Comments on: Chevy Volt Battery Temperature Control

By: chevonly

chevonly — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:57:31 +0000

While you guys are overthinking everything be aware that the ice in your car is controlled by a computer and more than one microprocessor that maintains a constant and correct air to fuel ratio. The Volt will be even smarter, why do you think that GM is also doing testing in severe cold and severe hot climates. The EV-1 was the best electric on the market at the time and so will the Volt when it comes out, GM has been building electric cars and proto-types longer than anyone else so I have NO WORRIES THAT THEY WILL GET IT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE PERIOD……..

By: ccombs

ccombs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:41:08 +0000

Impressively thought-out.

By: noel park

noel park — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:58:32 +0000

#95 Larry:

LOL.

By: Jerome

Jerome — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:35:04 +0000

Most of the discussion has been related to cold weather….for us desert dwellers….what’s the conditioning for >100 F weather? Does humidity level impact the battery (beyond the impact on running the A/C)?

By: mmcc

mmcc — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:31:26 +0000

#55 Kent
Yeah, understand, but what I was referring to is if the car is in the garage it doesn’t know the temperature outside the garage.

By: NZDavid

NZDavid — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:03:04 +0000

Great post Lyle.

I think the clock will run off the 12V battery, just like in the Prius.

In Auckland it never gets below freezing so the ICE will never start for me. I would like the passenger compartment conditioned for me to get into though, I like the remote fob idea.

As for the 22K BYD thrashing the Volt, you are aware the average price for a new car in China is 11K.
AM/FM radio=extra. Power anything=extra. A/C=extra. Seatbelts=extra. airbags not available, side impact what? They do get a heater though.

I am certain by the time BYD complies with western safety standards / fit out, it will add 7-10k to the cost.

By: jeffhre

jeffhre — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:10:33 +0000

Red HHR

Well,since you have a battery big enough to run your house whenever the snow snaps the power lines – hopefully that clock doesn’t run your Volt down that fast or else you’d better get some custom color duct tape and fasten a self contained clock to your dash before you abandon your 40 thousand dollar vehicle in a snow drift for a week. After all without that duct taped clock you could run into some real problems. Yep duct tape can save even the most techno-savvy-guy from a heap of disastrously cascading problems. It could happen.

By: Red HHR

Red HHR — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:03:45 +0000

So I leave my Volt in the snowbank for a week and the little clock stops…

If I show up with a pickup and jumper cables and jump the Volt, what would happen???

Interesting, the hands on my watch will stop when it is dark, when the light hits it they will move to the correct position. it is solar powered. It will last for something like a hundred years in the dark “sleep” mode.

Red HHR (redneck joke)

By: jeffhre

jeffhre — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:49:50 +0000

Noel Park #88

Right, it’s still an order of magnitude better than burning oil to get to work. BTW Southern California Edison will be ready to send about a gigawatt of added wind generated juice into the LA Basin once their recently approved transmission lines are built out in the Tehachappi Area Renewable Transmission Project. ” http://www.sce.com/NR/rdonlyres/D92D6387-CF9A-4B60-868C-35EF45CE35E3/0/Greening_The_Grid_FINAL_0311.pdf “

By: unni

unni — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:46:40 +0000

Hi #94 Dave,

If its all about choice, I love to get a Suzuki swift ( the Indian/Aus model/ Suzuki Swift Generation IV ). Its already 1.2 to 1.6 L engine variants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Swift

Look at the “2008 Indian Suzuki Swift” , I think GM copies only non-hit models from Suzuki:-) . It’s more like an inexpensive mini. Look what even Suzuki gives as “Canadian Suzuki Swift+”. I pity my self to be in Canada.