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More Mule Test Drives and Detroit Press’ Chevy Volt Top 10 List

May 20th, 2009 | Posted in: Public Opinion, Sightings, Test drive

Several news agencies now have had their chance at the wheel of the Chevy Volt Mule.

1. Jalopnik – the tongue in cheek and heavily prolific automotive blog had a mule drive with Bob Lutz riding shotgun. They called it “utterly unremarkable” to GM’s delight because that is the goal. Making a car that doesnt use gas seem the same as cars people are used to. They timed the 0 to 60 at 8 seconds letting them call it “peppy”

2. Automobile Magazine – the author seemed pleased by the silence not only at low speeds but of course during acceleration, quite distinct from current hybrids. They wrote “the mule feels like a normal, if slightly pudgy compact.” The also advise us “the team says it hopes to have closer-to-production prototypes for us to drive by fall.” That would be the IVers.

3. Detroit Free Press- Title says it all “Volt is sporty, fun in test spin.” The author experienced a “fast, smooth blast from 0 to 70 mph.”He quoted Volt executive Frank Weber as saying “People must understand that you don’t have to give anything up to drive an electric vehicle, this is something you will really like and enjoy.” A pedestrian alert signal will be installed due to the car’s silence. He noted “the electric steering was responsive and well balanced,” and that the car hugged the road well.

It was also noted, and this I am sure, the true Volt prototypes (and actual Volts) will be sleeker, faster, smoother and better handling. I can’t wait to see.

Also by now its no secret that GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz will be a guest on the David Letterman show tonight. He will be there to redeem the image of the Volt which was maligned and misrepresented by Letterman a few weeks ago when Elon Musk was a guest.

It has also come out that comedian Stephen Colbert with be joining Lutz and Letterman on the show as part of the discussion. Lutz made his famous “the Volt will get you chicks with hairy legs” comment while on Colbert’s show. The Volt will be onstage too, and no doubt this will be an event to remember for us Volt enthusiasts.

In preparation for this historic segment the Detroit Free Press’ Mark Phelan decided to see Mr. Lutz off from Detroit to New York with a Chevy Volt top ten list for Dave to study:

10. With 40 miles of battery power, it’ll clear a driveway that stretches from Times Square to Piscataway, N.J.

9. About 80% of Americans drive fewer than 40 miles a day, so they’d almost never need the onboard generator.

8. For longer trips — say to Muncie, Ind., for Ball State alumni weekend — the Volt’s gasoline-powered onboard generator keeps the batteries charged for up to 400 miles between fill-ups.

7. Jay Leno wants one.

6. The Volt accelerates fast enough to put Letterman back on the New Jersey State Police’s radar.

5. The Volt will be built by UAW workers in GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

4. Danica Patrick will look great in one.

3. The Volt has an unofficial fan Web site, www.gm-volt.com, just like Dave. (my personal favorite)

2. Entering “Chevrolet Volt” on Google produces 3,460,000 hits. Entering “Late Show with David Letterman” gets 1,320,000.

1. Putting your tongue on the terminals of its lithium-ion battery pack would be a really stupid human trick.

What is your number one reason for wanting to buy a Chevy Volt?

Call for Help from GM-Volt.com: Can someone please upload the segment to YouTube tonight and email me the link or video to: chevyvolt@gmail.com

Source (Detroit Free Press)

Posted by: Lyle

177 Responses to “More Mule Test Drives and Detroit Press’ Chevy Volt Top 10 List”

Herm Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:18 am

First!.. it pays to haunt this site..

1. a green sign lights up in the back of the Volt during battery depletion mode: I am greener than you!

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fredevad Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:19 am

Second! … guess I’m not as haunting as Herm.

I love the top 10 list, that’s definitely a keeper.

1. I love the smell of spring on a beautiful day like today in Wisconsin.

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brad Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:23 am

1. I have a choice of who to buy my fuel from: American Powerplants or Foreign Oil.

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Ash Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:31 am

Why dont they make all cars E85 compatible for God sake, that is so easy to do and for once domestic car companies have a leg up on this.

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ArkansasVolt Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:34 am

I am actually looking forward to the show… I may not be home, but i have my DVR set to record it for me.

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Brad G Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:35 am

1. The Middle East runs out of money and has to go back to eatting camel mcnuggets…

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Gsned57 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:43 am

1. The volt platform will put American Automotive Engineering back on top.

Brad G at #6 I think I like yours better

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zipdrive Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:52 am

This whole Letterman idiocy about the Volt may turn out to be all for the good since it got Lutz a spot on the show. Otherwise it never would have happened.

Sometimes things that look like setbacks turn out to be just what is needed in the long run.

I’ll bet Letterman’s ratings will be up nicely tonight.

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Koz Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:53 am

Colbert is HILARIOUS! Dave and Jay are zombies in comparison. Too bad this will be on Dave’s show and not a neutral stage.

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Randy C. Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am

Batter handling? What is that? Do you have to play baseball while driving? Is it like tight handling? Could you please define batter handling?

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Rashiid Amul Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:01 am

From the article:
8. For longer trips — say to Muncie, Ind., for Ball State alumni weekend — the Volt’s gasoline-powered onboard generator keeps the batteries charged for up to 400 miles between fill-ups.

———-
Well this piece of information was clearly missed by me. But it makes me very happy. I thought is was the very anemic 300 miles.

So we have:
(400 gas miles + 40 electric miles) / 6 gallon tank = 73.33 MPG
Clearly this beats the new CAFE standards hands down.

I see the problem call this MPG though when I include the 40 miles electric. But you know what I mean.
MPT=Miles per Tank

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DonC Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:01 am

Hopefully everyone will read the linked reports. They give a lot of interesting information about the driving experience, especially how quiet and responsive the car is (watch out for the geese).

Also of note are remarks by Chief Engineer Frank Weber, the “intense German” (aren’t all German engineers this way?), that “[t]here are no more large elephants in the room, only hundreds of small ones”. IOW the remaining issues are those that come up in developing any new car, and those will be dealt with in due course, doubtless with varying degrees of success. Given what a straight shooter Weber is, this is solid evidence that the conjecture over drive train issues has been greatly exaggerated.

Jalopnik also addressed the notion, sometimes advanced here, that the Volt project is “a marketing stunt, a gimmick, too expensive for the segment, or a toy for wealthy eco-nuts” by reaching this conclusion about the driving experience in a mule — an experience which will definitely improve as the production vehicle will be lighter faster and sleeker:

“Our ride in the Volt was up to about 55 MPH on the grounds of GM’s Warren Tech Center and the cars are, dare we say it, peppy. There are no whirs or whines or whistles like in a traditional EV, just silence, like the motor has stalled out and you’re coasting along on momentum. … Stab the go-pedal and it responds happily, it’s even got a little get-up and go.”

Congrats to the Volt Team and GM!

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charlie h Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am

Couldn’t work something into this Top 10 list to the effect that, “Letterman is profitable, GM is not?”

Or, “The Chevy Volt will be priced so low that multi-millionaire comedians will probably be able to afford it?”

Or, “The Chevy Volt adds the weight penalty of a BEV to the ordinary problems of a conventional car?”

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CorvetteGuy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:20 am

3) 5,000 Songs on my iPod and an Auxilliary Jack on the dashboard.

2) Flippin’ the Bird at Venezuelan-owned gas stations.

1) Road Trip!!!

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ziv Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:22 am

0-60 in 8 seconds is not bad! I am really looking forward to watching Letterman for the first time since the geekish debacle when he had Mr. T on, oh so many years ago. Lutz isn’t the GM guy I would have chosen, but maybe he will think before he talks this time. Maybe.
Up to 400 miles between fill ups sounds like a bit of a stretch. But you never know, the fact that the Volts ICE won’t be on all the time even after you reach the customer depletion point means that the 50 mpg figure may be a case of under promise, over deliver. But GM hasn’t been doing a lot of that lately. 400 miles minus 40 AER means the article thought that the 6 gallon tank would get you 360 miles yielding a respectable 60 mpg. Or maybe they have heard that it will have a slightly larger fuel tank…

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Tagamet Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:25 am

The first 40 reasons would be:
Mile 1
Mile 2
Mile 3
Mile 4 etc.

Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!********NPNS

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jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am

#12
DonC . Given what a straight shooter Weber is, this is solid evidence that the conjecture over drive train issues has been greatly exaggerated
__________________________
What “drive train issues”. Oh you mean people were actually paying attention to that random noise generated a while back. Seriously if it’s not impacting the critical path it’s not even worthy of random evidence-less conjecture. It’s literally just background Statik.

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JB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am

1. David Letterman is still an idiot!

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k-dawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:33 am

Off Topic

GM Says It’s Closer To Cleaner, More Fuel-Efficient Engine

May 20, 2009 09:01:00 (ET)

DETROIT (Dow Jones)–General Motors Corp. (GM) said Wednesday it’s getting closer to developing a new engine that would deliver diesel-like fuel economy with lower emissions.

The engine, called a homogeneous charge compression ignition or HCCI, could be a decade away and faces substantial challenges before truly becoming road ready.

But the cash-strapped auto maker needs all the help it can get on the fuel economy front. As of this week, GM faces added pressure of stepped-up federal fuel economy standards that promise to complicate the already daunting task of loading its fleet with gas-sipping technologies while slashing staff and spending.

“As the emissions standards continue to get tighter and tighter it is a challenge and it really will be a question of cost,” said Paul Najt, group manager of group manager of GM’s Powertrain Systems Research. “With this, we now have a system that is robust enough to put on the open road.”

GM says the engine will deliver a 15% fuel economy improvement from a comparable engine on the road today. The auto maker has successfully tested engine in vehicles, but has yet to prove its durability over time or in extreme temperatures.

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RB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:36 am

#10 Randy C says “Batter handling? What is that? ”
————————————–

This phrase comes from cake-making and anticipates a delightful outcome.

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RB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:38 am

Post said “They called it “utterly unremarkable” to GM’s delight because that is the goal.”
—————————————
It’s not the whole goal, I hope, as people will need to see or feel something more than average to pay a higher price. Other reviews seemed to be more positive.

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Starcast Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:43 am

4. Danica Patrick will look great in ANYTHING!

#1 It will get you girls with hairy legs.

#2 It’s just fun to be one of the first. (as many of you tell us on each new thread “Wow look at me I’m first”)

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Dave G Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:45 am

#11 Rashiid Amul Says: So we have:
(400 gas miles + 40 electric miles) / 6 gallon tank = 73.33 MPG
————————————————————————————–
For plug-ins, we should forget about MPG and look at “Gallons Per Year”.

With a typical driving pattern, assuming you only charge overnight:
Vehicle ……………… Gallons per year
Volt ………………….. 37
Prius plug-in ……….. 182
Prius ………………… 228
30 MPG car ………… 380
20 MPG car ………… 570

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Rashiid Amul Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:50 am

#23 Dave G,

I don’t know. We would need to teach people how many gallons of gas they currently use in a year, then show them what they will be saving.

Most people are used to MPG. We just need a conversion measurement.

Example: My current car gets 38 MPG. What will the Volt get?
That is what I will want to compare. 38 MPG to ???

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Dave B Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:53 am

Let’s hope Lutz doesn’t blow this… I mean he still has to defend GM which does need SOME defending.

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old man Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:05 am

#19 d-dawg

That is great as I think we will have E-REV for many years before BEV’s take over the lead. This is based on my belief that India and China will end up with, most likely over 100,000,000 additional cars on their roads in less than 20 years. That is simply to many batterys being needed and I fear will out strip possible production and supply of the needed [whatever the mineral is] components to keep up with demand.

Back to topic

reason #1 I want people to say “what does opec stand for”

#2 Terrorist run out of money

#3 Air polution numbers are rarely reported on the news

#4 Oil wars are only a memory

#5 News reports Our balance of trade numbers are about even again as usual.

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Neil Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:08 am

This kind of stuff gets me excited but I still want to know what their US rollout plan is. Or, in simpler terms, what’s the realistic estimate that I can get one! What’s the point of getting excited if I can’t get one?

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kent beuchert Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:19 am

Well, well. Looks like Letterman’s so frightened that he’s bringing his fellow pinhead Colbert to the discussion. I would hope that Lutz comes prepared with data for our commuting fleet to show the Volt as obtaining over 90% gas reduction and obtaining roughly 260 miles per gallon economy, even without workplace recharging.

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CDAVIS Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:20 am

________________________________________________
Lyle asks: “What are your top 10 reasons for wanting to buy a Chevy Volt?”
—–

1. I can drive to work without burning gas.

2. I can drive to the store without burning gas.

3. I can drive to the movies without burning gas.

4: I can drive to a friend’s house without burning gas.

5: I can drive to dinner without burning gas.

6: I can drive to the bank without burning gas.

7: I can drive to pick up the kids from school without burning gas.

8: I can teach my son to drive a car without burning gas.

9: I can drive pass a gas station without burning gas.

10: I can take a drive without contributing aid and comfort to dictators and terrorists.
______________________________________________________

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Tagamet Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:22 am

Neil@27 said:
“This kind of stuff gets me excited but I still want to know what their US rollout plan is. Or, in simpler terms, what’s the realistic estimate that I can get one! What’s the point of getting excited if I can’t get one? ”

Have you ever enjoyed watching a movie (any movie) with Angelina Jolee?
Same thing
Be well,
tag
LJGTVWOTR !!********NPNS

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Frank D Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:24 am

And the number One reason….It makes me feel juiced!

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statik Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am

#12
DonC . Given what a straight shooter Weber is, this is solid evidence that the conjecture over drive train issues has been greatly exaggerated
__________________________
#17 Jeffhre said:
What “drive train issues”. Oh you mean people were actually paying attention to that random noise generated a while back. Seriously if it’s not impacting the critical path it’s not even worthy of random evidence-less conjecture. It’s literally just background Statik.
================

Uh, oh, I see what you did there.

/clever

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ccombs Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:31 am

The great thing is that everyone can have their own top 10 list- conservatives can love it that they’re sticking it to OPEC, liberals that they’re saving the environment, and any sort of combination of the two and a myriad of other reasons. GM must emphasize this fact- i.e. you can get the hippie girls with hairy legs and the corn-fed conservative hawks just as easy with one car (women on this site may replace these categories with eco-chic guys and men in uniform). Personally I’d like the moderate girls with normal appearance, but to each his own. Being an enginerd however, I don’t think even a Volt would be sufficient to get me any of them

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Tagamet Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:32 am

Somehow the phrase “background Statik” feels like an oxymoron. (g).
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!

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statik Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:36 am

From the article:

8. For longer trips — say to Muncie, Ind., for Ball State alumni weekend — the Volt’s gasoline-powered onboard generator keeps the batteries charged for up to 400 miles between fill-ups.
—————-

I don’t think this is factual. Didn’t we have a post saying the 12 gallon double tank in the Volt was down to 1?

At 6 gallons @ (and a very optimistic) 50MPG, thats only 300. At a more realistic 40 MPG…only 240.

Also, we like to talk about range anxiety, well it still exists in gas cars…so no one is going to drive it even close empty, they are always going to keep that DTE (distance to empty) meter at around 50 or higher. Meaning after battery depletion, we are looking at usable range of 250 (50 MPG) to 190 miles (40 MPG) before we hit the stations again.

Side note: I’ve said this before, but I really don’t care about the range or the MPG. I want the EV part, it could have a 1 gallon tank or a 20 gallon tank and I’d still buy.

…still nice to be factual/realistic

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Jean-Charles Jacquemin Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:36 am

Thanks Lyle I was very pleased to read the post.

JC

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Lawrence Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:37 am

Rashiid Amul @ 24

“We just need a conversion measurement” [...]

———————-

It’s not possible to have a single measure. You need two distinguished ones. Building a single measure is function of how you will use the Volt. There are 2 extremes:

Assuming you are a typical 40miles daily commuter:

1. You charge every night, which will grant u the MPG-equivalent use of electricity stipulated on Dave G’s calculation

2. You never charge it, which will give you the effective MPG used from the ICE generator.

The majority of “mass” users will stick between these two extremes. The question is “where”.

I personally think if you want to reason in a fixed term of MPG all car users are used to, then better go with the effective MPG you get when running after full battery depletion. If that MPG is comparative, or even better to concurrent Prius-like car, then you win. As a sugar, you get additional 40 miles on battery mode.

Cheers

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statik Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:37 am

#34 Tagament said:

Somehow the phrase “background Statik” feels like an oxymoron. (g).
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!
=========================
…if only

Oh to dream my friend. Oh to dream.

Have a good one,
Stat

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Tagamet Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:38 am

Hmmm, just setting the DVR and it says that Bob will be on with a Grizzly bear tonight on Letterman. Bob, a bear and Colbert….oh my.
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!

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Guy ncognito Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:50 am

Lyle
It was only a matter of time before the Elon Musk on Letterman video got pulled from YouTube because its copyrighted.

If it gets posted on YouTube again, it will get flagged/pulled with a good chance that whoever re-posts it will have his or her account permanently suspended.

Anyways, looking forward to seeing Bob Lutz on Letterman tonight.
Get the word out Bob. Bust Letterman’s ass!!!

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Steven Marr Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:52 am

I think its pretty deceitful to call the Volt “a car that doesnt use gas”
What is that gas tank and internal combustion engine doing there then? Comments like that are only going to come back and make people look stupid.

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Schmeltz Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:54 am

Hoping Letterman is humbled and set straight on the Volt. That was such an unwarranted bunch of slanders being shot out of his mouth the other week.

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DonC Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:55 am

#17 jeffhre says “Oh you mean people were actually paying attention to that random noise generated a while back.”

It was natural, in so far as GM wasn’t demonstrating the ICE, for some conjecture over whether the gen-set was a problem. There were of course other plausable explanations. In any case Weber seems to have put that one to bed.

I’m thinking that the performance will be pretty darn good. A 250 hp V6 is more or less what you find on an Acura TL, and that car is quite popular with the younger set because of its zip. Should be fun to see it develop.

#35 statik — It strikes me as an imprecise offhand remark as well. Note that it talks about keeping the batteries charged. I personally would not rely on a Letterman “Top Ten” list as a definitive reference.

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nuclearboy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:02 am

#35 static,

I would argue that range anxiety in an ICE car is not really the same as for a BEV. I do worry about gas in my ICE vehicle only to the point that I have to waste 10 minutes filling up. Gas stations are not really that hard to find in most of the US. When the needle is near “E” I have to start looking for the most convienient gas station. I have the luxuary to look for one that is cheap also.

Range anxiety in a BEV means that I could be stuck for hours and need to worry about things like where I will plug in how long it will take to get a tow truck. It is similar to having a flat tire with no spare.

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:02 am

Top 10…

10. You can drive all electric around town looking for those “Craig’s List Gilrs”

9. You can wire the Volt to use as electrolysis on hairy legged women, even those “Craig’s List Gilrs”

8. Because Volt spelled backwards is “TLOV” sounds like ‘To Love’ and Tesla spelled backwards “ALSET” is spyware ( http://www.spywareremove.com/removeAlset.html ).

7. Even David letterman can afford one…….maybe?

6. OPEC may want to buy the lincense/rights/whatever to/for the Volt.

5. EV1? What EV1?

4. Vanilla Ice wants one because it still has the “ICE ICE Babby…..”

3. When a massive SUV hits it, the SUV will disentegrate……..I hope/wish……..it could happen.

2. Miss “LauraM” wants a ride in one because it has a lot of leg room for her long hairles legs from the Electrolysis. And who’s “Danica Patrick” anyway…….whateva.

1. In a city, at 40 miles all electric, you can guarantee that your drive to the nearest H( . Y . )TERS is all electric. That way you save $$$ so you can order more Chicken Wings from “Danica Patrick” and she can spread the Oil she works with.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….
Love this thread!!

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Jacob Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:03 am

#23 Dave G.

We are still waiting for the data source or reference for your “typical driving pattern”

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:06 am

Hey David Letterman, Tell Lutz you want the Volt version that doesn’t have the Genset/ICE. Tell him they need to sell this model also to the public, especially me. I keep tellin everyone but nobody wants to listen to a “Trailer Park Maggot”…….lol

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sudhaman Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:07 am

10 reasons to buy volt
1 its made in usa
2 its GM who makes it.
3 buying a volt gives foreign oil independence
4 you get a tax credit of 7500
5 we can save bills on gasoline.
6 it is cheap compared to tesla and fisker
7 design is good.
8 we will not support slave labour in japan
9 GM will pay back govt loans
10 toyota and honda can sell more vehicles at home and look for their own market

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StevenU Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:12 am

#24 Rashiid Amul Says: May 20th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Most people are used to MPG. We just need a conversion measurement.

Example: My current car gets 38 MPG. What will the Volt get?
That is what I will want to compare. 38 MPG to ???
====
For me, it will be close to infinity*… and beyond?

* in a typical week, 30 mile RT daily commute plus errands around town. I have been monitoring my car and have gone over 40 miles in a day only once in the last month.

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old man Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:14 am

#41 Steven Marr

It seems to me you are using deceitful for what I would call picking lint. Some gas will be used by all owners of the Volt. And all that I know who know about the Volt understand this. The point is nearly all of my driving will be gas free. [bit of lint] except when the engine starts to simply pump the oil and keep the gaskets in proper shape.
Now that I think about it, why could not an electric pump do this till the engine needs to run to produce electricity to keep my Volt moving.

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Sheet4brains Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:18 am

Hopefully Dave will gives us the straight scoop on this Volt thing.
I am tired of hearing all the “spin” machines that GM is cranking up.
What people need to understand is that the Volt has a huge 1.4 liter Gasoline engine. This must be emphasized over and over. This is a true hybrid car. Hope GM makes this clear on the show. And the statement about most american driving less than 40 miles a day, utter hogwash, and totally unproven. Not a shred of unbiased scientific proven study to back up that statement. This reminds me of the agenda-driven statement about need for a 3000 mile oil change that launched an entire fast-oil-change industry practically overnight. So much deception about these electric cars it is mind boggling (its global warming part deux)

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statik Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:20 am

#44 nuclearboy said:

#35 static,

I would argue that range anxiety in an ICE car is not really the same as for a BEV. I do worry about gas in my ICE vehicle only to the point that I have to waste 10 minutes filling up. Gas stations are not really that hard to find in most of the US. When the needle is near “E” I have to start looking for the most convienient gas station. I have the luxuary to look for one that is cheap also.

Range anxiety in a BEV means that I could be stuck for hours and need to worry about things like where I will plug in how long it will take to get a tow truck. It is similar to having a flat tire with no spare.
================

I agree 100%, but if we are talking about ‘usuable range,’ the point is still valid in a ICE, in so much as no one uses the whole tank.

For example my wife will no go anywhere (other than to the gas station) when the needle is under 1/4 tank. So for her, if max range in the Volt is 240-300 (40 MPG/50MPG)….the ‘usuable’ range is really 180-225. I think a good deal of people are like this (I’m more of a 1/8th tank guy).

/just saying, my point is that number 8’s ‘up to 400 miles’ is not only impossible, but likely only half that amount is realistic even under fairly generous scenarios

…no biggie, it was just nagging at me.

Sidenote to DonC/Jeffhre: Forgive me if the fact that Frank Weber is a ‘intense German’ and that he is a ’straight shooter’ does not convince me that there is ’solid evidence that the conjecture over drive train issues has been greatly exaggerated’…he didn’t even mention it.

I admit it is possible everything is perfect and they just don’t ‘feel’ like showing off the part of the car that is special…in lieu of just showing us a 40 mile EV mule…but I’d like to see it actually working flawlessly before I believe it.

/just me

(Not sure how one can go back in time to prove this point right or wrong at the time of the test drives…but w/e)

Regardless…it is a great day, I’m going to go catch some rays.

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CDAVIS Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:25 am

______________________________________________________
The EV Smile:

The FUN factor may end up being the primary factor that will ignite the desire for many to purchase an EV/EREV such as the Volt.

Driving an electric car simply puts a smile on your face; it’s an uncontrollable automatic response. I call it the EV Smile. The near silent motor whirl and full linier torque is way cool. Also you feel like your getting away with something your not supposed too (driving without using gas); sort of like playing hooky from school as a child.

I have taken rides in several parallel hybrids (such as the Prius) and those cars allow you to do good (burn less gas) but do not deliver the EV Smile. The Volt allows you to smile while also doing something good for your country and the environment…that’s a powerful combination…FUN + GOOD.

GM could build an entire Volt marketing campaign around the EV Smile.

GM could have a series of ads/commercials that consists of nothing else but consumer(s) driving their Volts with a big smile on their faces with a simple end caption that reads/voices: “Another EV (or Volt) Smile – It’s Fun to drive electric”. ______________________________________________________
Electric Cars + Nuclear Energy = American Energy Independence!
______________________________________________________

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GXT Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:27 am

43. DonC wrote:
“I’m thinking that the performance will be pretty darn good. A 250 hp V6 is more or less what you find on an Acura TL, and that car is quite popular with the younger set because of its zip. Should be fun to see it develop.”
————————————————————————————–

Pretty much every plain-jane V6 sedan nowadays has 250+ HP and will do 0-60 in the mid to high 6s.

If you want to focus on the Acura TL as an example, it does 0-60 in the high 5s to mid 6s depending on year/trim/tranny. It is fun and zippy. However that is not what the Volt is delivering. The Volt delivers 4cyl Accord 0-60 times. The 4cyl accord, though no slouch, is not “fun and zippy”, and certainly should not be mentioned in comparison with the TL or any decent V6 sedan in those terms.

The Volt’s 0-60 of 8s is 170-190 HP 4cyl performance, not 250+ HP V6. Don’t get me wrong, it is fine for an economy car, but we shouldn’t pretend that it is more than that. I am really curious to see how the “instant torque” of the Volt mixes with the 4cyl 0-60 times.

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:28 am

Range Anxiety. statik (52) descibed it best. It exists no matter waht car you drive. When the Fuel guage idiot light comes on, you get range anxiety. Don’t deny it. What’s the difference in a BEV? If you know your BEV can only travel 120MPC you won’t take it. If you take your ICE vehicle on a long trip, you map out the path knowing there will be a city within the range of the ICE. Duh. Same thing. A BEV is a tool for a purpose. Pick the right tool and you’ll be fine. Pick the wrong one and you’ll be a cryng B|tch.

Back to my Kahlua & Coffee…..

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ArkansasVolt Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:36 am

#55 CJS

Some of us do not have the cash to afford so many tools. Once I get my Volt, it will be my “general purpose” vehicle. kinda like some people saying that “duct tape and a screwdriver will fix anything” …

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Tim Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:38 am

ANL Project on Actively Coupled Ultracapacitor-Battery System for PHEVs Attracting OEM Interest

“Work on a research project developing an actively coupled ultracapacitor-battery system targeted at plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications is attracting interest from a variety of OEMs both at a component and a system level,…”

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/05/anl-ucap-lion-20090520.html#more

“GM has verbally committed to apply this technology on the Chevy Volt energy storage system and to perform lab evaluations.”

There are many stated goals to this project and this article is well worth the read.

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:40 am

@ArkansasVolt 56

““duct tape and a screwdriver will fix anything” …”

D@mn right it can!!!! Duct Tape RULES!!!!!

With the Volt then you will still get “Range Anxiety” because it will most likely have an idiot light for the gas gauge also.
I don’t have the cash either. I have a sh|tload of plastic bottles and aluminum cans to recycle when I go buy the Volt.

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CorvetteGuy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:41 am

1. To see news footage of Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and Hugo Chavez crying like little girls when the USA becomes foreign oil independant.

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CorvetteGuy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:47 am

(I can dream, can’t I?)

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solo Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:50 am

I would pay good money to see the CIA zap David Letterman with a Volt Battery. THAT’S an abuse of power that would get bipartisan support.

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:51 am

@CorvetteGuy 60

That would be soo nice….
Independent that is. I can’t stand seeing crying grown men. Makes you want to go slap them in the face like the little b|tch they are……lol

More Kahlua less coffee this time.

The ICEAge is over, Embrace the VoltAge.

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Dave G Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:51 am

#24 Rashiid Amul Says: Most people are used to MPG. We just need a conversion measurement. Example: My current car gets 38 MPG. What will the Volt get? That is what I will want to compare. 38 MPG to ???
————————————————————–
I started off thinking along the same lines, but it just didn’t work.

With a typical yearly driving pattern, the Volt uses 37 gallons of gas to drive 11,400 miles, which works out to 310 MPG. That would be the actual Volt MPG of a typical driver is real life.

The problem is that 310 MPG is just too high for people to believe, even though its what you would really get. So then the arguments about how you calculate MPG for plug-ins kick in, and the whole advantage of the Volt get severely watered down.

But the term “gallons per year” is pretty specific, so there is not much to argue there.

The point is that plug-ins by their very nature are not conducive to MPG type measurements, because it all depends on how many miles you drive between charges.

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:52 am

@solo 61

I would pay good money to see the CIA zap David Letterman with a Volt Battery. THAT’S an abuse of power that would get bipartisan support.

AHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Good one!….. A “ManBQ”.

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Dave G Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:58 am

#37 Lawrence Says: Assuming you are a typical 40miles daily commuter:

1. You charge every night, which will grant u the MPG-equivalent use of electricity stipulated on Dave G’s calculation

2. You never charge it, which will give you the effective MPG used from the ICE generator.

The majority of “mass” users will stick between these two extremes. The question is “where”.
————————————————————————————-
My assumption is that people who buy a Volt will charge it almost every night. It’s easier to plug in than to go to the gas station. It’s much cheaper as well.

Also not that there are many plug-in enthusiasts that would like to charge the Volt multiple times per day, which would cause problems with our grid as plug-ins catch on.

(Quote)
KUD Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

Another nice test drive article

http://seekingalpha.com/article/138748-chevy-volt-test-drive-gm-s-future-shows-promise?source=yahoo

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StevenU Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm

#52 statik: For example my wife will no go anywhere (other than to the gas station) when the needle is under 1/4 tank.
=====
I wish I could get my wife to notice the gas needle before the yellow warning light comes on and she stops at the nearest (usually expensive) station.

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k-dawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

10. You can play the Jetson’s sound while driving.

9. Chevy, the Pacemaker of America

8. To cancel your prescription for “Range Anxiety”

7. It has that “new battery” smell.

6. You can still get to work after local thieves siphon your gas due to economy.

5. Your nickname of “Sparky” will make more sense.

4. To get some of that Gub’ment bailout money.

3. To sneak out for a late night at the bar.

2. To sneak home after a late night at the bar

1. Money saved on gas can be used to buy silk pink ties.

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alex_md Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Volt – 5 miles per KW
Prius – 1.5 miles per KW
——————————
So, for the first 40 miles Volt is at least 3.3 times more efficient then Prius.

We really should stop using MPG numbers. We need to know the REAL eficiency of the car (gas, electric, hydrogen, diesel, air, muscle, etc). Just give the real adjusted number of miles per KW of energy.

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Mike-o-Matic Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:14 pm

@ #47 Cap’nJack,
>> nobody wants to listen to a “Trailer Park Maggot”

SILENCE, Trailer Park Maggot! BEGONE!

Kiddin’ ya, Cap. Despite the occasional broken-record ya got goin’, mostly I get a kick outta your posts.

(Quote)
Brian Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:26 pm

Breaking News, GM to be bought by the US Government

http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSN1943363120090519

One of the top stories on Digg right now. Looks like they really will be Government Motors.

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Open-Mind Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm

One thing Lutz could point out is that Detroit is not the only part of the auto industry that’s struggling. For example, he could mention the fact that Toyota lost almost $8 billion last quarter …. about $2 billion more than GM. And at that burn rate, they will probably need bailouts too pretty soon.

(Quote)
DonC Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

#64 GXT says “However that is not what the Volt is delivering. The Volt delivers 4cyl Accord 0-60 times.”

A couple of things. The stated goal is 250 hp V6 performance. You’re looking at the current 0-60 time and equating it to a 4cyl. That’s OK but, one, the times should get better as the drive train is tweaked a bit and the car gets lighter and more aerodynamic. And two, 0-30 probably matters more when talking about “fun to drive” than 0-60, and the 0-30 time should be very good indeed with maximum torque at 0 mph.

We’ll see how all this turns out but the early impressions are encouraging.

(Quote)
Lektriktadpole Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

#51 Sheet4brains said:
” ”

You know, it really doesn’t matter what he wrote. It is very clear from his name that he understands what his own thoughts are worth. It is nice to hear from someone with an accurate self-worth assessment.

And I think we all should take the opportunity to welcome David Letterman to our weblog and understand that a celebrity has to protect his privacy.

(Quote)
ArkansasVolt Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

#71 Brian

I see nothing wrong with our government owning a stake in GM… some people say that they would rather have a Toyota… Japan’s government owns a stake in Toyota… What is the difference? I would rather trust our government than Japans for me as an American.

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Guido Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm

charlie h Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Couldn’t work something into this Top 10 list to the effect that, “Letterman is profitable, GM is not?”

Or, “The Chevy Volt will be priced so low that multi-millionaire comedians will probably be able to afford it?”

Or, “The Chevy Volt adds the weight penalty of a BEV to the ordinary problems of a conventional car?”
—————–
We can always count on our resident wet-blanket to whine and bleat. Why don’t you find some other bridge to hide under ?
What exactly do you hope to accomplish by your non-stop crying ?

(Quote)
Lawrence Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pm

Dave G @ 65

My assumption is that people who buy a Volt will charge it almost every night. It’s easier to plug in than to go to the gas station [...]

-> Correct, as far as you fit to the condition you have a garage with a plug somewhere. So you do, so do I, so do gm-volt addict, but what about the others, the … mass?

[...]Also not that there are many plug-in enthusiasts that would like to charge the Volt multiple times per day[...]

-> Well, without any “charge on opportunity” facilities, I doubt you will have the patience to charge your car more than once a day (night), assuming it fully charges for 6.5 hours (=~ 6-7 miles/hour…) on standard 110v outlet.

Again, your calculation is correct, when you base it on the few data GM has publicly supplied. But you have to keep in mind, these datas do NOT reflect reality: these are statistics. These are estimations on how the real world might look like based on samples of it. But these number are coupled with uncertainty (which can be computed statistically).

If I could know the real MPG after battery depletion, which remains unknown atm, I’ll build up my decision on that. It’s already hard to accept it’s a 4 seater 40′000$ car. Bad idea. Very very bad idea…

Is Volt approach THE solution for everyone? or will it finally be “reduced” to content all of us by materialising our ideology?

(Quote)
Nick G Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

Statik,

Are you familiar with hypermilers? Their favorite tactic is to accelerate, and then turn off the motor. That gets rid of the drive-train friction, and allows MPG of 75+. It works, but it’s not so safe.

Given that the Volt does that automaticaly and safely, I think 50MPG is very conservative.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:16 pm

@Mike-o-Matic 70

“Kiddin’ ya, Cap. Despite the occasional broken-record ya got goin’, mostly I get a kick outta your posts.”

I told my sone one time he sounded like a broken record when he kept repeating phrases from the Disney channel. His reply…
“Whats a record?”

I gettin friggin old.

(Quote)
Rashiid Amul Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

#63 Dave G says,
I started off thinking along the same lines, but it just didn’t work.

—–
Me too. As I was typing it, I was realizing how stupid it was. I couldn’t quite get the math right either. But for a valid example, one would have to fully charge the battery, fill up the tank and drive until out of gas. That would almost cover it. Once you start plugging it in every night, that calculation goes to He11 pretty quickly.

(Quote)
noel park Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:24 pm

This is all good. I firmly believe that “Any ink is good ink”.

Letterman says something stupid while interviewing Elon Musk (LOL). Result? Bob Lutz, Colbert and a bear (sorry Tag!). More name recognition for the Volt.

If Bob Lutz shoots from the lip and says something controversial, so much the better. Maybe it makes it to the blogs or the papers tomorrow, and more people say “Volt? What’s a Volt? Never heard of it before”

Anything which puts the name and the concept before the public is good. Bring it on. Thanks Dave.

(Quote)
Jake Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:26 pm

#71 Brian

From that article:
“In addition, the government would extend a credit line to the new company and forgive the bulk of the $15.4 billion in emergency loans that the U.S. has already provided to GM,”

As most rational people expected, those LOANS were in fact FREE MONEY BAILOUTS. I knew they would never be paid back. This is going to be a very bitter pill to swallow for all taxpayers. The backlash is going to make the AIG bonus scandal pale in comparison to this. Wow.

(Quote)
ArkansasVolt Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

#81 Jake

“forgive the bulk of…”

That means that most of the “LOANS” are “FREE MONEY BAILOUTS” … there is still hope that some of it will get paid back.

(Quote)
DonC Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

#80 noel park

With Colbert this will have to be at least somewhat controversial. To make it really rock perhaps they should book Joe Biden and then have him cancel and turn up with Katie Couric!

(Quote)
Jeff Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Sounds good…I like Letterman’s show better than Leno’s. Every great product (in this case, a future product) needs a few naysayers. It helps keep the buzz going and highlights items that could be improved…like this incident.

The biggest improvement item for EREV is price (better yet…cost of ownership). While the price is not set yet, the speculated price is beyond most drivers’ budget. The maintenance (and no warranty repairs) cost and resale value are other unknowns.

(Quote)
David K (CT) Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:38 pm

Noel @ 80 (& TAG)

I think this Grizzly Bear thing on Letterman tonight with Lutz and Colbert is a musical group.

(Quote)
Pat Joy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm

The idea that the Volt should be E85 certified as stated in an earlier comment is a good idea. If you think about it, if you the range extender at all it would further decrease demand for Gasoline by 75% as most gas has 10% alcohol already. Also the usage of the E85 fuel would be very low, reducing demand overall for it. A study should be done to see how economics of E85 works with Volt type power systems.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm

@ArkansasVolt 83

“there is still hope that some of it will get paid back.”

After those debts get written off in Chap whatever, there no longer an obligation for them to pay that “Bailout” back.

That’s FuKced up huh?

(Quote)
LauraM Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:55 pm

#72 Open-Mind

Toyota already got “low-interest loans” from the Japanese government. They called it a “strategic move.”

Admittedly, there’s a big difference between what they’re doing and an actual bailout, but it just shows how supportive the Japanese government is of their industries in general. As opposed to the US government which likes to destroy ours.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123616606827228383.html

(Quote)
jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

#
Starcast

#2 It’s just fun to be one of the first. (as many of you tell us on each new thread “Wow look at me I’m first”)
_______________________
I watched the last post for about 5 minutes of refreshes before ANYONE posted. I like the insights, banter. information, varied points of view, resolution of conflicts and related url’s tossed out by commentors on the site. First may be a thrill once, but the information and community are invaluable – Thanks Lyle.

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

I suspect Letterman enlisted Colbert to help him to ridicule Bob Lutz and GM some more. I am just not a Letterman fan, I guess. I find him not very funny and just a tad to mean spirited. Plus being a world class hypocrite doesn’t help any.

(Quote)
jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:06 pm

#89
LauraM

Admittedly, there’s a big difference between what they’re doing and an actual bailout
____________________________
I agree with your conclusions about Govt/Keiretsu cooperation in the infrastructure of Japan Inc., But please refresh my memory on how this action differs from a bailout during the carpacolypse. I’m feeling a bit slow on that one today.

(Quote)
Todd Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Something to think about, I know that the Volt technology is not military ready but think about a future electric military mobility vehicle. In a conflict with the east who are now broke (because the major user of their oil has bailed out for electrics) starts a war with us. Our electrics sneak around quiet because of the technology that started with the Volt, while we hear their ICE vehicles long before they arrive. Anything is possible.

(Quote)
CDAVIS Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

______________________________________________________
Letterman’s talk show competitor, Jay Leno, has publicly stated that the Volt will be successful. Leno is a respected gear head and has become a strong EV/EREV proponent.

Here is a recent Leno review of the Aptera that is worth watching:
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=1104622
_____________________________________________________

(Quote)
CorvetteGuy Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

#88 Cap’nJack

That does not sound right. If, after the 100 to 1 reverse buy back program on stocks, etc… – the government still owns 50% or more of the company at $1.20 per share… So let’s say by the end of Obama’s second term, he gets the price per share back up to $20.00 (less than half of what is was at its peak)…. If they sell those shares, wouldn’t that pay back a good chunk of what was loaned? Isn’t that what Uncle Sam did with Chrysler and ol’ Lee Iacocca?

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

BEARS

#1 on the Threatdown

Colbert is going to @$!& his pants!

(Quote)
Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:50 pm

#87 (Pat Joy):

“the Volt should be E85 certified as stated in an earlier comment”

It will be.

(Quote)
noel park Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:52 pm

#84 DonC:

I’m all for it! Ink begets ink, begets name recognition. If there’s no controversy, create one.

#86 David K (CT):

LOL. I wondered how they were going to control the Grizzly bear when he climbed up on the desk and started licking Dave’s face. Bite his head off, more likely. I guess it only shows what I know about pop music. My big plunge recently was to buy the new Steve Earle “Townes” CD. Maybe not exactly mainstream. I’m probably the only one left who even buys CDs any more, hahaha.

#90 jeffhre:

Amen brother.

#91 N Riley:

Well I’m not exactly a Letterman fan myself. Too late for me, alas. I doubt if I’ve watched him 5 times total in my life.

Even if your prediction comes true, it’s still all good, IMHO. Every time somebody says “Volt” on network TV it just ups the precious name recognition. Even if they’re picking on poor old “Maximum Bob”, LOL. I am pretty confident that Mr. Lutz will go toe to toe and zinger for zinger with those guys. Come to think of it, maybe I will try to stay up.

(Quote)
LauraM Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pm

Top Ten Reasons I want a Volt:

1. No gasoline for my daily commute
2. No pollution for my daily commute
3. The greenhouse effect
4. New tech is always cool
5. Peak gasoline
6. The trade deficit
7. Keeping jobs in America
8. Shoring up the middle class in America
9. No more sponsoring terrorists
10 No more sponsoring repressive governments.

(Quote)
LauraM Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:01 pm

#92 jeffhre

Toyota’s using the money to make low-interest loans to US auto buyers not day-to-day operations. They’re in no danger of bankruptcy–it was more of a strategic move. Also, the amount in question is much lower–I think it was 2 billion?

But notice they can get money from the bank of Japan when they want it. GM had to be literally bankrupt before they could go to the US government for a loan. (Or get the necessary concessions from the UAW.)

(Quote)
Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:12 pm

“The United Auto Workers union could end up owning a majority of Chrysler and a large stake at GM. But it’s not happy about that.”

http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/19/news/companies/uaw_ownership/index.htm?postversion=2009051911

Haven’t read the whole thing, just thought it was a pretty amazing subtitle.

(Quote)
Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:15 pm

“Hitachi develops automotive lithium-ion battery
having the world’s highest output; sampling set to start in the fall”

http://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/090519a.html

Not directly applicable to Gen I Volt, but another indication of how quickly Li-ion technology is advancing.

(Quote)
Eliezer Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

It seems that there is still a debate over how the Volt fuel economy (MPG) should be calculated.

In my opinion, it would be a HUGE mistake to set the MPG at some extraordinary value (like the aforementioned 310 MPG) based on average daily or yearly driving habits. Why? Because the deviation from the average is so high, especially when you compare it to the MPG for standard ICE automobiles.

If you have a typical ICE car that is rated at 30 MPG highway, buyers might experience MPG that is up to 10% higher or lower based on the average speed, acceleration and passenger/cargo weight… and for most people, this difference is negligible. However, if an E-REV is rated at 310 MPG (based on the fact that most people drive less than 40 miles a day and will not use the gas generator on a daily basis), the commuter who drives 100 miles a day will experience an annual MPG that is only a fraction of the rated average. This is a case where dumbing down the calculation for the consumer only leads to confusion and disappointment once the buyer realizes that his driving habits result in a fuel eceonomy that is far less than advertised.

The best bet for GM is to advertise two numbers: one for the battery power (40 miles per charge) and one for the gas generator (in MPG). If they clearly explain that the Volt goes 40 miles gas free AND gets great fuel economy after 40 miles, I think the average Joe will be able to understand that.

Besides, by the time the Volt is ready for production, everyone will know that it is not your average hybrid. Once the general public realizes that the Volt is in a class of its own, there won’t be any need to compare it to other cars strictly by fuel economy values. Nobody will put down any money for this car at a dealership unless they understand the basic idea of the E-Rev, because if the salesman doesn’t tell them, the dashboard display certainly will during the test drive.

I really hope Bob Lutz clearly and honestly illustrates to Letterman and the Late Show viewers how the Volt gives drivers the best of both worlds, because if he only talks about the battery range or gives some idealized MPG estimation, it will only serve to confuse and disappoint people who would otherwise be lining up at Chevy dealerships to get one.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:23 pm

Personally I think the MPG rating should be with the Genset running . Why even bother to calculate 0 Emissions into the equation? It’s a waste of time. If there’s an ICE in the car then you rate it running the ICE. Isn’t the the whole purpose of doing this because of either the environment or better fuel economy? AER is a no brainer, no emissions or fuel useds therefore needs to measurement. ICE needs measurement because it has emissions and uses fuel. What’s so difficult?

(Quote)
Steven M Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:32 pm

#71 Brian

If this article is true and GM is bought by the goverment, defaults on the taxpayer bailouts – GM wont need to worry about building enough Volts. No one will buy one, or any other GM car.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pm

If you want to do a comparison of any type for a consumer to understand, get the Prius, Insight, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid and the Volt. Give everyone 1 Gallon of gas let’s see who goes the farthest. The hybrids will do their thing on getting the most out of the gallon of gas and the Volt will go 40 AER then gas.

That’s a basic test comparison.

(Quote)
ArkansasVolt Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:36 pm

#101 Jackson

Good read on the UAW… still does not answer anything, but good arguments in there.

(Quote)
Open-Mind Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:44 pm

LauraM said … “But notice they can get money from the bank of Japan when they want it. GM had to be literally bankrupt before they could go to the US government for a loan. (Or get the necessary concessions from the UAW.)”

You’ve sure got that right. The Japanese government treats Japanese industry like a partner whose success can help make the country stronger. The US government treats US industry like a herd of milk cows. The unions get to ride them like cowboys, and the government gets to slaughter them if they don’t produce. “Yippee Ki Yea!”

As for Toyota, their cash reserves were around $19 billion at the beginning of the year, if this article is correct:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/26/toyota-reportedly-down-to-18-5-billion-in-cash/

Then in Jan-Mar quarter, they lost almost $8 billion. Maybe another 3 billion since then … who knows. Seems like they could be out of money in three months, and that would mean real “bailout” operational loans from Japan. Hard to tell though, since they are pretty secretive and the media doesn’t seem to care.

(Quote)
Eliezer Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:51 pm

#106 CaptJackSparrow:

If you want to do a comparison of any type for a consumer to understand, get the Prius, Insight, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid and the Volt. Give everyone 1 Gallon of gas let’s see who goes the farthest. The hybrids will do their thing on getting the most out of the gallon of gas and the Volt will go 40 AER then gas.

That’s a basic test comparison
——————————————————————————–

That’s true… but you can also do a test in which the driver hasn’t had a chance to recharge the Volt battery and must drive using the generator. Obviously, the results would be quite different. The bottom line is that the Volt will yield different results for different drivers, so instead of using some basic test or average calculation, it’s best to give all the pertinient information (the battery range, generator fuel economy and charging time) to consumers and let them decide based on their own driving habits.

(Quote)
Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

#106, #109 (Cap’n ; Eliezer)

Maybe some kind of web-driven calculator is an answer, kind of like Dave G.’s spreadsheet, but driven by actual (now secret) Volt test results. Not “Build your own,” but “Drive your own.”

It would also break a record for being something actually useful on a GM (’official’ car-model) website.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:02 pm

@Eliezer 109

Yea, GM says 50MPG in “Charge Sustaining” mode. I think it’s closer to 40MPG. But that’s just me.
Hopefully we’ll get some numbers after they get those “Integration” vehicles out.

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Eliezer Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:06 pm

#110 Jackson:

Maybe some kind of web-driven calculator is an answer, kind of like Dave G.’s spreadsheet, but driven by actual (now secret) Volt test results. Not “Build your own,” but “Drive your own.”
————————————————————————————

Genius!

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Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:08 pm

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, CaptJackSparrow , I think 50MPG in “Charge Sustaining” mode is a deliberate lowball to confuse our Asian friends.

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Jackson Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:10 pm

#112 (Eliezer):

“Genius!”

Thenk yuh vera much (I have left the building).

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RB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:24 pm

#44 nuclearboy says “Range anxiety in a BEV means that I could be stuck for hours and need to worry about things like where I will plug in how long it will take to get a tow truck. It is similar to having a flat tire with no spare.”
—————————————————–

These are good points. Additionally, range anxiety in a BEV is magnified by uncertainty about the remaining charge or remaining distance meter, however they do it.. Such meters are known to be highly imprecise, that is, half full and all of a sudden at empty.

Maybe that won’t be true in the Volt (EREV) or other BEV. Util accuracy is demonstrated people will be scared of anything in the bottom half, and for good reason. Of course, the same thing occasionally occurs with the fuel for a gas engine, but most of the time these are ok.

(Quote)
GXT Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:28 pm

73. DonC,

I didn’t realize you were talking about future performance. However I wouldn’t expect much if any change in the final version given that it sounds like the major components are already in place. Hasn’t GM themselves indicated a 8.5s 0-60?

I think I have rectified the “instant torque” with the 4cyl 0-60 times. The reality must be that although the torque is at V6 levels at lower RPMs it must be sub-4cyl levels at higher RPMs.

One of the reasons I like a Honda V6 over a GM V6 (full disclosure: I can’t say I’ve driven one of the new DI GM V6s) is that Hondas seem a little weaker down low but continue to pull well after the GM is gasping for air. To each their own.

Between the low end torque, the silence, and the lack of shifting it should feel very refined but perhaps not much fun. It would be interesting to drive one and see.

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Vats Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Now, it might be a little off-the-topic but check this out – a battery that charges on air (yes I said it right) and stores 10 times more power than a conventional Li-ion battery:

http://inventorspot.com/articles/airfueled_battery_27804

The days ahead (well, actually years ahead) are sure going to be exciting!!!

Cheers!

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MarkinWI Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Jackson @ #101 – Thanks for the link. Very interesting stuff.

Revisiting the new CAFE standards, here’s a link to a Wall Street Journal article, dicussing how the automakers will meet them. WSJ, what a bunch of commie bastards. Auto companies, what do they know about making cars.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124278337592937493.html?ru=MKTW#mod=MKTW

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Dan Petit Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:08 pm

My number one reason to buy a Volt.

People will again put up with me for talking about technology for a few years when I talk their ears off regarding this terrific Voltec Technology.

It’s probably too late, but I would like Mr. Letterman to ask in a really loud way ,
“Who the hell is that guy Dan Petit anyway?”

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John Mammoth Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2009-05/test-drive-chevy-volt

Another test drive article.

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carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

#120 John,

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2009-05/test-drive-chevy-volt
_______
Thanks for the Link. Well written and entertaining review. My favorite line from the review:

“The Volt . . . is a Hail Mary pass from what was once the greatest automaker on the planet, an industrial giant that has now fallen into the cold embrace of the federal government.”

But, of course, no mention of range extender performance, the only thing that really matters. It would be nice if Letterman would continue the tone of the Musk interview and prod Maximum Bob with relevant questions (i.e. real world range, effect of air conditioning, US06, 10 year battery life, size of gas tank, real world mpg etc….) but don’t expect any of that. Look for a “mea culpa” from Dave in the form of light humor and softball questions. In fact, through a special “network” contact, I happen to have the CBS supplied outline for Dave’s dialouge with the GM Exec for tonight’s show. Here it is:

“I confess to Omnipotent God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the angels and Saints, and to you father: that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

(Dave will change a word here and there, but that’s basically it.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mea_culpa

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jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:45 pm

#52
statik

Sidenote to DonC/Jeffhre: Forgive me if the fact that Frank Weber is a ‘intense German’ and that he is a ’straight shooter’ does not convince me that there is ’solid evidence that the conjecture over drive train issues has been greatly exaggerated’…he didn’t even mention it.

/just me

(Not sure how one can go back in time to prove this point right or wrong at the time of the test drives…but w/e)

Regardless…it is a great day, I’m going to go catch some rays.
___________________
Nothing to forgive, and frankly I don’t care what kind of shooter Weber is only about Volt results. Judging by the reults of your comments in total, you’ll likely be proven right anyway, if GM’s habit of promising more and delivering less isn’t stopped, even more likely. My only point is, I’m not calling the results until the numbers are posted.

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Mark Z Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:49 pm

A higher resolution view of the air battery graphic at CNET:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10244133-54.html

Hopefully the Letterman show won’t be a lot of hot air.

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jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:06 pm

#51
Sheet4brains

Hopefully Dave will gives us the straight scoop on this Volt thing.
I am tired of hearing all the “spin” machines that GM is cranking up…
. And the statement about most american driving less than 40 miles a day, utter hogwash, and totally unproven. Not a shred of unbiased scientific proven study to back up that statement…
_______________
2003, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 78% of Americans drive less than 40 miles a day

( http://gm-volt.com/2007/12/06/how-did-gm-determine-that-78-of-commuters-drive-less-than-40-miles-per-day/ )

GM can’t call it a hybrid because it will be lumped in with vehicles that must use the ICE. If you are able to plug the Volt in, and keep the battery conditioned from grid power, you get 40 mile of no gasoline electric range. That’s why they hope (hype?) to differentiate it from current hybrids.

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Mark Rubin Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:07 pm

I hate both GM and Chrysler and can’t wait to see they go out of business. I hope Ford will be doing well, maybe they will after GM/Chrysler drop dead. I par everyday that Ford will prosper and GM/Chrysler drop dead like a man thrown out of a plane 20,000 ft in the sky!
Hahahahahahahaha!!

Ford is the American way to go!. Forget about Chevy Volt, it is destined for disaster!!!!’

BTW, I love my new Ford Fusion hybrid, easily get 45 mpg!

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Bryce Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:12 pm

#123 Mark

Great article on the air battery. This is exactly the kind of game changer that is waiting in the wings for EVs. Just imagine: cheap production, inexhaustible supply of raw materials to make, light, 1000 mile range batteries. (GM would probably still try to market them with “range anxiety”)

Chemists are the ones who are truly going to solve our energy problems. Its amazing this research is only getting 2.4 million in funding in the UK. We should be pouring billions into this type of development. Its worth it.

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RB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:16 pm

#24 Rashiid Amul says about discussing one car versus another
Example: My current car gets 38 MPG. What will the Volt get?
That is what I will want to compare. 38 MPG to ???
————————————-

I agree that it’s important to have an answer. To me the it’s most easily stated as something like “I get 80 MPG in the first 100 miles after a fill up” (or whatever the right number turns out to be). That way a real (and realistic) MPG number is given, and it is truthful. 100 miles is easily understood without a lot of explanation. The resulting MPG value for the Volt is amazingly good, but not so out-of-the-ballpark good that it seems unbelievable

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CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

@jeffhre 124

“GM can’t call it a hybrid because it will be lumped in with vehicles that must use the ICE. ”

Pardon my stupidity/ignorance but what’s wrong with it being lumped in as a “Hybrid”?

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:24 pm

I wonder if David “Gap Tooth” Letterman is reading this thread today to get some “Material”?

(Quote)
jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:31 pm

#
Dave G

With a typical yearly driving pattern, the Volt uses 37 gallons of gas to drive 11,400 miles, which works out to 310 MPG. That would be the actual Volt MPG of a typical driver is real life.
___________________________________
Gallons per year makes more sense. Though I think you mean a hypothetical “actual Volt MPG of a typical driver’ as we envision them in real life, since we haven’t seen the Volt on the streets, yet.

Unless of course that mileage reflects exactly your own mileage for years past.

(Quote)
JayCee Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:33 pm

Oh great “A pedestrian alert signal”. Something I will have to crawl under the hood, find,and disconnect it. One of the primary reasons I want this car IS because it is quiet. Making it make noise, shheesh, what will they think of next, make it generate SMOG so the pedestrians can get thier normal oxygen deprevation buzz???

(Quote)
Bryce Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:41 pm

RE: Dave G

“With a typical yearly driving pattern, the Volt uses 37 gallons of gas to drive 11,400 miles, which works out to 310 MPG. That would be the actual Volt MPG of a typical driver is real life.”

There is no possible way or need to integrate a time variable (per year) into mileage calculation. Its distance traveled divided by fuel used. That’s really the only measure to show automotive efficiency. By introducing the per year you bring about 10 more variables into the equation that make it inaccurate and frankly useless for any comparison purposes.

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bintoo Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:44 pm

“A pedestrian alert signal” will be a button on the steering wheel similar to the horn but not as loud, personally I’d like mine to sound like a 2010 2ss Camaro when I press the button.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:48 pm

@bintoo 133

I want mine to sound like a CSX Diesel Electric Freight Train horn.
You gotta make sure they hear you…..right?

(Quote)
jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:49 pm

#
LauraM @ an even 100

But notice they can get money from the bank of Japan when they want it. GM had to be literally bankrupt before they could go to the US government for a loan. (Or get the necessary concessions from the UAW.)
______________________
ie after suffering through the ‘lost decade’ Japan would never even allow Toyota and other critical industrials to come close to going bankrupt!

(Quote)
Vats Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

# 125 Mark Rubin

I heard it can go upto 47 MPH on battery. How many miles does it drive on the battery before switching to ICE if the speed stays below 47 MPH?

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:54 pm

@Bryce 132

That’s the problem. Trying to get a good match up is like math on fractions. Untill you get to a common denominator, you cant do the math. In this case the common D is the operation of BOTH the ICE and Electric motor working simultaneaously to propel the car. Trying to Compare AER to MPG is like Apples and TriTip. Not gonna happen.
If you want to compare them, compare the Hybrids Prius MPG with the Volt “Charge Sustaining” mode MPG. Of course you can’t because GM hasn’t released that yet.

Hey David “Gap Tooth” Letterman. Ask Lutz that question and make him answer it!!!! You can do it just be a jerk about it…….uh……or just be normal that is your normal mode.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 6:58 pm

#128 CaptJackSparrow,

“I wonder if David “Gap Tooth” Letterman is reading this thread today to get some “Material”?”
____________________________

He could open with this:

“A pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel hanging from his belt. The bartender asks, “What’s that for?” The pirate responds, “Aarrr, its driving me nuts”.

All the pirates in the house say HO!
http://www.break.com/pictures/hot-pirate-girl598066.html

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:02 pm

HO!!!!!

You forgot to mention it was a really BIG steering wheel!!

I like the “Supplemental Restraint System” airbags in the link you provided.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:03 pm

There’s at least 3 things I like about that picture.

(Quote)
CaptJackSparrow Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:05 pm

@carcus1 140

Nope, 4.
Her mouth has a pupose too!!!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

Going home now for a beer.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:07 pm

Drive carefully. (don’t forget which wheel is which)

(Quote)
jeffhre Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pm

#128
CaptJackSparrow

“GM can’t call it a hybrid because it will be lumped in with vehicles that must use the ICE. ”

Pardon my stupidity/ignorance but what’s wrong with it being lumped in as a “Hybrid”?
_____________________
GM wants to leapfrog the Prius to justify the development dollars, calling the Volt the company’s version of a moonshot. They need a halo car that can evolve into sales ramp-ups. And ever since Ralph Nader crushed their aspirations with the Corvair, they have not been willing to be out in front with risky innovators.

Even if marketing big innovations was part of their company culture, the Volt would even then be the kind of leap that GM would prefer to leave to small start-ups, to test the water and ultimately choke to death on, as they actually have for the last 100 years.

In short, as I should have said instead of rambling on, this will be a big deal for GM’s marketers, if they actually want to get paid, because GM brass will fight like he!!! to avoid being lumped in with existing hybrids. It’s an extended range electric vehicle – remember?

(Quote)
GM Volt Fan Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:05 pm

Let’s hope that Bob Lutz does a masterful job of selling the American public on the Chevy Volt on the Letterman show tonight. I hope he’s entertaining and all that too. Bob is pretty good at that from what I’ve seen.

Being “cool” and funny is important with Dave and the studio audience you know. Hopefully, Bob will get a chance to educate Dave about the benefits of the Volt without getting him too confused about how the technology works, etc. Simple is a good thing on shows like Letterman. Dave’s not an engineering kind of guy.

(Quote)
RB Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 8:29 pm

FT says of Chrysler proceedings
“Three of Chrysler’s secured creditors are mounting a fresh attempt to thwart the carmaker’s Chapter 11 reorganisation on the grounds that it violates their legal rights and the US government’s authority under the Troubled asset relief programme.

The three – all Indiana state pension funds – are among a group of 46 creditors ….”
——————————————-

Apparently not over ’till its over.

(Quote)
Vincent Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

VOLT ON LETTERMAN TONIGHT !

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

Michigan Unemployment is at 13% now, new high since 1983 and #1 in the country. Just wait till June 1. 15% is coming.

(Quote)
hayley Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:51 pm

Wow, watching the Letterman show right now. He’s so bad, no wonder I never saw this show before.

Aww at least he admitted he was wrong, that was cute.

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

Well so far so good Dave.. he’s trying to make up for his previous ignorance

other than he did say the “engine is for recharging the battery”.. ugh..

(Quote)
kubel Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 10:58 pm

Did I just hear Letterman say, “it goes 40 miles per hour” in his apology? Oh my. I hope Lutz sets him straight.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:00 pm

Jeeemaneee…

This is going to be worse than I thought.

Take my post at 121 and multiply x 2.
(Letterman looks nervous as a ho’ in church)

(Quote)
V=IR Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:02 pm

And Saturn produced the EV1. I didn’t know that.

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:13 pm

Not only no pink tie.. no tie at all

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:21 pm

Bob had a nice one regarding the goverment forcing car companies to make fuel efficient cars even though the public doesnt want themn at $2 gas.

“Its like trying to fight American obesity by forcing manufacturers to only make clothes in small sizes”

Priceless

(Quote)
Mike-o-Matic Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:26 pm

@150 Kubel,

Yeah, he said “range of 40 miles per hour” or words close to that. Slip of the tongue obviously, but, I said “um, what??” anyway!

—–

Lutz did make an something of a distinction between how Tesla’s battery pack differs from the Volt’s (”x,xxx laptop batteries in Tesla’s pack” vs. “Volt uses a special automotive battery” — I’m paraphrasing here).

Hmm, Volt roll-out coming after the commercial. …*gets popcorn ready*…

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:34 pm

So Bob. Sold any stock lately? And what did GM do with the patent rights to those EV1 batteries?

(Quote)
Mike-o-Matic Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:36 pm

Dear GAWD… same lame steering-wheel electrocution gag.

*pinches bridge of nose, shakes head*

————

Poor Grizzly Bear! They got BUMPED, downer for them.

————

@158 kdawg, (yes I’m replying ~into~the~fuuuuture~… cue theramin…)

Yeah, the Converj woulda been cool, but why muddy the subject. Also, didja notice the dash had the ‘ol “crumb-catcher” version of the center LCD, not the revised, hooded one?

(Quote)
kdawg Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:37 pm

Wow.. ran out of time.. 3 segments w/Mr. Lutz… no bear???

Should have shown the Converj to turn some heads

(Quote)
kubel Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:38 pm

Interesting ending there. If the Volt were to actually electrocute Letterman, that would be something to see live, wouldn’t it.

(Quote)
Ted in Fort Myers Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:43 pm

Letterman now wants the first Volt.

(Quote)
BillR Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

After all the heckling we gave Dave over the past few weeks, I have to admit he was a gentleman and gave Bob the respect he deserved.

Granted, he made a few mistakes (40 mph versus 40 MPC), but at least he gave Bob a chance to talk about the car and rolled it out at the end of the show.

I’ve got to tip my hat to both Bob and Dave. Well done!

(Quote)
Arch Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:49 pm

I have no comment. It was all sort of silly. JMHO

Take Care
Arch

(Quote)
Mike-o-Matic Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 11:51 pm

@ #160 Ted,
>> Letterman now wants the first Volt.

Yeah, that’s rich ain’t it. And he wants it free no less.

Well, get in line, chump! If you sign up on the “want list” page right now, you’ll only be #49,000 or so.

AND… I want to reiterate, if anybody should get a free one, it’s SURELY not Letterman, it’s …. Yeah, you know who it is. I don’t even need to say it.

————-

@ #162 Arch,
>> I have no comment
>> It was all sort of silly. JMHO

Don’t look now, but that was a comment! … LOL!!

(Quote)
Dan Petit Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 12:02 am

I think Bob did a great job. The conversation went extremely well to clear up lots of misconceptions held by the public. Bob did very well to bring many of the important historical facts together regarding EV history within the time available. While Mr. Letterman is a “non-technical” thinker, Bob was outstanding in the directness and clarity of responses and explanations for the technical side of things. Everyone at GM ought to be really proud of that interview.
There ought to be many more interviews like this from many other show hosts if Bob would be available. That way, the public could see how very very capable the leadership at GM had always been, yet, the changing of the market rules and preferences had always been a “roulette wheel” of intolerable unpredictability.
I would like to see more of the Volt itself on additional interviews if that would be possible. There is nothing like an HD image of the Volt on a widescreen. And, the more I see it that way, the more I know it is the right thing for the country. The production quantities will be assigned to dealerships so that there may not initially be a customer choice of color. (The only color I would not want is black, due to the higher levels of heat here in Texas). But I’m patient to wait.
I think there ought to be some sort of drive to get more Voltec production plants built ASAP (with Federal help if needed). More interviews may go far to help the stock price.
Dan Petit Austin TX

(Quote)
GXT Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 12:09 am

Here are the important parts:
Volt ~$40,000, not really available until 2011, Cruze is probably high-30s MPG.

Bob did a good job.

(Quote)
Open-Mind Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 12:14 am

Decent interview. Too bad they wasted so much time during the show, then only showed the Volt for about a minute at the end.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 12:15 am

I’ll tell you what it is. It’s just freakin’ sad.

Sad old bastards.

Egomaniac Lutz with a very weak “loyalty to american workers play” and “I’m not gonna fall on my sword” Letterman pulling all but a couple of punches. Meanwhile, the constitution continues to be raped while boys and girls die in the desert for a false sense of patriotism.

Have fun pulling G’s in your fighter toys Bob. Knock yourself out.

Just sad.

(Quote)
BreatheEasy Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 1:24 am

Mr. Lutz never finished explaining how the Volt continues past the 40 mile electric only mode with the range extender, so people who are uninformed about how it works are basically still thinking that the thing only gets 40 miles total electric range. The thing people are going to remember is that he told Dave that when he got to work he could recharge and be able to drive back home. I know that Dave was thinking “why do that when I can just drive my Tesla to work and back without having to plug it in here?” He did explain that the Volt is always driven electrically with the gas engine kicking in to keep the battery pack at a 30% charge. I just hope the viewers will be able to understand all the info.

(Quote)
Chuck Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 1:24 am

I think talking about how many jets you own while getting bailouts by taxpayers was in really poor taste. Did they not learn anything from the “let’s fly to washington to beg for money in our private jets” fiasco?

(Quote)
Newman Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 1:35 am

That was not good Mt Lutz.
Now virtually everyone has a confirmed idea that the range is ONLY 40 miles.

My wife said it seems that it can only go 40 miles and then you have to wait while the gasoline engine charges it up again.

You need to finish a thought Mr Lutz.
IT HAS UNLIMITED RANGE, using electricity and gasoline you can take it across the country and you “could” also drive it around town every day never needing gas at all.

Important information lost and an opportunity waisted IMO.

(Quote)
Keith Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 2:48 am

Maybe GM will forget the Volt for awhile and bring out a Cruze Electric , ( after all that is the car that everybody is all ga ga over ).
Nobody has ever driven a Volt yet , and may never get the chance either .
At least we know that the chosen motor battery and controller works great in the Cruze .
Now a Cruze Electric with a driving range of 200 miles at highway speed sounds good , no range anxiety , powerful , plug-in , made in USA , Canada , or maybe China , who knows maybe even Mexico and costs less than a Prius . No pollution , looks modern , no gas to import etc , etc . Everybody wins for less money and it is already tested and loved . I would buy one .

(Quote)
MarkinWI Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 5:49 am

Kdawg @ #147 – When looking at unemployment numbers it is also important to remember that how we count “unemployment” has changed since 1983. During the Clinton administration we created a new category – discouraged workers. These are people who have been continuously unemployed for such a long time (I’m thinking it’s over 1 year, probably about 2) that they no longer “count” as unemployed. So if you want to compare apples to apples, add about 5%. So Michigan is already over 15%, at least if you want to compare it to 1983.

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 6:43 am

I think after watching that I don’t understand how the Volt works, lol. Nice interview…long, but a little confusing.

Bits and pieces on youtube if you so incline (and it is still up):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc2rfdnWau8

(Quote)
noel park Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 10:28 am

#105 Steven M:

“No one will buy one, or any other GM car.”

“No one” is a pretty big generalization. “Some people will not…” – OK I guess. “Many people…..” – maybe. “No one…..” – wrong!!

I will buy one if the corporation is owned by the UAW, the USG, the bondholders, or whoever. If the product is as we hope, and the warranty is credible (backed by the USG, as of now), I have no problem whatsoever.

Keep the $$ at home, and keep the US workers employed. Those are huge priorities for me. I am confident that there are more than enough people who feel the same way to sell all the Volts GM can make for the forseeable future.

LJGTVWOTR!! NPNS!

The rest will take care of itself.

(Quote)
Jim in PA Says:
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:19 am

“A pedestrian alert signal will be installed due to the car’s silence.” Wow. So that’s what engineers call a horn…

(Quote)
More Mule Test Drives and Detroit Press’ Chevy Volt Top 10 List | CARSREVIEW.CO.UK Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Gerald Parry Says:
May 27th, 2009 at 6:46 pm

I hope the “PEDESTRIAN ALERT SIGNAL” is something that the driver can use like a horn, and does not automatically spew out some obnoxious noise below a certain speed.

(Quote)

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New York Times CSM story November 20, 2009
Link to the New York Times story of November 19, 2009 about a test ride of the Volt in charge sustaining... […]
srschrier
New video: Volt drive in Detroit November 19, 2009
November 19, 2009 Detroit Free Press story with video featuring a Volt drive with Andrew Farah in... […]
srschrier
New Video: Volt Corrosion Testing November 18, 2009
From GM VoltAge, the Volt's corrosion... […]
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More Mule Test Drives and Detroit Press’ Chevy Volt Top 10 List

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