Comments on: GM Officially Announces it Will Open Chevy Volt Engine Plant in Flint Michigan

By: woody todd

woody todd — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:13:29 +0000

woody todd: (Quote)

By: woody todd

woody todd — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:12:17 +0000

JonP.: Statik& Sherman @ 8“Er…I’m sorry…may I just say WTF? The engine will be used to drive the car? When the hell did this happen? I thought the idea of not having the engine linked to the drive train was what made the Volt so much different from a hybrid. Is this really true?”Me too, i was under the impression from the very start that the generator would never be used to propel the elctric motor. What happened to eliminating the “human factor”. Just a few weeks ago they were saying that once the battery reached it’s “depletion point” the generator would run to “maintain” the battery at a 30% SOC to power the car.When did this change, or is this just another douche bag reporter that can’t change a flat? (Quote)

By: Anatole Maher

Anatole Maher — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:19:37 +0000

‘…..But company spokesman Rob Peterson said Wednesday that engineers changed the design so the Volt engine will power a generator that would run the electric motor after the batteries are depleted. A small amount of power from the generator will recharge the batteries, but most will be used to directly run the car, he said.”

After reading many comments my understanding is that the ICE/dc generator which is rated at 53 kW will ONLY be used to supply power to a controller which converted to 3 ph PWM variable frequency feeds a 120 kW induction motor, speed reducing differential and the front wheels. This generator only comes on after the battery charge is depleted to around 25 – 30% (4 – 5 kwH remaining)
If there is then a heavy demand exceeding 53 kW, the battery kicks in to supply juice for a very limited time,(I figure about 5 – 8 minutes)
During deceleration/braking the car’s kinetic energy regenerates the battery, the wheels supply mechanical energy to the induction motor now running as a generator above synchronous speed, back to the 3 phase controller which is rectified to the 120 V DC of the battery
During this time the dc generator PRESUMABLY is disconnected from the controller???
Also when the ICE is operating the design is such that the battery cannot receive current from it so it also must be disconnected from the dc bus of the power controller??

Power/energy flows
Drive mode
ICE/dc generator-A (after40 mi)–> dcbus controller–>diffl–>wheels
battery@30%cap(load >53kW)B–>dcbus controller–>diffl.->wheels

Regeneration deceleration/braking intermittently
ICE/dc generator..A
battery<-@ 30 – 80%capB<–dcbus controller<–diffl<–wheels
QUESTION:

What method is used to prevent the generator in drive mode from directly feeding the battery if both are connected to a dc bus, allowing the battery to supply power when needed? and in the regeneration mode disconnect the dc generator from the bus while allowing power to flow back into the battery? some type of switching is required.at A and B?

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:48:56 +0000

For a few dollars in assembling the engine, they could offer the engine in CNG and that would be waaaaay cool ! ! !

Or, even better……..dual-fuel CNG/GAS.

See ya later OPEC ! ! !

By: Detfan

Detfan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:58:39 +0000

#143, my Malibu was built at Fairfax, right here in the USA. My fathers Buick Enclave was built in Lansing, MI. My daughters Cobalt was built at Lordstown, My next door neighbors Silverado was built in Ft. Wayne. A colleague of mine owns a Buick Lucerne, built in Detroit. A neighbor around the corner from me owns a Saturn Aura, built at Fairfax. Another coworker of mine owns a Pontiac G6 built at Orion, MI. My raquetball partner has a Cadillac CTS, built in Lansing. My brother has a GMC Envoy, built at Morraine. Finally, the Chevy Volt will be built at Hamtramick. I’m sorry GM doesn’t build much of their product in the USA !!!