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Production Volt Interior Further Refined: Center LCD Screen, Center Stack Buttons, and Vents
I had some further discussions about the Chevy Volt’s interior with chief designer Bob Boniface. He advised me that the production interior design has undergone some further refinements. This images above reveal those. The older design is at the post bottom. You can download the high-res image here.
Are the interior interfaces finalized?
Stylistically it looks mainly final.
Are the things seen on the display completely finalized?
They’re not completely finalized, there is going to be more content than what you see here. These are just DVDs that are rolling on a loop.
One of the things we have changed I should tell you design-wise is this piece the middle touch screen frame. People kept trying to break this or pull it off. It doesn’t move. It looks like it should move. It (also) is not very manufacturable. It was one piece. It was die-locked. So now we’ve integrated it. It has more of a hood on it, its integrated around its edges, it actually looks quite a bit better. On all these buttons, we’ve added pill-shaped targets, tactile targets that you can navigate towards.
Are they haptic?
No, they are capacitive, but they have auditory feedback, they don’t have touch feedback.
Have you taken some feedback then from the public perception?
No, we just knew that all along.
Another thing is that these vents have moved. They’re actually “siamesed” off the sides of the center stack, and they actually look a lot more high-end, more upscale. The rest of these main surfaces are unchanged.
Older Design
Thanks to Statik for finding the image.
154 Responses to “Production Volt Interior Further Refined: Center LCD Screen, Center Stack Buttons, and Vents”
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Like it! Looks a bit more user friendly than the old version. I still wonder what the handle type bar is in the lower middle area of the center stack.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:25 am
The photos show a very nice looking console and interior.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:36 am
I like the console more every time I see it. Nice to know they have tactile feedback so you know what your pressing for the most part without staring at it. That should also help out blind drivers
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Perhaps that it the transmission pull back to engage?
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:38 am
These mainly look like improvements to me. I agree that the original center LCD looked like it should move. If I rented this car I would be yanking on it. The hood looks a little funny to me, however. I would have liked to see the dash extend over this piece and then a larger cubby space could be placed behind it. The hood looks like an afterthought (oh yea, it is an afterthought).
I like the pill bumps on the touch panels. These are needed.
Nice to see a Volt related topic instead of the usual “GM should be left to fail” topics we have been reading.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Very nice.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I think the Volt is one of the reasons why many people want GM death. This car will lead the industry for many years to come. It is more than a revolution. I hope GM get it right. Go GM Go!
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:00 am
It would be nice if they would make the airbags recessed, i assume thats what those are. Though they’d be easier to deal with if they needed to be replaced
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:01 am
I really do like the new interior though. The center stack is makes a lot more sense, a lot more clearly laid out, very tactile, which I think is important when talking about bombing down roads and fussing with the radio or climate control at the same time, especially at night time.
Also the integrated two cup holder! You can’t see it here, but the old interior had two seperate cup holders, this one has the crevice between them. Good for just temporarily plunking for sunglasses/revolver in when you don’t need them momentarily.
/you know it is a American car when it is loaded with sweet functional cup holders
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Very attractive; and it seems much more colorful than earlier photos I remember.
Is there an Aux in jack for analog audio? How do you connect an iPod to the Volt?
Did we determine what the lock/unlock button does?
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:18 am
>Did we determine what the lock/unlock button does?
My guess is the doors or windows.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:28 am
11. Neil,
It probably isn’t for the windows as it is too close to the passenger (who might be a child).
I’m going to guess it is for locking the “buttons” on the centre stack itself.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I like the side vents on the center stack better than on the dash. Also, they really did need to get rid of the tilt looking LCD panel. Good move. I’m saving for my Volt and I will help pull GM out of the doldrums. Plan on paying more for gas next summer….it’s coming and this is just a temporary break.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Thanks Lyle,
Back on course for the Volt, I feel the previous posts were necessary (1327 comments for your letter to the US Government are sufficient to show how much) but it is encouraging that we see progresses toward the final version of the Volt.
I agree with Statik’s #9 comments.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Looking harder at the little hood addon to cover the center LCD, I have become more negative than my previous post. IMHO, this thing looks like crap. Is this some add-on from an automotive catalog. It simply does not look like it belongs to the car. I am surprised at how cheesy this looks. Is it too late to re-design the dash and make the center console look integrated into the dash?
The look of the rest of the center console has improved which is a plus.
Also, they took our little green leaf. Now what are we going to do to feel green?
PS: I would buy it anyway but I think they could do much better than this..
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Side note:
Lyle is lightning quick with updates, thanks my friend.
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:08 am
ok, much better. Little to complain about now. It is much, much better IMHO. It would be nice if the center lcd was shielded a little more of sunlight.. unless they aren’t using LCD… then it might not matter. Good stuff
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Finially, something about the CAR!
(I was beginning to worry.)
Thanks, Lyle.
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:37 am
With GM’s survival in question, it’s difficult for me to get excited about the Volt. Will we really start to see them in late 2010?
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:40 am
#19 ThombDbhomb “Will we really start to see them in late 2010?”
==========================
Doubtful, but let’s pretend while we can, and maybe dreams will come true.
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:46 am
15. nuclearboy,
They moved the leaf over to the left. It’s part of the “SPORT” switch that used to be “ECON/SPRT.”
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Well, we who don’t live in CA, TX, and FL wouldn’t see them in late 2010 (or probably 2011) anyway. I’m starting to think I’ll end up with a Cruze and save $20K.
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I really want this car!!! I am 67 years old and have no memory of ever wanting a car this much!!
I want off oil for me and my children and grand children.
I hope the bailout is as close to chapter 11 as is possible. This will allow american car manufactures to actually again be the force in automotive advancement that they once were.
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November 17th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Side note. Nissan is still promulgating leasing batteries for electric cars. I thought this concept was getting sidelined but maybe not.
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/11/17/nissan_battery_lease_plan/
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:04 am
______________________________________________________
Good job VOLT Design Team!
My only issue remains with the screens.
I like the direction the design guys went with making the LCD screens look more visually integrated and would like to see it further refined in that same direction.
The screens should have a single surface line back to the dash/console to make them look more integrated rather than the current multiple surface lines that make the screens look like add-on components. I think that perhaps the screen add-on look originally derived from the design mission of trying to make the control surfaces look appliance (iPod) like. The center control stack accomplishes the smooth appliance (iPod) look but the screen detail remains disjointed. What makes the iPod so appealing is that the screen and control surfaces share a common surface line. The iPod would loose its slick appearance if the iPod screen was attached as a separate surface component with a chrome bezel detail and separate clip-on hood. The center screen and center control stack should look like a single appliance rather than the center control stack as one appliance and the center screen as another appliance.
Therefore screen wise:
1. Kill the chrome screen bezel.
2. Kill the viewable dead space behind the center console screen.
3. A single surface line from screen back to the dash/control surface therefore making the screen & screen hood raised surface details rather than add-on details.
______________________________________________________
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:05 am
An interface with fewer moving parts will have some benefits. Probably lower cost, cheaper to reconfigure, more reliable, sounds cool. The engineer in me likes it. But no tactile feedback. That’s going to take some getting used to.
Lyle – will the buttons work with gloves?
From previous posts, I thought I remember the buttons sense changes in surface resistance, not pressure. Therefore, if you’re wearing gloves, you might not be able to use any of the buttons. Not that it matters that much, just wondering out loud.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I don’t like the graphics on the driver LCD screen. I’m not playing a video game here, I’m driving a car. The information should be displayed logically and special graphics should help to bring out this information, not dilute it. I hope those graphics are just for the eye-candy crowd and not for the production vehicle.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:27 am
GM is cashing out the last 3% of it’s Suzuki holdings….
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10448234/1/gm-to-sell-3-suzuki-stake-for-230-million.html?puc=_tscrss
There goes my dream of an E-Flex Geo.
Rick and the boys are now looking for loose change in the sofa cushions.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:46 am
“Have you taken some feedback then from the public perception?
No, we just knew that all along.”
lol….
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:03 am
The touch screen frame was definitely going to be a big problem, so fixing that was probably the most important issue. The vents do give it a much nicer look. Together the changes makes the revised console look more integrated and less “stuck on” than the original. Nice finishing touches.
I’m not a cup holder fan but I’ll accept Statik’s opinion that connecting them makes for a good holster.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I said it when the Volt was first revealed in pre-production form and we saw the first center stack pictures that the LCD screen should move/tilt/hide away. It looks like it should and it would keep it more secure and keep it from getting damaged.
GM’s new form of increased integration of the screen is awful. That black hood is a terrible idea (as was mentioned by in #15 by nuclearboy.) They need to go back and look at this screen again. The current iteration of integration is terrible. They should at least consider making it white or grey because the black “hood” does not tie into any of the other dashboard components (other than the matching black “hood” over the instrument cluster.
This is in an area that will be a main focal point of the dash and it needs to be done a lot better than that.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I can definitely see oil/grime/dirt buildup happening on the most used “keys”.
Hopefully charcoal/black fascias will be available…. I’m sure somebody will make them anyway (in China!) and then we can get them on eBay for 5.99 plus s&h
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I also still think that the placement of the top dash storage bin will be largely inaccessible due to the LCD screen. Storage is nice but it has to be easy to get into without having to reach over or around something. If the screen is in the way I would do away with the storage bin and put in a center channel speaker (for say a 5.1 or 6.1 set up.)
This needs to go back into the design room.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am
The subtle improvements to the center stack really make the interior more aesthetically pleasing. Now I might not even feel the need to opt for the black center stack option.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am
______________________________________________________
Update to my #25 CDAVIS post:
Anybody still buying audio CDs?
Everyone I know keeps their music on a potable iPod like device. My 68yo mother has an iPod…no CDs for her. My 5yo daughter has her own iPod. My niece keeps her music and movies on her iPhone.
Kill the CD/DVD player….CD/DVD two years from now will be the same as including a tape player today. Keep ability to plug-in iPod and other digital players (Aux Audio/Vido Jack). Find an alternative to DVD navigation disc such as a SD navigation chip.
______________________________________________________
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Hey Lyle,
Is there any way we could get a look under the hood?
The interior is sweet!
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:21 am
So far I like what I see. I am glad to see the center display integrated into the dash or console more. It does look better, also.
Thanks, Lyle. Good job. You too, Statik.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Looks good – How about making the hood movable a couple of inches to block glare. Maybe just rotate forward a little to shade the display.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Is the Lock/Unlock for the passenger side air bag? Kind of overkill it it is. Hopefully they will also get rid if the yellow safety stickers from the sun visors on this car.
Did the green leaf dry up?
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:45 am
I think that the center console will look better in a darker color.
If my wife was making the buying decisions a white center console would be a deal breaker for her — no joking here! She don’t like the idea of (my) dirty figure prints showing. But this is one purchase where I will be making the decisions.
I do think that the driver’s display looks too busy. I would prefer simple clear looking graphics. I guess that there will be a selection of skins for it, having graphics themes I think will be a selling point, just like maximum Bob’s idea of sound themes. I think that Bob Boniface had suggested that before. On one picture it looks like the navigation can be placed on the driver’s display, this is nice.
I agree that CD/DVD player will be a little dated come 2011. However, not everyone has moved to iPod/MP3/USB stick/SD memory. So providing some options here will likely be a selling point too.
I suspect that this vehicle will have a longer life than conventional vehicles (although subject to battery replacement issues). If that’s the case, then being able to easily upgrade audio is more important than usual.
I agree the restyled vents look much better.
I agree that the chromed center display rim is not good for the styling.
I wonder whether the on/off button at the bottom left is like the ignition switch?
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:46 am
One of the reasons GM is in trouble is because they did not actualize the reality that oil is a limited commodity and needed to be conserved, not splurged. They ignored all environmental impact. Well, to avoid similar issues in the future, it would be prudent to make changes in methodology, otherwise nothing will change, and we’ll be looking at a bailout that fails when it hits another foreseeable wall.
We are in a climate crisis. this doesn’t just involve auto exhaust, but engery consumption, period. A plug in car only contributes to the issues, perhaps switching the vetor but shifting it from issue A (oil/gas) to issue b (coal fired plants) does nothing to help the overall scenerio.
The grid is already over extended and needs to be rebuilt. This is widely know. So not only is this a very obvious issue, but a plug in car increases energy consumption, when we should be decreasing it. It also shifts the issue from oil/gas emissions to coal emissions associated with the plants where the energy comes from.
Hello, is anybody getting this?
GM needs long term sustainable products. not something that is doomed to be faced with similar issues on down the road. Put on your thinking caps and start over. This is anything but the answer.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:49 am
The EREV Cruze in yellow.
http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/Cruze-yellow.jpg
Simple, affordable, useful, and environmental. Drive it to the beach or to the mountains. Great in winter snow weather.
___________________________
GM still needs to get off the burn billions bandwagon(er).
http://garfwod.250free.com/HAL_mission.wav
=D~
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Where is the input from the iPod/MP3 player? I’m with CDAVIS on the issue of CD players being very yesterday. I’d happily live without one.
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Why is the center console in the bottom image different from the top two?
Nevermind, I see the fine print under the image saying “Older Design.”
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
For those of you who don’t like the CD player, I am sorry to tell you that there are plenty of people still using cassette tape. Now, I agree we don’t need a tape player, but I still like the CD player. There are just too many CDs in use and it will be many years before it needs to be left off. GM is including plugs for iPod type devices, so you get your new cool devices while still allowing us old folks our CD player.
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I like everything except 2 things:
The center LCD integration doesn’t look integrated (as many have commented). It sticks out too much, I guess it could be worse.
The second is the “instrument cluster” lcd screen. It looks way too busy. It looks nice from an eye candy perspective, but when I’m going down the freeway I want to get the information I am looking for as quickly as possible out of the screen and my eyes back on the road.
Also, am I the only person tired of seeing chrome? It seems to be on everything these days.
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
The new interior is definitely an improvement. However it looks a bit like a patch job. I really wish that they would just skip the whole iPod thing and just use a variation on the Cruze interior. It’s much nicer IMO. They’re not Apple and they don’t really get that aesthetic anyhow.
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
#1 CM “I still wonder what the handle type bar is in the lower middle area of the center stack.”
======================================================
I thought that was probably the parking brake. It looks like it would rotate aft to set the brake. I think the parking brake release could be the lower right knob/button or it could be on the back of that lever. Just guessing on my part since it also looks like the “transmission” lever is mounted on the column.
I also agree with the comments about the ipod/mp3 player interface. My 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid has the Ford/Microsoft Sync system which has a USB port right on the center console for plugging in the ipod. Access to the media is then through the touchscreen and it recharges the player at the same time. The Volt better have a similar system or it will be woefully out of date.
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November 17th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
What’s with those two pads on the dashboard? Someone mentioned airbags, which seemed unlikely to me, but I don’t have a better opinion.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
On the entertainment format issue… Seems to me what everybody is saying is simply that GM needs to include a variety of options (as they do on all cars now), for entertainment format choices with the Volt. I would suggest they offer:
>Standard AM-FM for those “bare-bones” types
>Optional AM-FM-CD for those so inclined
>Optional AM-FM-MP3 for those who prefer it.
For that matter, given the solid-state nature of MP3 storage, seems to me they could offer a system that played CDs and MP3s. And when I say MP3s, I mean on-board solid-state memory that would be in the 20-80GB range to allow storage of your favorite songs. For that matter, they could even offer an option to have LCD screens in the back of the headrests that would display movies saved in the on-board storage system. If you’ve ever taken a trip with kids…and a movie player…you know why I’m suggesting this…lol.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
#1 CM and #48 16falcon…
I’m no expert, but I thought we were told that the handle in the lower center console was the gear shift (like on an automatic transmission)… Is that right everyone?
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Slightly off the subject but check out:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/AFS-Trinity-Reports-Its-BatteryUltracap/story.aspx?guid={474055A2-502C-4F3E-907A-3034DC1AD590
Much progress being made with “electric power packs” but quite a ways still to go.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Looks very nice and elegant. For me, its a stripped down version of the Cadillac CTS interior.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
#51 GLV
“I’m no expert, but I thought we were told that the handle in the lower center console was the gear shift (like on an automatic transmission)… Is that right everyone?”
======================================================
Yeah, my bad. So much for my guessing abilities. From an article Lyle posted on April 3, 2008:
“Once inside you will push a start button on the enter console, which will depress. To begin driving, there will be a paddle-type shifter in the console. One squeezes the lever and engages the drivetrain.”
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I guess the link in #52 does not work well. I found that if I type “{” after the “=” sign then the article comes up on a short list.
Is it possible that GM is waiting for some additional technology to finally nail down the battery pack supplier?
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Heated seats, yeah! Are the door panels translucent? That is pretty cool.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Aaah, news on the VOLT features!
I thought this was becoming the GM Bailout/Bankruptcy site!
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Some folks have been talking about the lack of a tactile feedback on the screen. I borrowed my sister in law’s Garmin GPS the other day, and it didn’t have any feel feedback, but it did click pretty loud when punching in an entry. I didn’t have any problems using it whatsoever.
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November 17th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Why all the concern about the design of the dash area now ? it’s two years before the Volt comes out, many changes and new developments in technology will change and so will most of us,JMHO
We should focus on getting the Volt out as soon as possible
Putting pressure on GM to release the Volt is in the best interest of both GM and all of us.
NO PLUG, NO SALE, JGTVWOTR =D~~~~~~~
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
39. Xzlon,
See my post at #21 about where the leaf is.
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I’m really liking the interior..
GM.. I have deposit in hand… Metal Flake Black… all the options.. Delivery ASAP… (I could really take delivery by Christmas.. )
Santa… ?
But now back to reality…..
If GM promoted getting the Volt and a series of Hybrd / Electric vehicles on the road (in LARGE Volumes) by March of 2009..
Dropped all the dead lines… Bye bye Pontiac, Buick and the GM truck line.
Dumped 80 % of the dead weight of Upper Management…
Cut the salaries by 50 % of the Remaining Upper management..
I then would not have a problem of a bailout..
If not…
Good bye GM Hello Toyota
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Does the term “rearranging deck chairs” mean anything to you guys ?
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I would like to see a plug in for a flash memory stick in the center stack..
I use a couple for transferring doc’s , jpeg’s , mp3’s , mpeg’s , power point , and spread sheets. They are excellent and in the future they will be the main medium for maps to different cities , not CD’s. I haven’t burned a CD for over two years or used a CD for nearly three years for anything at home or work. Carry them in the pocket , they are strong and don’t cost much for a 512 MB or even a gig is cheep.
Newly designed car radios have had a plug in for the flash for over a year now and it is quickly becoming the standard. forget the CD it is old fashioned already. I am modern , give me solid state , I don’t want old technology in a new car..
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
#21 Michael:
I was wondering where that leaf went. Good eyes.
Shoot, now I have to make a decision between leaf and sport? Oh, well, no contest, the leaf doesn’t have a chance.
I’m glad they changed the way the central display was mounted. I’m pretty sure one of my kids would have broken it off trying to remove it one of these days.
Now I just have to worry about the standard stuff, like them sticking quarters into the cd slot. 
Overall, I like the new interior look. More sleek and less fidgety.
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
@RichardG
I don’t get how they can make a true statement of the Hybrid’s battery lasting only 25,000 miles. I have seen many Priuos’s, Civic’s and even Ford Escape’s with more than 25,000 miles and no battery change reqired?
Am I missing something here?
Wouldn’t it be just as simple to “Emulate” their technology by getting a bank of Maxwell Ultracaps to parallel the battery pack but isolate them from each other and have the Ultracaps about 1 volt more than the battery. This way the sudden drain is drawn from the Ultracaps first since they have a much faster discharge rate.
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I really like the changes. It looks great. Good job GM. As much as we complaing about the bailout, overpayed union workers and CEO’s, I really want this car to succeed as I’m sure all of you do too. If it were for sell, id be at the dealership now putting in my order
Im thinking giving the loan to GM would be a good investment. This car is going to be a great success. Now as far as the other manufactures…
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
FUTURE NEWS ~ August 2014:
Today GM announced that their popular electric Volt car has now eclipsed 300,000 in sales.
VP Bob Boniface was beaming with pride when he announced that the new 2015 EV Cruze would not only be missing a generator, but would boast GM’s new SunRay solar cell spray-on surface coating. Providing a night time driving range of 500 miles. And up to 800 miles (nonstop) in bright sunlight.
CEO Tony Posawatz has continued to restructure the former auto giant and maintains that, “If it ain’t a Caddy, a Chevy, or a Saturn it ain’t sh!t”. Posawatz went on to say that he has renegotiated the interest rate on the outstanding $285 billion in Federal TARP debt. President Palin supports Posawatz efforts stating, “He’s a maverick and I like that”.
Shares of GM spent much of the session in negative territory. Closing up a penny to 79 cents.
http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/Volt_black_300000.JPG
=D~
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I tried to post a comment this AM and nothing happened. I tried it again and got a message that I had tried a duplicate comment, but nothing ever came up. Was it something I said? Anyway, I’ll try it once more.
Works for me.
LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS!
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
@63
Maybe it was just a rumour, but doesn’t this thing have a hard drive in it? There is a button on the console that says HDD/DVD/Aux. So I would expect a usb port to be somewhere in this thing, you have to be able to get stuff on the hard drive.
There is also a Record button. What could a record button be used for? Record music off the radio?
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November 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Finally some discussion about the car, and not the economy.
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November 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
It still works. I hope they leave the beer tap shifter alone. The colorful dashpod display in front of the driver would do justice to any of my kid’s computer games. But the ‘green leaf’ button is gone now… Does that mean no ‘minty freshness’ injected into the cabin?
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November 17th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I agree that CD/DVD player will be a little dated come 2011. However, not everyone has moved to iPod/MP3/USB stick/SD memory. So providing some options here will likely be a selling point too.
I suspect that this vehicle will have a longer life than conventional vehicles (although subject to battery replacement issues). If that’s the case, then being able to easily upgrade audio is more important than usual.
==================================
This is why I’m not a fan of the audio system being integrated like in the Volt. You are stuck with that audio system forever.
Stew.
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November 17th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
71. Gordon,
As I said in comment 21, look to the left side just above “sport.”
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
#26 Cautious Fan Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 10:05 am
An interface with fewer moving parts will have some benefits. Probably lower cost, cheaper to reconfigure, more reliable, sounds cool. The engineer in me likes it. But no tactile feedback. That’s going to take some getting used to.
Lyle – will the buttons work with gloves?
From previous posts, I thought I remember the buttons sense changes in surface resistance, not pressure. Therefore, if you’re wearing gloves, you might not be able to use any of the buttons. Not that it matters that much, just wondering out loud.
———————
The buttons work with gloves. They are capacitive meaning they detect any material in front of them (or touching them). Im sure the range is 2mm or less. I use these sensor a lot in my job when detecting non-ferrous objects.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Yes, the leaf is still there…its just not GREEN anymore. ???
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Will the stereo be XM/Sirius ready? (I heard XM & Sirius are merging??)
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I like the re-designed interior, it looks sharp to me. More interesting to me however is the changes that have been made seem to be all things we have talked about or joked about (in the case of the green leaf). I wonder if GM people are reading this site and using it to covertly get fans opinions about issues or are we just talking about the same issues that the engineers and designers are currently working on. Chicken or egg thing I guess, just as long as the design continues to improve.
NPNS
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I really like the pictures of the interior.
I especially like the tactile feedback. The display looks very bright, which I like. I assume it will dim at nighttime.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Okay. I found the leaf. I think I missed the description of the difference between ‘Green Mode’ and ‘Sport Mode’. Will there be a significant difference when I mash the pedal down? Gas mileage be damned. I commute less than 5 miles to work. I’m wondering if the VOLT is going to be “FUN” to drive. I test drove the old IMPACT EV-1 when it first came out. Even though it was heavy, it was quick off the line having 100% torque available from a standing start! I hope the VOLT will do even better.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Rashiid #78 – The display looks very bright, which I like. I assume it will dim at nighttime.
Maybe the roller wheel on the stearing wheels right side?
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Yeah…can’t say I’m a big fan of the hood. The center screen looks a little more integrated, but the hood still looks tacked-on. I don’t know why they didn’t do just a 1-piece moulding that goes all the way around it, except maybe for maintenance and service.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
From the article:
Have you taken some feedback then from the public perception?
No, we just knew that all along.
===============
I love that. Don’t ask potential customers what they want, just do it.
It’s called “designing in a vacuum”. Those pesky customer ideas just get in the way anyway.
Heck. If a customer likes the car, they might actually buy it.
Can’t have that now, can we?
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I wonder if they should give the option for a simple battery power/recharging status graphic on the display in addition to the fancier one from the new interior design photo- both with the same level of functionality. Something like Windows classic view vs. aero.
I can definitely see people loving or hating either one. Personally -being a 21 year-old engineer weaned on fancy graphics- I much prefer the new one. But I know for a fact my grandparents (and maybe my parents) would like the simpler version. Why not make us both happy? It wouldn’t be difficult at all.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
JoFlemming # 41 says,
A plug in car only contributes to the issues, perhaps switching the vetor but shifting it from issue A (oil/gas) to issue b (coal fired plants) does nothing to help the overall scenerio.
—————–
I respectfully disagree. A plug works well for now. The power plants need to change to renewables. Automobiles need to get off of oil first. The plants will change when the time is right.
But let’s assume you are correct. Should we not adopt pluggins now?
If the answer is no, what do you think we should do to help climate change in the immediate future?
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
@Rashiid Amul
In my experince in “Customer Input” I have found that scope creep is the most difficult to control. If they asked everyone, they might end up developing the Volt as a Car/Office/Cafeteria/Entertainment Center/whatever…..
lol…..
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Beautifully done…bar none.
By the way, has anyone noticed the (REC) button on the console? I’m wondering if that means coupled with a hard drive you can rip music from CD’s for in car solid state containment and cataloging? Everything looks great. Just give me Bluetooth Audio and an SD-HC card port, an iPod jack and the option for back seat monitors and me, the misses and the kids will be fine.
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
@82
I don’t think that is what was meant by that comment. I think he meant that they knew all along that they needed to do some sort of feedback on those buttons (auditory and the pill).
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November 17th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
#76 #
kdawg Says:
Will the stereo be XM/Sirius ready? (I heard XM & Sirius are merging??)
——————
I was under the impression that all cars were coming with satellite radio now. I can’t even buy a cheap Hyundai Elantra without one.
Oh and “merging” is the wrong tense. Merged is more correct. I think it was finalized back in mid summer. As I recall, part of the agreement is that we’ll be able get XM and SIRIUS channels without needing to choose.
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November 17th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
#58 Tom Gray – “Some folks have been talking about the lack of a tactile feedback on the screen. I borrowed my sister in law’s Garmin … I didn’t have any problems using it whatsoever.”
You’re missing the obvious point that the IPhone has proven that lack of tactile feedback will kill any electronic device! Or not. LOL
Actually many analog knobs used in autos, like radio tuners, never had tactile feedback. I’m just hoping that, unlike the last few cars I’ve owned, the interface is intuitive. Looking at it suggests that it will be, but there will be a lot of things going on, so we’ll have to wait and wee what GM comes up with.
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November 17th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
The design is alright. Personally I’d rather see a black center console, but that is alright.
My only question is, how much those ‘upscale’ features will add to the final price of that car. These are not good times to ask people to pay for vehicles around $40K.
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November 17th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
#88 Rashiid
The merger was final a week or two ago. It was announced last summer but there was the pesky problem that the licenses forbid a merger so the FCC and the Bush administration had to remove the restriction and implement a bailout for both Sirius and XM.
They could of course had demanded that the companies return half of the spectrum, which is worth billions, but hey, some government handouts are important to the national interest …
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November 17th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
DonC #91. Thanks for the correction.
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I gave those interior photos a really good look-over & I can’t seem to find where the control for the robot bird is located.
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
@Guy Incognito 92
Dude….I’m OTFLMAO……
Good one!
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hey, will they have a Ghetto stripped down version for chepo’s like me?
You know….
No Power Windows…
No Stero / CD anything…
No Power Locks…
No Heated Seats…
No Cruise control…
No Car alarm…
No Power side windows…
No Power adjusted seats…
All those use up electricity so I figure the less drain the better. Besides, it’s less moving or electrical parts to fail and the weight of all of those is probably 200lbs if you piled them up.
The only “Creature Comfort” I need is Heater and Air conditioning and oh yeah, Rear window defogger.
I just want my Volt!
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
That CD/DVD slot won’t seem old fashion when it plays Blu-ray discs or while transferring MP-3 titles from your PC to the built-in hard drive via DVD.
In regard to the LCD display hood, let it remain a matte gray, charcoal or black to avoid reflections in the windshield.
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
OK! I have a guess about the center console handle looking thing. Maybe it opens to reveal the ports and docking stations for our iPods, mp3’s, USB, etc. Pie in the sky??? Pretty cool concept if you ask me.
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November 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
IT HAS TO HAVE A SATELLITE RADIO.
As for Capt. Jack’s stripped down version – I’m sure he can get a good deal on one. First time someone parks overnight in Downtown Houston then next morning his “stripped down Volt” will be ready to purchase- probably cheap too!
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
@wwskinn3
I never mentioned “No Lojack”
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
#88 CaptJackSparrow Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hey, will they have a Ghetto stripped down version for chepo’s like me?
You know….
No Power Windows…
etc..
——————
According to GM studies, it was more efficient to put in power windows and prevent people from blasting the AC when not required (meaning they could just roll down all the windows). I guess they determined people are too lazy to roll down 4 manual windows.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
#100 kdawg;
I’m a great one for driving around with the windows down, I just prefer it to running the AC. Probably because we never had a car with AC until I was almost 40, LOL.
Even so, the studies I have seen show that it’s more efficient to roll them up and run the AC because the drag from the open windows wastes more fuel that the AC.
My work S-10 sounds like a CaptJackSparrow special, LMAO. I have to confess that I did have the guy at the stereo shop put in a take off Chevy radio with a CD player though. The nice thing about the S-10 is that it’s pretty handy to reach across and wind down the opposite window while you’re driving down the freeway 75 mph, hehehe.
As my Dad used to say, “What ain’t there don’t give you no trouble.”
KISS!!!!
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I cant believe the public is falling for this big PR/ political appeal move by GM. Doesnt it seem funny all the fuss about this volt just weeks before the bailout??? Wake up US Citizens, this car is slated for 2010?? I guarantee once they get the bailout…this car will be delayed for years, be super expensive, or be released in VERY limited numbers in limited areas…ala EV1, or str8 up scrapped and cancelled due to limited advances in technology required to produce the vehicle,etc…..nevertheless it will be something. History repeats itself…..remember the EV1?? GM and many other American Automobile manufactures are as Ralph Nader puts it ” … going backwards into the future” in the name of profit. Dont let em throw you this Bone. Wake up….. and if they do get bailed out….PRESSURE THEM TO KEEP PROMISE….WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS…AND UPHOLD THEM TO THERE PROMISE FOR THE GM-VOLT IN NOVEMBER 2010!!!!!!!
God Bless America
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
FUTURE NEWS ~ August 2014:
Today GM announced that their popular electric Volt car has now eclipsed 300,000 in sales…
_____________________________________
That isn’t much, considering the urgent the need for efficiency technologies is now and the fact that battery technology for hybrids is already well proven. (Toyota set their 300,000 goal for the end of 2005.)
Remember, GM sold 3,800,000 vehicles here in the US last year.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
“I guess they determined people are too lazy to roll down 4 manual windows.”
———————-
Maybe not lazy. It’s hard to roll down the rear windows while cruising at 85 mph through Atlanta traffic
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
@noel park
Growing up we (my dad) had the good old “Rambler”.
Then we got a “Mercury Montclair” (I think that’s what it was called). Then the “AMC Gremlin”. Remember that smiley car? It was as “Stock” as you can ever get, other than the automatic transmission. I never got a car with AC till I hit College. I’m used to driving with the windows rolled down.
Call me old fashioned.
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November 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
CaptJackSparrow
Your old fashioned.
===================
Yep, my dad was a mail carrier for rural routes (1960’s, 70’s and 80’s), and the cool thing was that he went through a car every 3 years, so we continually got to purchase new cars. We owned the AMC Gremlin and 1976 AMC Pacer (definitely my favorite car EVER!). My dad hated the Pacer, since he drove on a lot of gravel roads, and the car leaked like the dickens. He would need to wear a mask to keep the dust out of his lungs! He took in to the dealer and they would spray some crap into the crevices, but they were never able to solve his problem.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
CaptJackSparrow #65
Sorry, I’ve been away. I thought that the article about the short-lived battery packs might have been a little hyperbole. Is it possible that those other cars you mentioned use NiCad batteries and the problem they discuss is with Lithium?
I’m not an engineer and I’m learning as I go thanks to this web site.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I just hope GM keeps their eye on the ball and puts as much effort into ALL their cars and trucks as they seem to be doing with the Volt. I want GM to thrive for another 100 years. They better make sure they are matching and exceeding customer expectations. GM needs to match Toyota and Honda’s very best cars. Every little detail. The exteriors need to look cool. The interiors need to look and feel refined and high quality. All that stuff. Win those quality and customer satisfaction awards by JD Power, Consumer Reports, and the car magazines and the sales of GM products will follow. GM can’t afford to be messing around anymore. Gotta deliver the goods.
GM needs to make cars and trucks that are capable of being award winners in their “segment” or “category” …. or don’t make that vehicle AT ALL. If that means fewer car and truck models, then that’s fine. GM needs to make sure that ALL their cars have a good reputation for quality and customer satisfaction, etc. I want to see GM cars become the FIRST dealerships that people go to when they want to buy a new car.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
I think there should be more angular shapes than rounded ones.
Especially the vents and the angle between the dash and the center console.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Firefly @86,
I’m pretty sure Bluetooth is there, at least for cell phones.
Notice the button to the left of the volume knob. It shows
a telephone handset and a speaker. I think that’s for a
bluetooth.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I wonder. Does the IPOD come with Bluetooth?
If so, it could communicate with the radio wirelessly and have no need to plug in. I don’t own any MP3 players, so I don’t have a clue.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Meanwhile, what’s the domestic competition been up to?
Ford E85 Plug-In Hybrid is Hot!
http://www.greencar.com/features/ford-e85-plug-in-hybrid-is-hot/
Fusion Hybrid Paces NASCAR
http://www.greencar.com/features/fusion-hybrid-paces-nascar/
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Graphics ? Is that the change ? Looks its true that ” It tough to train old money new tricks” he will show old tricks.
Tell him to design Skin based interface for version 2, so every one have there own interfaces and gm-volt.com can supply different skins. This makes easy selling volt in china, japan and other countries ( local language menus ).Another idea is REST based APIS and
browser running in car so that we can have own widgets/ visualizations.
But version 1 – if its not good software, i am sure there wont be a need of verison 2. So make version 1 soo good that people will demand a version 2 with just skins and not patches and crash upgrades
.We need version 2 only after version one software and concepts proves.
I am not sure there will be a GM existing if version 1 software is not bug free. If i was in Top of GM , i would have rolled out the finished volts (V1 ) for testing. I expect a lot software bugs and battery issues ( ex: from prius wiki : A main problem was the longevity of the battery, which needed to last between 7 and 10 years. The solution the engineers came up with was to keep the battery pack between 60% and 40% charged, proving to be the “sweet spot” for extending the battery life to roughly that of the other car components.)
May be GM should use Toyota knowledge base to make volt ( or even make it a joint project ).
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
#112 cont’d,
Meant to put this on top:
Ford Smart gauge for hybrids
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/smartgauge-package-for-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid/2681021500
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
What’s the little hatch on top of the display for?
And where’s the headphone jack for my mp3 player?
USB port?
I have to confess, I probably would have broken the old screen trying to ‘adjust’ it. Much better design now.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
JoFlemming @ 41
We are in a climate crisis. this doesn’t just involve auto exhaust, but engery consumption, period. A plug in car only contributes to the issues, perhaps switching the vetor but shifting it from issue A (oil/gas) to issue b (coal fired plants) does nothing to help the overall scenerio.
The grid is already over extended and needs to be rebuilt. This is widely know. So not only is this a very obvious issue, but a plug in car increases energy consumption, when we should be decreasing it. It also shifts the issue from oil/gas emissions to coal emissions associated with the plants where the energy comes from.
GM needs long term sustainable products. not something that is doomed to be faced with similar issues on down the road. Put on your thinking caps and start over. This is anything but the answer.
—————————————————————
So, what technology or fuel source would you prefer that GM invest in if not EREV, solar, hydrogen fuel cells, unobtanium, what?
The thing that you seem to be overlooking is that the Volt can accept electricity from any source that is available now or will become available in the future. So, for example, you could put solar cells on the roof of your garage and charge your Volt that way–no coal needed. And the EREV platform is flexible in that the ICE could be powered by other fuels, such as diesel, ethanol, CNG, etc. Maybe even a hydrogen fuel cell version could be produced if that technology ever becomes viable.
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Hold it !
In the last article, weren’t we all talking about the imminent bankruptcy of GM? And now, everyone’s chatting about the Volt as if everything is just peachy at GM ? Does everyone on this site, including Lyle, have short-term memory disorders ?
The fate of the Volt is hanging by a thread, and here we are, talking about button feedback, the display, and vent placement. VENT PLACEMENT ! In a future car that’s within an inch of becoming vaporware ! Unbelieveable !
Well, if you can’t deal with reality (it’s harsh, I admit), go ahead – talk about the Volt all you want. Hell, I’ll add my own suggestion for the Volt – a mini-keg beer cooler with a console mounted tap. It doesn’t matter – nothing matters – suggest all the stuff you want.
If GM goes Chapter 11, the Volt will probably be dropped. If GM goes Chapter 7, the Volt will absolutely be dropped. Let us drink a toast to the Volt, the last electric car GM killed before Rick Wagoner ran GM straight into the ground.
But cheer up ! Honda’s Insight will be out soon !
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November 17th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
November 17th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
November 17th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
#117 The Grump. -
Relax dude! This is the Obama Generation.
You know: Hope. Change. And all that other empty rhetoric he spewed
It will be fine because he said so. And besides, this website was more interesting talking about the VOLT details anyway.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
HEY MAN… I AM A BLACK DUDE. I CAN TELL YOU THIS IDEA OF THE VOLT IS THE BEST, DUDE. OBAMA IS THE MAN. THE CAR IS COOL AND SHOULD BLOW UP MAN. SEND THE MONEY TO GM MAN. THAT IS WHAT WE NEED. THE GOVERNMENT SPENT BILLIONS IN IRAQ. WHY NOT TO GIVE $25 BIL. TO GM MAN? PRINT THE FREAKING MONEY, ONE BY ONE AND MOVE ON MAN. IF WE WIN, WE GET THIS NICE CAR MAN. I WANT TO DRIVE ELECTRIC TOO. I AM KIND OF A MAKING $30k/YEAR, BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES I WANT MY VOLT MAN!
GOD BLESS AMERICA! GO ON VOLT.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
When I was a kid reading my granddad’s magazines, I saw:
“The Electric Car is ten years away!”
I wondered if one would be out by the time I got my license.
Now I just hope one comes out before they take my license away at “the home.”
I have to admit that my optimism is fading.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I hope there’s a mode for an analog speedometer. This could be a deal breaker!
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Oh, I need a manual transmission. I can’t stand drivinga car if it is not manual. Not sure how a manual transmission will ever make sense in a eletric car though.
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
November 17th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
to 22: maybe you dont have to wait for to long after 2010 if GM survive.
Here in quebec ( Canada ) we start to see about 2 weeks ago the re-edit tv ad for the olympics ( the shorted one with the production volt at the end ) in french
it say production start:2010 and in very small caracter (barely viewable without HD screen TV ) canada lunch date:2011
so if GM think to lunch it year 2 in hard climate in Canada maybe they think able to awnser the demand
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
This bailout has generated too much controversy already. Way more than the financing bailout, which arguably, was more legitimate and also counted in its favor the benefit of a doubt. Now that people are disgusted with no apparent results offered by the bailout, I hope the government could invest its energy in segment divisions at GM;
Make the Volt production plant a divison on its own;set the wings of freedom which once flew in this country… and let freedom ring. Go to SAAB and let show it can be profitable. Go to GMC and tell them ito survive on their own.
I seriously doubt this beauty, the Volt, will die so close to get into production. This would be silly.
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Cost, cost, cost. The panel looks great, yes. The quality is *apparently* great. It is impressive, it is looks high quality indeed.
The question is, cost, cost, cost: it is the cost, stupid!
I would like to see a poll showing how many people would prefer a low-end car, costing $25K (kind of a small, Mini type of body car but with Kia cheap finishing and interior). Basically just pick a BMW Mini, copy it, but build it with cheaper material and simply throw an electric engine and batteries there.
I know lots of friends want to buy an electrict car, but on my work we can’t pay more than $15K for a car!
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
#120 Gordan Says:
“Relax dude! This is the Obama Generation.
You know: Hope. Change. And all that other empty rhetoric he spewed
It will be fine because he said so. And besides, this website was more interesting talking about the VOLT details anyway.”
Sounds like somebody who is part of a shrinking demographic, and just got spanked in every race that has ballots involved is a little bitter.
But hey relax, just “stay the course”!
LOL, LOSER!
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
To all the where is the MP3 audio in jack guys.
It’s probably in the middle console, by the power port. Plus didn’t they say it would bluetooth audio capabilities.
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November 18th, 2008 at 12:05 am
True, with a bankrupt GM, unimaginable anyone would pick up a Chevrolet, even if the Volt. Hit reset and start all over again if they go under.
For me, my 3 Buick Regals will remain the quiet cars I enjoy if that happens. The Volt would have been the rare winning challenger to such a quiet interior. I’m still trying to imagine a near noiseless car. Someday living near the highway won’t be the sooty, noisey, dread it is today.
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November 18th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Very nice tweaks all along the way. I was disappointed when the concept design was dropped, but I confess, the new style will allow the 100,000 plus copies per year. Very mainstream, yet distinct enough to evince a side glance from the Volt logo. The original concept, most of us followed so closely, was probably more the niche category. I ran into a rental car purchasing exec who saw the original concept and said it was too small for a great segment of commuters. 6′ was pushing it. The new car is superior and probably better aligned to the Chevy line. My humble opinion anyway.
If GM appears heading for a failure soon, I guess it’s time to buy that Caddy CTS I always wanted. Next best thing.
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November 18th, 2008 at 12:18 am
For Capt’n Jack – LoJack won’t be necessary – they’ll strip it where it sits.
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November 18th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Where’s the green leaf?
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November 18th, 2008 at 1:55 am
General Motors is teasing us. This car could be sold next month. They killed the EV 1 and 2. And for them to cry poverty? Is appalling. We should NOT bail out these welfare corporations. Or for that matter Banks! They knew what they were doing. So do you. All of us are responsible for our actions. If GM is so broke? Sell these Volts for 20k, and GM will be number one again.
I bought GM vehicles for 20 years. After this gas ripoff? I bought a Pruis. And I can buy a solar kit for the car! GM Volt? Wait ten years.
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November 18th, 2008 at 2:09 am
this car will only be of use as a city car or a second car with it 40 mile range. people who have to worry about the cost of gasoline are not in the market for a $40K priced car. with the price of gasoline at $2.00 a gallon there will be few buyers for this car
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November 18th, 2008 at 2:24 am
#41 JoFleming
Let’s all go back to living in caves and wearing animal skins to keep warm. Please look at reality for a change…only if you are extremely wealthy can you live off the grid and even that means great sacrifices in creature comforts. Passive solar is not practical for 80% of the world’s population. Don’t use coal…yeah right – most would freeze to death. Have you discovered some benign power source that is harmless and will provide the power/heating needs of an entire PLANET…didn’t think so. Solutions will be found, that’s the nature of mankind…solutions that are affordable for the masses…still way off in the future. The Volt, a car that in my application would mean I would use less than 3 gallons of gas a month…priceless. Bring it on!
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November 18th, 2008 at 5:59 am
124 Laura: It will not have any transmission. Just Forward Neutral and Reverse and the cute little Park button. The electric motor will pull the same torque from zero to 100 mph.
The Grump: We know the Volt program is in trouble, but its nice to daydream, and it sure feels good to have some hope.
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November 18th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Certainly looks very interesting. The success or not of the Volt will impact the Ev industry as a whole so I am sure all manufacturers wish this car the best.
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November 18th, 2008 at 8:06 am
I don’t see why it should need to be plugged in! I would rather see solar panels built into the roof. 40 miles is not very far to go on a single charge. I also didn’t see what the re-charge time is. If I travel 45 miles one way to work I guess I’d have to walk the other 5 miles and also have to find a place to recharge the batt. Living in a mountain area, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even get 40 miles on a charge.
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November 18th, 2008 at 9:54 am
As a long-time observer of boom-and-abort electric car projects (mostly “demonstrators” and California “granola-mobiles”), I think we have now seen the answer to the question:
“What will it take to get a real electric offering out of a mainstream manufacturer?”
That answer being:
“The spectre of utter annihilation.”
Lark008:
Unfortunately, with current technology, the closest you could come to meaningful mobile solar power is to create a tow-behind trailer that unfolds (sort of like a “pop-up camper”) to a very large array which would dwarf the car. It would be quite expensive, and an easy target for thieves/vandals. The Volt and unfolded array would take up at least two spaces in a parking lot. On the positive side, you could unhitch it and park the Volt in it’s shade …
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November 18th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
#120 Gordan Says:
“Relax dude! This is the Obama Generation.
You know: Hope. Change. And all that other empty rhetoric he spewed
It will be fine because he said so. And besides, this website was more interesting talking about the VOLT details anyway.”
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Thanks ! I feel better now. (the beers helped).
Can’t wait for Jan 19 – bring on the BO express. BO will change everything, in ways no one expects. Industry, labor, foreign relations, all will be affected by BO. I can almost smell the BO now. (Grin)
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November 18th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
#41
Plenty of electricity on the existing grid dude – methinks the echo rumbling of global warming eco-dogues resounds.
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November 18th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
#144? That’s Gross!
Just in case you’re new here, and aren’t kidding, Lark008, the idea is that when you get to the end of your 40 miles, an on-board generator kicks on to get you the rest of the way (running on Gasoline / Ethanol). It’s the way around the kind of “range anxiety” that you describe. 40 miles with no gas will get you between a lot of plugs, but if not, burn a pint or two of gas.
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November 18th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
November 18th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
November 18th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Please, please, add some more high-end touches like wood trim and make it feel more luxurious, rather than the cheap plastic look. Shouldn’t have to spend $50K on a car to get a bit of interior class, and mixing that with the new technology the Volt offers, and people will want to buy this car. Maybe if GM had done this 20 years ago it wouldn’t be in the mess it is now (and don’t let the CEO tell me it’s the global economy, because why aren’t Honda and Toyota asking for a bailout? Build cars people want to buy by offering QUALITY and low cost of ownership, and with a touch of class! Please, no cheap plastics…
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November 19th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Um really… What’s with the black “hood?” The thing over the instrument dash is utterly unnecessary and UGLY. Same with the “hood” over the touch screen. This would look okay in a hearse, a custom vehicle for the Adams Family or the Lemony Snickets bad uncle car. What’s wrong with clean lines and smooth flush surfaces?
Proving the touch to be immobile is one thing – to cover it with a funereal “hood” is macabre at best and demonstrably gag-making at worst. Lose it.
Go VOLT – you are leading the world in electrified transportation!
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November 20th, 2008 at 1:21 am
November 20th, 2008 at 8:15 am
(This is a long post, but I’m really happy to have found this website and this thread that I want to offer something in return to say ‘Thanks’)
First: Observation. “Traction” batteries – which is what they call batteries used to move a car – need to charge/recharge serious amounts of current. The batteries in hybrids – like the Prius – arn’t serious enough for a plug-in. Wonder why Toyota just doesn’t add a socket on a Prius and call it good? The batteries. That’s what’s holding up production of plug-in’s. (There was a fire at a factory in Japan. First there was a shortage of laptop batteries then there were concerns that Toyota couldn’t get enough batteries for Prius production. I guess only one place makes the things.) Oh sure you could probably scrounge around and pull something together.
“Hi, I’m calling from GM and I’d like to order fifty thousand of those batteries you make in the lab. It would be nice to have them here next week.”
“Hi, GM here. We found out that there’s a problem with those batteries you sold us – turns out that after about a year they get really hot when they discharge, and it makes the interior uncomfortable. We got some pretty angry customers. Are you sure you sent us the right batteries?”
Second: Observation. The reason hydrogen will NEVER replace gasoline is distribution costs. Basically re-inventing all those gas stations, and distribution centers etc. Very expensive. Very ‘ungreen’. In contrast – it turns out that electricity is pretty cheap to move around, zero emissions getting it from here to there, and the grid is already in place. (I wonder how much CO2 is spent just in driving gasoline around?) So we’re already ‘greener’ just doing that. Now all we gotta do is to figure out how to fill up the grid with electricity ‘green’ and ‘cheap’.
If you’re _still_ reading: right now nuclear is about the only option for electricity on a scale to make a difference. Sure wind power is good, I’m all for it. A utility is running a seventeen turbine wind farm produces 11.2 Megawatts. Very cool. A typical coal fired plant puts out around 500 Megawatts (about the same for a typical nuclear plant.) Humm. Well sure makes more of a dent than covering the roof of your plug-in with solar cells, but …. you get the idea. And as we burn less gas we’re going to need more of those megawatt thingy’s, probably lots more.
Get it? dent – and we’re talking about cars!! Genius like that can’t be taught – it’s talent from birth
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November 22nd, 2008 at 8:53 pm
If there will be an SUV version of the Volt (such as the Transverse)
where there will me more cubic feet of interior to cool, I would like to
have very large center AC vents that flow air all the way back to the hatchback. (Like in my 05 Element),
Also, for the business plan for Congress, how about having all 3 battery makers (A123, et al.) as “Optional Extra Battery Range” producers so that we can increase all battery ranges aftermarket-wise. (Adding, say, a 125 pound pack in the back).
This could help start all kinds off spin-off industries that our representatives could understand as “new jobs” for local dealers and the aftermarket. There are literally all kinds of aftemarket options which can be made available with all kinds of spin-off new industries with the Volt (series of vehicles).
Dan Petit Austin, TX
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November 22nd, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Of the many above people gushing over the Volt’s features, how many of them have paid attention to the car’s price, $40,000.00? It could become higher. First the MSRP was to be $30,000.00. Next, the MSRP, was increased to $35,000.00. Now, it’s said to be $40,000.00. Who knows whether it will be $40,000.00 or higher. Even at $40,000.00, how many of the above people are actually going to fork over that amount to buy the car? This appears to be niche car which will not keep GM from going belly up.
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November 25th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
April 5th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
You guys are on crack. This is another fugly GM product. The center console controls will require you to look at them to find and adjust them. The steering wheel looks like it came off a Camaro or something. They also should ditch the Chevy emblem since it symbolizes junk to most people.
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