.
I have to agree with some of the others. I have a ‘99 silverado, and most of the back lights on the controls have long since burned out. Yet, I can still find whatever I’m looking for simply by touch. However I would bet that the smooth surface in the volt will prevent food, drink, or whatever might get spilled from getting behind the buttons causing damage.
I think that the hole that the center screen sits in is going to become a depository of stuff since it sounds like the screen doesn’t move. This seems like a bad idea since you would think you’d want to try and keep things away from the screen.
Why is there a record button as part of the buttons above the CD slot? I’m all for bells and whistles, but this is car, and you use it to drive. There comes a point when to much is to much.
All that being said, both my wife and I are very excited about the car (even if the center console is weird) and look forward to taking our name off the list once we get ours!
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:51 am
one word Buttons
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I remember asking about the interior of te car repeatedly for the last several months. Well, I now have my answer. It is a beautiful car with a beautiful interior. Congratulations to the GM designers for both interior and exterior work. They have done a wonderful job. Every time I look at the pictures or video of the car, I realize it is much more beautiful and practical than the Volt concept. Especially practical. Thanks GM. You only have two real chores to complete now. One is to get it out to us as soon as possible and two, get it out at a price we can afford.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Lyle,
Do you have any pictures of the Volt ignition button?
Great job, GM!
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Time to man up after all my criticism…
I really really like the interior. This is a design coup for GM. I SCREAMS hightech, sexy car AS IT SHOULD. Ipod white won’t be my choice…but this is a good design. The Cruze interior is nice, also. Nice job GM, you deserve a lot of credit for this.
I guess I will have to enjoy my Volt more from the inside than the outside.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:00 am
#29 kdawg
Bob Lutz was on the Colbert Report last night and he said there will be an option to have solar cells in the roof.Take it for what its worth
———
He also said acceleration was ‘adequate,’ global warming is not real and women who desire the Volt (or the men that drive them) are “nice, no makeup environmentalists”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVtfpYgoLcc
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:01 am
On thing I do worry about is the problem of loose items in the rear moving forward under hard braking. Am I correct in assuming there is no partition separating the rear cargo area from the back seat area? What is the experience do you others have who have owned cars with an open cabin arrangement? Is cargo sliding or flying forward a problem?
Edited to add a question. I know what LJGTVWOTR means, but what does NPNS mean?
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Red Wine ext looks sweet and metallic black center console please.
How long do you think it will be before some moron puts a set of 22″s on it?
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Oh, I know what NPNS means: No plug no sale. How stupid am I?
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:08 am
#55
heyIMmike Says:
Why is there a record button as part of the buttons above the CD slot?
—-
My guess is that it’ll work similar to the existing hard drive based entertainment system in the Cadillac CTS, where you can record songs from the incoming XM radio stream. Or it could also function as a voice memo type thing. That’s just my guess, though. =)
Take care!
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I know the Volt has power windows, but does anyone have info on powered mirrors or seats? I like powered seats, but they may weigh too much, and the engineers eliminanted them.
@ #60 Statik
i saw those comments too. What i took from it was Lutz was trying to be conservative on the acceleration comments. He said he believed in global warming but not the CO2 theory (different debate), and he was trying to be funny on a comedy show w/the girls comment (Bob clearly was not meant for the entertainment industry).
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:16 am
#23 Statik Says: “As always, the problem is that the Cruze is 20-30K cheaper, and here is the new Cruze interior:”
————————————————————————————–
#33 Dave G Your numbers are misleading.
The final price of the Volt will be $30K or $32K after tax credits, depending on who gets elected. GM’s CEO says the Volt will cost around $37K. Obama is offering a $7K Volt tax credit. McCain is offering a $5K tax credit.
——————————–
Lets assume GM figures $37,000 is what ‘Joe Public’ will pay for the Volt. The government decides to give a rebate for $7,000, so therefore GM will doing the following knowing it has limited capacity and loses money on each one they sell.
A) retail it for $37K, the consumer gets 7K off and pays $30,000
B) retail it for $44K, the consumer gets 7K off and still pays $37,000
“GM’s CEO says the Volt will cost around $37K”–yes, but he has never answered if that ‘price target’ INCLUDES the rebates or not.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think there is any way you will buy the Volt for $30,000. I don’t think I’m misleading anyone, even a little.
Personally, I think the $37K out the door number is still pretty optimistic…but feel free to bookmark this and prove me wrong on the day GM prices your Volt and takes your deposit. I seriously doubt that day will ever come.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:20 am
@ #40 kdawg
Thanks for the info! I should be fine at 6′5″ then.
Has anyone determined if there is a small covered compartment at the rear of the trunk area? The deck appears fairly high (as expected from the crossbar section of the T battery) but I don’t believe that should extend all the way to the rear. My ‘02 Insight has a similar arrangement due to the battery pack, associated electrical controls, and the fuel tank — it does have a small “hatch” at the back allowing extra storage area while still maintaining a flat deck floor.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:23 am
#40 kdwg says “@ #28 – from Tim Grieg, “We’ve also added tactile surface details; you can feel a raised part of the surface as you operate the controls.” and “The surface senses the electrical currents in your fingertips, and as your finger approaches [the button] it can sense the fingertip an inch away, and we can control it to within a millimeter. It’ll know where your finger is heading and start to shut off other controls to help inadvertent activation.”
________________________________________
He is wrong. The screen will sense an adjacent finger, the side of your hand, or the backside of your hand. It will not be able to “know where your finder is heading” because it will not be able to recognize your finger, as distinct from other parts of your hand. It will be essentially the same as a touch sensitive computer screen, as frequently used by cashiers. The big difference is that the latter have the users full attention and full access (no steering wheel).
I think it will work fine so long as the car is stopped.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Biggest issue(s) for me are the comfort of the interior. Not so much the layout or glowing light stuff.
Can I comfortably sit in it or will my legs be cramped? I’d even be happy with an option to upgrade to longer driver side seat rails so the seat could go further back.
Second, sitting in there for a few minutes is fine. How about for hours? How about after a few years? On my current car the door armrest has lost all cushioning and is actually painful on my elbow now. Please, spend the extra $20 and put in quality long lasting cushioning that won’t break down!
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:35 am
#66 Statik offers the alternatives A and B, in
“Lets assume GM figures $37,000 is what ‘Joe Public’ will pay for the Volt. The government decides to give a rebate for $7,000, so therefore GM will doing the following knowing it has limited capacity and loses money on each one they sell.
A) retail it for $37K, the consumer gets 7K off and pays $30,000
B) retail it for $44K, the consumer gets 7K off and still pays $37,000″
——————————————————–
Under your premise, the answer is B, of course.
GM is a corporation. It exists to make money.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Re the interior -two words:
Most excellent.
Be well,
Tag
PS: I just called a Statewide radio talk show and talked to a power company rep about the Volt. He knew a lot about the Volt (but the show hosts didn’t).
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I like it.
Should be a fun ride.
Saving my pennies and Dimes Giddy Up Giddy Up ……..
No Plug No Deal
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am
#66 Statik offers the alternatives A and B, in
“Lets assume GM figures $37,000 is what ‘Joe Public’ will pay for the Volt. The government decides to give a rebate for $7,000, so therefore GM will doing the following knowing it has limited capacity and loses money on each one they sell.
A) retail it for $37K, the consumer gets 7K off and pays $30,000
B) retail it for $44K, the consumer gets 7K off and still pays $37,000″
——————————————————–
#70 RB
Under your premise, the answer is B, of course.
GM is a corporation. It exists to make money.
——————-
That is my point indeed.
/although I’d prefer to buy a $30,000 Volt and be wrong, I just don’t see it
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:46 am
@ #68 RB – the way i interpret his statements are that they have written software algorithms to eliminate common errors. Think of predictive typing but add finger tracking. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did controlled test (or already have the data) to see what works best and placed the buttons locations accordingly. If they do NOT make the touchscreen or capacitive buttons like an Ipod touch, with its abiltity to push two places simultaneously, that would also help inadvertent button pushing.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I was excited about the Volt before – Now I’m rabid! I can’t wait to see it myself and to get my hands on one. Some of you say that the center stack is only for teen agers – well, I’m 81 and I love it! The more I hear and see about the Volt, the better I like it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:48 am
The videos answer a lot of questions. Seeing the charge port open and the hatchback fully open spoke volumes. But above all, seeing the VOLT traveling down the road made me so happy with the design. The car looks great and I am looking forward to owning a Chevy VOLT electric car!
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I want/need to be able to install my own radio head unit…
Looks like I’m not that keen on the Volt, anymore…
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
#14 Dave G said:
1) Will the left LCD behind the steering wheel have a configuration mode for an analog speedometer? Many people hate digital speedometers. This was one of the big reasons we didn’t buy a Prius.
_____
There are many people that love digital speedometers, including me. One can check their speed in much less time when the speedometer is digital than when it is analog. But, I agree with you, it might be good to have an analog option for those who prefer it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
@4 Lunior:
>> Can we dim it(lighting)?
I suspect (just my guess) that this may be the intended reason for the ‘night’ button just to the left of the top rotary knob. Anybody know for sure?
Can’t wait to see this panel in black and/or any other colors! They HAVE to know white is not going to appeal to everybody.
@2, LyleL:
Regarding whether winter gloves must be removed… Lyle did indicate that the capacative button sensing is capable from a distance, so maybe you wouldn’t need to remove gloves. Unless they blocked the effect, of course; but I don’t think it’s a closed subject necessarily. It would seem kind of silly to require “bare hands driving” just so you can use the dashboard.
@40 KDawg,
>> we can control it to within a millimeter. It’ll know where your
>> finger is heading and start to shut off other controls to help
>> inadvertent activation
Now THAT hits my engineers’ monkey nerve! Extremely cool. Where did you get that info from?
Thanks for the wonderfully informative post Lyle! Good discussion everybody!
Regards all,
omatic
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:56 am
I’m amazed that the radio could be a deal breaker.
‘Nuff said.
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:56 am
RightLaneCruiser and KDawg were talking about the interior dimensions, and I googled “95th percentile man’, which is the language both Lutz and Boniface have used and it turns out it is an industrial standard for crash dummies and interior design of cars. Well, the 95th percentile man is 6′2″. I have posted on this before, because this just isn’t very realistic in todays world. I am 6′4′ and change so I will fit ok but it will get pretty tight for guys that are taller. RLC will probably feel comfortable, but if you are 6′6″, the Volt may fit you like a glove, and not a particularly comfortable one.
That having been said, I guess the size of the car has to be reduced slightly to get the aerodynamic results necessary for the Volt I, and when the Volt II comes out as a CUV, it will benefit from a slightly smaller, more powerful battery and this will allow for a bit more room for the driver. I have to imagine that GM will be updating the battery packs it uses to take advantage of more advanced technology. There will be enough competition from the new Prius, the Insight and the IMiev, that it won’t be a choice, it will be a requirement.
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:59 am
#14 Dave G said:
4) Does the Volt have a transmission? If so, why? Wouldn’t this introduce transmission losses in efficiency? Electric motors usually don’t require a transmission.
_____
I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. But, something has to power (turn) the wheels. We already know there will NO wheel motors. So, what is left? It is some form of transmission, transaxle or whatever. We heard yesterday the Volt will use a secret transmission that employs a technology never thought of by others. It sounds exciting to me. Can’t wait to get more information!
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:01 am
@68, RB:
>> He is wrong. The screen will sense an adjacent finger, the
>> side of your hand, or the backside of your hand. It will not
>> be able to “know where your finder is heading” because it will
>> not be able to recognize your finger, as distinct from other
>> parts of your hand.
I recommend employing the following advanced maneuver:
http://webpages.charter.net/flume/misc/fpl.gif
I tease a bit, of course. But seriously, pointing is intuitive. I’m sure they’ve ‘idjit tested’ this already.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I’m wondering if Lyle would be able to provide any sort of information with respect to the distance from the drivers seat to the center touch screen panel.
I’m not a tall person and I start to get concerned about the touch screen being out of my reach. I don’t want to have to lean forward or towards the screen to be able to reach it.
I know this is a small car and it likely won’t be a problem hopefully. If I can’t reach the screen without shifting from my normal driving position that is not good design or placement. If I have to leave my normal driving position to fumble through some control and need to make some sort of evasive or unexpected driving action being away from my a normal driving position might make it difficult to do so.
I wonder if they have thought about using a console mounted wheel (like BMW has with the i-drive or MB has in the S-class and other vehicles.)
Ergonomics are key to good design and I hope they took everything into consideration. I don’t care how nice it looks or how cool the technology is because if I can’t operate it from a comfortable position it’s all useless!
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Love it!
I too worry about the non-tactile feel button controls. I often find buttons by feel.
The one thing that could be improved on my Ford Ranger EV is the regenerative braking gear whine. I hope GM is working to make that much quiter.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:12 am
#44 ThombDbhomb
I agree. But, I seem to recall reading the 50% swing will be between 35%-85% rather than 30%-80%. Anyone know for sure?
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:14 am
#18 JimGalaxy asks,
I would expect that the ‘M’ setting is for ‘Manual’ mode .. similar to the method BMW (and others) use, of being able to shift manually, without a clutch, if one so chooses, by bumping the shifter.
This assumes, of course, that there is a transmission and gears to shift to-and-from!
———————-
I am wondering what the “M” is for also.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:17 am
In regards to the discussion on whether the buttons will work with gloved hands, I posted a thread yesterday with some info from a Q&A session with Tim Grieg and the writer of report mentions that you can operate the buttons with a gloved hand (however, this is not a direct quote from Tim so I don’t know if it was actually mentioned, for certain, that the buttons would work with gloves or if it was an inference based on some sort of knowledge.)
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:19 am
#23 Statik – “here is the new Cruze interior:”
Man it looks nice but I don’t want all the grass in my car! Oh, that’s a reflection …. LOL
C’mon Statik, no one who buys a Volt is going to be looking to buy a Cruze. Just like no one who buys a Prius is going to buy a Corolla (but they might buy a mini cooper). Completely different market. Would you buy a Cruze?
I’ve seen Maximum Bob get beat up about Colbert. His style is to say something like “it’s adequate” and then expand on it: “Not like a Corvette but way better than a Prius.” With Colbert he was never able to do that.
With all this said, FWIW I trying desperately to get GM to take my $40K check for the Volt. I’m thinking it’s a better and safer option than leaving it in my bank … LOL
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I think I saw the “startup” button…it’s the universal symbol for computer start buttons…I was hoping for that!
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
@ #79 Mike-o-matic
This article is a Q & A with Tim Greig (interior design manager). It answered a lot of questions about the interior that I had. I’m a controls engineer so the technical subjects are what interest me the most too.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/09/volt-interior.html
And to read answers to more questions, this Q & A is also informative:
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/09/chevy-volt-ques.html
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:28 am
The things that caught my eye were:
1. Control over when the battery is charged, example was start charging at midnight and stop by 7am. Perfect for those of us who will switch to time of day rate plans.
2. Heated seats….important for the cold weather folks but I would try not to use it…another battery drainer.
3. I would opt for the black console, white looks cheap…so hopefully the only cars on your lot won’t be in white.
4. Shifter….do I assume correctly that you are only shifting between FWD, RVS, and PARK? I assume there is only one forward gear.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:30 am
For those who will complain about cleaning dirt and debris in the gap by the center LCD screen, I have two words for you: compressed air. I use it to detail my car to clean dust from the seams and crevices of my car’s dashboard, and it’s amazing how such a small detail makes such a huge difference!
Best of all, it’s fast and easy!
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:30 am
@89 DonC:
>> C’mon Statik, no one who buys a Volt is going to be looking to
>> buy a Cruze.
Hello, allow me to introduce myself. I’m no-one!
I am dying to get my hands on a Volt, but if the Cruze is even ~$6,000 cheaper, it’ll be hard for me to justify the extra cost (and extra risk of a new technology). That is of course, unless gas is $7/gallon by 2011…
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:31 am
#86 Estero – I’d think the exact parameters won’t be set until after the battery testing is over. Who knows, they may even decide to use more than the 50%.
I just say this because the chemistry for the different Lithium batteries are doing very well. Here is Altair Nano’s Navy test showing a loss of 1% of capacity after 500 discharge cycles. That would be equivalent to using the Volt battery pack to power the Volt for 15,000 miles a year for almost three years using the entire pack — a projected 90 mile rather than 45 mile range.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.asp?BzID=546&ResLibraryID=26316&Category=1183
At this rate you could expand the DOD and consequently the range without any major issues.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:33 am
@91 kdawg,
Thanks for the followup. It must be interesting being a controls engineer. I am a software engineer by trade, and about 30% of what I do involves GUI work, so I’m similarly interested. I just never get to play with the hardware
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:39 am
#86 Estero
Forgive any ignorance I might be displaying, but why would it matter if the 50% swing was between 35%-85% or 30%-80%?
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:39 am
A little OT here but Bob Lutz was on The Colbert Report last night and did mention that solar power on the roof would be an option! Lutz wasn’t as funny as I hoped one-on-one with Colbert. He didn’t do a great job selling the car either, but he was as blunt as ever with his answers.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Colbert interview:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/18/video-bob-lutz-on-the-colbert-report/
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:46 am
#94 Mike-O-Matic – “I am dying to get my hands on a Volt, but if the Cruze is even ~$6,000 cheaper, it’ll be hard for me to justify the extra cost (and extra risk of a new technology).”
Then my friend you are getting the Cruze cause the premium for the Volt is going to be way more than $6K.
Of course “no one” is literally not “no one”, but my point is that you either want the tech and have the money or you don’t. Cars are generally divided by price point. If you’re looking in the $45K – $$70K range you’re not looking in the $20K – $28K range. This is particularly true with the Volt: If you’re worried about cost the Volt is probably not the car for you because new tech is always more expensive before it becomes less expensive. Early adopters will spend the bucks for the toys. Conservative types will wait and buy gen 2 or 3 which will be more cost effective for sure.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:47 am
#86 Estero Says: “I seem to recall reading the 50% swing will be between 35%-85% rather than 30%-80%. Anyone know for sure?”
————————————————————————————-
Last summer it was 30/80.
This summer it was 35/85.
Latest from Andrew Farah is:
“Is the customer depletion point going to be exactly 30% state of charge (SOC)?
We are continuing to tweak and tune and develop exactly what that number is.”
http://gm-volt.com/2008/08/25/what-happens-in-the-chevy-volt-past-the-customer-depletion-point/
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Works for me. Black console please.
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS!
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Yeah, yeah, The only thing I care about now (other than price) is: What the hell is the difference between the sport (SPRT) and economy (ECON) modes? Did GM make my dreams of a driving around in car that provides near instantaneous maximum torque on demand with no transmission come true? I’m hoping the “SPRT” mode is the “screw the battery” mode and I could drive constantly 273 ft-lb of torque. Imagine how much of an a**hole I can be on the road passing people in the city while they are busy shifting and reving their ICE to accelerate! (Evil laugh…)
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Bob Lutz was in Toronto yesterday at the GM dealer conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and he brought the Volt with him from Detroit. According to the my coworkers who were there, it was planned as a surprise. The Volt did an entire lap around the inside of the cenvention centre and then was on display for a brief time period.
Here is a Q&A in the Toronto STAR
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/501213
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:58 am
#97 ThombDbhomb Says: “Forgive any ignorance I might be displaying, but why would it matter if the 50% swing was between 35%-85% or 30%-80%?”
————————————————————————————-
1) It affects battery wear.
2) If the gas engine comes on at 35% rather than 30%, there is more buffer to go up and down mountains.
3) If you live on the top of a mountain, and start your commute fully charged, then 85% would only allow 15% charging from regenerative braking.
4) If you run out of gas, 35% would give you more miles to get to a gas station.
Note that initial calculations have shown that #2 and #3 above are probably non-issues. For example, to run out of battery power at 30% it appears you would have to go 80MPH up a constantly steep hill for around 20 miles without ever slowing down, hitting the brakes, leveling off, or going downhill.
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:59 am
#89 DonC
I hear you…and Colbert gets paid to make people look ridiculous, so it was to be expected.
————
Of course it doesn’t ‘really matter’ what the interior looks like right?”
We just whip out ‘ye olde the electrification of the automobile is the only thing that matters’ brush again…cures all problems!
———-
Side note: I just pulled GM’s original press mixer on the concept Volt, I find this interesting:
“The underside of the vehicle consists of a flat, composite molded belly pan that is integrated with the fascias and rockers for a clean, uncluttered and finished appearance. The belly pan – which contributes significantly to the Volt’s 0.30 coefficient of drag – contributes to the sedan’s overall impression of refinement and demonstrates the design of the underbody was just as important as the upper body. ”
Hrm, GM offical press release states it got .30. It doesn’t say maybe, it doesn’t say ‘around,’ it says 30. It even touts the molded bellpan as reason why it achieved this number.
We lost supposedly lost everything because of aerodynamics, not because GM cheaped out…this would call that into question.
http://www.gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/english/about/Community_Sponsorship/Volt_Concept.htm
/somebody isn’t telling the truth
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:00 am
@100 DonC,
Your point is well taken. I merely meant to convey that I consider the Cruze (from what I know of it) to be an acceptable, if more conventional, fall-back position. In my case, at least.
Oh well, if the price difference (net of incentives) is ~$10k I’ll probably bite the bullet anyway! Might have to grit my teeth a little harder, though
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Why would you put the ignition button on the center console?!
It’s going to be mistaken for the radio button and you’re going to have a lot of Volt’s power down on the freeway because the passenger wanted to turn on/off the radio.
It belongs on the driver side under either vent away from the passenger
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:09 am
In regards to post # 2 “I would suppose winter gloves must be removed to activate any buttons, that’s fine with me”
I found out from another site from the interior designer himself that – that this technology will be able to activated just fine if using gloves.
So gloves will not be a problem. Also found out that the seats will be heated and have a sense of Warmth and comfort right away when activated.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:13 am
#94 Mike-o-Matic Says: “I am dying to get my hands on a Volt, but if the Cruze is even ~$6,000 cheaper, it’ll be hard for me to justify the extra cost (and extra risk of a new technology). That is of course, unless gas is $7/gallon by 2011…”
————————————————————————————–
At $3.50 a gallon, the Volt will save a typical driver around $12,000 in gasoline vs. a Cruze over it’s 10-year lifetime. If you don’t keep it for 10 years, the fact that it saves that much gas should significantly increase the resale/trade-in value. Also remember the tax credits, $7000 for Obama, $5000 for McCain. So a $6000 difference threshold seems low to me.
Also, there are a lot of hidden costs associated with gasoline. Some say that if you add all the taxes required to keep the oil flowing, the real cost of gasoline is $10-$15 a gallon right now.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Where is the rear view so I can complain about having a 2nd center console instead of a rear center seat.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I find it interesting that so many here are willing to settle for a Cruze. Sort of defeats the purpose of demanding an electric car from manufacturers, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s great to take it for the team, but I refuse to… So goes the slogan, NO PLUG, NO SALE. We’re in the gas crunch for a reason. I blame consumers.
Just a thought.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:17 am
#108 dennis Says: “Why would you put the ignition button on the center console?! It’s going to be mistaken for the radio button and you’re going to have a lot of Volt’s power down on the freeway because the passenger wanted to turn on/off the radio. It belongs on the driver side under either vent away from the passenger”
————————————————————————————-
First, it’s on the driver’s side, right next to the shifter.
Second, I would imagine that the switch won’t do anything unless you are in Park.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:18 am
This baby is just crying out for a on top display (close to the windshield) with speed in the middle, charge/mileage remaining on one side and gas remaining on the other. GM go look at the top display section of the Honda Civic now – its futuristic, easy to use/read and would work perfectly in the Volt (guys don’t fall into the NIH trap). That big open dash section in front of the driver (because of steep windshield) is just begging for it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:21 am
This wasn’t a good bit in the Times article:
“Finally, there are questions about the cost. G.M. executives concede that they are revising the price upward. While the company initially hinted at a $30,000 starting price, executives have recently suggested that the Volt might end up in the mid- to high-$40,000 range.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/automobiles/14AUTO.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&ref=automobiles&oref=slogin
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:25 am
#135 Dave G
What about 36% to 86%? I guess my point is, maybe we are too concerned about some things. GM will make engineering decisions about battery cycling range. I believe they are balancing variables to produce the “best” product.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
@110 DaveG, Re: payback period and rebate comments.
Thanks for that. It does nudge me back to the “Volt Side” of the Volt-vs-Cruze economic equation.
>> Also, there are a lot of hidden costs associated with gasoline.
>> Some say that if you add all the taxes required to keep the
>> oil flowing, the real cost of gasoline is $10-$15 a gallon right now.
I agree (defense costs, foreign aid, diplomacy, etc.). However, I’d be remiss not to point out, it’s not like they’ll stop taxing us for “the other $6/gallon” ($10/gal total minus the $4/gal at the pump) just ’cause we’re not buying gas. Until gas is extinct as a personal automotive fuel, and those costs finally go away, of course. May the day be soon!
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
#115 Dave B
I believe the company initially hinted at comfortably under $30k.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:28 am
#109 B_Schmatt Says: “Also found out that the seats will be heated and have a sense of Warmth and comfort right away when activated.”
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Yes, this makes a lot of sense. The heater will be all electric anyway. If you put heater wires under the seat, then people will probably use the regular heater and fan less. This means GM can probably get by with a little less efficient heater. So it’s possible that having heated seats standard may actually lower GM’s manufacturing costs.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:31 am
#116 ThombDbhomb Says: “What about 36% to 86%? I guess my point is, maybe we are too concerned about some things.”
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Yep, probably right.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:39 am
#92 Jerome Says: “4. Shifter….do I assume correctly that you are only shifting between FWD, RVS, and PARK? I assume there is only one forward gear.”
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The driver console (behind the steering wheel) has letter designations for:
P R N D M
I’m still trying to figure out what the “M” shifter position is for.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:43 am
#121 Dave G
“I’m still trying to figure out what the “M” shifter position is for.”
I’m betting it is “Mountain” mode in which the ICE kicks on earlier than normal (at 35% battery capacity instead of 30%, for example). This would provide a buffer in case you are driving up Pike’s Peak. It’s an assumption, so we will see…
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I have previously asked about cold weather performance. It seems this was answered at:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/501213
Q: Canada gets cold winters. How well will the car – the battery – perform when the thermometer drops below zero?
A: The computer will know how cold it is outside. If the computer determines it’s too cold for the battery to function, the car will simply start on the gasoline engine. It will run on the gasoline engine until the battery is prepped, at which point the gasoline engine konks out and you’re on battery again. Which is what the pure electric vehicle is not going to do.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:47 am
“M” must stand for manual paddle shifting.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I get a kick out of the references to Obama and McCain’s positions on tax incentives for PHEV’s. The fact is that BOTH of them have abstained on voting for PHEV legislation and the one that gets elected will no longer have a vote in the matter. The winner might veto the bill but won’t effect the content of the bil (I think the current bill is HR 6899, but I was tracking HR 6049…don’t know which one is the one we want…). What they are saying just doesn’t matter. They just want your vote.
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September 18th, 2008 at 11:49 am
#112 Dave B says “I find it interesting that so many here are willing to settle for a Cruze. Sort of defeats the purpose of demanding an electric car from manufacturers, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s great to take it for the team, but I refuse to… So goes the slogan, NO PLUG, NO SALE. We’re in the gas crunch for a reason. I blame consumers.”
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If, as, when there is ever a Volt at a dealer in NC, the following will happen:
1. There will be a big ad that says “Come in and see the Volt. It uses no gas* ”
2. People will go in to see the highly advertised car, thinking “no gas”
3. People will see the high price tag and say “can’t do it.”
4. The salesman will say “no problem” and walk over two steps to a very similar car, inside and outside, that is much cheaper . The Cruze is what they will buy.
Two points:
The community on this web site is not representative of most people. The latter will care about “no gas” far more than “electric drivetrain”. If anything “electric drivetrain” may be a negative, because even ordinary people will know that it means dealer service, not service by the regular place.
For GM and perhaps the customer, the outcome was a good one. The Volt served the function of bait, as in past years has been the role of Corvettes.
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
All this talk about bluetooth, sub ports, radios, batteries and buttons and such, all this technology its not going to matter now, were talking two years down the road, all this will be out dated by then who knows what tech will be here in two years from now and how much competition in other cars there will be, and the production car is nice I would buy it now for whatever the cost but if you look at the videos the car looks to be just about like my ford focus for about fifteen thousand but its an ev and I do love it—NO PLUG NO SALE
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
5 MarkinWI…… You said, “Nasaman had an interesting post at the end of yesterday’s link. I’d be interested in his take on the button, center left above. Top half says: “Econ;” bottom half says “Sprt.” Pure speculation here, but it looks like you may be able to “choose your gearing” by going between a fuel conservation mode and a sport/acceleration mode.”
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Hey Mark, that “ECON/SPRT” switch is part of what leads me to think the “top secret transmission other manufacturers haven’t even thought of” comment that Bob Lutz made during his on-line chat on 9/16 is —in effect— an innovative and robust “torque controller” that instantly switches the drive motor’s windings to enhance performance, passing acceleration and/or economy. For those who missed it, here’s part of what I said on this yesterday…….
It is well known that an electric motor’s windings can be designed to allow switching during operation that achieves extremely high torque at selected rpms (without use of a mechanical gearbox).
Therefore, I think there’s a good chance the Volt MIGHT employ accelerator-position & speed- controlled sensing to temporarily multiply motor torque (by instantaneously re-configuring motor windings). In other words, if rapid acceleration is needed for fast 0-60 times (when in “Sport” mode) or for passing at highway speeds, the drive motor windings can be switched to provide higher torque, then instantly re-optimized for cruising and/or efficient operation at normal highway speeds when the accelerator is returned to a more normal position.
Pure speculation, but I believe it’s technically feasible to shift into “low”, “sport mode”, “passing gear”, etc ….all accomplished electrically without need for a mechanical gearbox. Could this be Bob Lutz’ “top secret”? I think it’s a good guess! *
* If so, the shifter’s “M” position shown in the driver’s 7″ display could enable a button on the shifter’s left side or front that controls whether the car is in Low, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc” —very similar to my 2008 Saturn Vue’s “M” position. I sure hope they’re doing something like this!
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Check this link out – more answers about the interior from the Designer himself – things like that the shifter is mechanical and not and electric shifter – too many concerns. Has more of what Lyle was talking about.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/09/volt-interior.html
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I like what appears to be extra semi-hidden storage in what could be best described of as being forward of the shifter and underneath the white dash portion.
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Here is a regular gasoline car that gets 100 MPG and can easily be made in mass quantities.
http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=177123
This could be a good interim solution until EV gets readily available.
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Why on earth is there a console in an electric car? what a waste of space. it’s already a small car, now they fill up the interior with all that plastic. what happened to the early concepts with a wide open interior? arghh… next.
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September 18th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
129, B_Schmatt…..
Thanks for this input. Actually, I’ve spent some time face-to-face with Tim Grieg —great guy, but I can assure you he’s NOT an engineer, electrical or mechanical. So when he said, ” What’s in there is actually a mechanical shifter, not an electric version like what is found in many hybrids…..”, it’s VERY likely he’s actually talking about a simple, reliable LINKAGE (such as used for decades on normal cars) and that this linkage engages large, robust electrical switches, such as “knife” switches somewhat like those used in large circuit breakers, rather than simply controlling gears in a gearbox (or small, failure-prone panel-mounted switches as in other hybrids).
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
______________________________________________________
Dear VOLT Design Team,
You have done a good job with the production VOLT. It will appeal to a wide audience. No single design will satisfy the entire audience otherwise this would be a very dull world and you would have no reason to refine future iterations of the VOLT nor GM have a reason to implement the VOLT technology platform in other GM portfolio models.
I agree with Mr. Lutz’s comment that the production of the VOLT will help inspire an automotive revolution that will make America more secure. The “VOLT Revolution” will be remarkably swift.
I believe the VOLT will go down in history as the most important production car since the 1908 Ford Model T.
I plan to buy a VOLT because I know I will enjoy driving this car and because I believe I owe it to my seven year old son and five year old daughter to do my part in helping secure their future; the power of one.
Each of you on the VOLT Desgin Team have every reason to be extremely proud of your contributions in making this car a reality.…job well done!
CDAVIS
______________________________________________________
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Its so important to get it out now, don’t wait two years and keep the price down—–NO PLUG NO SALE
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
#106 Statik – “We lost supposedly lost everything because of aerodynamics, not because GM cheaped out…this would call that into question.”
I think you’re asking if the Cd was .3 then why change it. Well I doubt they had any idea what the Cd was when they showed the concept. Maybe a guess or a computer model or something. Or maybe they had to enlarge the concept to comfortably fit four and when they did that all the efficiencies went to hell.
On the other hand, it’s unquestionable that rounding corners reduces drag. That’s just a given. Given that the production car will have a lower Cd, it matters not whether the Cd went from .3 on the concept to .26 on the production or, more likely, from .38 on the concept to .3 on the production.
Or their focus groups may have had a lot of folk like Rashiid’s wife …
#107 Mike-O-Matic – Alright, now the truth comes out. We want the tech! LOL
On this point, Lutz actually said that price was not that important in the first year or two because enough rich people would buy it. He actually said “rich”. OMG. Off the reservation again.
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Moving on to the all important question, which seems so pressing on the minds of those swooning over the concept car, of: will this car get me laid? Here is the Maximum Bob on the Steven Colbert show.
http://jalopnik.com/5051513/bob-lutz-on-colbert-report-claims-chevy-volt-will-get-you-laid
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
# 91 kdawg – *thank you* for those links. The 2nd one offers the following quote from “Greg Cesiel, the Volt’s program director at GM”, which seems to answer my (and many others’) transmission question -
“Q: There is a big shifter in the center console. Many hybrids don’t offer many modes/gears to select. What does the Volt have?
A: “There is one forward, one reverse and one low,” Ciesel said. The low mode (there are no gears for electric drives) uses increased power from regenerative braking to assist in situations like ascending hills.
—
So, if true, there we have it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
#136 DonC
Not to steal your thunder, but I found the clip of the entire spot on youtube and posted it already in this thread (#60). I wouldn’t have brought it up at all, but there is extra content in it, you might find interesting.
—————
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVtfpYgoLcc
/get it before the fleet of Comedy Central lawyers drag it down, lol
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September 18th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I don’t know any rich people with a Chevy …
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September 18th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
With the Orlando off the table, Mr. McGregor said local union officials are focused on making sure it gets to build the Chevrolet Volt, a battery-powered electric car the auto maker plans to build in 2010. The UAW is still trying to hammer out a local agreement with GM, nearly one year after signing a national agreement.
Above from WSJ regarding GM’s Hamtramck plant. Still no local labor agreement there.
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September 18th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
USB not just mp3 audio jack, great!!! Can bring all my media.
WIll the screens support GPS I hope?
WIll leather be a option? It appears part leather and some other material in the pictures.
When in park, can the screen support video from the USB?
Will XM/Sirus be standard?
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September 18th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
The display screen centered on the dash bothers me because it is not shielded from daylight and will be washed out by sunlight. On my BMW, the display screen is inset into the dash so that it is shielded from stray light, making it readable under almost all lighting conditions. This is particularly important when using the NAV system’s map view so that you can easily see the map and names on the map.
The display screen on my daughter’s Toyota is flush with the dash and almost impossible to read under certain sunlight conditions. I hope GM does not repeat that mistake in the final production version of the Volt.
I don’t like touch-sensitive controls because it is too easy to accidently hit a control. I like using my voice command system for controling functions, particularly when placing and answering phone calls on my Bluetooth phone. Also, BMW provides 6 programmable buttons on the dash so you can easily select your most frequently used functions. There are also a couple programmable buttons on the steering wheel. The six buttons were added to the 2008 5-Series because of complaints about using the i-Drive controller to select functions while driving. I would like to see GM provide a few user-programmable buttons in the Volt.
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September 18th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Wonder if there’s adaptive cruise control — had the gap function on the steering wheel…
Any ideas?
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September 18th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I don’t like on-wheel audio controls. I prefer behind-wheel paddles. Save on-wheel buttons for cruise control and horn.
And the center console, it’s not bad, but I don’t like iPod looks. Give people more options. Not everyone is a Mac fan.
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September 18th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Is there any chance GM will have an option to make this a five passenger car? I have 3 children, so I really need a five passenger car. I know the battery pack is sort of in the way of a center rear seat, but maybe they could reduce the battery capacity some for this option? The rear-center passenger could easily straddle the hump in the middle of the floor (like a rear wheel drive car hump), but of course, GM would have to trim down the battery height in the seat area. If GM doesn’t offer this option, then they might be vulnerable to competitors who figure out a way to do it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I really like the interior. No complaints except for the white console. Would look really good if it were faux wood colored or slate gray, but not white.
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September 18th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Lyle,
Do you think there is enough headroom and legroom for someone 6′7″ tall?
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I think I have an advantage over the average buyer, in that if I can get it at $30,000, I’ve already worked out that with a 40 mile range, it will save me around $4000 a year in gas ASSUMING a mileage of 40 miles per gallon when using it at my current commute, even more depending. If the mileage is actually closer to 50 as they claim, I’m in even better shape. I just hope my ‘99 cutlass with it’s ‘revving a harley’ A/C will hold together long enough.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
#23 Statik
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/02/spy-shots-chevy-cruze-shows-off-its-interior/
First impression…I like the Cruze dashboard better in some ways. The center console screen is mounted better…who knows what dealership techs will find under and behind the Volt screen?
While the screen behind the steering wheel looks high tech, the traditional style gauges might be more pleasing in the long run. Also, some folks will prefer to have some essential vehicle functions performed by products with a connection to a traditional vehicle. I consider speed and fuel/charge gauges essential functions. What is the saying…too much of a good thing can make you sick.
Analog gauges are easier to read with a glance. And a glance should only be needed while driving. I may change my mind about the steering wheel screen, but I doubt it.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I do believe GM is finally listening to what people want.
Build it and they will be purchased!
Nice Job!
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I can’t wait to get our soldiers home. Probably by 2012 or 2013 when these and all the other brands start selling. No plug, No buy.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Imagine a frog in the “shifter hole”
Not in your line of sight from the driver’s position.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
This is a beautiful and most advanced car. When people find out how much money they can save everyone will want one. May I suggest selling the car with a whole home solar cell generator and battery storage system. Everyone could recharge and drive for free. No more getting hosed at the gas pumps! I’ll be checking it out at the dealer.
Thanks!
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Quick question…
From a human factors perspective, any chance of pinching your fingers as you slide the shifter into the center stack?
Otherwise, look forward to buying one !!
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September 18th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Just my perspective on the use for “M” on the gear selection.
I believe this could stand for motor. In other words, you could by-pass the battery and engage the motor to run off the generator instead. If you know you are going on a 300 mile trip why even opt to use the battery (you’ll drain on the first 40 miles) so, save the charge and run on the generator.
D=Battery powered
M=Generator powered (Motor)
Just a thought, Scott
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
#139 JimGalaxy
I found your post about 5 minutes after I posted mine; It sounds like you hit the nail on the head.
Scott
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September 18th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
you bimbos M stands for manul so you can down shift while going up or down hills. that what M does on my esclade esv
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September 19th, 2008 at 12:31 am
I wanaa know What the Heck the red warning type switch on the passenger side of the center console looks like Back seat driver Eject system button Or the Don’t press the little red buttn concept maybe an auto distruct :pJust currious looks important any ways
Maybe it’s the Mikro shut the Hell up button huh ?
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September 19th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Things that I think about with interior design.
1) Console surfaces prone to reflecting onto the windshield.
2) Are the LCD display layouts distracting while driving? I can see the driver focusing too much on them during operation of the vehicle.
3) Tactile feedback on controls is lacking with capacitive buttons. How well do they work with glove or mitten hands?
4) What’s up with those thumb wheels on the steering wheel?
5) How does this sporty interior fit with the every increasing size of the American population?
6) Don’t like that “iPod white” center console. Looks distractingly out of place to me. I guess it will look better covered in fingerprints and coffee stains. Can you imagine how hard it will be to get the dirt/liquids out from around that center console display.
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September 19th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
#160 Mikro – I believe most people think it is the Hazard Flasher control, but that being said, an eject button for out of control kids or adults that act like kids is certainly worth considering.
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September 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I can’t wait till 2010 so I can drive one,then buy one.
It looks great and is a great idea.
Make a bunch!!!!!!!
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September 21st, 2008 at 4:17 am
I like it and have heard about it before I propobly saw an eairlier prototype but I think you can make it run on ethenol unleded/regular electric and hydrogen but if I was you I would leave it as it is and run on electric and gas and ethonol then as the years go by and you get some new technology you can add hydrogen
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September 22nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
The rear looks like there’s enough for a 5th seat. THe 5th seat is not supposed to be comfortable.
Have the engineer’s play some more tetris and figure out a way to get a 5th seat in there.
The stereo-typical american family of 5 (Husband, wife, 2 1/2 kids) could not use this car.
Unless the battery is sticking through the cabin, I don’t see a reason why you can’t add a 5th seat.
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October 5th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Dylan
How do you shift an electric motor?
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October 5th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Dylan,
How do you shift an electric motor?
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