As many here are aware I had the chance to test drive an advanced Chevy Volt integration vehicle last week. Read the full report here.
I took the car for a 50 minute spin around a parking lot course with a top speed of around 50 MPH. Though the testing environment was somewhat limited, and the car not fully refined, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and came away extremely pleased and impressed with the vehicle.
I can hardly wait until I have one to call my own, which I hope won’t be too long in the future.
Below is the edited video of my test drive. Hopefully it might let you feel a little like being a passenger in the back seat. You will hear some interesting banter among myself and the two other GM occupants, Chief Engineer Andrew Farah in the front seat and Vehicle Line Director Tony Posawatz in the rear. The filming was done by a fourth occupant, a GM social media staffer who I am grateful to for his help.
There are quiet periods which allow you to hear the generator.
Many other journalists and other people of influence got the chance to drive the car that day and others and all the reports have come back uniformly glowing.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 7:24 am and is filed under Test drive, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+4
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:27 am)Now we are talking!
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:29 am)Looks like Lyle was burning a little rubber!
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:39 am)Andrew Farah seemed a bit temperamental at times, but, overall, the test drive looked great!
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:01 am)Lyle had a number of questions about dashboard controls, and he knew what he was looking for. Should be interesting to observe reactions of prospective customers once deliveries begin – to the controls and to the whole driving experience. The typical down the street and around the block new car test drives may not be enough!
Can see where GM will need to provide to dealer sales staff significantly more thorough new product training for Volt.
Good problems to have…
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:12 am)It looks to me like the team is down to the end stage debugging of software. And I would bet that will continue right up to the delivery date, and then updates will be installed, based upon customer surveys.
I really liked the screen layouts. Very professional!
Good work people!!!
Now, just tell me when I will be able to get one in Ohio……
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:12 am)Nice, Lyle!
It’s what we’ve all been waiting for. Great job!
+7
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:15 am)Sweet video. Thanks. I didnt know about the rear view camera..nice. Hopefully GM makes a flash website where everyone can try things on the new info displays and start to learn them.
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:15 am)Thanks for sharing the video Lyle. It is great to live vicariously through you in driving this car!
Judging by the expression on your face, it appeared to be fun to drive. I struggled to understand this one thing…did Farah and Posawatz say it would get 40 miles range in both City and highway mode? I wasn’t clear on what was being said on that.
Awesome job GM. Really looking forward to seeing these cars on the road soon!
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:31 am)The first part of the video showed the Volt passing by with road noise being recorded. If this is anything close to real world, I’m not sure why artifical noise beyond a horn would be needed to alert foot traffic.
Lyle said “There are quiet periods which allow you to hear the generator.” Must have missed it, I really didn’t pickup on the generator noise.
+3
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:36 am)Looks like you’re going to need 40 hours in a flight simulator before you can get certified to drive the Volt!!
All kidding aside, 40 miles AER in both the city and hwy cycles, no performance loss in CS mode, a sport mode for more spiritied driving, and more information at your fingertips than most people can deal with. Seems like the Volt program is pretty successful to date.
Thanks for the update, Lyle, and maybe you can get an early Beta tester before Nov 2010!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:40 am)I believe the artificial noise is for low speeds, where there would be little wind/tire noise.
Dec 8th, 2009 (8:50 am)Lyle,
Great post. It really did seem like I was riding along.
The first “bit” about the tire noise was hysterical – guess you won’t be sneaking up on pedestrians with the torque and acceleration the Volt provides.
+4
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:25 am)Great video!!! This car is going to be a real winner. Go GM.
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:29 am)Awsome!
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:31 am)Hey Lyle, watching the video I have the impression, you drive with your arms stretched out too far and you’re grabing the wheel too far up to have good control of the vehicle?
Do you have long legs and is the steering wheel adjustable?
Nice video by the way, and hats off to the GM guys enduring this kind of driving for a whole press day.
+6
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:36 am)=======================
I suoppose if I had to take about 100 test rides with “know-it-all reporters” that knew next to nothing about the car they were driving, I would get a bit touchy too! Lyle, of course, was the exception that proves the rule – he was very informed about the vehicle and knew what to expect. I also liked the fact that they knew he has a Mini-E, and were very interested in his impressions and comparisons.
Lyle is definitely on the radar at GM! Now all he has to do is to convince them that his list would be a good place to go for early adopter sales!!!!
+3
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:43 am)Best Volt test drive video yet, Lyle! I’ve replayed it >3 times & paused it at several points (I just wish the cameraman had been a bit steadier and/or the camera’s “shake” reduction had worked better).
You took a few of the sharpest turns fairly aggressively —yet the Volt’s body lean (vs the horizon) was almost undetectable— much less than that of a conventional car with comparable suspension tuning. I’m certain its very low cg largely accounts for this exceptional handling.
Interestingly, the video progress bar from 9:36s – 9:41s allowed me to roughly estimate the 0-30 time at ~5 sec. Of course, you were only modestly accelerating here, not flooring it. But whether you were in sport mode or not, it’s clear to me the car is no slouch! ….I’d expect it to beat >95% of the ICE cars on the road today off the line & win the “stoplight derby” by 1-2 car lengths!
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:01 am)I have a question. When you first start the Volt can you drive right away? Or is there a waiting period? As with other electric equpiment like TV, Computer so on. Is there a warm up time? If so how long?
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:02 am)I wondered about this at first too. The speed AND acceleration are apparently both controlled by the EPA’s FTP (Federal Test Procedures). Thus, it doesn’t matter whether the car is in “sport” mode or “low” ….energy useage is apparently limited by the FTP & they’re saying the 40 mile range will therefore be met (or exceeded) both in City & Highway modes.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:14 am)Updates for this car will continue even after it is delivered. Let’s just hope they are taking the same path as Apple and NOT Windows!!! The rotating menu on the dash seems to resemble a Mac.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:27 am)Cool , Thanks Lyle.
Is it a Flash based display ?
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:27 am)Also resembles GM’s website.
(hope this link works)
http://www.gm.com/vehicles/results.jsp?bodyStyle=12&bodyStyle=13&bodyStyle=05&bodyStyle=03&bodyStyle=11&bodyStyle=04&bodyStyle=23&bodyStyle=22&bodyStyle=01&lowPrice=10000&highPrice=65000&fuel=E85&fuel=HYBRID&fuel=DIESEL&fuel=30MPG&fuel=GAS&&fromHome=true
-1
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:33 am)No perceivable change when the genset turns on. And the car appears to make sound mostly because of the tire/road friction. With 11 months to go the tweaking of the charge sustain-depletion modes should pose few problems for the team.
I would suggest a new owner tutorial onscreen might be a handy introduction to a new Volt owner.
Question for GM engineering: does the liquid fuel system detect fuel type and adjust the relative instrumentation data to reflect this? e.g. does the Volt know if you have filled up the gas tank with E85? Since there is lower energy density for ethanol – does that not affect the fuel efficiency ratings?
And would the “environmental rating” (for lack of a term) improve if the owner is burning E85 as opposed to gasoline? There is not a lot of discussion about how flex fuel affects Volt or any GM ICE performance and efficiency.
Great job Lyle!
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:35 am)If I can achieve the same efficiency in mode then I’ll be leaving it there.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:38 am)Other than the montage video from the other day, (very entertaining), today’s video is the best and most informative on to date about the VOLT and it’s development. Excellent job, Lyle!
My only disappointment is that the screen has no display of “generator output” to match the ICE revs. But, with all that ‘user programmable’ stuff on the screen, I’m sure they will add it as an option on the V2.0 software upgrade.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:40 am)I forgot to mention:
If the tire noise is that loud all of the time, then blind people have nothing to fear.
+3
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:46 am)These engineers are doing a GREAT JOB!
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:48 am)Yes, also GM has said the UI’s are not finished.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:50 am)One other comment: heated seats? Nice for the Minnesotans but for major EV markets? I suppose if I’m in New York and park in an unheated garage that I’d be grateful for heated seats come December.
Anyway… Great car, excellent production team, good support from the brass – this product is a home run.
The marketing challenge is to use Volt to demonstrate the new GM product lines; Malibu is a lower cost green vehicle, the QC that has defined the Volt and hybrid programs applies to lower cost ICE products. i.e. the investment in EV/hybrid quality assurance positively affects all GM products.
It is after all, the new GM. You guys are truly awesome. Thanks.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:51 am)Not much sound below below 5 mph. Sounds like someone sweeping sand from a brick patio.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:52 am)There’s no “warmup” or other delay. As I understand it, a Volt driver simply slides under the steering wheel, leaves the key fob (which enables the car to run) in his pocket, presses the brake pedal then the start button, moves the “shift” lever from Park to either Reverse, Drive or Low, and drives away. It’s very similar to an ordinary car except that it’s started by a pushing a button, not by turning a key.
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:11 am)Sounds great. I was thinking there might be a little lag, well all the electric equipment warmed up when the car is not pluged in. That would not be a big deal as I think the wait time would be short.
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:24 am)#16
Well you beat me to it there. +1. It makes me wonder what we could do to help make it happen. I wonder if anyone (Dr. Dennis – hint, hint, hint) has any e-mail, or even snail mail, addresses of any GM decision makers?
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:29 am)#26
Yeah, a non-issue. +1
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:31 am)#13
Oh man, I’m gonna lose my keys for sure. Oh well, I guess that’s why they make “Hide-a-keys”.
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:33 am)Damn. Here I thought that I couldn’t get any more excited. Does this mean that I need to consider cardiac care when delivery comes close?
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:37 am)I think we learned several new things.
(1) When you come to a stop, the gen/set does not always stop. Perhaps we could find out what condition would keep the gen/set on. I have driven a car with a “dead” battery (i.e unable to start ICE) and so I kept the engine running when I stopped briefly, and parked on a down hill run, when I had to turn it off. Perhaps the Volt software is able to detect a battery condition that calls into question its ability to restart the ICE?
(2) That the intent of the “shift” position of “L” (low) is akin to turning off the overdrive or shifting into a lower gear. What was unstated is whether in “L” as in “Sport” the extra 20 kw is available for grades. To mimic a lower gear, it should be. In a lower gear you get more power (at lower speed) from the ICE on uphill grades, and you get more braking power from the ICE because of faster rotation on the down grades. So the Volt’s low clearly mimics for downgrades, but how about uphill?
As far as the claim of 40 AER in a highway drive cycle, I doubt a person could pull onto the freeway in Palm Springs and drive 70 mph for 40 miles before the ICE kicked in. Time will tell.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:49 am)Best video I’ve seen. Perhaps because it was the longest so you got a real flavor of the drive. But in any event it was great.
You gotta love Tony Posawatz. The guy is very upbeat and his enthusiasm is contagious.
Yeah, the EPA test cycle is so relaxed — and therefore divorced from reality — that the “sport” mode would never be called upon. IOW if you’re accelerting from 0-30 mph in 8 seconds the mode becomes irrelevant. Of course this also means that ordinary drivers are not gong to get the “up to 40 mile” range you’ll see from the EPA test cycle.
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:50 am)From the looks of things, the new Volt owner will have days worth of fun just toying around with all of the electronic goodies! Thanks for the video, Lyle. I had my doubts when the project was first announced, but not anymore.
-14
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:56 am)(click to show comment)
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:00 pm)The batterys should already be pre-conditioned due to the car being plugged in. If its not plugged in, the ICE will run to precondition the batteries (if needed). Regarding the computer startup, I would expect it to be typical of all the current cars w/touchscreen interfaces.
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:02 pm)Awesome video Lyle. Even in CS mode it’s still amazingly quiet. They are really making sure that the Volt has not only less gas usage but less noise as well. Both cool features that should make this a hit.
Next time just run the 0-60 and we can time it with the video time
.
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:06 pm)From what I understand, heated seats are more efficient than blowing warm air (the driver feels warmer w/less energy expended). I would estimate over 1/2 the country needs heat at some point in the year. It would probably cost GM more to make heated seats an option vs. just putting them in every car.
+3
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:09 pm)Regen is entirely separate from the higher kW mode. One is set on the shift lever — Lyle did this himself — and one is done from the touch screen — Andrew Farah did this for Lyle when the car was in motion. More power will help up hills or when accelerating or any of the situations where more hp would help you on conventional car.
To me this is one of the few stupid things the engineers have done, which is to try and apply terminology developed for a conventional car to an ICE. As you’ve mentioned, in a conventional car the “L” or low drive gears things down so the car accelerates faster and has more power going up hills. Here the “L” gear has to do with how regen behaves, which is a completely different thing — it’s about breaking not accelerating. So they’ve ended up with the confusing situation where “L” or low stands for “H” or high regen.
The “sport” mode set on the dash does what the “L” shift lever does on the transmission lever. Note one cool thing here is that — as Farah showed during the test drive — you can do this when the car is moving at any speed. This again is totally different than what you could do in a conventional car — putting the car into “L” when going 75 MPH would not be recommended (unless you’re crazy or driving a Toyota with a bad floor mat in San Diego).
This is one of those areas where the engineers need to forget about what happens in an ICE vehicle and do what makes sense for an EV.
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:14 pm)Not so fast Noel. A few weeks ago I saw a clip from the TV show “Two and a Half Men” where the Charlie Sheen character was complaining about husbands coming home early driving Prius. Who knows. maybe the Volt will be responsible for an uptick in golf club related violence!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:18 pm)Great video, Lyle. I know you enjoyed the drive even with the others in the car distracting you from some of the enjoyment. Hopefully it will not be too long before you get to take one home for a few days. Then the real testing can be done along with the increased level of enjoyment. Good job, Lyle. And thanks.
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:22 pm)Is that the final production interior with the white plastic console? I would hope a $40k car would have a interior that reflects that price.
The 2 rectangular displays with extra wide bezel looks awkward and old fashioned. Please re-do this before the final version!
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:40 pm)The shape and width of the bezels are just fine IMO. However, as others here have often said, the center console/bezel should be offered in black or charcoal as an option —I’ve seen an interior photo of the Ampera with a black console/bezel & it looks much more upscale than white or off white!
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:41 pm)Nice Job all of you guys in the Volt (and all the others that they don’t let out of the lab to talk to outsiders).
Just a year or so of refining (I would take it today) and I bet very few potential buyers will complain about the differences when compared to their ICE vehicles.
Let’s keep the heat on and get the Volt to the showroom.
P.S. I have one question – what are the CEOs of the world’s automakers thinking after watching that video? Heh heh.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (12:57 pm)They said before that the plastic on the interior was not production. I expect that there will be interior options just like there are paint color options.
Make mine in Caddy white with tan leather please!
I also expect that you won’t be able to get a stripped-down model. They will all be > $50k with dealer mark-ups and full options for the first run. Remember the last Ford Thunderbird? Like +15k over sticker for the first model year. If gas starts heading above $3, even higher prices should be expected.
It will be a seller’s market for Volt until they get some production numbers cranking.
I hope some of the rental companies (like the ones that rent Porsches and exotics) get a few. It’s be cool to rent one for a week to check it out thoroughly. I would pay $100/day easily.
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:03 pm)#43
I agree. My wife would love the heated seats in LA this week. Our blood is so thin that lows in the 40s just about put us into shock, LOL.
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:06 pm)#45
Or maybe less, as it will be easier to sneak in at 2:30 AM, hehehe.
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:10 pm)#48
I agree. We can paint out that white in a heartbeat however. Or, our striper does wonders blacking out chrome with tape. He taped out the window trim on our Impala 15 years age and it stilL looks fine. Not to worry about the white.
LJGTVWOTR!!
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:13 pm)Great Video Lyle! Thank you so much for sharing.
Just some observations:
The transition to generator mode seems to work great and is completely acceptable. No beefs with engine revs really. Appears to be a non issue.
Lame excuse for not allowing Lyle to time the acceleration. Would have been better to just tell the truth. They don’t want any 0-60 or even 0-30 times published. Why? Because while this car may “feel” quick, it will in fact be pretty slow when compared with modern sedans.
Still kind of hedging on the 40 miles. Gets 40 miles on the EPA cycles, but real world??? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. The fact that they don’t come out and say that they regularly exceed 40 miles and that they don’t say with confidence that you will get your 40 miles, makes me believe that the car is capable of getting 40 miles on a charge, but most won’t ever get that much.
That dash board is truly ugly. The twin monitors just sort of stuck on there really gives it a home made look. Making it black will hide a bit of the lameness, but not much. Of course this is subjective. Others may feel that a docked iPod is sexy. I really wish we could have the Cruze interior instead.
The artsy door panels are lame. I hope there are lots of options for the buyer because if they are all going to come with that pattern it would be a shame.
I am still dumbfounded by the big honkin’ gearshift lever. What is up with that??! It’s an electric car. It doesn’t even need a gearshift lever, but instead they gave it the biggest one in recent history! It could have been much more elegant. Oh well. Minor point.
Over all the car seems to have come together well for a new technology and performance seems up to par so far. I have to keep telling myself that it’s the drive train that matters and nothing else. Is the drive train enough to convince people to take out a second mortgage on the house? We’ll see…
+3
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:13 pm)#50
Good idea! Maybe that would be a good use for some of the pre-production ones suggested above. Somebody said a long time ago that it’s smart to rent the car you want to buy and drive it for a couple of days before you take the plunge. I’ve never been smart enough to do it, but it’s clearly a good idea. +1
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (1:53 pm)Tremendous informative video which helps answer lingering “CSM noise” questions. There appears to be little noise, and being able to have a normal conversation while the CSM is running is a wonderful development for sure.
GM’s superb engineering with Volt generation #1 sets a new benchmark that we can only expect will improve even more as high volume production and distribution begins.
Go Volt!!!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (2:11 pm)For those of you who want to speculate on the possibility of a Voltec Orlando, here is an interesting article.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f70/malibu-staying-fairfax-d-ham-overflow-plant-86868/
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (2:35 pm)And it comes with A BACKUP CAMERA!!! Hooray!!! Every new vehicle should be required to have one, IMO.
GM: Respectfully, giant, numerical mph displays went out with the 80s. Even if you keep it, please provide an additional bar graph or arc which can give an out-the-corner-of-your-eye speed indication. Normal “sound cues” for speed may be different or nonexistant in the Volt (good problem).
The “giant” gearshift may be a conscious design intended to compensate for the lack of the usual audible cues for starting and preparing to drive an ICE car. That purposeful “clunk” seems to give the driver a palpable sense of “here we go” that you’d normally get from key turning and cranking noises.
So much good news lately!
Dec 8th, 2009 (2:59 pm)#57
I look to the day! Very encouraging. +1. Thanks.
Dec 8th, 2009 (3:03 pm)As to the dah displays, “gear” shift lever, even the white dash panel, KISS has always been my mantra, but I’m past caring now. Just do what you have to do and:
LJGTVWOTR!!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (3:11 pm)I don’t see anything here having to do with Orlando. Voltec or otherwise.
Dec 8th, 2009 (3:28 pm)I clocked a 0-43MPH time of 6.7 seconds.
Or thereabouts. It’s a little hard to tell exactly when Lyle hits that because his arm is in the way because he’s steering. You can’t see the speedometer either when Lyle starts because of his strangely opaque arm 
but you can see the car start to move, which is when I started my timer. The ending point is a little more nebulous because his arm covers the readout but then when he moves his arm back you can tell that he’s actually slowing down at that point (he’s cornering). So, I figure the maximum is pretty much as his arm nears apex. Anyway, if you want to try, it’s the last acceleration in the video, around 9:33.
Anyway, considering the cornering Lyle was doing at the start and end of that measurement, that’s certainly not the best it can do (the Prius will do 0-40 in 5 seconds according to Car & Driver). Maybe Lyle can review his videotape and look for any other segments where he really floored it and there was a video of the speedometer?
That being said, it was a great video. Thanks, Lyle.
Dec 8th, 2009 (3:34 pm)The recent Honda Civics all have the large digital MPH gauges. Maybe GM was following their design cues…
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:08 pm)I read it and thought that it very specifically said that the Orlando was going to be produced at Hamtramck alongside the Volt. It did not say anything about a Voltec Orlando, but even a conventional Orlando would be a welcome addition to the line at this point, IMHO.
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:11 pm)Just for the record, I have no problem with any quiet vehicles. I’m also not a member of the NFB. I do have a Problem with drivers who aren’t focused on driveing or drivers who don’t obey the rules of the road . I have had instruction in mobility and was crossing in the middle of a cross walk. As I approached the last few feet I was hit and had my right leg run over and broke both leg bones. The driver of the Suburban did not stop at the beginning of the cross walk first before his attempt at a right on red. I did not hear his Suburban because of the idoling semi diesel in the previous lane. People need to take precaution and even more so if your behind the wheel of a vehicle. Go Volt!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:17 pm)I agree that “L” should not be reused in the volt for this mode but you can always think of it as “Let off the accelerator for auto-regen” or something else creative. It has its own unique meaning and advantages. Because it is valid at any speed you could always drive in “L” mode if you like that level of control, kind of like a stick-shift but with the re-gen advantage. The Prius has the same mode but calls it “B” for Braking mode which makes good sense to me. The only problem with the Prius in any long downhill stretch is the battery is too small and already too full to recover all of the potential energy.
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:17 pm)Wonderful video. The Volt impresses me, more and more,
I was wondering what the electrical mileage was with 4 passengers ?
The Volt appeared to be very peppy with 4 passengers and with the tire noise, I don’t think an extra noise maker is needed for the blind. I did think the tire noise inside the cabin was a little louder than I expected but there’s nothing to compare it to so it could be significantly lower than the standard car.
I liked the the dash display and found it futuristic.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:18 pm)Just get it out on July 4th for “END DEPENDENCE DAY”!
/cue fireworks……
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:27 pm)We all have problems with these types of careless drivers. Everytime I get behind the wheel I know that other drivers and pedestrians are putting their trust in me to drive responsibly. So I don’t get mad or viciously honk or yell out the windows or drink and drive or drive when I’m overtired or drive in nasty weather.
I haven’t had an accident in 40 years.
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:37 pm)#66
Sorry to repeat myself but, when we were kids, it was “D for drag”, “L for lunge”, and “R for race”, which is when the trouble famously started.
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (4:38 pm)Also, I would like to have a floored accelerator automatically give you the sport mode max boost. There will be times when you will want instant maximum go power without having to both punch sport mode and floor it to get the extra power. Perhaps some always drive with the pedal to the metal and would like the feeling that they’re saving power in econo-mode.
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:05 pm)Great test drive video!!
I hope there can be additional colors avaiable in addition to the white.
White can discolor here in the heat of the South sometimes. Also, (as obviously why), white can easily show smudges, etc.
But really impressive test drive!!
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:07 pm)Well, you lived to tell about it!
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:36 pm)Makes great sense actually. I vote for “B” which at least you can explain — “use B when you want to break more” is pretty simple. GM may not want to use this because Toyota does but the more things are standard the better off everyone will be.
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:45 pm)I agree! A 2nd look shows the Volt in the early part of the video was traveling quite fast.
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:46 pm)“L” for “Lag,” perhaps; as in, let the car lag behind what gravity would otherwise do to it on a downgrade …
/reaching …
Dec 8th, 2009 (5:50 pm)I hope you healed up all right.
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:18 pm)Thank you Dr Dennis for sharing your ride with us. This has been a most interesting journey we have been on the last couple of years- this video really shows how we are headning into the home stretch now. I look forward to seeing these on the road in numbers!
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:39 pm)77 Jackson Thank you for asking, My leg has healed better than I expected. I own 6 screws and a steel plate, but I now have no trouble jogging on my treadmill except for the usual excuses.
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:42 pm)Loboc, you need to read the article again. There is only one reference to the Orlando in it. I will admit that I missed it myself on the first read and thought the same as you did.
Happy trails to you ’til me meet again.
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:45 pm)How about replaceable bezel kits for everything? You could revamp your Volt interior with optional goodies such as different kinds of woodgrain or other colors as entire kits for Volt. That would be a great money-maker for GM, don’t you think?
There are so many more optional things you /(or esp. I) could/would have to buy for the Volt. An optional cooler of some sort that could take advantage of the electric AC (to not only keep the interior from getting too hot), but to “low-tech”-pipe-in some refrigerated cold air into a little add-on “cold box” (for your lunch or to keep drinks cold) (from the evaporator box maybe?).
(Maybe an optional insert into the glove box if those dimensions were capable of something terrific like that).
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:53 pm)Amen and well said! Maybe an Independence Day drive?!?
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:53 pm)Professor, thanks for this insight! You very well may have solved the riddle Bob Lutz at GM started months ago by saying (paraphrased) that “the Volt would have a transmission unlike any other car”. Flooring the pedal could very easily activate the Volt’s “sport mode” to allow both improved 0-30 & 0-60 times as well as a “passing gear effect” when crossing a 2-lane road’s center line to pass another vehicle!
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:56 pm)Lyle,
That was awesome. I like how quiet is sounded.
I have a loud house, (ie. kids) and I love quiet.
This will be nice.
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:57 pm)Finally watched the video.
lol….. “L” is for maximum “Lenz” law effect!!!
All I have to say is there are a sh|tload of buttons and if one has to do a bunch of stuff before driving off, it’s gonna be a turn off.
I say keep it in “L” and “Sport mode” and don’t bother changing it.
Dec 8th, 2009 (6:58 pm)Off Topic:
I just test drove the New Suzuki Kizashi.
Nice little car.
I swear from some angles, it sure looks like a cousin of the VOLT.
The side doors and window glass look VERY similar.
If the VOLT were a sedan+trunk instead of a hatchback,
I think it would look a lot like Kizashi.
+2
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:07 pm)Yes, that sounds like a good idea. When you keep it on the floor for a second or so, it should automatically increase to max power, and then after you let up for a second or so, it should revert back.
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:08 pm)I didn’t find his explanation confusing at all. Regen, as you said,after all, “its all about breaking not accelerating.” So why would you talk about accelerating? Because the lower gear ratio does have the engine run faster does not mean the you are accelerating. it depends on stepping on the accelerator peddle. True you can downshift into a lower gear to accelerate. But the Volt doesn’t have a transmission with gearing so it is not a correct analogy. You are just confusing yourself. Think of the “L” just for braking as you said and don’t think about acceleration.
The use of “L” mode will lessen wear on the brake pads; as said here before, in city driving the extra regeneration effect will slow the car by just taking your foot of the accelerator peddle. Only for the last few mph would you need the brakes pad to stop the car.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:31 pm)Back in the “80′s. I dealt with a Canadian company, Kootatron, that manufactured coolers that run off of the cigarette lighter plug.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:36 pm)I’m not sure that there is any difference between “Sport” mode and “Regular Mode with a floor-it option”. In sport mode the power electronics are simply going to allow more kW to flow to the motor. As mentioned in the video, if you’re driving such that you don’t need the extra kW then there is no difference whatsoever between Regular and Sport modes. This is quite unlike a “Sport” mode in a conventional car, where the gearing is lowered to give better performance.
I’m holding out for something better and more interesting. The transmission may be in the genset as suggested by BillR.
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:38 pm)COOL re the sport mode!
I’d also vote for the charcoal/black center console (but it’s obviously not a deal-breaker for me -lol)
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
+1
Dec 8th, 2009 (7:58 pm)Maybe it’s “L for Lutz” mode. As in Bob Lutz’s magic transmission.
-1
Dec 8th, 2009 (9:47 pm)http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3519464264_5242fa4d79.jpg
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:03 pm)I’m right with you CJS. Seems like muchadoo about nothin. If you want mo power push the pedal further down. If you don’t, don’t. The 2 LCD screens can let you know about your wasteful ways. I just don’t a point to the low power mode.
Some may want a parents and valet mode that only allows lower power.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:20 pm)I’ve never had an automatic that seems to accelerate faser in low, perhaps only because I never tried to do that since low is meant to help control speed on grades. Sounds like a case of juxtaposing the behavior of a manual transmission in 1st gear with an automatic in low.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:25 pm)Great video Lyle. Thanks for squeezing as much out of them as you could.
I was pleased to hear you ask them about cooled seats. Too bad they aren’t cooled and will have element heating. This takes more energy for heating and cooling as well as being less effective. It would certainly cost more money to use forced convection but I’ld gladly trade the useless backup camera and some other unwanted window dressing for the added comfort and energy savings.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:45 pm)Thank You for doing this for the world…
Living vicariously through Lyle.
I like having the speedometer centered in front of the steering wheel.
Dec 8th, 2009 (10:58 pm)It’s a minor complaint, but I’m surprised/disappointed the Volt will have luxury features like heated seats & a backup camera but will NOT have power seats —not even, supposedly, as an option— because of the added weight (per Andrew Farah recently). Since we know weight is secondary to Cd in overall efficiency, I strongly recommend that GM reconsider offering power seats at least as an option!
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:02 pm)The brake pedal applies regenerative braking first and the friction brake only kicks in once the regenerative isn’t providing enough braking. So long as you don’t use the brake pedal hard, using the L mode or not wouldn’t change the brake pad wear.
I know a mechanic that works at a Toyota dealer. He’s said that he’s never done a brake job on a Prius, and they do maintenance on a couple that are used as Taxi’s.
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:28 pm)As far as seat costs go, the Volts no different than other cars except there is an added value benefit for those that use heat. You never see heated seats as an option in certain areas of the country for a reason. There are plenty millions of people in warmer climates that would rather not throw money down the toilet. Without cooling it is another waste in the design for warm climates without substantial highway grades near by.
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:34 pm)AGREED!!!
Dec 8th, 2009 (11:43 pm)This will be long, but here is some info on the 2-mode transmission for the ill-fated Saturn Vue. I got this from the GM Powertrain website, but it is no longer posted there.
————————————————
2009 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission ( MK3 )
2009 Model Year Summary
● New Applications: Saturn Vue
● All-new Transmission Designed For Front Wheel Drive
● Hybrid Two-Mode Design
● Electrically Variable Transmission With Two Integral Electric Motors
● Matched To 3.6L LCS engine V6
● Engine-Off Operations
● Fuel Efficiency Dramatically Improved
● Towing Capability Maintained
● Increased Performance
Full descriptions of new or changed features
NEW APPLICATION: Saturn VUE
The 2-Mode transmission’s case size is nearly the same as the GM 6-speed front wheel drive transmission, minimizing the impact to vehicle packaging.
ALL-NEW DESIGN FOR FRONT WHEEL DRIVE
The 2-Mode Hybrid Transmission contains two electric motors, 2 planetary gear sets, and 5 wet-plate clutches (including mechanical damper). The hybrid transmission can operate in multiple modes including propelling the vehicle electrically with the combustion engine off. Two continuous ratio modes of operation are attained with the electric motors, one with the combustion engine supplying torque, and the other with an electric motor supplying torque. Since the continuous ratio ability is attained with one of the electric motors, these modes are described as Electrically Variable Transmission modes or “EVT” modes. Three 300 volt A/C cables are connected to each of the two motors, these cables attach to the transmission housing via a rigid conduit around the transmission and are connected to an inverter which drives the motors.
Four fixed ratios of 3.24:1, 1.88:1, 1.0:1 and 0.62:1 may be chosen for balancing performance and fuel economy. The fixed ratios also let the transmission save battery power that would otherwise be used to control range of the variable ratios to keep the engine in its optimal rev range. Fixed ratios also allow overdrive, for faster overall total speed of the vehicle. Fixed gear changes are accomplished with clutch-to-clutch control, where an oncoming clutch is engaged and an “offgoing” clutch is released in a precise manner to achieve the ratio change.
MATCHED TO 3.6L V6 LCS
The two-mode hybrid is mated to an optimized direct injection gasoline engine, which takes advantage of higher compression ratio enabled by direct injection technology as well as optimized late intake valve closing (LIVC) using dual independent variable valve timing (VVT) to reduce pumping losses.
ENGINE OFF OPERATION
In typical operation, an acceleration will be initiated with the engine off and utilize only electrical power. As the acceleration continues, the electric motors will simultaneously propel the vehicle and start the engine. With the engine running, the control system will blend the electrical energy with the engine energy operating in the most efficient range to maximize fuel economy.
In a 2-mode system, one electric motor controls the speed ratio using the sun gear of a planetary gearset as the input from the gasoline combustion engine and a second motor generates electricity to power the first motor, or to supply torque to the output shaft. The hybrid design therefore has two power sources, the gasoline/ethanol combustion engine and the electric motor, and either can supply torque independently to the output shaft and final drive.
An internally mounted oil pump supplies oil pressure for the hydraulic clutches, and for cooling the electric motors with the combustion engine running or turned off.
TOWING CAPABILITY MAINTAINED
Under higher load drive cycles the control system will directly clutch the engine through the transmission, effectively locking the first electric motor between its input and output, enabling full V6 engine torque with electric motor assist torque.
Overview
Model year 2008 interim is the debut of the two-mode M99 electrically variable hybrid transmission. It was developed from the years of experience GM has gained from designing large passenger buses with single-mode hybrid drive systems.
Electrically Variable Transmissions (EVT) have been used since the 1930s, and are most prevalent in locomotives. These are one-mode operations, with the combustion engine driving a generator which powers electric motors at the wheels. This requires very large electric motors to enable variable speed ranges.
GM began building passenger buses with two-mode EVTs, the first mode using an input-split EVT mode and the second being a compound-split EVT mode and production began in 2003. The two-mode systems reduce the size of the electric motors necessary, allowing them to be used in smaller vehicles.
In addition, to optimize the size of the electric motors for a private passenger vehicle, the 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission uses four fixed ratios, added with the addition of two additional planetary gearsets. The fixed ratios in addition to the EVT continuously variable ratios were developed for the full-size SUVs to improve fuel efficiency and meet all requirements for acceleration, towing, top speed, driveline refinement, and emissions.
Locking the first motor keeps the output shaft operating at the same speed as the input shaft, which is called “input-split” mode. This is a single-mode system such as is used on the commercial vehicles. For passenger vehicles it can have high fuel efficiency or high power, but not both. That is why the two-mode, or “compound-split”, system with two electric motors was developed for the Saturn VUE.
The clutches in the 2-mode EVT are wet hydraulic clutches, similar to those in a conventional automatic transmission, and require a pump to activate.
The fixed ratios are operated by synchronous “clutch-on, clutch-off” timing, which allows smooth shift events between modes of fixed and variable ratio operation. The fixed ratios were added to the EVT design to allow superior towing capability without requiring larger electric motors. This required two additional clutches and two additional planetary gearsets, which with the electric motors can be packaged inside a case that fits in the existing platform package of the Saturn Vue application.
In layman’s terms, the 2-Mode EVT can be thought of like two transmissions connected inline: One transmission is continuously variable by way of using an electric motor to vary ratios, and the other is a conventional stepped-ratio transmission. The fixed gears take over when power demand from the combustion engine is higher than the electric motor’s ability to maintain a ratio.
The fixed gears are used in high-load situations. When the fixed gears are in use, the electric motors then can generate electricity rather than consume it, or they can also be used to add torque to the output shaft for better performance. Coasting and braking also allow the electric motors to generate electricity.
Low maintenance
DEXRON® VI is used as a lubricant and to cool the electric motors. For normal use there is no fluid change scheduled. DEXRON® VI was developed to have a more consistent viscosity profile; a more consistent shift performance in extreme conditions; and less degradation over time. Internal GM tests have demonstrated DEXRON® VI delivers more than twice the durability and stability in friction tests compared to existing fluids.
The 2009 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission (MK3) is produced in Ramos, Mexico.
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:08 am)Nice video and color commentary … Thanks Lyle.
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:10 am)To further comment on #102,
1) The transmission is electronically variable, by varying the relative speed of the motors (“One transmission is continuously variable by way of using an electric motor to vary ratios”).
2) Although electronically variable, there are practical limits to the EVT ratios (“The fixed ratios also let the transmission save battery power that would otherwise be used to control range of the variable ratios to keep the engine in its optimal rev range.”)
3) The motors and transmission are oil cooled (“An internally mounted oil pump supplies oil pressure for the hydraulic clutches, and for cooling the electric motors with the combustion engine running or turned off.”)
It is my guess, that this transmission may be used with only minor changes. In EV mode, the two motors operate to drive the wheels and provide regen. The second motor and planetary gear set allow for some variation in the overall gear ratio, an EVT operation.
For the ICE, it likely operates at four (4) distinct settings (or ranges), each in conjunction with one of the fixed gear ratios. This keeps the generator at or near a constant speed, thus allowing for EVT operation without the problems associated with (2) above.
I don’t know who shot JFK, but I have looked at the operation of this in an Excel spreadsheet, and this seems to be the best answer I can come up with for reasonable operation.
Yes, this means that some ICE torque may go directly to driving the wheels (“Under higher load drive cycles the control system will directly clutch the engine through the transmission, effectively locking the first electric motor between its input and output, enabling full V6 engine torque with electric motor assist torque.”)
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:30 am)Hey Lyle,
Great video!
I’d like your opinion. When you were driving in “Low” (or Lutz or Lenz or whatever) and you took your foot off the accelerator pedal, do you think you decelerated fast enough to require the brake lights to come on if you were using “low” for normal driving?
Also, Farah seemed to suggest that there were unusual situations where the engine might stay on at a red light. Did he tell you what situations might do that?
Dec 9th, 2009 (2:04 am)The sound level in the car seems whisper quiet, unlike the sounds of the EV-1 when listening to the movie, “Who Killed the Electric Car.”
It’s refreshing to watch, knowing that the Chevrolet VOLT will be in our future (either to own or use during vacation car rentals.) It is reassuring, compared with the excitement of the EV-1 test drive in the movie with the frustration that it was gone and unavailable.
Thanks to those of you who supported and encouraged GM over the past few years to continue the design and manufacture of the VOLT.
Dec 9th, 2009 (3:09 am)Most cars look very similar to me..
http://www.suzukiauto.com/kizashi/#/gallery/image/360
Dec 9th, 2009 (3:11 am)Otherwise knows as the valet mode or let your 17 year old son drive it mode.
One of the advantages of an electric car.. you get all these features for free. Lots of versatility in “gearing” and braking modes.
+1
Dec 9th, 2009 (5:19 am)Excellent work! I love it.
I love the hi Tech instrumentation screens, but I worry a bit for the average darwin who will be trying to concentrate on them while driving and end up smashing their new volt. (The amazing driving acts of stupidy of the NON “car loving people” every year I see on the roads is increasing)
The gernerator mode is excellent as well as the noise supression – I would take it as it is.
Now: will GM Make ENOUGH OF THEM for BOTH LOCAL AND EXPORT !! I’m really worried it’s going to have negative effect on keeping prices skyhigh if not enough units are built.
Now here is an idea GM ….. Once you have it down pat – do a massive production ramp up – it will lower your imput costs allowing you to possibly make money on the Volt/Ampera while preventing price gouging. Remember what happened at Toyota where used Prius’s were going for more than new ones? That would turn me off from being an early adopter which I would really like to be with the VOLT – when it makes it to Australia
(Not Austria, but that big bit of land in South East Asia, Home of GMH Holden – the rear wheel drive and handling design centre)
Dec 9th, 2009 (7:42 am)An interesting test drive. Good going Lyle.
The battery weight appears to act like a keel during cornering. A benefit absent from and far above the “normal” high center of gravity feel of typical ICE cars. Many 4 cylinder cars can accelerate like the Volt. The difference being the hard working gasoline burner’s noise and associated stress. Electric motors love spinning up to full speed.
Noticed a few glitches with the touch screens. I recall seeing a test drive of another electric brand with the same result. Hope the final Volt has double the needed RAM to keep the screens smooth and clear.
Every test drive so far has had four occupants in the Volt. Wonder what “sport” mode feels like with driver only?
Can’t help but imagine what GEN 2 will look like. And the intense popularity of a future AWD crossover.
A question for Lyle:
What did you feel while cornering? Like the front wheels will slide out first. Like the rear wheels will slide out first. Or like all four wheels will break loose together when a corner is taken at high speed?
=D~
Dec 9th, 2009 (10:38 am)Given the number of “bells and whistles” on the Volt, just how THICK might its owner’s manual be??
On a serious note, the tons of information available on the pair of displays makes me wonder whether drivers will inadvertently concentrate on them instead of what’s going on outside the car.
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:16 pm)Not luxury items. Heated seats will improve the range when it is cold. Backup camera will help navigate into those tight garages to plug in the volt in for its nightly charge.
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:20 pm)Awesome video. This is what I’ve been hoping to see.
I wanted to get a feel for what the Volt is going to be like when it comes out next year. From what I can tell watching the video, the engine noise in charge sustaining mode is going to be pretty minimal … especially if they add some more sound deadening materials and continue to tweak the control software, etc.
The only sound I could really hear was the noise from the tires. Maybe GM should talk to Michelin. They have some really quiet tires … like the Primacy ones. Maybe Michelin has some new tires that strike a good balance between quiet ride and low rolling resistance better. Maybe Michelin could give GM a good deal on the tires for the Volt. In exchange, Michelin could get some good advertising and PR by being the tire manufacturer for the world’s first mainstream EREV.
Dec 9th, 2009 (12:53 pm)I have been struggling all morning and I cannot get the current thread on the $100 million to accelerate Volt production to open. Is anyone else having the same problem? This one works fine.
Dec 9th, 2009 (1:43 pm)I just checked and it’s working fine for me…and the 78 other people who’ve posted to that thread…don’t know what your problem could be, but it appears the site is fine…
Sorry.
Dec 9th, 2009 (4:49 pm)Isn’t the main practical purpose of “L” or whatever in an automatic transmission to assist the brakes when descending mountain grades? So having “L” associated with higher regen seems to make perfect sense.
(In the Fit automatic, if you brake above about 60 mph on long downgrades, the transmission automatically downshifts and stays down until you step on the gas again. It was unnerving the first two times it happened, until I figured out what it was doing — but now it seems like definitely a good idea.)
Dec 9th, 2009 (5:35 pm)Does anyone know if it is feasible for AWD to have a separate electric drive motor in each wheel? More motors, but each one smaller, presumably in a flat configuration.
Dec 9th, 2009 (5:58 pm)Yes, I had one of those also. It made the check engine light come on in my Chevy-chassis motorhome.
They all, and I do mean all, greatly interfere with the PCM programs because they generate harmonics and spurious signals into the PCM! This happens to everything from 1989 to the present models!
You might wonder why your A/C fan goes faster and slower if you do not use a plug-in digital voltmeter.
In my 05 Element, they interfere with the charging system pulse width modulation for the field in the alternator, making it jump up and down unpredictably, incurring spikes into the system several times per minute. You can’t run the mixture correctly when the voltage is spiking at a range of 1.5 volts!!
So, thermoelectric coolers aren’t without thier risks.
The small thermoelectric cooler in my 05 element runs insead off of a separate AGM battery recharged by a 36 watt regulated solar panel on the roof luggage rack. (The main reason I installed that was to run an HP “all-in-one” off a pure sine inverter to print out diagnostic waveforms directly out of a Genisys Scan system for a customer. And, for making copies of training and equipment contracts.) (GM already knows about that, I’d bet.)
Dec 9th, 2009 (6:14 pm)This will be long, but here is some info on the 2-mode transmission for the ill-fated Saturn Vue.I got this from the GM Powertrain website, but it is no longer posted there.
————————————————
2009 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission ( MK3 )
2009 Model Year Summary
● New Applications: Saturn Vue
● All-new Transmission Designed For Front Wheel Drive
● Hybrid Two-Mode Design
● Electrically Variable Transmission With Two Integral Electric Motors
● Matched To 3.6L LCS engine V6
● Engine-Off Operations
● Fuel Efficiency Dramatically Improved
● Towing Capability Maintained
● Increased PerformanceFull descriptions of new or changed features
NEW APPLICATION: Saturn VUE
The 2-Mode transmission’s case size is nearly the same as the GM 6-speed front wheel drive transmission, minimizing the impact to vehicle packaging.
ALL-NEW DESIGN FOR FRONT WHEEL DRIVE
The 2-Mode Hybrid Transmission contains two electric motors, 2 planetary gear sets, and 5 wet-plate clutches (including mechanical damper). The hybrid transmission can operate in multiple modes including propelling the vehicle electrically with the combustion engine off. Two continuous ratio modes of operation are attained with the electric motors, one with the combustion engine supplying torque, and the other with an electric motor supplying torque. Since the continuous ratio ability is attained with one of the electric motors, these modes are described as Electrically Variable Transmission modes or “EVT” modes. Three 300 volt A/C cables are connected to each of the two motors, these cables attach to the transmission housing via a rigid conduit around the transmission and are connected to an inverter which drives the motors.Four fixed ratios of 3.24:1, 1.88:1, 1.0:1 and 0.62:1 may be chosen for balancing performance and fuel economy. The fixed ratios also let the transmission save battery power that would otherwise be used to control range of the variable ratios to keep the engine in its optimal rev range. Fixed ratios also allow overdrive, for faster overall total speed of the vehicle. Fixed gear changes are accomplished with clutch-to-clutch control, where an oncoming clutch is engaged and an “offgoing” clutch is released in a precise manner to achieve the ratio change.MATCHED TO 3.6L V6 LCS
The two-mode hybrid is mated to an optimized direct injection gasoline engine, which takes advantage of higher compression ratio enabled by direct injection technology as well as optimized late intake valve closing (LIVC) using dual independent variable valve timing (VVT) to reduce pumping losses.ENGINE OFF OPERATION
In typical operation, an acceleration will be initiated with the engine off and utilize only electrical power.As the acceleration continues, the electric motors will simultaneously propel the vehicle and start the engine.With the engine running, the control system will blend the electrical energy with the engine energy operating in the most efficient range to maximize fuel economy.In a 2-mode system, one electric motor controls the speed ratio using the sun gear of a planetary gearset as the input from the gasoline combustion engine and a second motor generates electricity to power the first motor, or to supply torque to the output shaft. The hybrid design therefore has two power sources, the gasoline/ethanol combustion engine and the electric motor, and either can supply torque independently to the output shaft and final drive.An internally mounted oil pump supplies oil pressure for the hydraulic clutches, and for cooling the electric motors with the combustion engine running or turned off.
TOWING CAPABILITY MAINTAINED
Under higher load drive cycles the control system will directly clutch the engine through the transmission, effectively locking the first electric motor between its input and output, enabling full V6 engine torque with electric motor assist torque.Overview
Model year 2008 interim is the debut of the two-mode M99 electrically variable hybrid transmission. It was developed from the years of experience GM has gained from designing large passenger buses with single-mode hybrid drive systems.Electrically Variable Transmissions (EVT) have been used since the 1930s, and are most prevalent in locomotives. These are one-mode operations, with the combustion engine driving a generator which powers electric motors at the wheels. This requires very large electric motors to enable variable speed ranges.GM began building passenger buses with two-mode EVTs, the first mode using an input-split EVT mode and the second being a compound-split EVT mode and production began in 2003. The two-mode systems reduce the size of the electric motors necessary, allowing them to be used in smaller vehicles.In addition, to optimize the size of the electric motors for a private passenger vehicle, the 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission uses four fixed ratios, added with the addition of two additional planetary gearsets. The fixed ratios in addition to the EVT continuously variable ratios were developed for the full-size SUVs to improve fuel efficiency and meet all requirements for acceleration, towing, top speed, driveline refinement, and emissions.Locking the first motor keeps the output shaft operating at the same speed as the input shaft, which is called “input-split” mode. This is a single-mode system such as is used on the commercial vehicles. For passenger vehicles it can have high fuel efficiency or high power, but not both. That is why the two-mode, or “compound-split”, system with two electric motors was developed for the Saturn VUE.The clutches in the 2-mode EVT are wet hydraulic clutches, similar to those in a conventional automatic transmission, and require a pump to activate.The fixed ratios are operated by synchronous “clutch-on, clutch-off” timing, which allows smooth shift events between modes of fixed and variable ratio operation. The fixed ratios were added to the EVT design to allow superior towing capability without requiring larger electric motors. This required two additional clutches and two additional planetary gearsets, which with the electric motors can be packaged inside a case that fits in the existing platform package of the Saturn Vue application.In layman’s terms, the 2-Mode EVT can be thought of like two transmissions connected inline: One transmission is continuously variable by way of using an electric motor to vary ratios, and the other is a conventional stepped-ratio transmission. The fixed gears take over when power demand from the combustion engine is higher than the electric motor’s ability to maintain a ratio.The fixed gears are used in high-load situations. When the fixed gears are in use, the electric motors then can generate electricity rather than consume it, or they can also be used to add torque to the output shaft for better performance. Coasting and braking also allow the electric motors to generate electricity.Low maintenance
DEXRON® VI is used as a lubricant and to cool the electric motors. For normal use there is no fluid change scheduled. DEXRON® VI was developed to have a more consistent viscosity profile; a more consistent shift performance in extreme conditions; and less degradation over time. Internal GM tests have demonstrated DEXRON® VI delivers more than twice the durability and stability in friction tests compared to existing fluids.The 2009 2 Mode FWD Hybrid Transmission (MK3) is produced in Ramos, Mexico.
Hey Bill R,
I don’t know if you will get this question, so I’ll also ask it in the current and following thread if I see you there.
If I understand your statement correctly, will the Volt use Dexron VI as the coolant for the motor or anything else such as forward and reverse hydraulic functions and engagement? This is an important thing for me to know.
Thanks, Bill R.
Dec 10th, 2009 (7:19 am)When purchasing new cars, a test drive is indeed important. There are companies that avail short-term test equipment in rental stores to assure good car quality.
Dec 11th, 2009 (2:46 am)Awesome video.
Dec 15th, 2009 (11:05 am)good video. better this time. perhaps a more sophisticated microphone setup to better capture the nuances of the experience would have been better but at least now we’ve experienced that there is virtually no sound from the generator when running relaxed.
and come to think of it, that’s probably a bad thing. the 16MPG is probably right because they run the engine at near idle where it has quite poor efficiency because they are apologetic, catering to the fat dumb truck driving americans who cant drink his big gulp without getting a heart attack when the ice kicks in. fuck em.
do it right GM. catering to idiots and fostering idiocy is what got you in trouble. do it right. run the ice at its most efficient. let them hear the primitive engine. then they will be conscious about the difference and want more battery range in later models.
and you do that by making it ultra light and ultra aerodynamic. lose the steel.