AND 
Chevy Volt Prototype Fleet Spotted in the Wild
The Chevy Volt is now in the pre-production phase. GM has been building about 80 of these fully functional production intent prototypes, and are likely to be finished with this phase within days. Those cars are undergoing extensive testing and the learning and tweaking will be applied to the final production cars.
Part of this test process is seeing how the cars behave in real-world situations.
I received the following note from Volt fan Jim Northrop who lives in Nevada near Death Valley. Since it sent chills up my spine I thought I’d share it here (with Jim’s permission):
It was the best lunch I’ve had in a long time…. It was 11:55 AM. I was waiting for a traffic light in Pahrump, Nevada, on my way home for lunch and what should pass in front of me, headed North on Nevada Highway 160, but five (5) mysterious cars: silver and also white, with strange masking panels, antennae, and Michigan manufacturer plates. The fifth car was lagging and I had a chance to study the grill, gold accents, silhouette, then the rear spoiler. I had seen these features somewhere… they were Volts!! The “Fleet”. I quickly fell in behind, but intervening vehicles kept me distant and I couldn’t pass. I was hoping they would turn on Bellvista which is a popular route to Death Valley Junction and my house. Lucky for me they did make this turn and the chase began. I drove uncharacteristically fast to catch up, passing what I now believe was a large white Chevy “support van” and a few other cars. Finally, the trailing Volt was in reach. I was going way too fast as I pulled up and abruptly slowed next to the Volt–the two occupants didn’t give eye contact–they were probably busy praying they would survive this scary encounter with me (sorry guys). Momentarily mesmerized, I again accelerated, and pulled in front. I was now gaining on the other 4 Volts which were beginning to slow for the stop sign at Leslie. I pulled up behind the fourth Volt (sorry guys, I didn’t mean to scare you, but was completely focused on that round, gray, plug/cap centered low on your rear bumper–darn near caused the first Volt wreck…gasp!) Once I came to my senses and stopped, I honked my horn a few times, and grinning from ear to ear, gave driver and passenger excited “thumbs up”. They both gave me firm thumbs up in return and away they went. I rolled the stop and accelerated to catch them–they easily pulled away from me in my 2005 ,V8 Silverado– acceleration was comparable to my wife’s V6 07 Malibu (I know this as she always tries to beat me home, often from this same stop sign). Noteworthy… they had their windows up which meant they had to have their A/C’s on (in our heat)– strong acceleration!! They continued West, on Bellvista, toward the foothills. So excited, I forgot to eat lunch, too busy calling everyone I know… They are really beautiful, artistically sculpted automobiles. Wow! Very, very Impressive!!! Thanks GM for your commitment to the Volt, and for bringing them through our town today. By the way GM, please send some to Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza, a Volt is on my Christmas list.
Jim, didn’t have a camera with him, but apparently another lucky guy from internetautoguide caught a glimpse of this same fleet in a parking lot (photo above)
177 Responses to “Chevy Volt Prototype Fleet Spotted in the Wild”
Leave a Reply
Recent Posts
- New York Times Report on the Chevy Volt Generator Mode Driving Experience
- CNBC Test Drive of the Chevy Volt in Charge Sustaining Mode
- Chevy Volt Will be Able to Hit 104 MPH
- Chevy Volt and Battery Program Update
- GM to Announce Initial Volt Markets at LA Auto Show
- Coalition of Industry Leaders Releases Roadmap to get 120 Million Electric Cars on US Roads by 2030
- Op-Ed: GM Reports a $1.2 Billion Loss, but Has the Cash To See Volt Well into Production and Beyond
- Three Chevy Volt Paint Color Finalists Announced
- What BMW Has Learned from the MINI E Program So Far: That They May Need to Build EREVs
- GM: EVs are Cool, but EREV’s are Really Cool
Recent GM-Volt Forum Posts
- Hacked e-mails reveal global-warming fraud? November 20, 2009This is how open minded liberals operate. "And, perhaps most reprehensibly," Delingpole writes, "a long series of communications discussing how best... […]BigCityCat
- Is the Volt Engine Direct Injected? November 20, 2009I recently read that the Cruze's engine will be DI. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevy_Cruze#Chevrolet_Cruze Obviously the Cruze's engine will... […]omnimoeish
- First Reports of the Chevy Volt's Charge-Sustaining (Generator) Mode Operation November 20, 2009The first two journalists' reports of what it's like to drive the Chevy Volt while in generator mode operation have been published. 1) New York... […]admin
- Florida giving $5000 rebate to convert Prius to plug-in November 20, 2009- Probably Hymotion - $10,400 standard price - $5000 state rebate - $1000 additional federal incentives - $4,400 final cost. Hurry because their... […]Texas
- New York Times CSM story November 20, 2009Link 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, 2009November 19, 2009 Detroit Free Press story with video featuring a Volt drive with Andrew Farah in... […]srschrier
- New Video: Volt Corrosion Testing November 18, 2009From GM VoltAge, the Volt's corrosion... […]srschrier
GM-Volt.com is not affiliated with General Motors Company
All contents copyright 2007-2009 GM-Volt.com, LLC - All Rights Reserved
Home | Contact | Privacy Policy | About | Back to Top
September 25th, 2009 at 8:35 am
How awesome is that! Great description. So no fear of a slow car with the A/C on. That’s good. Although I wasn’t concerned about that anyway. Thanks Lyle for posting this. Very exciting.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Volt news…hurray!
Nicely done Jim.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Wow that is great. I drive past the Milford proving grounds every day, I have seen a lot of interesting cars (including the volt mules). But sadly no true Volts yet.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Car and Driver, Road and Track, and Motor Trend… all scooped!
Great job!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:52 am
NEWSFLASH:
Fire at a SoCal oil refinery going on right now.
Prepare for higher gas prices. (it follows every time)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:57 am
This isn’t quite as exciting as it might otherwise be since we’ve heard from one GM employee/driver about the “fleet’s” trip to the Smokey’s. But it had to be a real kick for Jim to see them in person. That had to be something. Go Jim!
Great to hear that GM seems right on about the performance being that of a V6, and every step makes the November 2010 release more real. Notice the doubters have quieted down — funny what 80 pre-production vehicles will do.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Laughlin = Casinos
Pahrump = Brothels
Are we sure they were testing the cars?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:02 am
A unique thing about the Volt is that having The air or other accessories on, should be irrelevant as far as power/accelleration goes.
It may cause the battery to need an eventual charge a little quicker than if they were off, but should have essentially no effect on accelleration ….
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Ya. It is about time. Gas is dropping in price. We can’t have that for too long, can we.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Great Account, thank you both Jim and Lyle.
Regards,
JC NPNS
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Too bad there was no way to tell if they were running in extended mode or battery only. Driving in a pick up, I doubt one could tell. I wonder if we’ll all get a white support van to follow us around? Now that’s customer care!! LOL
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Perhaps even more exciting for those here who live in Virginia, over at Voltage Tony Posawatz is announcing a test “pre-production” rollout of Volts for consumers in Virginia. Much like Nissan’s early rollout of the Leaf, the rollout is being done in conjunction with an electric utility, in this case Dominion. Lke the Nissan early test rollout, it’s is likely being done using the funds provided by the DOE for this purpose.
So if you live in Virginia — probably Northern Virginia — you may have the opportunity to drive a Volt long before anyone else!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Wow. Witnessing a bevy of Volts in the wild is something. Rarely do Volts congregate in such numbers. Little is known about their breeding habits, but this is surely a sign that in about a year sightings will undoubtedly increase.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:20 am
When the strongest among them, the alpha male, spots a Fisker in the distance, the coven quickly begins to circle the weakest of their group in the center of the parking lot… The runt, possibly having low tire pressure, or running on range extended mode prematurely…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:27 am
2nd that!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I’m moving!!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Very cool, congratulations Jim! I hope they perform as well in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin as they do in the desert!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Maybe part of the testing protocol involved the back seat?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I too had a similiar sighting. It was July 9th while my wife and I was on a trip from SW Florida to Illinois. If my memory serves me well, the sighting was about 9 a.m. just north of Tampa on I-75.
We were driving in the right lane and had the cruise set on 74 mph. 4 or 5 white cars with Michigan license plates passed us in the left lane, going perhaps 78-80 mph with all the windows up. The cars looked like the Volt pictures we’ve all seen but they were partially disguised with front, rear and minor side leather looking black coverings.
Unlike the sighting by Jim Northrup, each car was occupied by only a driver.
We tried to catch up with them to get a good look, but there was just too much traffic. It only took a few minutes before they were completely out of sight. I can’t say for sure if there was a truck following the cars.
I can’t say for sure that what we saw were Volt prototypes. But, given the discription by Jim Northrup, my wife and I think that is what we say.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Great report Lyle. Thanks to both you and Jim Northrop. The link to Internet Auto Guide provided a nice, funny article also. Thanks to all.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:50 am
If so all I can say is “Ouch!”. Have you seen the hump between the two back seat positions? I guess you could say they would be “humping it”.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Maybe in this case “you get what you pay for”. The support vans could be color coordinated with the Volt. Now that would really be cool. Just open the bank account up to GM and provide a steady flow of cash. Might be a good sideline enterprise for someone. (Just joking)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I understand it is Volt breeding season going on now. In just a little over a year the newly born young will be old enough to be let out on their own and be sold to new owners. That will be a sad day for mama GM to see all the young ones leave the kennel. Sad, sad. But happy too.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Very well written letter Jim. The temperature in Pahrump is typically in the upper 90’s. Death Valley routinely reaches 110 degrees. Wonder how the low roll resistance tires are doing in the heat and dust of the desert?
=D~
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:01 am
very good. The Fisker Karma would look like an attacking Panther when compared to a domesticated sheep (Volt). Worlds of difference in looks. I look forward to the day I can see both of them side by side to get a real comparison. The Volt looks OK. Nothing splashy. Just smooth and sharp looking. But it looks like the Karma could almost take your breath away from some of the pictures we have seen. Very good looking vehicle, the Karma. I wonder what the new lower priced model is going to look like. Interesting days, yes!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Too bad you were not able to follow closer. Better luck next time.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Humping it! Ah hah ahhahaha!! That’s spot on!
Although I didn’t think the joke needed to be thought through further than its cliche value, I will say this: Flexibility is a virtue!!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Fantastic news that the VOLT wheels are on the road in the extreme heat conditions of California.
Thanks Jim for reporting in. Every VOLT sighting means more testing is complete and we are another day closer to getting our own VOLT.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Almost forgot this is a VOLTEC site. Thanks Lyle for keeping it real.
Get me my VIN!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Your description sounds like they were taking it to the Max.
happy trails to you ’til we meet agaiin.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:41 am
This report sounds like a UFO sighting. Too bad Jim didn’t spot the Volt fleet a little north of Vegas near Area 51.
I think the Volt is going to have MORE of an impact on the world than those F-117 fighters that were developed at Area 51. It’ll probably prevent us from having wars over oil in the Middle East in the future. The Volt is going to be a very good product for keeping the peace in the world as oil supplies dry up.
I’m sure the oil sheiks, Wall Street oil schemers, and Big Oil are wishing that this new “alien” technology for automobiles went back underground. They all want to make a killing in the market by selling dwindling supplies of oil! They probably want to conspire and bribe somebody these days to keep it away from the public. Suppress it and bury the technology like in an old “X-Files” episode or this new TV show called “Fringe”.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:46 am
This was the news I was waiting for: testing of the Volt under hotter temperatures of the south. Thanks for the news Lyle. Now I wait on the edge of my seat for the details of this test.:)
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Sad as she realizes that every one of her brood that leaves actually looses her money
At $40,000 a pop I really don’t think they’re going to be loosing money. Now if they have to replace all our batteries I could see that but otherwise I think they’re going to turn a profit from day JMHO (Not factoring all the engineering costs but strictly what it costs to make the volt to what it sells for)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Very cool and fun experience (I can totally see myself chasing the Volts down the highway), but how practical is the Volt for a family? I make all the financial decisions in my home, so if a product doesn’t pass my test, then it doesn’t get purchased. Has GM had the Volt tested in this scenario or will it be in the future?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:09 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:12 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Not sure what you mean by “this scenario”. A family scenario? For our family in the San Francisco bay area, my wife and I head off for work in the morning and come home after work; perhaps after running a few errands: grocery store, post office, etc. For each of us, add it up and it comes to less than 40 miles – no gas used.
Then for the obligatory family visits to L.A. I can use the same car without a hitch – can’t do that with an electric-only car. Back home, I’m back to using no gas again.
That passes muster doesn’t it?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:16 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:21 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:27 am
(click to show comment)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:27 am
It’s been 100 to 104 here all week. It must have been well over 110 in Laughlin. Can’t wait to hear the A/C testing results for the VOLT.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I second what you and others are saying. It is so good to hear/read/see these sorts of things going on with the Volt. It’s continuous validation that the car is real and coming soon.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Thanks David for the reply. I suppose I am fairly discerning when it comes to investing in something I have only heard of and read about. Other than ads and articles, I don’t think I have ever seen a Volt in person. However, give me some good and practical points and I’ll listen…this is what you’ve done. Regarding fuel used, 40 miles without a fill up is spectacular, but I think a lot of us in the DFW metro would find ourselves driving easily over 40 miles each day. I live 28 miles from Dallas, so if I drove solely to Dallas and then back home, then I am easily at over 50 miles each day. However, with the fuel savings, it is still worth it. No question there.
Specifically what I was referring to in my earlier comment was space/room. I have three young children all of whom must be in a carseat/booster seat until age eight. Is the back seat roomy enough that I can fit all three children in the backseat properly restrained? Sometimes those seat belts and seat space will only fit two properly. Sometimes it is hard to tell in photos.
Keep up the great innovation GM!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Sweet.
I keep my eyes peeled in Michigan too. I swear I saw something the other day that had masking panels on it and it looked Volt-like, but there are a lot of car manufacturers here.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:44 am
This is rather unusual that GM would begin to actually test their vehicle before selling them. This was not the case in the 80s. Maybe they are changing or this could just be one of those desert mirages.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Simply electric powertrain will always outperforme any ICE powertrain of same capacity. That is law of phisics. And this article contains one more evidence.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:47 am
I like everything about the Fisker except the front end/grille. I dunno what it is really. Just kinda looks like it doesnt belong w/the rest of the car.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I want to see the first photo of the a Volt being pulled over for speeding! LOL. What make & model would the officer write on the ticket?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Great read…now we need some more press on these things.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Nice…it sounds like GM has got a fair amount of the pre-production Volts in the field.
How do I become a part of this team that is testing this fine automobile?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Dude, I was joking about the UFO stuff. I wasn’t joking about the world running low on oil supplies in the next 10-20 years though.
You might need to pop a few meds and then read some more about the reality of the world’s oil issues. Things could get plenty ugly for economies around the world if and when gas prices go way up … and you KNOW they will. It’s inevitable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sPDNR2YS3s
Even oil man George W. Bush rang the alarm bells about America’s “addiction to oil” in one of his State of the Union speeches a few years ago. Haven’t you seen those TV commercials by oilman T. Boone Pickens about our dangerous addiction to oil?
We might not run completely out in 20 years, but the gas prices could go sky high that’s for sure. The thing you might not realize is the new DEMAND for oil that will be coming from China, India, and the rest of the developing world. They aspire to the same transportation lifestyle that Americans have. They want to build big interstates and drive all over the place like we do. There are 1.3 BILLION people in China and about a billion in India. They have a growing middle class in both those countries. That’s a LOT of oil that will be needed …. especially if everyone is still driving gas guzzlers that get 14-24 mpg.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:59 am
To Jim…
Just 2 words…
CELLPHONE CAMERA!!!!!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Can’t wait to see more pictures/sightings of Volts in the wild.
Thanks for sharing guys!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Ahh, gotcha. A lot of people were hoping for a 5-seater. I tend to focus on the Voltec stuff and miss some of the practical details. I think it’s great how we all immediately begin a “see if it fits for me” dialogue with ourselves. For something still being tested, I think it points to some serious interest and real enthusiasm for some to see this new method of mobility come into existence.
I see future generations of Voltec autos pushing the envelope of 50-60 miles and greater room inside, but for now it won’t work for some. Maybe you can recharge at work at some point. Texas produces more electricity from wind power than any state.
Unfortunately as a country we are once again behind the curve, check this out:
Click here: Op-Ed Columnist – Have a Nice Day – NYTimes.com
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I like this “kid like” excitement for the Volt…let’s hope that it gets even more exciting for us Volt fans about a year from now.
While I might be considered a Volt fan, I’m more of a EREV/PHEV/EV fan. If another company has a better vehicle for me and/or the Volt continues to be priced outside 20-30K range, sorry GM. Another possibility is GM reconsidering that 40 mile AER (or greater) is the best for all GM EREVs. Many drivers want to be an EREV owner, but not at $40+K.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Tex .. several of us here at gm volt dot com are very interested in a crossover (Orlando?) type EREV. Maybe a Cruze EREV?
http://garfwod.250free.com/Cruze_blue.jpg
=D~
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Dry up? No, oil won’t dry up in our lifetimes. Even if the Peak Oilers are right, we’ve only used something on the order of half of the oil. Almost nobody who has looked deeply into the issue thinks that the spigot would just be turned off during a 24-hour period — the issues are more complex and daunting than that.
On the other hand, a situation where demand outstrips supply, leading to volatile and very high prices? Sure — there is a lot of inelastic demand for fuel, and we’ve seen gasoline prices spike to $4-$5/gal in the last couple of years. I can think of lots of scenarios where this could happen again, and I don’t see any reason why there should be a hard-limit to how high the price can go in the short term. Also, I can’t think of any reason for oil prices to go down in the long-run…. So I see short-term volatility in fuel prices, and a steady increase i the average price, over the long-term….
If you do a lot of driving, or drive a vehicle that can’t go a month without refueling, these price spikes can really sting the wallet — I should know, I was dating a girl who lived 320 miles away (who is now my wife) during the last price spike… We’re in much better shape now — when we moved in together, we made a few carefully-considered lifestyle changes that put us in much better shape for the next fuel price spikes — mostly, our new house is within walking/biking/bus distance of our offices.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Audi A3 1.6 TDI shines during opening stages of efficiency challenge, 78.4 mpg (US)!
Google for: audi-a3-1-6-tdi-shines-during-opening-stages-of-efficiency-chall/
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
MOVEOVER PUMA!!!!!
Google for: tokyo-preview-honda-unveils-u3-x-personal-mobility-device/
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I forgot to emphasize that demand can grow (millions of Tata Nano drivers take to the road in pursuit of their dreams) — or supply can start shrinking (the peak oil scenario) — either one will cause increasing (and probably volitile) prices.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I guess it depends on how big your family is.
The car is a 4 seater. So if you have more people than that, then it won’t work very well for you.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
oooooo…
you boy’s are BAD!
You’re corrupting my virgin ears n eyes.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Is there a specific reason why the Volt wasn’t made into a 5-seater? What a great car that cannot be utilized by a lot of families. Even if I only had two children, I couldn’t even take along one of my kid’s friends. What a bummer.
RE: The Cruze…That may be more practical to fit my needs…but it’s not very stylish like the Volt is. Ducking for cover.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’m pretty sure testing is/was always part of the process. Probably not as intense as a Voltec car due to all the new tech., but every new design has several stages of testing.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Asinine :
1. Foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid.
2. Of or like an ass.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Wha? Not sure what you are trying to say. Define “capacity”. Pure eletrics don’t handle -40 degree weather as well as an ICE. What about range, cost, weight, size?
(btw its spelled physics)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Unfortunately, the environment can support only a few apex preditors such as the Karma. They simply deplete too many resources for any single biosystem to support more than a few. There will always, of course, be exceptional environments, like Beverly Hills, where game is generally more rich and plentiful, and the Karma might be found in greater numbers there. However, being an apex preditor, one will never see a “stampeding herd” of them, as they tend to be solitary and reclusive.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Wow, Drunk Mule. You are about as smart as one.
Let’s use logic for a minute.
You say, “If anything oil supplies will be increasing rapidly in the next five years”
From where? They are not making oil anymore. From the first drop pulled out of the ground, we have been running out of oil. We won’t run out tomorrow. But it doesn’t hurt to get off of that stuff as soon as possible.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
You seem like a “glass-half-empty” kind a guy… Everything ok at home?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
GM needs to make this car “spot-on”.
That requires a lot of testing time.
I’m glad they are making sure this all works before letting it out to the public.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
You gentlemen couldn’t possibly be suggesting that a refinery fire could be anything other than accidental could you? The fact that the resulting price increase is worth a great deal more to the company than the repair cost couldn’t have anything to do with the events either.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
This is an exiting time! A new car with something special under the hood — an electric motor!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
First true gm.volt.com “sighting report?!” May there be many more.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Only HALF empty, eh Dan?
“Giant sewing machine”… lawdy mama, what a steaming pantload.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
“This thread has been made possible by a grant from the people who own you.”
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Congratulations, Glorious Bastard, your screen name is half right!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
The size and shape of the battery precludes the possibility of a center rear seat. Future, smaller batteries may remove this hurdle.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
It was necessary in the first Volts, due to the size of the battery pack, to limit it to 4 seats. Future Volts are already forecast to have 5 seats due to already anticipated battery improvements shrinking the pack’s size.
EDIT:
“Mike’s a faster typer, Mike’s a faster typer, Mike’s a faster typer” …
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Yes — the word is that they were making space for the batteries by making the tunnel though the middle of the car bigger.
Here’s are some pictures:
http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/chevy-volt-interior-1.jpg
http://www.gm-volt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/int.jpg
AFAIK, the elbow-height console runs through the length of the passenger-cabin. It contains a significant fraction of the battery modules.
The Mercedes BlueZero E-Cell concept may be a more suitable size. Neither the Volt nor the E-Cell actually exists, but I suspect the Volt project farther along:
http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Sep09/02_001712_Mercedes_Benz_BlueZERO_E_Cell_PLUS_Second_Look.html
The pictures make it look like it’s a 5-seat vehicle. But it’s always hard for me to tell before I walk up to a vehicle — I didn’t realize that the 2010 Subaru Outback is as big as a Toyota Highlander until I saw it on the lot.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Great report. Too bad when Jim pulled up behind the Volt stopped at the stop sign, he did not give a listen are report whether the gen/set was running and how it sounded. Maybe next time.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Estero, very cool “UDO” (unidentified driving object) sighting!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Not to mention drastically different torque curves. Gauging from what homework I’ve done so far on DIY electric car conversions it looks like, if I weren’t careful, I’d build a vehicle that could smoke a set of tires — but couldn’t keep up with traffic on the Interstate.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Yes, it does indeed. But I am always skeptical of these results
The same Audi test had 48! MPG for an A5 using a 2.0T (gasoline) engine that in EPA 2008 testing gets 30 MPG Highway.
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/audi-a3-1-6-tdi-shines-during-opening-stages-of-efficiency-chall/
The trick is that these are “best figures” from essentially hypermillers. People competing with each other to obtain high MPG results. The same A3 1.6 TDI would be a much more realistic 48 Highway EPA 2008 using the A5 reduction factor (which is still Fantastic! But within range of the 2.0 TDI A3 at 30/42 EPA 2008)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
BTW..you got the movie name incorrect..its Inglorious bastards
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Wow! I really can’t wait till I set my eyes upon the first one I see. I’m going to be just like this nut!
Much more, I can’t wait to get behind the wheel!!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
MIke and Others,
Well this bit of information is a relief. Can’t wait until a 5-seat model comes out for the Volt. In the meantime, I’ll just have to be jealous of its owners. Sigh…
Luke, I’ll check out the links.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
And here I thought it was cool to see a Tesla Roadster leaving NYC on the West Side Highway a couple weeks ago…. That’s awesome!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Someone said the Euro test is light weight. It’s probably about less 12mpg in the US test.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Friday September 25, 2009, 12:10 pm EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices rose above $66 a barrel on Friday, supported by evidence of improving consumer sentiment and heightened tension around Iran’s nuclear program.
The A123 (AONE) IPO gave Big Oil a good kick in the groin yesterday.
=D~
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I pulled off into a parking area, rolled down the window as the fifth Volt drove by–it wasn’t loud but I heard an engine, not a motor. It was under acceleration from my slowing.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Thanks, I think! I hope you have the opportunity–this was a first for me.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Sorry. Do cell phones have cameras? My daughter plays my voice messages for me…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
This is excellent!
The Pike’s Peak scenario has been well discussed here, but as I’ve said before, Pike’s Peak is easy compared to Death Valley. Going West up out of Death Valley, you climb over 6000 feet of vertical over a 16 mile stretch, and you can drive fast most of the way. And it’s HOT! Way more challenging than Pike’s Peak. They have pull-offs every 1/4 mile for your car to rest. Lot’s of cars have problems with this stretch of road.
The fact that GM is testing in Death Valley – this is VERY encouraging…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
For the first time in my life, I considered a car-jacking…I’m normally law-abiding, but…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
If it helps clairfy, I was briefly beside Volt #5 at a steady 70+
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
KDawg
What number will DMV fill in for cylinders?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I second that!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
lol….
In that case nevermind. I think 90% of phones now come with a camera, whether you want one or not.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Yeah. I was chuckling to myself thinking they were going home to the mother ship but then they turned West…must be real Volts.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
lol…
Yeah, a rule of thumb for a DIY’r is to keep the tranny and get a mounting plate to it for your AC/DC motor. I recall a thread maybe a year back that someone went direct connect to the rear axle. Most ADC or Warp motors have a max rpm of 5200 or so rpm. Best useb at 4500rpm.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I commented below, but at one point I was able to hear an engine in #5 as it passed me when I pulled over and stopped.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Thank you!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
My thinking exactly.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Come to think of it the driver of one Volt was wearing a distinctive baseball cap, siimilar to those sold at the Chicken Ranch (or so I’ve heard). Maybe that explains their thumbs up!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Well, for me you forgot one other thing not to like. The price. A little more than I can afford by a factor of two.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Since the Fisker Karma is much more expensive than even the Volt, its level of population density will be limited. As game becomes more in-tune with it and becomes richer itself the Karma may have a larger game population to feed upon and expand its own kind. When food is scarce predatory animals will limit their birth rate to only that necessary to continue the pride. As its game grows and thrives so will the Karma. That way the Karma will continue being the king of the hybrid beast. Certainly in looks at this junction.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Loose = not tight (i.e., “Loose lips sink ships.)”).
Lose = misplace (i.e., “… her brood … loses her money.”).
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Come join our game preserve and help us collect wild hybrid animals to sport around town. Joining fees are fantastically high and only exceeds 98.9999% of the population’s capacity to pay them. Exclusive memberships now open to only the richest of you. We do not discriminate on any basis except your ability to pay for the gaming privileges offered by our hybrid gaming club. Safari trips to wild hybrid sightings are now being formed. Get your tickets today for half off with proof of ownership of a Volt or Karma. Reserve yours today!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
He is apparently celebrating his birth. Poor fellow. We must not pity him because he is born a bastard. We should pity him because he thinks he is glorious. Sad fellow, that.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Amen!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Was that “Really” a thumb you saw up then??????
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Wait a minute, Rashiid. Lets not start by assuming he is as smart as a mule. I grew up around some mules as a small kid. This guy might not quite come up to their level.
Having said that, known reserves of crude oil have increased by a very large percentage just this year alone with the new discoveries off Brazil and in the western Gulf of Mexico. To name only two. I agree that no new crude is being created but we are a very long way from running out of oil Our real problem is that world demand will increase much faster than our ability to pump the oil, deliver it and refine it. That is where our increasing petroleum prices are going to come from. There is enough know reserves within the United States and Canada and off our coast to supply our needs for well over 100 years. Problem is getting to drill for it. While we sit and watch, Cuba, with the help of China is drilling almost within sight of Florida’s coast in areas the U.S. government will not let American oil companies drill.
Do we have problems with crude oil supply versus demand. Damn right we do. Should we be finding new sources of energy and transportation fuel. Damn right we should. I don’t want to send a penny of our hard earned money overseas to pay for foreign petroleum. I would like to dry up foreign oil reserves, personally. I would like to see those countries all go bankrupt because they could not sell their “black gold” to anyone anymore. Well, I should not be so harsh on them. They only are doing what they think is in their best interest. That is OK, except for the funding of terrorist organizations and radical Islam as Saudi Arabia is doing and has been doing for decades. And the U.S. sits idly by and lets it happen. Damned if I would. I would be scorching some sand over there if it did not stop and stop quickly. And I would not care one damned bit what our “allies” had to say about it.
But getting back to the mule. He is probably a “cute” mule as mules go.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
We would have visited you in jail if you had.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
A high tech guy you ain’t, Jim. It is good to low tech. Life is much simpler there. Good luck to you. Hope you spot them again. And remember, if you do car-jack one of them, I promise to visit you in jail. First hand reports are always much more interesting.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
You certainly have had an experience many of us are wishing for ourselves. Just remember my promise to visit you in jail.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Very, Very well said.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
CJS,
As you said before:
“oooooo…
you boy’s are BAD!
You’re corrupting my virgin ears n eyes.”
————————–
Now, over to you. lol. Seriously, if that wasn’t a thumb, it had to pretty long to be seen at head height. Maybe they get stretched out after visiting the Chicken Ranch. Whatever that is – I think I can guess. Jim never did say whether he had first hand knowledge of the place, did he?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
See what you guys did to me….
I’m so ashamed.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
What do you think Rashiid, twilight zone doo doo, doo doo aliens from area 51 ?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Have a good weekend, Capt. I intend to do the same. I did do a Google search on the Chicken Ranch. Interesting is about all I am willing to say at this time. I have been checking hotel and airline reservations for a quick trip out to Las Vegas. No, no, no… I am just kidding. Almost time for the weekend to start. I will check back in with you guys Monday morning.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
After all the negativity about the Volt and GM over the past months I think we can put some of our fears to bed thanks to Jim Northrop’s very encouraging memo. A big thanks to GM and Bob Lutz for seeing the Volt through. And to Obama, Bush and McCain for their support.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I don’t know Ed. There isn’t too much that would be cooler than seeing the Volt, but aliens from Area 51 would definitely be.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Luke,
First congratulations on your marriage. May your life together be rich and rewarding.
About the subject of this post,I would suggest that you look at the following link:
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1751
“The Stonewalling of Peak Oil” – Reprinted from the September 7, 2009 edition of Peak Oil Review, a publication of ASPO-USA.
Robert L. Hirsch is a leading authority on oil production and has worked for DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory. If you still believe that oil will out live you, that fine but the evidence indicates that the world had best prepare for the alternative. Fortunately, the change from a petroleum based world economy to an electric appears to have begun in the time frame he suggests. The move that GM has taken with the Volt allows for a transition period without to much disruption to existing business.
Happy trails to you (and your new wife) ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
how come over two years ago when i contacted gm over my design of producing the car i developed using an electric engine with a small motor to generate a system to re charge that produced over 250mpg your resurch and development team said it was not a good idea and less than one year after that look what you have stolen from me good going thats the american way thanks gm and you wonder why your sales are down alleast with imports you know where your money is going all i want to know why you would not buy the design off of me 2 years ago i am a simple man with 3 kids and have worked on cars all my life it is my passion and i had a great idea and still have paper work and freinds that have heard my idea that supposably you or you development team tought up ha! after they talked to me and i explained in detail i guess it was a good idea after all thanks for shafting people that call you with a great idea and you STEAL IT FROM THEM any one that would like to hear how gm came up with there brain storm of the 250 mpg volt call me edward richardson at 301 343 9789 thanks to all and have a great day hope everyone reads this letter and see how wrong general motors treats there comsumers i have owned gm products from the time i got my license and restored a couple to i am so dissapointed at how crooked they are it was not your IDEA IT WAS MINE . thanks edward richardson winchtk@aol.com
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
N. Riley,
Perhaps it’s a case of semantics, my friend.
He said, “If anything oil supplies will be increasing rapidly in the next five years.”
We will just be discovering more. But the supply will be the same and it will be going down. We’re not making any more oil.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Excellent News,
Love that it can out accelerate a V8 Silverado
Fantastic real world testing.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
N Riley,
“I would like to dry up foreign oil reserves, personally. I would like to see those countries all go bankrupt because they could not sell their “black gold” to anyone anymore.”
_______________________________________________________
That is a sure fire way for the next world war to begin. It will be hard enough to avoid war when peak oil hits, if not already in 2008 as some experts believe. somewhere between now and 2012 as others suggest. We will be hit by a double whammy – Peak Oil with Peak Demand. China is moving rapidly to shore up contracts that will insure its future supply of oil. Two contracts for Canadian shale oil were negotiated last month. They have sewn up $100 billion in contracts and budget about $30 billion per year.
I hope when you said, “And the U.S. sits idly by and lets it happen.” that your not referring to the government along. Our foreign deficit is what it is in part because of this nations lust for foreign oil. So many Presidents of the past forty years have pledged to end that dependence but failed. We, the citizens, of the United States are equally responsible for the current situation. We will see our national dept increase because of our purchases of foreign oil alone around $700 billion plus a year. That figure is based upon consumption during the height of the gasoline spike in 2008. In July of this year, we imported 355 million barrels of oil with a value around $25 billion. With the world situation what it is, do you honestly think the price will remain low for long. I am thankful that we have companies like GM bringing us an affordable solution to future transportation when the Volt is mass produced.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
“Nothing new here fellers”
___________________________
Just reports of Volts flying past someone else traveling at a reasonable speed on a highway! And with their windows up using air conditioning! its all good news to me and I still wait on the edge of my seat for the report of their test in the deep south.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Hey Jim!
You will be #2 on Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza’s list as I’m the one that got the list started. Perhaps I’ll let you try it when I get mine first.
)
Look me up across from the Saddle West hotel in the shopping plaza.
Sincerely,
Fellow Volt Geek.
Paul
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Unless he gets a luggage rake for the roof, and straps them down for the ride. (just kidding).
The Volt will be a practical family car for many (up to children). After that most families end up with two or more cars depending on how many children they have and how old they are. My sister and her husband had three children and ended up with five cars parked on their property.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I’ll third that!
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
AM620. Bill Michaels?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I like “The Wild Horse Saloon” closer to Reno.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
What is it about “loose”? It’s LOSE!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
“Neither the Volt nor the E-Cell actually exists”
_______________________________________
Hey Luke, what do you think you are looking at and reading about at the top of this article?
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Looks like it’s gonna cost more for gas here in CA the end of next year. I’m sure they’ll “pass it on” to the customers.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Despite industry objections, California air regulators have approved the nation’s first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other polluting industries.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jQZ0cv3hyN9eJBtkogASogrHJVTgD9AUIR8G4
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
All the testing now is intended in optimizing the electronic programming for various climates.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
My dog Bonzo can outrun a Silverado. Get real man and keep your head away from your anal area you stink of
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Ed, the technology was invented in the 1920s.. GM bought the patent and is making a killing on it ever since.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_FT
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Wake up man, there are at least ten times as many Tesla Roadsters now on the road as the total number of Volt you will ever see on the road combined in the next year. Crunch that numba in yo head and try not to hurt yourself.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Don’t even think about putting your new Volt in the HOV lane, cause I will be running up your tailpipe in no time mister.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Not me bro. They might recognize me.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
kdawg, but the Volt isn’t pure electric. It has battery temperature controls with an ICE to warm up the bats. Also, their is bat technology that allows for those lower temperature without any loss of power.
• Greater temperature versatility with ranges of -40º Celsius to 55º Celsius
goto: http://www.altairnano.com/profiles/investor/fullpage.asp?f=1&BzID=546&to=cp&Nav=0&LangID=1&s=0&ID=10701
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Is this really necessary in today’s desktop supercomputer world. I mean they build planes and buildings straight from computer to production already why not cars. The modern computer can easily test all “real world” conditions faster than these yahoos out in the desert. I’m not sure how valuable this type of testing really is these days.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I am scratching my head over this. What exactly is the point here ?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I call shotgun!
Let’s go!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
No accusations. Just a factual observation. The last time it happened here, prices shot up $0.30 per gallon in a week.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Jeff,
First you need to move to Virginia. See an earlier post. “So if you live in Virginia — probably Northern Virginia — you may have the opportunity to drive a Volt long before anyone else!” Or anywhere else that GM reveals it plan to release its 500 Volt fleet to consumers.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
“Loser” noun. See “Troll”.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
In a test many years ago, in Sunnyvale (Cal.) I measured 140 degrees F reflected heat right on the top of the dashboard of a VW Scirocco. Outside around 85 degrees F. You can imagine the greenhouse effect with VOLT’s large windshield. Since VOLT survived Death Valley – a perfect test – next up as its right on the way is Reno to Colfax. That’ll put you guys within a few hours drive of Alameda. (Cal.) Let me invite all for a round.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Anyone living in Maryland, should understand the law.
Show me your patent…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Again with the taxes!
We need Robin Hood. Better yet, since this is California, we need Zorro!
The evil Governor is killing all us peasants with his tax collectors!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Off topic, Volvo
Volvo has announce plans to produce a plug in diesel hybrid in 2012.
It’s a series/parallel design.
The corollary to this announcement is that they have seemingly passed on the series hybrid design they had been experimenting with since 2007.
(ABG)
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Now THAT’s worth the short drive to get there from here!
Two questions:
When and where?
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Absolutely no aircraft is totally designed and tested using CAD models for production!
Take a look at how much money Boeing spends to develop prototypes that never even get off the ground.
Computer modeling can help in design, but when it comes to testing, there is no replacement for building proto-types and testing the living crap out of them.
If you find any aerospace company that builds production aircraft to a computer model, let me know, so I can avoid them at all costs.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
The Govenator appreciates your donations. Stick around, he will find new and inventive ways to pick your pocket.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Add,
Volvo recharge concept (series hybrid):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5bhuI7Hduw
http://cnettv.cnet.com/frankfurt-2008-volvo-recharge-concept/9742-1_53-29224.html
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Absolutely exhilarating!
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I look forward to NOT hearing the a/c compressor switching on/off. Being a car guy, I notice and imagine the force of the on/off and it drives me crazy! I’m hoping it is a variable speed drive to even out the operation. Hooray for the Volt!!
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Believe it or not my wife took me there for Christmas 3 years ago– (into the merchandise area only) we bought t-shirst and sundries for our friends. While ringing up the merchandise the security guard leaned over and said “You know, we do couples here!” An attractive working gal, reading a trignometry book, at a nearby table burst out laughing…reassured the guard we wanted only souvienirs…we laughed all the way home. Talk about electric…
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I’m waiting for those five Volts streaming down the highway escorted by the Nevada State Troopers.
Happy trails to you ’til we met again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Yeah, that’s why I didnt really understand the original comment. The Volt uses an ICE to overcome some of the problems/shortcomings of pure-electrics.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
It doesn’t look like a sheep, it looks like a $40,000 2nd gen prius, and who wouldn’t want one of those?
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
JEC is right. Just as its impossible to assimilate a desktop to an aircraft, there is also no way do the same for a desktop and a automobile, or for that matter an aircraft and an automobile. They are different animals, different industries.
In the case of an automobile, they first have to pick out the essential component which usually started with the engine, etc. Then the design folks had to come up with a concept that would appeal to buyers. A clay model would be made that could be tested aero-dynamically. Even after this happens, changes to that shape offen occur; a clay mold is the cheapest way to get to this stage of design. Much of the early work is all manual. When they are finally satisfied that everything fits together and works, development moves ahead with a proto-type. Only after they are satisfied will tooling be designed for the production of parts, and in some cases complete machines for the assembly. In the case of the Volt, every scenario was tested out in the lab to gather data on the drive system and make changes where necessary.
The testing in the field is done under real-time conditions to finalize specifications to the electronics and insure no mechanical problems occur. Just as laptops are burnt in the laboratory before they go on sale in the stores. But computers aren’t really fully tested until the consumer buys one and tries it out, and sees if it works properly. There are a lot of laptops that are sold before adequate testing or are damaged in transit. When you consider the cost of a car, it would not bode well for the manufacturer. Automotive manufacturers try hard to prevent any recalls from happening. Of course, the aircraft industry has to be even more careful that accidents don’t happen because they missed something. So testing is even more important for them. (mucho dinaro here).
The bigger it gets the more time it takes to get from conception to birth. There are exceptions to the rules. CAD/CAM had a huge effect on time reduction from beginning to end. GM decreased the time of developing the Volt by running some design aspects of the vehicle where normally they would wait for completion of one stage and go on to the next.
I hope this info helps you understand what a huge undertaking it is to design a new vehicle and bring it to the market. The automotive industry is an extremely complex and interesting industry. Today, it has entering a new phase in its history; a very exciting time for all to view.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Ah, waxing poetic about the GM bending the taxpayers over…..
“Oh, looky there, crikey, that’s a Volt stalking a US taxpayer…now what it’s gonna do is sneak up behind it, jam its thumb up the taxpayers butthole…that otta really piss it off, and you can learn a lot about a taxpayer by really pissin’ em off”
“Look over there, there’s a tesla and a fisker, not even real cars, completely imaginary, but watch them give the business to taxpaying public, ah it’s incredible, they’re not even really there and already they’ve sucked a $1,000,000,000 outta the lot o them.”
(Quote)
September 25th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Globe Shine,
There are so many disbelievers that frequent this blog. After EV1 bringing scrapped in the desert, many didn’t believe GM committed to finally built an electric vehicle. This article is real evidence that they are demonstrating that commitment. They announced that they would build the first production vehicles for testing in various places throughout the nation. This is just one more proof that we will have mass produced EV,s in a short time. It might be quite appropriate for the first GM Volts to be sighted and reported on coming out of the desert where EV1’s where destroyed.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
(Quote)
September 26th, 2009 at 12:11 am
You need to hang out in Warren – I see at least one drive by my building virtually every day on the Tech Center campus
(Quote)
September 26th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Computers don’t do very well with analog yet. Yeah, you can model the crap out of some design, but, it still needs real-world testing.
Crash, aero, and other testing with lots of analog inputs make computers crazy and is very expensive for computer time. Heck, predicting weather in TX is pretty much left up to animals and insects. Computers don’t have a clue.
It’s still best to make sure the rubber actually meets the road before handing off to a customer.
(Quote)
September 26th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Reminds me of when we ran into one of Chrysler’s electric Town & Country minivans on I-275 near Novi Michigan. That pup could pull some positive G’s accelerating too – pulled away from us at 65 mph like we were sitting still and with near zero sound.
Impressive.
(Quote)
September 26th, 2009 at 7:40 am
How is it that sighting a new car drive by can cause so much excitement (well, at least for us Volt-awaiting die-hards)? After all, we see new vehicle models all the time. I think the reason watching those Volts zoom (whoosh?) by caused Jim Northrop a rush of adrenaline followed by a temporary loss of rationality is this: the Volt is a game changer. We who follow gm-volt.com know deep down that we are witnessing not just a new vehicle introduction, but a fundamental change in perhaps our most important industry–automotive, a change that can help save our planet, increase our energy security, and restore our tattered economy. Not only is the Volt an engineering marvel, but it is also a symbol of the tidal wave of change we welcome. We are excited because the Volt (and other EVs being introduced) hold so much promise for positive impact, just when we need it most. I applaud GM for pushing forward with the Volt in such tough economic times and with such steadfast vision. And, I applaud Lyle for his inspiration for this site and his dedication to the cause of needed change. And, to Jim Northrop for sharing his brief encounter with the fleet of test Volts. I wasn’t there, but I got the same tingle in my spine and a big vicarious thrill.
(Quote)
September 27th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I’m looking at my laptop’s LCD screen and reading an article about an prototype of a car that I can’t get my hands on any time soon, even if it does make it into production…
While I sometimes make decisions based on hope, I’m under no illusion that it equals an electric car in my driveway.
(Quote)
September 27th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Many thanks! Married life is treating me very well, so far.
My basic attitude is that I don’t know what the future will bring, so I’m trying to make sure our household is resilient and able to cope to some degree with most futures that I can envision. That includes business-as-usual, a recession that never goes away, or even a number of the middle-severity peak oil scenarios.
She’s sympathetic to these plans, but for different reasons — she’s practical, she doesn’t like waste, she likes being frugal and crafty for their own merits. Also, she’d rather have me crawling around the house with a caulking gun and playing with high-efficiency light bulbs — since that keeps me from trying replace the motorcycle that I got rid of year.
As for me, I’ve thought a lot about Peak Oil, without becoming personally invested in the idea — and I’ve realized that I just don’t know what the future will hold. It seems to me that the most important things that anyone can do for a mild or middle-severity peak-oil scenario are insulate the house and pay off the mortgage… Neither is exciting, but a long cold winter without a job is much more likely than any mad-max insanity — and working hard to be resilient this way just seems like the proper and time-tested way to run a household.
P.S. Having a garden in the back yard seems to have great ROI. But we enjoy delicious fresh vegetables from the garden on their own merits.
(Quote)
September 27th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
No kidding–I drove a rented KIA Sportage (out of Vegas) over the Panamints (in July!) and could barely make 20 mph; bad smells of cooking transmission fluid and coolant. If the Volt can climb in that environment, imagine performance in the midwest!
(Quote)
September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I sure hope that the public’s enthusiasm when those first 10,000 get sold does not go overboard and compromise safety for those first 10,000 owners.
(Quote)
September 29th, 2009 at 4:07 am
I’ve read most the posts listed here, from thoughtful and enthused, to ribald and silly, yet to me, the thing that elicited an LOL was that the guy writing the tale for which this thread was started. This half-crazed Volt fan boy, foaming at the mouth – was chugging down the highway in his JUGGERNAUT FUEL MURDERING V-8 TAHOE at breakneck speed to catch up to a fleet of ELECTRIC CARS most likely breaking into their own fossil fuel cycle puffing away on their range extenders supporting whirring air-conditioners!!!! Now THAT IS A THOUGHT-PROVOKING handful!!! hahaha/
Jim, God bless ya dude! You just pegged my irony meter, and hopefully as an EV enthusiast you’ll put that Tahoe out to pasture, trade in the wife’s Malibu for the Volt and ride happily off into that robust Nevada sunset!
The pessimist in me ( remember the EV-1 – God rest it’s soul ) says GM pre-meditates it’s moves more than any serial killer – and the Volt is bound to flop in the marketplace, and it’s planned obsolescence sealed as it lacks the practicability of a six to eight seat minivan or even a five seater Prius with it’s larger hatch area and flat (narrow) rear seat. That GM got it’s bailout money from us, and plows ahead putting profit making last century technology ( read Eco Tech ) Cruzes and Tahoes above all else. What with it’s large pricetag-to-utility ratio, it’s almost doomed before it gets started.
The optimist in me says – hey maybe GM has gotten on the peak oil, foreign enemy dependency, sustainable energy, clean, green bandwagon and opened it’s enormous corporate eyes to the realities we now live in. Perhaps the Volt is only the tip of the technological iceberg and GM will incorporate what it learns from this experiment into larger, lighter, better EVs and Plug in EREVs using newer, better battery technologies coming down the pike – Toshiba’s SCIB ( Super Charge Ion Battery ) or zinc air. Maybe we’ll see full-sized trucks with extra cabs blasting down the highway on hydrogen fuel cells!
….NAYHHH…. We can dream can’t we?
(Quote)
September 29th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
With this particular paint scheme it is reminiscent of the Aztek.
Truly unfortunate
(Quote)