I had the chance to speak to GM VP of global program management, Jon Lauckner about how the Volt will be rolled out, and what GM’s plans might be for pre-production test fleet rollout.
Will you launch the Volt globally all at the same time when production begins or will you start US first and then gradually move it worldwide?
It hasn’t been finally decided. Lets put it this way, we will have a rollout plan. We haven’t decided exactly what we’re going to do because frankly the work is development. We are going to start in North America and then depending on what makes sense we’ll start exporting the vehicle to other areas around the world.
We think we have a line of sight on all the major markets of the world with an opportunity to make the Volt a reality in those markets as well.
When it comes to rolling out the car in the U.S., do you anticipate starting out with a small fleet and gaining information about how the car is functioning, like you are doing with the fuel cell Equinox, or are you just going to release it?
First of all as part of the development program we typically have small numbers of vehicles that we put out in the hands of people that drive them on a daily basis. That’s a part of our development program that occurs prior to production. We call that a “captured test fleet”. Captured meaning we know where the cars are and we know who the drivers are, and test fleet because the cars aren’t in production yet. We use the versions that we build at the tail end of the development cycle to really put them out there on a daily basis to get better understanding of whats going on with the vehicles.
We will be doing that with the Volt as well. We will have the typical development program that will result in a captured test fleet prior to starting production. And then, once we reach production, then we will start ramping up.
Again we haven’t decide exactly how we are going to do it, but I would anticipate that we will do it in a fairly measured way. And this is not unusual for us, we do this in Europe as well. In Europe its not unusual for Opel/Vauxhall to start production in one market and then as they build volume in that market, they add additional ones down the line.
The point is it makes no sense if you’re ramping up production to have people frustrated because the car is in theory able to be sold in every area but they cant get their hands on one because the amount or volume is relatively small.
So I am sure that we’ll use a cadenced approach but typically we ramp up our plants reasonably quickly and beyond that its too early to talk about volumes and specific geographic areas.
Is the captured test fleet something that people would buy or will it be a leasing scenario?
Typically we put these in the hands of GM folks, when we do it prior to the start of production; employees, people in the technical community, people who work in the plants, manufacturing, etc.
The idea is to put those with a small group of peole where you can get rapid feedback on what’s going on. Now thats the way we’ve done it for our regular production programs. What we do for the Volt could be a variation of that. There’s nothing to say that we couldn’t do a program much like Project Driveway.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 am and is filed under Launch, Prototypes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:06 am)Lyle, you do get around alot.
Nice proprietary article, which makes you ‘the man’
Good job.
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Is the captured test fleet something that people would buy or will it be a leasing scenario?
Typically we put these in the handsof GM folks, when we do it prior to the start of production; employees, people in the technical community, people who work in the plants, manufacturing, etc.
The idea is to put those with a small group of peole where you can get rapid feedback on what’s going on. Now thats the way we’ve done it for our regular production programs. What we do for the Volt could be a variation of that. There’s nothing to say that we couldn’t do a program much like Project Driveway.
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There you have it…don’t plan on getting a pre-production Volt (not a big surprise really I don’t think).
It does indeed sound like the ‘pre-production’ steps are going to be the same, or very similar to the flex Camaro, maybe we can use that as some kind of yardstick of ‘where we are’ in the future.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:18 am)I would be more than willing to be a part of this captured test fleet. I drive almost exactly 40 miles a day and would be happy to report my experiences to GM on a daily basis.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:20 am)Ever, ever so closer to production. : )
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:25 am)All, if anyone outside GM deserves to be part of the captured fleet, it is Lyle. He has done so much to spread the word of the Volt to the world and he gets my vote to be first.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:27 am)Now that is a great picture! It really shows the true clean lines of the car. I’ve seen the car up close and it’s smaller then you think.
Pre-production test fleet vehicles are traditionally owned and even insured by GM. The vehicles are usually returned back to GM. I don’t know of anytime in the past where GM has let anyone buy or keep a pre-production vehicle, especially this early on. That’s why they are given to GM employees. Early production models are usually given to a wider variety of people for example, auto critics get them for evaluation and for use on broadcast television shows. But these are early “production” vehicles. Pre-production vehicles always have a ton of liability issues and GM legal always errors on the side of extreme caution. (remember the EV1)
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:30 am)I would love tohelp them with a test vehicle, and could provide them with valuable daily information. I live close to Michigan, near Lake Erie in northwest Ohio, so I am a perfect mix of frigid arctic, and warm summer weather patterns. I drive roundtrip 37 miles a day.
GM, please contact me if you want a thorough, and comprehensive review of the Volt from a dedicated EV fan.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:41 am)#5 Gord B
Pre-production test fleet vehicles are traditionally owned and even insured by GM. The vehicles are usually returned back to GM. I don’t know of anytime in the past where GM has let anyone buy or keep a pre-production vehicle, especially this early on.Pre-production vehicles always have a ton of liability issues and GM legal always errors on the side of extreme caution. (remember the EV1)
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I know all about this, I almost completely obliterated a pre-production Camaro on a back road, north of Oshawa…apparently GM employees have difficulties understanding stop signs, or maybe the ‘pre-production brakes’ were not working so well, lol. Either way, what is the value on a ‘ one off’ pre-produciton Camaro? hehe
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:54 am)I think GM should do both a Project Driveway and putting the Volt in the hands of GM employees. They would get more feed back from a variety of sources. The Project Driveway could be limited to a specific area of the country to control it better just as the employee plan would be there in Detroit or close to the actual plant.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:56 am)It may be just me, but the Volt looks even MORE beautiful each time i see a picture of it.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:57 am)#1 Statik
What do you mean by “flex Camaro”? Is there a plan to put the Volt power train into a Camaro?
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (8:58 am)I’d have to say, I would be afraid to be driving one of the few Volts on the road. I would have to upgrade my garage door lock and add a security system to it as well. Not that I live in a bad neighborhood, but news travels fast about who is testing a car that’s made to reduce oil consumption.
I would bet OPEC is not happy about the GM Volt.
NPNS!
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (9:16 am)2009 is going to be a very long year….for a variety of reasons.
On a happier note, the more time goes by the less I think about the death of the concept…time heals
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (9:18 am)This is a little OT…but, certainly good information to share.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/10/20/electric.cars.ap/index.html
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (9:19 am)I think GM should take a good look at this list
Lyle – for all the work he has done promoting the Volt
A lot of us who travel between 30 to 60 mile a day, to and from work
I drive 52 miles a day in North Iowa. Hot 85 F days to Cold -20 days.
With the proper software and the number of open WiFi points across the country GM could poll each Volt or have it check in with data on all the equipment.
How many days till I can order mine???????
Tom
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (9:23 am)#10 N Riley
#1 Statik
What do you mean by “flex Camaro”? Is there a plan to put the Volt power train into a Camaro?
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No, I’m referring to the new Global RWD Architecture-merged Sigma/Zeta platform, it was/is to be much like the new Delta (Volt) platform, with easily interchangeable production.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, the world wants FWD, smaller cars more suited to the Delta II…or whatever GM is calling it this moment. Right now, only the Camaro is rolling at the plant now, with another ‘unnamed’ car starting up next year. So the whole project may prove to be a big waste of dollar bills.
I think, the options would be (don’t hold me to this list, just guessing off of the top of my heard:
Camaro (in production)
G8/Holden Commodore (Australia is along way away, captive import not a efficient thing)
G8 ST (the stupidest name ever, why even hold a contest? -the sport truck/el camino looking thing)
CTS (?-next gen)
Holden Statesman
Morano (think captive import, but to Australia, basically a GTO…this also doubtful, maybe scrapped?)
Buick Park Avenue (if they still want to ship them all the way to China)
Cadillac – planned, unnamed car to compete with BMW 3 series
Lucerne (doubtful)
STS/DTS (next gen)
Again, that was just spit-balling again, I’m sure there are more and some that can be eliminated (ala the Impala used to be considered for this line) if anyone cares to add/update. Although the plant is not too far away from where I live, I don’t follow it very closely.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (9:55 am)Out of topic,
Statik (s), I observed 2 (two) Statiks on the home page “Top commentators” one with 1181 comments and the other one with 583.
Are they twins, Statik and statik ? A fake ? Or is there a bug ?
JC
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:19 am)How on earth are they going to produce enough vehicles, batteries to even begin thinking about a global launch? It seems to the that they’ll be able to sell everything they make in N.A. in N.A. Global distribution has got to be from production facilities around the world.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:20 am)Folks who think they can be a member of the test fleet… keep dreaming…. GM has more than enough employees here in the States and all over the world to handle it, even if it’s Joe the Plumber or Joe the Accountant at one of their plants. Why would they want to go outside GM and run the risk something goes wrong and it gets splattered across the blogs.
#14… yea, I was thinking the same thing… though not using public wifi networks… though possibly via OnStar… however I was just thinking about the massive amounts of data they could collect given they also have the GPS. Those drivers won’t be able to piss without GM knowing about it
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:23 am)#4 & #11
I agree completely!
Lyle more than deserves a test vehicle. It’d be awesome to have first hand unedited review.
OPEC not happy? Music to my ears!
Up yours Iraq & Venezuela!!!
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:25 am)Ken #4
“All, if anyone outside GM deserves to be part of the captured fleet, it is Lyle. He has done so much to spread the word of the Volt to the world and he gets my vote to be first.”
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That would be great if it happened. The problem is that “captured” is captured for a reason. GM wants to keep details, specifics and problems WRT the Volt under wraps during this period of time. Unfortunately I don’t think GM is going to release one of these to someone who runs a blog. We’d sure get details on the record though if they did.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:33 am)hi ken # 4,
I second your thoughts on Lyle getting a test driver permit.
A few small favors and acknowledgments would do wonders for GM on the PR front. Positive word of mouth is a beautiful thing in any business. Let’s hope GM is reading all of the Volt related ideas and from-the-heart comments in the many pages posted here.
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hi tim #9,
“…the Volt looks even MORE beautiful each time i see a picture of it.”
I think the Volt would look WICKED in a black cherry red. ‘Victory red’ belongs on the Camaro.
http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/blackcherryfront.jpg
=D~
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:33 am)#16 Jean-Charles Jacquemin
Out of topic,
Statik (s), I observed 2 (two) Statiks on the home page “Top commentators” one with 1181 comments and the other one with 583.
Are they twins, Statik and statik ? A fake ? Or is there a bug ?
JC
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Sweetness!
Two of Me, life if good my friends!
Hehe, I imagine it is because I am very inconsistant with capitalizing my ‘S,’ perhaps it is case sensitive.
Or on the other hand, perhaps it doesn’t like it when I use a unverifiable/3rd party IP, which I use from time to time so my interent experiance is not filtered/blocked from my location…it may dump all those posts in another slot. ie) I can’t download full episodes from NBC in Canada…so I have to do the ‘internet fancy dance’
…or maybe I did it on purpose with another email address, because I don’t want to be seen like a huge loser being the person who posts the most on the site.
Clearly noel park is that loser! (hehe, just kidding noel)
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:34 am)This post is just a test to see if it counts up on both totals.
/you have me curious now
EDIT: Seems to be my ‘unfiltered IP/natural’ comments move only the higher one…I’m going to assume the other is ‘masked IP Statik’, I don’t have that computer running at the moment…I’ll test it out later, lol.
Side note: All the comments are mine, thus far…I’ve never seen a ’shadow statik’
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:43 am)this picture of the volt is, dare i say, sexy!? i wet my pants
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:43 am)by the way, if anyone wants to invest in A123 (the battery maker) before their IPO… you can do so indirectly by buying GE, which now owns 9% of A123, see http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINN2129513420081022?rpc=44
Of course for GE it’s such a small amount that even if A123 shot up 100 fold after the IPO, it’s unlikely to be visible in GE’s stock price. However GE’s dividend yield is up to 6.2% (there is always the risk though the dividend could be cut in a market like this).
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:54 am)I’ve long suspected that there is a whole team of Statiks. No one person could be like that.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:56 am)#25 Jeff M
by the way, if anyone wants to invest in A123 (the battery maker) before their IPO… you can do so indirectly by buying GE, which now owns 9% of A123, see http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINN2129513420081022?rpc=44
Of course for GE it’s such a small amount that even if A123 shot up 100 fold after the IPO, it’s unlikely to be visible in GE’s stock price. However GE’s dividend yield is up to 6.2% (there is always the risk though the dividend could be cut in a market like this).
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You touched on something I have been watching for awhile as the market has gone done…namely GE’s yield. The thought of a 6.2% yield and owning GE, which is a very stable (to say the least – 9.5 p/e) company is getting more and more attractive.
And other stuff, GM is trying to sell ACDelco? Sounds like they try to spin it as part of their ‘plan to achieve 15 billion in liquidity,’ but this is a new one to me.
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7bFD142BB9-1A5E-462E-9D3F-33E2DF415080%7d&siteid=yhoof2
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (11:09 am)@ #19 BDP,
>> Up yours Iraq & Venezuela!!!
BDP, did you mean to type “Iran” instead of “Iraq?”
Not that I mind if you’re upset by/at/about Iraq, but personally I see the Iran, and even the Saudis, as a bigger enemy to our interests than (today’s) Iraq. I’m just curious what you meant.
PS all, FWIW, I agree that if Lyle doesn’t get to be one of the first “test pilots” of the initial Volt test fleet, that’s a damnable crime if ever there was one. He should get a free production Volt to boot, IMHO.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (11:32 am)#26 ThombDbhomb
I’ve long suspected that there is a whole team of Statiks. No one person could be like that.
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Lol, yet you think there could be a whole team? I hope we get matching uniforms.
Edit/side note on the post count thing: Scratch all that stuff I theorized before. It is just some bug in the code that is splitting my posts up two ways. My last post tagged/increased the number to the ‘bottom’ Statik and not the other one, with exactly the same computer, on the same thread.
/nothing is perfect
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (11:46 am)Geesh, I’d be willing to provide feedback to GM and pay a “leasing” fee to be part of the captured test fleet and would even purchase a data logger for the vehicle’s electric outlet and provide detailed electric usage logs over the life of the test.
Wonder if that offer would get me one?
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:22 pm)Careful on that GE stock. I use to work for them and had always suspect their numbers due to the ridiculous Six Sigma less than honest numbers the employees would create.
Low and behold, last week (IIRC) it was revealed that GE Capital would pull last minute hail mary’s to make the GE numbers. Plus I think they just diluted(due to Buffet) with 250 mil? more shares put into existance.
I am not selling my GE, but I am not buying anymore until it gets closer to 15.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:24 pm)I think Statik, statik and Lyle are the same person
NO PLUG NO SALE NO WAY =D—-$00.00
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:28 pm)Lyle, thanks for the insight on this.
Here’s how I think the roll out should work:
Whatever market (area) GM decides to go into, they should go by the local dealer’s list as well as Lyle’s list.
Assumptions:
3 people want to buy the Volt at that dealer on the first day.
I signed up on Lyle’ list on Jan 1, ‘08.
Fred signed up on the dealer’s list on Jan 1, ‘08.
Peggy walked into the dealer for the first time on Nov. 30th. 2010.
Lets say Cleveland is the first Volt area and Fred , Peggy, and I live in Cleveland. And, let’s say the dealer that I listed on Lyle’s list, gets 2 volts delivered on Nov 30th.
I believe they should combine Lyle’s list with the local list, and then sort by date, by Lyle’s list w/i local list. In this case, Fred should get the first car, as he actually went into that dealer. I should get the second car, as I signed up on Lyle’s list on that same day. After that, it’s up for grabs and Peggy will have to wait for the next truck.
Not sure what to do re people who put down deposits.
=D~~~~
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:29 pm)According to the post, Mr Lauckner put it this way “Lets put it this way, we will have a rollout plan.”
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“Information” is transmitted when the probability of something being true or false is changed by the receipt of a message. Using that definition, the sentence above carries no information, because we all knew already there would be rollout plan of some sort. The question was, what is the plan? Here we don’t get anything.
“Again we haven’t decide exactly how we are going to do it, but I would anticipate that we will do it in a fairly measured way. ”
Once again, no one expected that GM would do a rollout in a “unmeasured” way, so there is no information in that message.
Mr Lauckner’s whole response is like this. I guess the only information received is that there is as of now no rollout plan that GM will tell us anything about. Very disappointing.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:32 pm)#32 Casey said “I think Statik, statik and Lyle are the same person”
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Sort of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde theory, I suppose, or perhaps that should be Mr Hyde, mr hyde, and Dr Jekyll?
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (12:37 pm)I’ll also throw my hat into the ring. I’m willing to test drive a pre-production Volt provided GM reimburses me for my electric bill (the entire bill, I don’t want to be bothered figuring out how much the Volt uses). I’ll also require a small monthly retainer to compensate me for my trouble. I’ll agree to take one long road trip a month fully expecting GM to cover all my expenses. In return, at the end of the test period I’ll send GM an e-mail stating whether I liked the car or not. GM, please contact before the end of the week, this is a time limited offer.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (1:21 pm)It’s somewhat interesting to read Lauckner’s responses. At one point, Bob Lutz indicated that there would be no outside test program, and that only GM employees would drive the “Captured Test Fleet”.
Now it appears that Jon Lauckner has at least left the door open for a possible “Project Driveway”.
With such a high profile car as the Volt, and especially in light of the media attention it is likely to get, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a “Project Driveway” program for the Volt. And just think, unlike the fuel cell Equinox, you don’t need special fueling stations to get your energy (hydrogen), you just plug in.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (1:29 pm)hello everyone.. its been a while.. yes its jeremy with the bad spelling/ grammer.. the hard working one .
anyways im glad to see the volt is comming laong nicely…
the volt around the world is actualy a good idea.. it will help us indirectly by decreasing oil pricing due to lack of demand. short term * till they cut production in half of course*
secondly.. GM has more then enough eager fan boys..
no they dont need u to test the volt.. no they are not interested. k?.
and lastlyi hope u boys are liking this cheap gas .. because guess what? the oil companys are going to cut production already! bringing the gas prices up again.. yay for us! + its holiday season soon and we all know thats a price hike or three!
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (2:20 pm)#32 Casey said
“I think Statik, statik and Lyle are the same person”
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So that is what is going on. Confess up, Statik, ah statik, ah Lyle. Whichever one of you it is.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (2:37 pm)#37 BillR says “Now it appears that Jon Lauckner has at least left the door open for a possible “Project Driveway”. ”
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In fact Mr Lauckner seems to have left all the doors open. With sympathy to him, the Volt has become such a high-profile product within a rapidly changing environment that he probably is best off to remain uncommitted until he gets a formal directive. Maybe the information in Lyle’s post is that no such directive exists as of now.
In the meantime, various executive level people at GM, from the Chairman of the Board on down, may wish to have some hand in deciding what is done. (I think they all are agitated at the moment and buzzing around.) Mr Lauckner, I think, wishes to be able to follow any high-level directives without contradicting himself. So basically he talks without saying anything, which in effect says “I’ll be happy to say the world is round or world is flat, as directed.”
If i were in his place, I’d do the same thing.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (2:51 pm)Off topic…electric Porsche story:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=10&article_id=7182
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (2:55 pm)My personal opinion, if any one wants to know it, is that GM should ship the first 50,000 Volts to dealerships in the U.S. and Canada. These are “home” country dealerships. The customers in these two countries would be easier for GM to handle problems for. This would serve GM better than having a few Volts scattered around the world. By 2013 GM could be mass-producing the Volt in at least three plants world-wide and could be shipping them to every corner of the world. If November 2010 holds as the date the Volt will go on sale in the U.S., we are talking about very little production in 2010. Most of the first year’s production will be done in the calendar year 2011. That leaves 2012 where probably 40,000 of the first 50,000 will be produced. Of course, I believe if GM wants to, they could produce 50,000 in the first year of production here in the U.S. I guess we will find out in about 24 months, more or less.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:08 pm)Things seem a little quite in Gotham City today. Everyone watching the stock market slide into oblivion? In my opinion, we spend too much time listening and watching what the media and the politicians are saying about the economy. It is to their advantage to talk it down. Happens every election cycle. I stopped paying much attention and what I do see or hear, I kinda ignore.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:10 pm)#32 Casey said
“I think Statik, statik and Lyle are the same person”
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#39 N Riley
So that is what is going on. Confess up, Statik, ah statik, ah Lyle. Whichever one of you it is.
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Yupe, I set ‘em up…to knock ‘em down.
Trust me, me and Lyle are not the same people, lol. He is too gentile/optimisitc and all around nice guy…I’m not good at the ‘glass half full’ stuff.
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Side notes: Bad day for the markets…bad day for oil (or good day, depending on how you look at it, off another $5.25 @ $66.95)
Also, autoblog has a ditty saying that Toyota may continue to sell the ‘old Prius’ at a discount, along side the ‘new Prius’ in response to the Honda Insight’s lower price structure (at least in the UK…maybe US).
It makes good sense to me, someone wants just a cheap hybrid, I’m sure Toyota can retail the ‘old Prius’ alot less than they sell them for now, maybe even lower than the Insight and still make a good buck. Lots of demand out there still for anything with good MPGs.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/22/rumormill-toyota-to-offer-old-prius-in-u-k-as-low-cost-leader/
We have a similar situation in Canada with VW. Although it is more of VW using Canada as a dumping ground for production. VW sells both the old Jetta and Golf (now Rabbit), along side the new. They badge the old as ‘City Jetta’ and ‘City Golf’
Jetta – $17,600 USD ($22,000Cdn)
‘City Jetta’ -$13,500 ($16,900Cdn)
Golf/Rabbit – $15,980 USD ($19,975Cdn)
‘City Golf’ – $12m080 ($15,100Cdn)
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:10 pm)BillR #37
“Now it appears that Jon Lauckner has at least left the door open for a possible “Project Driveway”.”
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You’ve really got to wonder about that one. Project Driveway is IIR a two or so year program. They really don’t have time for this unless the initial 10K or what have you are not really a sale but part of Project Driveway. This really makes me wonder when the Volt will really go on sale… for real consumers.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:34 pm)It was my understanding that it took 18 months to re-tool and get the first cars off the production line. That still leaves them some time, but why not get it started and have the Volt ready to go sooner. Must be a problem somewhere they are still working on and want to solve it before production lines are set. Could be batteries, battery control systems or software. No telling and GM is not talking.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:36 pm)#42 N. Riley says “If November 2010 holds as the date the Volt will go on sale in the U.S., ..”
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All of GM’s statements over the last couple of months (so far as I know) have identified November 2010 as the date when production is to begin, not the date when Volts will go on sale. My understanding (you probably know more than I do) is that cars usually are not on sale a dealerships until a few months after production begins, so as to fill up the pipeline.
Maybe this change is just incidental, but it has been consistent.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:37 pm)Has anyone obtained a confirmed “yes, this will SELL, not just lease, in 2011″ answer from GM yet?
I’m not interested in the Volt if I can’t own it, especially since it’s an EV, which have historically retained their value while traditional gas cars lose value rapidly as soon as you drive it off the lot.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:38 pm)#46 N. Riley said ” Could be batteries, battery control systems or software. No telling and GM is not talking.”
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I think they said at one point that the final cycle of the tests of battery lifetime would not be completed until early 2009 (February?).
If so, the fact that tests are incomplete does not mean there is a problem, but it could be a good reason to wait and see.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:41 pm)#48 kubel says “Has anyone obtained a confirmed “yes, this will SELL, not just lease, in 2011″ answer from GM yet? ”
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I don’t remember a definite statement on sale versus lease, but of course there has been a lot of discussion of price, which clearly has been a price for the vehicle for someone buying it.
That is, it looks to me like buying the Volt is what they will offer, unless there is some special arrangement to lease the battery.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:41 pm)Black Gold is going for $66.38 per barrel !
Time to put the pedal to the metal.
As for who gets Volt first, the USA needs to realize that they are becoming more and more irrelevant in the global market for cars, so I would put them in the most profitable part of the company’s operations which happen to be overseas, sorry America needs to take a back seat on this one.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:42 pm)Ah, GM has rolled out the big guns, the Volt!! A weapon so powerful we do not yet know the consequences of its deployment.
Yup, GM is winning the war… They have captured the enemy’s fleet… Not only that, it is their most advanced fleet, known as the “Test Fleet”. It is most amazing that not a single Volt was fired. The diplomacy is fantastic.
Er, was that the Atlantic or Pacific fleet?
Red HHR (Volt wannabee)
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:43 pm)At this point, it looks like my plans are to keep driving my new 2009 Honda Accord EX-L until a car like the Pininfarina Bollore is available. That would give me a commuter car and a travel car. My wife can run her errands around town in the electric and same for me when I need to do so. On the few occasions where we need to travel over the 153 miles per charge of the Pininfarina Bollore, we can use the Honda. GM keeps dragging things out and they will lose a lot more customers to the competition, because it is going to be hot and heavy by the end of 2009. By the time November 2010 gets here, competition may be too stiff to overcome. GM needs to get this thing rolling off the assembly line much sooner than that. I can see the advantage of the Volt over a pure electric, a hybrid or a gasoline only car, but they have got to get it out there so it can be purchased. If not, they will lose out.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:44 pm)Of course, I don’t know what the Pininfarina Bollore electric car is going to sell for in the U.S. Does anyone know? I may not be able to afford it. It is a sharp looking little electric car. The Italians did a great job on the design. But, they nearly always do, don’t they? Plus, it has solar cells on the roof and in the front upper grille. Pretty great, I think. Take a look. Google the Pininfarina Bollore name and see the car.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:52 pm)Was is das ?
If Chevy really want to make Volt the next “peoples car” (ala VW Beetle) then they should absolutely sell in Europe first, then Asia and then North America. The Volt make more cents here in the EU than in the vast open space of USA where you travel far greater distances. Remember that Chevy is a “world” brand and not an American Only brand.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:54 pm)As for who gets the first Volt…
Go see your favorite politician.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122463178413656455.html
Red HHR (No political bumper sticker!)
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (3:55 pm)#42 N Riley
If November 2010 holds as the date the Volt will go on sale in the U.S., we are talking about very little production in 2010. Most of the first year’s production will be done in the calendar year 2011.
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#46 Grizzly
You’ve really got to wonder about that one. Project Driveway is IIR a two or so year program. They really don’t have time for this unless the initial 10K or what have you are not really a sale but part of Project Driveway. This really makes me wonder when the Volt will really go on sale… for real consumers.
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Welcome to my world, lol. Come on in…the water is warm.
In my opinion, no real person was ever getting a car at any point for 2010. The company line has always been a target of November 2010 for the start of production. GM has been very careful with the wording, and it has been re-iterated endlessly. Sure, sometimes, you get a quote from some person at GM that says showrooms…but maybe that is just bad reporting…or a slip of the tongue.
GM could ’start’ production in November 2010, but not have the first Volt slip out the door to a real customer until late spring of 2011…or later. This is where the goal of 10,000 units in 2011 comes into play as a red flag.
EDIT: Should read all posts before replying…like RB said in #48, good point my friend, lol
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:03 pm)Absolutely the Volt should sell in Germany first. If the Chevy Cruze is to sell in EU first than it is our right to have the Volt here first. Everyone knows that the Volt is a modified Cruze so EU production line could easily ramp up for Volt. The EuroVolt will be a big seller here for sure. Note to GM exec in charge of production: The EU is a much larger market than the US, we have a far greater purcha$ing power than the Americans.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:08 pm)Well, if GM wants to be cute with words and push the Volt out to the showroom sometime in spring or later in 2011, that is fine with me. I just will not be available as a customer for one. I don’t think many of us on this forum will either. Most of us have to make some kind of move by the summer or fall of 2010 and will feel betrayed by GM’s cute wording of sentences and will look else where for our needs. My comments, as stated in #53 & 54 above, about the Pininfarina Bollore electric car will be a way for many of us to satisfy our commute needs and balance it with a “country” car for traveling. The Volt could serve both purposes, but who wants to wait around for GM to play games. I don’t.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:11 pm)Fat chance the Volt will be sold in Europe first. If it does happen that way, GM can kiss a lot of us good bye. Not just for the Volt, but for the full range of automobiles they make the world over. It will be good bye on all sides and all formulas. Europe has had more fuel efficient vehicles than America has had for years. I say, “Keep your paws off the Volt until it is being sold in the U.S. and Canada.”
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:23 pm)#60 N Riley says “Fat chance the Volt will be sold in Europe first. If it does happen that way, GM can kiss a lot of us good bye.”
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Well I share your feeling. Trying to think about things more dispassionately, I’m thinking that GM seems to have plenty of unused production capacity in lots of places If they gain enough confidence in the product it would seem they could make it on lines in several countries, if the initial production is well received, and if they can get the batteries.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:29 pm)I think the Volt looks great in that picture…definitely not boring and generic like some people say.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:38 pm)#61 RB
That is why I think it will be introduced to the U.S. market first, then Canada and later to the rest of the world.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (4:40 pm)Statik & Statik
I’m back to the computer. It has been a hard day …
I hope you both take some rest, checking the auction prices at every minute plus gas prices + merger moves + … takes some energy.
RB #61,
N Riley #60,
I live in Belgium and last time I saw him, my Opel dealer looking at the GM-Volt sticker on my Opel Corsa said “Not before 2 years”. This was 6 months ago …
Perhaps due the financial situation, GM will split and let the Opel/Saab/ Chevrolet brands regroup in another part of the world than the U.S.Opel and Saab are (it seems, I am not a specialist of consolidated balance sheets especially across several oceans …) profitable branches.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:11 pm)#Jean-Charles Jacquemin
Statik & Statik
I’m back to the computer. It has been a hard day …
I hope you both take some rest, checking the auction prices at every minute plus gas prices + merger moves + … takes some energy.
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Thanks JC, we plan to. We are going to go out and do some team building later tonight.
http://images.cafepress.com/product/165905559v9_350×350_Front_Color-LightBlue.jpg
/it’s Business time
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#59 Juergen Schrempp Says:
Absolutely the Volt should sell in Germany first. If the Chevy Cruze is to sell in EU first than it is our right to have the Volt here first. Everyone knows that the Volt is a modified Cruze so EU production line could easily ramp up for Volt. The EuroVolt will be a big seller here for sure. Note to GM exec in charge of production: The EU is a much larger market than the US, we have a far greater purcha$ing power than the Americans
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I hear that you are NOT getting the Volt at all because you have the privilege of the Chevy Cruze first. Hrmmm, if I remember correctly, the last thread said the Volt was going to go worldwide to every single country…except Germany.
/alvederzane…now it comes the time on Sprockets when we dance
http://www.mike-myers.net/dieter7.jpg
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:12 pm)I think static is one of the Volt “cold battery test techs”.
His posts hint toward this:
“…my interent experience is not filtered/blocked from my location…”
“…I don’t have that computer running at the moment…I’ll test it out later.”
“…was just spit-balling again, I’m sure there are more and some that can be eliminated.”
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I may be wrong. He could be Dick Cheney wielding his fingers-of-fury from a subterranean location somewhere up North.
Don’t DRE me bro!
=D~
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:14 pm)This just in from The Institute for the Incredibly Obvious: Use members of this forum as at least part of the captured fleet.
It’s been suggested at least a bazillion times already and the article certainly left all the options on the table. Call us the Stockholm Syndrome Project Candidates.
If they have a pre-production version of the Volt with particularly problematic brakes that won’t start in cold climates, Statik could even be considered (just kidding bud).
Several stars have aligned which combined to eliminate my ability to post for a while, but I do read every article.
Be well,
Here daily, in spirit 24/7,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:29 pm)Is the captured test fleet something that people would buy or will it be a leasing scenario?
Typically we put these in the hands of GM folks, when we do it prior to the start of production; employees, people in the technical community, people who work in the plants, manufacturing, etc.
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So where do I sign up to get one of these test models?
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:37 pm)Kubel #48
“Has anyone obtained a confirmed “yes, this will SELL, not just lease, in 2011″ answer from GM yet?”
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Unfortunately, that would be like asking a politician whether or not they’re going to raise taxes!
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:37 pm)Where can I test a new Corvette, Camaro, Volt, Duramax 1500?????
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (5:42 pm)Statik #57
“In my opinion, no real person was ever getting a car at any point for 2010.”
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Actually I’ve never had any hope of getting a vehicle in 2010/11, even if they actually released 10K units. I’ve said this many times. But to ever be able to ramp up in Y2 or Y3 those 10K have got to come out even if the entire 10K is an extended captured fleet. The problem isn’t just demand and a limited supply of batteries, the biggest hurdle is the technology being so new. Lutz said it best himself when he said “We don’t know what we don’t know”.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (6:40 pm)Why doesn’t GM charge $10,200 to “test the Volt” like BMW is doing? If they did that with the first 10,000, the would pick up $102 mil.
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“It hasn’t been finally decided.” – “We haven’t decided exactly….” – “Again we haven’t decide exactly….” – “The point is it makes no sense…”
I agree with you 100%, Jon!
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (6:43 pm)#72 Grizzly
Actually I’ve never had any hope of getting a vehicle in 2010/11, even if they actually released 10K units. I’ve said this many times. But to ever be able to ramp up in Y2 or Y3 those 10K have got to come out even if the entire 10K is an extended captured fleet. The problem isn’t just demand and a limited supply of batteries, the biggest hurdle is the technology being so new. Lutz said it best himself when he said “We don’t know what we don’t know”.
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Yeah, I’ve penciled myself in for about 2013. Who knows if I will still be in the market for one. I’ve said all along, the first 4 seater that can run ‘all electric’ and that I can get serviced locally gets my business.
I’m still not confident that GM won’t be the first, even in 2013 for me in Toronto. I am, and continue to be optimistically pessimistic. (if that were possible).
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (6:46 pm)#68 Tagamet
This just in from The Institute for the Incredibly Obvious: Use members of this forum as at least part of the captured fleet.
It’s been suggested at least a bazillion times already and the article certainly left all the options on the table. Call us the Stockholm Syndrome Project Candidates.
If they have a pre-production version of the Volt with particularly problematic brakes that won’t start in cold climates, Statik could even be considered (just kidding bud).
Several stars have aligned which combined to eliminate my ability to post for a while, but I do read every article.
Be well,
Here daily, in spirit 24/7,
Tag
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Tag!!!
Your here my friend, you have returned! I’m glad to see you. We were all a little concerned about you, all we knew is that Lyle said you had some stuff to deal with.
I hope everything is ok…glad to see you still have your humoUr, and we have our ‘death by papercuts’ banter going, hehe. (Now you are refering to yourself as ‘Tag’ too, perhaps I have rubbed off some).
/welcome back
Stat
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (6:49 pm)I would imagine that the majority of the vehicles would or should be sold for the first two years in the US if there is enough demand (not that I’m doubting there will be). After all, the whole point is for energy independence, right? Or is that what they want everyone to focus on?
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (7:44 pm)Welcome, Tag, you have been missed.
Be Well
LJGTVWOTR
NPNS
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (7:49 pm)Statik@74
Thanks for the kind words of welcome. Depending on how things go on a few fronts (none of which I can control), I’ll be posting from time to time, but I read every article daily. SOME of the posters have changed, but as I expected, you remain….well,…Statik (pun intended).
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (7:51 pm)NZDavid,
Sorry, your post came up after I started replying to Statik. THANKS!
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS.
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Oct 22nd, 2008 (10:59 pm)I have to say – I am really starting to like the look of the Volt! The picture at the top of this blog is really great. I think the negative design comments a few months ago were off base.
I want one!
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Oct 23rd, 2008 (5:53 pm)Where do I sign up for the Test Fleet/
We are getting ever so closer. Good Job reporting this information Lyle.
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Oct 23rd, 2008 (6:04 pm)I can’t imagine why GM is not auctioning participation in this program! Seems like there are enough fans out there to pay GM $$$$$ to be the one in the program. Of course if they indeed want “ordinary” people, then not selling spots on test-fleet actually makes sense.
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