GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

The automotive portion of the Internet reverberated Thursday with the comment made by Audi President Johan de Nysschen in which he claimed that the Volt was a “car for idiots.”

The rush of negative press forced Mr. de Nysschen to issue a statement on the Audi Facebook page, in which he claims not remembering saying those words to the writer. Where have I heard that one before?

Anyway, we’ll let him speak for himself:

An online report today, subsequently picked up by various other forums, left an unflattering sense of my feelings toward electric vehicles and the people who support their development. Let me clearly state that, in my opinion, electric vehicles will be part of the future transportation of society – but only if we go about it the right way. In fact, Audi is working on electric vehicles.

I do not specifically recall using the term “car for idiots” during my informal conversation with the writer. It was certainly not my intention to leave the impression that I’m opposed to electrical vehicles, and if I was unclear on either of those points then I need to eat crow.

What I do recall is the essence of my contention, namely that the feasibility of the Chevrolet Volt as a concept is questionable. And that policy decisions – and the industry’s reactions to those decisions – are leading us toward a technology that may sound tempting on the surface, but, as of now, also contains many deep and unsolved economic and technological compromises.

“Mass electrification” of the vehicles on American roads could lead to problems like a strained electric grid. Large-scale utilization of electric vehicles will require massive investment in new power stations that are much cleaner than the ones in use in the U.S. today. Otherwise, it could merely shift greenhouse gas emissions from the tailpipes of cars to the smokestacks of coal-burning utilities. That’s not just my opinion. The California Air Resource Board this past April concluded that electric vehicles presently are second only to hydrogen cars in greenhouse gas impact when measured on a well-to-wheel basis.

Returning to the Volt, my point was simply one of its economic feasibility today. The 50% or so price increase that the Volt represents over a similar gasoline car cannot be offset through the savings from reduced fuel consumption. The only way to offset the extreme premium for the Volt is through taxpayer-funded subsidies. So I question if that makes economic sense.

Does that mean the Volt and other electric vehicles are forever impractical? Of course not.

In recent broadcast interviews, discussions with journalists and meetings with policy makers I have asserted that the future of automotive transportation lies not in any one “silver bullet”, but in a range of technologies that meet different needs – all while lowering emissions and fuel consumption. That includes plug-in electric cars when technological and economic hurdles make them more practical. It includes hybrid vehicles. And it includes clean diesel along with substantially more efficient takes on today’s gasoline internal combustion engines.

Admittedly I am a passionate advocate for the role that clean diesel technology can play in easing this nation’s challenges. Cutting through misperceptions about clean diesel and other technologies can be frustrating. If you’d like to hear my thoughts on these issues, go to a video of my recent remarks at www.audiusanews.com. Meanwhile, know that we are working toward a more sustainable future.

-Johan de Nysschen

So it seems he is focused on the old already refuted claims that electric cars will  cause a “strained electric grid” and shift greenhouse gases to coal plants, despite studies by EPRI to the contrary.

He also seems to still be missing the point that the first generation price premium being offset by government incentives is necessary for GM and the industry to be able to ramp up to less expensive future generations.

Finally, he neglects the critical element that electrification of the automobile will allow America to become energy independent from foreign sources of oil.

And unless I missed it, no apology.

In the 2 -1/2 years since the Chevy Volt concept was first unveiled there has been considerable attention from and tension with competitors. Mostly it has been a fair game, and over time in fact many automakers have started their own EV or EREV programs.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk once called the Volt with its mix of gas engine an electric motor “neither fish or foul” but went on to wish the car well.

This new particular insult though is really over the top, and unfortunately in my opinion is unnecessarily derogatory.

Apparently Audi’s president of North America Johan de Nysschen who is an advocate of diesels is no fan of the Volt nor all of the government and regulatory effort going in to promoting EVs.

He dismissed the Volt as “a car for idiots.”

He is said to believe very few people will be willing to pay $40,000 for a car that competes with $25,000 sedans, and is not itself a luxury car.

“No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a (Toyota) Corolla,” he said. “So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.”

He argued that the Volt is simply “for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are.”

Of course describing the same individuals as both intellectuals and idiots simultaneously doesn’t speak well of this fellow’s logic, which is flawed.

Critical logical flaws include ignoring the importance of an expensive first generation to get to more affordable second and third generations with the early technology being subsidized by well-to-do early adopters. Also missed is the fact that the true cost of the Volt will be more like $32,500 after tax credits. Important all the more is the need to wean this country off of oil which has a different value all its own. It could also be easily argued that the Volt doesn’t compete with a Corolla either.

I, Mr. de Nysschen, may be a lot of things, but an idiot isn’t one of them. I will also say it is commonly accepted good business practice not to speak poorly of your competitors or their customers.

I can say at least now I know of one car brand I won’t be buying.

Source (MSN) via (NY Times)

First of all, let me express my thanks to Lyle for creating and supporting the best EV community on the web, and for letting me guest post on the homepage.

I recently had the opportunity to exchange emails with Rob Peterson, Volt / Advanced Technology PR Manager at General Motors regarding GM’s future product plans. Given that the Converj was cancelled, then possibly resurrected, I wondered if there were any other changes to previously stated product plans at GM.

Rob’s first and best response regarding current / new alternative fuel / propulsion systems was: “Right now, we are only working on the ICE variant” of the Voltec propulsion system. Certainly, until GM gets the Volt’s wheels on the road, this should be their only integration effort. Given that they are combining electric and flex fuel (gasoline / E-85) technologies in a single product, that is saying a lot.

In parallel, GM continues to work on fuel cells and improved ICE’s, like the HCCI (homogeneous charge compression ignition), which combines the best parts of spark and auto ignition systems. Rob also stated that GM is “intrigued by the potential of natural gas”, which is in line with their restructuring filings listing natural gas as a possible development option in the future. He concedes some techs require new infrastructure and all need continued cost reduction.

As for my favorite, the rotary engine, Rob stated: “a rotary engine – which theoretically makes sense, because it operates efficiently at specific bandwidths – is at a clear disadvantage, having not been a part of the powertrain portfolio for automotive purposes for some time and without the benefits of generational learnings that typically drive down the cost of technology”.

In short, GM is going to play it safe / smart by concentrating on internally developed Voltec, advanced ICE and fuel cell technologies.

Alex Cattelan is a GM engineer working on development of the Voltec powertrain, and has been involved in the Volt program ever since the beginning.

She recently had the chance to drive a pre-production Volt out among a fleet of seven cars to Knoxville, Tennessee.  Cattelan also noted she has previously driven pre-production and mule Volts in cold Canadian winter conditions, high altitudes in Denver, and the scorching heat of Death Valley, and through it all “we have not found any surprises,” she wrote.

Cattelan says that the “twisty, winding roads” of Knoxville are particularly a place where “you really get to see what a car is made of.” And in that place she said of the Volt’s performance from a driver experience standpoint “we are happy with the results.”

She explains it was in those mountains of Tennessee that GM worked to “calibrate how the Volt’s battery energy, fuel efficiency, and drive quality work together in real world conditions.”

She explains that a car must give back to the driver what he or she would expect, and the Volt is no exception. It must feel right and respond intuitively. She says it should have the same feeling both in EV and charge sustainting mode, should climb hills as needed and if its 95 degres outside “take the heat.”

In all these ways on those mountains the Volt lived up to her expectations.

In an almost poetic fashion she writes:

As I stood next to the Volt on top of a mountain last weekend, I felt overwhelmingly enthusiastic about its capability.

I’m confident that Chevy Volt drivers will feel invigorated like I do by its exciting, smooth, quiet, and fuel-efficient performance.

I imagine there’s a lot of people just waiting to get their chance to see for themselves, myself among them.

Source (GM)

Word is out that Mercedes will also be entering the extended-range electric car arena. The automaker has apparently confirmed it will be bringing an extended range electric car into limited production next year.

The car was described in concept form initially in January of this year, and now will be brought as a showcar version to the Frankfurt Auto Show later this month.

The Blue Zero E-cell Plus, as its known, is built off an A-class platform and has an 18 kwh lithium ion battery pack sandwiched into the floor.

There will be a 62 mile all-electric range and a 67 horsepower 3 cylinder 1.0L turbo gas range extender. The gas engine is taken from the Smart car.

The 70 kw electric motor can propel the car from 0 to 60 in 11 seconds and has a top speed of 93 mph.  The car can be fast-recharged in 30 minutes and is front-wheel drive.

Total driving range will be 373 miles.

Mercedes says the car is “near series” production and will be offered as one member of a triad of cars.  The BlueZero E-cell is the pure electric version with 112 mile range, and the BLueZero F-cell uses a hydrogen fuel cell.

Source (Auto-Motor-Und-Sport) via (Autocar)

I am one of the 100 people in New York who have leased a MINI E pure electric car. Since I can’t get a Volt yet, I figured this was the next best thing for now. I have just passed 3000 miles in over two months of driving it.

The car is a 2 seat prototype, or electric powertrain-converted standard MINI Cooper. It has a 35 kwh lithium-ion battery pack (28 kwh usable), 205 hp motor, a 100 mile range, top speed in excess of 100 mph, and 8.5 second 0 to 60 time.

When I last wrote here about it I was still waiting for installation of a 240 V home charger and was getting by on a 120 V portable unit which took about 33 hours to charge the car.

I now have the 240 V, 32 amp wall charger in my garage and the UL certified proprietary charging coupler cord (see above).

Having this unit has made a tremendous difference for me. When I arrive home at about 25% state of charge, it only takes about 2-1/2 hours to recharge. I still charge at work on the 120 V unit anyway.

The car continues to perform well. It is fast, crisp and quiet. There are minor fan noises and an occasional odd smell when first turned on, but it is a very capable car, jumps briskly when called upon and handles quite well.  Interior creature comforts are a bit spartan.

I can say I very much enjoy doing most of my daily driving without the use of gasoline. It does get weird sometimes. Still when I pass my usual gas stations I am compelled to think about pulling in to refill, but smile from ear to ear when I realize I don’t have to. Its kind of like waking up from a bad dream.

In practice, I have found with my usual high speed air-conditioned and almost all highway driving style, effective range is from 75 to 85 miles, not quite the 100 that is claimed. There is little doubt though that with lower speed conservative driving 100 miles of range is doable, and indeed there are reports of some MINI E drivers getting more than 100 miles.

I took the car on a 12 mile course that I use to test hybrids with hypermiling techniques. On that course I’ve achieved 82 MPG with the 3rd generation Prius, 62 MPG with the 2010 Honda Insight, and 57 MPG with the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid. With the MINI E, using those same methods, the projected effective range based on my energy use over that distance was an unimpressive 92 miles.

An important observation about range though is that I suspect people will never fully utilize it, even if it was 100 miles. This is because there is clearly a psychological concern about needing some kind of safety buffer for returning home which seems to be at least 10 miles for me. No one wants to get caught out with a dead battery.

In fact, I think this factor will be a significant limit for BEVs in general and something that the Volt will not have. There will never be a worry about squeezing out those last couple of EV miles in the Volt because if you misjudge, the gas engine will just go on.

The MINI E has two annoying quirks. One is a built-in 1 or 2 second delay or lag that occurs when one first steps hard on the accelerator from a stop. The other, which is downright dangerous, is that the car will pop into neutral with a loud bang if the accelerator is suddenly floored while at cruising or highway speed.

I have come to believe that these flaws were purposely built in. They are in effect punishment to the driver who tries to punish the battery. The initial lag is common and even GM put it into the Volt mules that were test driven. It is to prevent screeching the wheels with torque by the overzealous driver (journalist).

BMW has not admitted they cooked-in the neutral pop, but haven’t responded to my emails about it. There are multiple reports about it by other MINI E drivers. After a few experiences with it, due to simple negative reinforcement-type Pavlovian conditioning I (the driver) never floor it anymore. This was the result I think BMW wanted as it is less abusive to the battery.

Production cars will not have such harsh tactics.

A major problem with the pure EV is the 100 mile limit.  I am able to use the car for essentially all of my daily 56 mile commutes.  It becomes a 3500 pound garage ornament, however, when I need to take longer trips.  At least once a month or more I have to go to an airport, a distant concert, beach trip, or some event that goes beyond 100 miles.  People often say, just rent a car for those occasions, but let’s face it, that is extremely inconvenient especially after one has paid a significant amount of money for their car.  This is another area I believe the Volt will strongly outmarket the pure EV competition.

In the end, the MINI E is a rough-around-the-edges but highly capable fun car.  Driving electrically is thrilling and very rewarding.  Being able to charge quickly is important.  Pure EV limitations are significant.

[UPDATE: Some commentators claim the neutral-pop is not found in all mules.  I just received the following email response from BMW spokesperson Nathalie Bauters: In speaking with our engineering team, we would like the opportunity to investigate the problem you have experienced with your MINI E. Would it be possible for you to bring in your car so that we can inspect it? ]