GM’s Canceled LA Auto Show Conference: Was it Going to be the Volt Battery Contract Announcement?

The most important component in the Chevy Volt is its lithium-ion battery pack.
We have been hearing for some time that an announcement about which supplier GM had chosen to maek those packs would be coming by the end of this year.
Reuters had previously reported that LG Chem/CPI had gotten the contract and noted the official [...]

Flextreme Concept Wins Prestigious Design Award, Still Not Production Intent

In late 2007, GM unveiled the Opel Flextreme concept car and later showed it rebadged as Saturn.
The vehicle has a unique monocab design, but importantly, like the Chevy Volt, is also an E-Flex vehicle. It is meant to demonstrate how the range-extender could also be diesel and how the E-Flex E-REV drivetrain could be [...]

What Would Happen to the Chevy Volt if GM Failed?

In the present economic climate, GM requires urgent loans from the government or else it will fail.
If that were to occur one cannot help but wonder what would happen to the Chevy Volt.
Chris Paine director of ‘Who Killed the Electric Car” envisions that his new documentary “Revenge of the Electric Car” due in 2010 along [...]

GM Viability Proposal Leak: CEO Likely to Work for $1 and Brands Likely to be Shed

GM is working fervently on a “viability plan” which will be presented to Congress on December 2nd. If the plan is deemed capable of ensuring the company’s future viability then a portion of $25 billion in low interest bridge loans will be awarded.
GM is trying to keep their plan’s development under tight wraps. [...]

Will the Volt Lead the DC Caravan? And Bob Lutz on How We Can Help GM

When the CEOs of GM, Chrysler, and Ford went to Capital Hill to obtain government loans they were publicly derided for having arrived there on three separate corporate jets. One congressman said it was like “going to the soup kitchen wearing a tuxedo”
Since then, GM has sold off two corporate jets and is preparing [...]

GM-Volt.com Viability Plan Suggestion: Massive Government Fleet Sales of Battery Warranty-Free Chevy Volts

On December 2nd, GM will submit its plan for viability to the US government, which if accepted will result in a bridge loan for the automaker.
Congress also requires that in addition to demonstrating profitability, the plan describe how the loan will enable GM to “expand production of advanced technology fuel efficient vehicles.”
Certainly the Chevy Volt [...]

VIDEO: Volt Vehicle Line Executive Frank Weber On Driving the Volt – “It’s Like Flying”

In this inspired video clip, Frank Weber, GM’s Volt vehicle line executive, discusses public acceptance for electric propulsion.
He notes people will see the obvious benefits of petroleum free driving; no emissions, and quietness, but also goes on to extol that electric propulsion “opens a new dimension in driving performance and experience.”
He says electric propulsion gives [...]

How Can the Volt Save GM?

On January 12th 2007, when I started this site I couldn’t have predicted what these days nearly two years later would bring.  Just as the Volt is finally coming very close to reality, GM is nearing the brink of collapse. What started out merely a a concept has now grown to become the most important [...]

Bob Lutz: Chevy Volt Update

L to R: Bob Lutz, Bob Kruse, Jon Lauckner, Andrew Farah

GM vice chairman and father of the Volt chose today to give us an online update on the object of our affection. on his blog.
He declined to get into financial matters but instead just gave us good clean Volt fun.
He noted that he had personally [...]

GM to Supply Engines For the Fisker Karma EREV

Fisker Automotive, based in LA, has been displaying their extended range electric vehicle called the Karma for sometime. Recently they announced plans for production.
In a dribble of good news coming out for GM today, Fisker announced it will be buying the engines for its EREV Karma from none other than General Motors. [...]

Full Details of the “Auto Industry Emergency Bridge Loan Act”

Automakers will have to submit their viability plans by December 2nd and Congress will decide whether to give them the funds on the week of December 8th.  The loans will then be made within 15 days.
A statement in the bill of particular interest to us is that each plan must “improve the capacity of the [...]

Automaker Loans Deferred to December and Will Only be Provided Based on Automakers Plans for Viability, GM Agrees

Congressional leaders from the House and Senate today gave a press conference on the how they plan to move forward with the Detroit 3 bailout.
The congressional leaders indicated they are unanimously committed to helping the automakers, in a non-partisan way, but not immediately, and on conditions.
The leaders said GM, Chrysler, and Ford would have to [...]