Denise Gray is GM’s director of global battery systems. She has been instrumental in the development of the Volt having started in the program in 2006. She was there when the first lithium-ion Volt prototype pack arrived from Compact Power in October 2007 as has been in charge of developing all of GM’s EREV and plugin batteries as well as acting as strategic leader for the next generation Volt.
Today she announced to a small group of reporters including myself that she is leaving GM.
She will be joining a new stealth-mode start-up battery company in California. She will not say at this point which company she is going to, but notes her last day at GM is March 5th and will start with the new company in the next couple of weeks.
She describes the new position as a “great opportunity” for her and is “an opportunity to continue on with clean technology and battery technology.”
She says it is a small company and she will be able to play a larger business and leadership role there where she can “create and shape, and plant seeds,” which she said is similar to what she did with GM originally in the Volt program. The new company is venture-capital funded.
Gray said there have been no negative surprises in the Volt program, and that program’s success is what made the decision to leave extremely hard for her. She is not leaving for lack of success but for new opportunity. She was very satisfied to see the first battery roll of the line on January 7th at GM’s new dedicated battery assembly plant, “is rooting for the Volt” and feels comfortable leaving “her baby” in others’ hands. Under Gray’s leadership the Volt battery program went from 25 to 200 employees over the past 3 years. She’s been a GM employee for more than 25 years.
Ronn Jamieson has been director of Global Battery Systems Engineering, and will temporarily assume all reporting responsibilities for her staff while Bill Wallace, current Volt Battery System Engineering Group Manager, will assume all technical and program management responsibilities relative to the Volt battery and its launch.
Gray said she learned at GM “not to turn a blind eye to new opportunity,” something she’s exercising in taking this new position.
In a limitation for her GM, she said, is focused on on their own portfolio of vehicles but her new assignment will allow her to see other types of applications of electrification of the automobile
The Volt battery program she notes is right on schedule and GM has been building production packs since January 7. Gray notes there are multiple packs from the plant that are now in the lab undergoing tests.
When the first production pack came to the lab for testing earlier this year, one of Gray’s colleagues noted it was “the best battery we’ve seen so far.”
Gray notes at this point “the heavy lifting is over” and for the Volt program only the finishing touches remain.
And no, Gray will not be joining EEStor. I would speculate it is possible she could be joining Stanford silicon nanowire battery expert Yi Cui in his start-up company, Amprius.
Good luck and farewell Denise, and thanks for all the education you have provided me and the GM-Volt.com readership. It is likely we’ll be hearing from you again very soon.
-11
Feb 24th, 2010 (7:27 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Feb 24th, 2010 (7:39 pm)Best of regards, Denise, for you at your new position.
As the Voltec programs move along, it would seem that more and more venture capital investment now is beginning to understand that electrification is the new “pot of gold”.
Even at this time, there may likely be a 20 to one ratio of buyers for Volt that are already
fully funded. No surprise there.
Other OEM’s that are not on the pathway to EREV ought to have their heads examined. Ummm….
(joke/no joke intended Tag.) (LOL).
Thanks for all your great work Denise. Again, very best of regards to you for your new position. If they need a technical writer, feel welcome to call, I’m listed in the white pages in Austin.
Dan.
+2
Feb 24th, 2010 (7:43 pm)Sorry to see Denise Gray leave GM but want to wish her the very best!
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (7:48 pm)We all know Denise as the go-to person on batteries in GM. But I am even more impressed with her after reading this interview, because she made it the hard way.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/advanced-cars/battery-czar
+2
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:03 pm)Best of luck !!
If she is joining the Sakti3 , it can be like Charlie’s Angels or The Powerpuff Girls . They will just need to find the 3rd one
and in language Sanskrit the word sakti stands for power,energy etc.
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:07 pm)Best wishes to Denise. I don’t blame anyone for seeking new opportunities but after everything she has done for the Volt, I’m sad to see her go. Although I’d be lying if I said that some of the Volt’s high profile engineers that have left the program was no big deal. To me it is the leadership of these people that have made the engineering program as successful as it is with limited hiccups. But if they feel that the program can move along without them and that their “baby” is in good hands, then I’m ok with that.
Thank You Lyle, for all that you do for us! GO VOLT!!
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:18 pm)Best of Luck Denise Gray. Hope the new opportunity proves fruitful for you and us waiting for the electrification of the Automobile.
-1
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:20 pm)“…And no, Gray will not be joining EEStor.” Well, Duh! She’s going the wrong direction, to California- EESTOR is here in Central Texas, to which Denise was not lucky enough to have for her destination;-)
-1
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:21 pm)Great to hear that the battery manufacturing is up and running smoothly and that batteries are being tested right off the line. I am sure there is a good future in the business for someone like her.
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:24 pm)I’m excited about all of the venture capital funded start up energy companies, especially in batteries. If there’s anything the US should be the leader of, it’s energy storage. The world is becoming more mobile and more electronic and all of these devices rely on batteries.
+3
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:27 pm)I see law suit, anyone at her level has a no compete clause renewed every year, if not, GM is retarded. You can’t train your brightest people to have them leave, start a company to compete with a new core technology
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:30 pm)>> Gray notes at this point “the heavy lifting is over” and for
>> the Volt program only the finishing touches remain.
Oh boy. It’s nice if things have gone smoothly so far, and there have been no show-stoppers. And, I know she didn’t mean it like I’m taking it. BUT… Having said all that, let me add:
*** GM PEOPLE: *please* don’t start phoning-it-in now! ***
*** PUSH HARD and DON’T REST ON YOUR LAURELS. ***
This is a REAL revolution, and it is building momentum. NGMCO should fight hard to get Voltec out there and completely accepted. And at the same time, they should be dreaming up even BETTER ways to apply this technology!!
FINALLY… To Denise:
).
Thanks for your good works and best wishes in your new job! And thank you also for politely suffering through the many times people spelled your name “Grey” (and probably still will
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:44 pm)Life doesn’t give a person many chances to be the big fish in a small pond. It will take GM years to return to fiscal health. In the meantime there are many positions at GM which must continue functioning with minimal compensation as the reward.
I have felt this pain. My former employer used petroleum based blends as our base manufacturing material. When the per barrel price of oil doubled in a very short time period. Less money was left for employee compensation. I worked my last 40 hours for free out of loyalty and gratitude for the President of the company.
What have we learned in the last two months? For one, moderate temperatures and relatively dry climates are good for battery life. Second, more EV will sell in San Diego than in Saskatchewan or any other area of extreme climate and low population density.
Fueled by GM, Nissan, BYD, and others. Expect an EV renaissance to grow and expand from California outward. Denise’ batteries will power small trucks. Bloggers by the thousand have been begging for someone to step forward with an EV truck.
Let’s put 2 and 2 together. Which company has been maintaining vehicle sales through the economic downtown? Which company is flushed with cash and is in a position to invest in the manufacturing of electric trucks? The answer is Hyundai.
Good luck to Denise on her new path.
=D-Volt
HORSEPOWER MEETS HUMAN POWER
Philanthropy doesn’t just make us good corporate citizens, it makes us good humans. Hyundai dealers, together with Hyundai Motor America, gives added meaning to our business by working to find a cure for childhood cancer—a battle we’ve been fighting since 1998. In 2004, Hyundai established the “Hope On Wheels” tour to benefit pediatric cancer institutions throughout the U.S. In 2005, Hyundai partnered with CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation to raise awareness and funds for this cause.
To date, Hyundai has raised $14 million and counting.
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (8:46 pm)Based on the comment that the first battery off the GM line was the best battery so far, I’m wondering if the first Volts will be made only with batteries made by GM or will they have a supply of batteries still from CPI? Seems desirable to have a genuine GM battery in your Volt.
Feb 24th, 2010 (9:01 pm)Are you saying that a GM exec wouldn’t be allowed to go work at a parts supplier? Because that seems to be about equivalent to what is happening here.
Feb 24th, 2010 (9:03 pm)Best of luck to Denise!
+6
Feb 24th, 2010 (9:39 pm)“…And no, Gray will not be joining EEStor.”
heh, that was funny. Still quiet on the EEStern front.
+2
Feb 24th, 2010 (9:54 pm)The fact that a key 25 year employee got pirated away from GM to help launch a battery company suggests to me that the electrification of the automobile is a small but growing fire that cannot be extinguished.
Feb 24th, 2010 (10:21 pm)Best of luck to Denise, I am sure she will do well in her new job.
Now the guessing game of where she is going to. My vote is Seeo http://www.seeo.com/
Someone suggested Sakti3, but Sakti3 is in Michigan and Seeo is in California.
Can’t remember Cui’s new company, but I am sure it is in California too. http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2009/12/11/the-paper-battery-chase/
-1
Feb 24th, 2010 (10:21 pm)Thanks for the link… Denise is one of the quiet heroes behind the success of Voltec.
-3
Feb 24th, 2010 (10:58 pm)Kudos for Ms Gray, but it must be another slow Volt news day. Yawn.
When she gets that EEStor ultrathingy working, wake me up. EEStor can’t even get it UL approved – in fact, they haven’t even filed for a UL (Underwriters Labortories) evaluation yet.
After Zen figures out they got scammed, and EEStor folds, perhaps Obama will buy EEStor out and give it to Ms. Gray to fix.
———————————————————————–
Remember, the Volt’s right around the corner now. That’s change I can REALLY believe in.
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (11:14 pm)Does anyone have the status of the GM “Plug” in hybrid SUV? RIP…Saturn Vue, RIP…Buick Crossover….Thanks, and thanks for keeping the GM-Volt website going. I have been on this site almost daily for the past two years!!!
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (11:18 pm)I wish her the best of luck. I just hope that this isn’t a sign that GM is losing all of its best employees.
+1
Feb 24th, 2010 (11:54 pm)Hmm…who will be next? Someone from the marketing department maybe??
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:01 am)There a lot of stealth mode battery startups in CA and especially around Palo Alto/Silicon Valley. I knew a good number of people back at school who were in to that sort of thing, although I wasn’t impressed with most of the batteries and business models I heard about. Most of them will fail miserably like most startups do. HOWEVER, if just one of them makes it there could be an incredibly game-changing technology that results. I really hope this sort of thing works for batteries the same way it did for computers and biotech. Crossing my fingers that we’ll be amazed in 5 years or so by a huge leap in battery performance and the Volt will suddenly become the best bet GM ever made.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:20 am)The day is getting closer. Americans no longer subservient to Middle-East oil barons, puppeteering our nation’s priorites is coming.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:28 am)The best we can hope for , Laura , is that Denise Gray has been a superb role model for those working for her and has trained others to assume executive positions within her department.
We wish Denise success in achieving her next goal in life.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:32 am)Thanks for this great reference, Bill! I want to heartily commend it to anyone here —it’s a lengthy but VERY WORTHWHILE read about a truly remarkable person!!!
And I also want to commend you, Denise, and to sincerely wish you well in your new position!
http://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/advanced-cars/battery-czar/0
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (1:42 am)Best wishes to Denise. Welcome to California! We need her here…
Eugene (in Los Angeles)
p.s. I have a feeling she goes to work for Tesla in Downey, CA.
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (2:32 am)I’m sure all of us in California would like to wish her luck and extend our warm welcome to her… and her future tax payments to our fine state. We hope she decides to stay… and buy a house or two. We’re also very excited she’ll be here in time for the census since that affects federal support dollars for our state.
I’m kidding around of course, except for the part that I do wish her all the best. And a big thanks to her for many informative interviews over the last many months and of course all her hard work on the Volt.
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (2:46 am)Curious to see who else will be leaving GM before the VOLT hits the road??
Hmm?
GO EV!
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (3:37 am)When she started with GM she took the bus to work – no car. Hard work + OUTSTANDING education = very good things. She deserves everything she’s earned and them some.
Re the landing spot for her, it’s a VC startup that is very much in stealth mode – and I see the guesses have begun, but my sense was that when they talked about stealth mode – they really meant “invisible”, at this time. It’ll probably have to be released soon though.
Well, Ms. G, may the wind be at your back, and the air heavy with the scent of the first spring flowers. I’m certain that we’ll be hearing wonderful reports of your continued success. Congratulations, and thanks again for your great work on the heart of the Volt.
Be well,
Tagamet
/Sheesh, past 3:30 – and the healthcare meeting starts ~10! (but I’ll be here before that)
Feb 25th, 2010 (3:42 am)*Could* be, but they said a startup company. Maybe startup is a red herring though.
Tagamet
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (3:55 am)People leaving left and right, hope it’s not a sign of things to come.
+4
Feb 25th, 2010 (5:51 am)Some of you were up very late last night. Best of luck Ms Gray and hope your new company is a success so that we can continue in the manufacturing of new technology. That is the problem with America: We don’t make anything, we don’t build anything. We are only consumers. We must turn this around.
Take Care,
TED
Feb 25th, 2010 (6:38 am)“Crossing my fingers that we’ll be amazed in 5 years or so by a huge leap in battery performance and the Volt will suddenly become the best bet GM ever made.”
i truely believe this will happen, i can almost feel it, BTW i live in the dryest and hottest country in the world, Australia (please excuse my spelling, long day and a few beers under the belt) i have followed the volts progress from concept till now, why not send a volt down under to your sister company GM HOLDEN for me to test for you. I travel around alot for work (anywhere from 400klms- 5000klms) pew week, and would be a perfect candidate for a down under test driver. We have some absoultly shocking roads here and temperatures excedding 55 degrees celsius! Lets see how the volt Rolls down under!
p.s
g`day tag, how you doing mate?
stuey New South Wales Australia
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:08 am)I am very happy for you Denise. I wish you well in your new job.
You will be missed. Thank you very much for your work on our beloved Volt.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:11 am)For whatever it might be worth, this is from Wikipedia — In business, stealth mode is a company’s temporary state of secretiveness, usually undertaken in order to avoid alerting competitors to a pending product launch or other business initiative. A stealth product is a product a company develops in secret, and a stealth company is a new company that avoids initial disclosure as to its existence, purpose, products, personnel, funding, brand name, or other important attributes.
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:17 am)Leaving GM after twenty five years? I find it hard to believe GM would not try harder to keep her. Now, with her expertise she will become part of GM’s competitor. Hmmm, not good for GM.
Good luck Denise.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:31 am)Like EEStor?
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:36 am)g’ day mate! Doing fine. Bracing for a 2 day blizzard up here! Have you seen any Volts down there doing summer testing lately? Between just the two of us, we’d have a wide range of conditions for testing!
Be well,
Tagamet
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:40 am)Or she will develop and even better system to sell to GM…
Be well,
Tagamet
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:43 am)She’s the first that I recall who left without “encouragement”, but I may be wrong.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:56 am)I share the same fear. Bob Kruse, executive director of vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries, left in Septmber to start a consulting firm and Frank Weber left a month later.
Other thoughts: One: I think it was fabulous that GM had an African-American woman in such an important, high-profile position. Clearly, she earned her way to the top and she was a great role model for the younger generation.
Second: I hope she has picked her new venture well. A recent analysis summarized on Green Car Congress discussed how crowded the battery business is getting. It forecasts that of 60 li-ion makers, only 6 to 8 would survive when all is said and done.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/02/berger-20100223.html#more
Regardless, her role in turning a concept into reality helped make history. Best wishes to her.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (7:58 am)Hey Ted in Fort Myers,
You’ve really hit that nail all the way in with one paragraph, Ted.
If you don’t manufacture your own wide array of products that your own populace will buy, then, all you have left to pay decent wages to the populace are ***services***.
You can’t pay decent wages to the populace for ***services*** which nowadays mandate ***technical training*** where corrupt right wingnut party leadership works full time to sideline critically-needed technical training for a ***very eager-to-learn populace*** by using their historical smear tactics, and severe coercion against all the very fine people running all the Texas governmental agencies. Texas needs a different governor. (And his low-road party leadership all need to grow up, as does he).
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:15 am)If there’s a big future in these battery startup companies, I wonder, as a part time investor if any are worth a share punt. EESTOR (have they IPO’d?). There’s about 6 other companies ranging from $70m to about a $1 billion. The only one i really know about is Valence Technology, aprox $100m, but their valuation has been between $70m and $100s million so it’s a rollercoaster! You can imagine if a big car company partners with one and electric / phev’s take off then valuations “could” rocket… anyone else following the battery companies. I have $1400 in Valence myself.
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:16 am)Hmmm. Wonder if it could be a new company developing batteries for Toyota???
Just kidding. (I think).
LJGTVWOTR.
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:36 am)Besides being impressed with Denise’s history at GM, I was impressed with a cection in the article about testing.
“She was not shy about taking verification reports to the platform manager,” Steel says, grinning. Translated from the corporate jargon, that means that despite constant pressure to stay on schedule, Gray simply refused to release any software that hadn’t met the list of requirements put together by the vehicle teams. ”She would offer [the manager] a conscious decision if there was a ’Part Not Validated’ report, saying, ’I’m not backing down, I’m going to write the report’ ” to indicate that the system had failed its tests, says Steel. Given the challenges of integrating new and often costly electronics into the complex mechanical systems of a modern engine, it was the right decision–but hardly a popular one at the time.”
I immediately thought of Toyota’s current state of affairs and appreciated Denise’s attitude toward testing and test results. I hope all the engineers that remain at GM have “the right stuff!”
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:37 am)Thanks for all of the work on the Volt. Best wishes for your success with your new employment
…
Could that be Fisker? Stealth Drive – California company – Similar to Volt Technology???
Anyway – Good luck in your new endeavor!
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:37 am)Just because Denise is going to a battery company doesn’t mean she won’t be working with GM again. If her company makes the best batteries, you may see those in the Volt.
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:39 am)Hey Mark,
You asked about Valence.
Let me share with everyone a very practical experience.
(RE:EESTOR. EESTOR has an office here in Austin. It is about 10 miles or so from me. No-one here in Austin (or elsewhere knows anything about EESTOR’s people other than what has been included on this valuable site. (So, I would be quite risk-averse with EESTOR, we don’t ***know*** anyone there.))
Valence, on the other hand, is a company that is quite open. Their promotions always include some sort of directive that includes fund-raising and stock sales. Valence has an office that is only one mile from me.
At this point in time, I have trained 174 independent auto servicing shops here in Austin.
The top one percent (only 2) had highly progressive ownership and very good, highly trainable techs (for electrification). I had both these shops lined up to begin discussions with Valence in the most ideal situation possible for conversions of Priuses with their Li-ion battery packs, and, as well, I had lined up those brilliant software engineers at Austin EV who were eager to assist in setting up these shops to install the Valence packs into Toyota Priuses.
The spin-off benefits would have been equal or greater than the installations themselves.
Co-incidentally, that Valence office was nearly directly across the street from one of the shops, whose highly informed Electrical Engineer owner is greatly expanding his facilities (as it just so happens, to open a second shop front directly across from that Valence office!)
I called that Valence office (on Technology Blvd. here in Austin) to introduce them to this project. I even stopped by to drop off all my credentials in person. I left three messages to the sales rep that was supposed to get back with me. He did not. Valence dropped the ball.
In business, if you drop the ball like that in the beginning, what do you think is going to happen when to those installations and customers when it is time to get replacement parts that do not cost as much (smaller support costs) after the product has been in service (supposedly) for a year or two?
I hope that this helps answer your questions regarding the risk involved with small investing.
I would only recommend investment in **New GM** stock, from my perspective, when it becomes available. That way, even if you can’t afford a Volt right away, you can still feel like you are a part of the philosophical changeover to electrification.
-2
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:40 am)BS, EESTor is in no “stealth mode”.
If EEStor is in stealth mode the CEO Dick Weir and Manager Tom Weir would not be communicating with a blogger with a bag over his head.
http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2999
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:44 am)As Lyle hinted, it will be interesting, in a month or two, to learn how the product of her new company stacks up against the LG design. Hopefully twice the energy density and half the cost on a per KWH basis.
-1
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:46 am)As a fellow GMI alum, I can concur there were very few African American engineers or female engineers. particularly in the EE program. Its a tough school, and many ppl don’t graduate, not to mention in 5 years (its a 5 year program many pple take 6 or longer). So she’s got what it takes in my book. Hopefully she keeps ties w/GM in some way.
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:50 am)Dan, I just want to point out that corruption and coercion are not the sole possession of “the right.” Take a look to *your* left at the governor and administration of New Mexico. Talk about corruption and coercion.
I think every state has their share of nuts, some left and some right.
I’m not trying to “start something.” I’m only going to reply to you once about this type of discussion. I appreciate most of your posts here. They are very informative and helpful to the Volt discussion. Any time I see “right wingnut” or “governor” in your post, I skip reading any thing in it or any post following it that looks like it is going the same way. I’m saying this as true constructive criticism and want you to know I appreciate the rest of what you have to say here. Thanks for listening.
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:52 am)OT: but for those in Michigan, this is short notice buy may be worth it.
American Foundry Society
Saginaw Valley Chapter
http://www.saginawvalleyafs.org
Educational Seminar
Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010 4:15 to 6:15 PM
Location: SMCO Yukon Room. Training Center
Contact: Susan Manyen at 248-978-9735 or susan.manyen@gm.com
Volt Hybrid Technology
PAMELA FLETCHER
Ms. Pam Fletcher, the Chief Engineer of Global Voltec and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Powertrain will present Hybrid & Electric Powertrain Engineering. She is Chief Engineer for the (V6000) Global Voltec & Plug – In Hybrid Electric Vehicle and will provide an overview of GM hybrid technologies which will include the Volt but other systems as well. She may also share insights from February Cold Weather Testing of the Chevrolet Volt in the Great White Canadian North.
-10
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:07 am)(click to show comment)
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:11 am)It was a joke.
The following comment is not: I don’t believe anything EEstor has to say. They have said a lot over the years.
Talk, talk, talk. That is all.
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:26 am)Go to linkedin and clik this link:
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=85295&discussionID=14295540&goback=%2Eanh_85295
An old GM alum posted sth very interesting and refreshing. You need to join the “Baattery Pro” group.
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:41 am)Yeah I read about the plugin hybrids, 125mpg Prius conversions 4 years ago. Seemed brilliant… I hoped Toyota would go to Valence and start making the things themselves. They apparantly even borrowed a Cal Cars 125mpg car… but no, even up to last year the idiots at Toyota were still saying NiMH was best!
They sold batteries to a few companies, Segway and a few others… but really needed to get a better sales force out there finding more opportunities… they could have done some amazing demos to car companies… reduced to “at cost” (on low volumes) until they got 50,000 unit volume a month for a year and then be rich as hell by now… but they haven’t yet done so … I hope they haven’t missed the ball.
Valence have had this “inherently type of safe lithium” battery “UCharge” for 6 years or so. It’s been capable of charging to 2000 times (100% depth of charge) and according to the overtly technical graphs would still charge to 80% capacity!!! That is revolutionary at the time, now it might just be average and there’s quite a lot of rival companies out there all with LiIon battery packs… don’t know if they’re all using the same “safe” LiFeK (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries.
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:42 am)Read John Petersen at seeking alpha on this. Be ready to use critical thinking.
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:44 am)Yes, you have a point that I agree with 100%, as we are talking about safety.
But who can complain when a high tech vehicle has increasingly expensive and arrogantly dangerous systems that, if not properly and thoroughly understood, have you crashing off a cliff because it has “drive by wire” steering without a direct connection of a mechanical steering column, suddenly is not connected to the front wheels. (“Who needs regulation”?)
This disrespect for you and your safety as well as your awareness of *what* you are purchasing in the first place, and literally getting into, has got to stop, and, it has got to stop by removing from any critical position of leadership, **anyone** who is incompetent to serve or only cares about themselves. NHTS has got to get more critical for these systems. This arrogance about “who cares about anyone driving these cars as they get really old”, has also got to be corrected.
It’s just that it is now, absolutely very dangerous, to not have technically responsible leadership nowadays in government, so that at least **some** level of extraordinarily-responsible attention-to-regulation becomes present for all these new automotive systems that are “drive by wire” even for annual safety inspection time. (All of this is going to get worse, you can bookmark this one.)
Otherwise, you may pay with your life
like that poor State Trooper and his family did,
screaming on the telephone in their last horrific moments of existence,
as others also possibly will, if technically respectful leadership is not voted in, and causing better funding and professional staffing of regulatory agencies.
Any critical function that is “drive by wire” is a bad idea. The operations of these systems must all be somehow be feasibly kept perfect. Sometimes, though, warnings are heeded when someone speaks up from out here in the field. Sadly, maybe 90% don’t care unless something is happening in real time *to them*, or, it happens to someone important who has control of media via governmental position.
But I am really glad there is this wonderful site like this.
This site is far more important than most people realize for us all. It is historic.
(/running late again at 8:19am. have a great day everyone!)
-6
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:49 am)GM to hire Fritz as advisor at $2954.50/hr
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-20/gm-says-ex-ceo-henderson-to-be-adviser-as-whitacre-urges-change.html
The company is a joke! This is like giving away our tax payer money.
GM, your nothing but bullcrap! Same ol’ GM.
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:53 am)ps. this is the evidence of Valence’s batteries charging to 80% capacity after >2000 charge cycles: https://na4.salesforce.com/sfc/play/index.jsp?oid=00D6000000076DF&d=05D600000004CLYEA2
If you think about a car being charged every day, that’s “80% as good as new” after 2000 charges = 1 a day for 8 years!
The GM battery uses ONLY 50% of available capacity – probably because their battery tests are worse or they’re being very cautious!
I would assume if it can do 2000 cycles to 80% then it loses 10% for each 1000 cycles. (5000 cycles to 50% capacity = 13.7 years and that’s only if charged every day… realistically it might be charged every other day (people go on holiday, work 5 days a week, etc).
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:07 am)Dan can speak for himself but he seemed to be writing about Texas specifically. I think everyone would agree that no matter what some political commentators would have us believe, neither corruption nor poor character nor stupidity are the exclusive provinces of any particular political persuasion. So I don’t think you’ve “started something” at all, and I don’t think Dan was trying to either.
However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore corruption or stupidity, nor does it mean that you should defend it by pointing out that “the other guy” has done the same thing. Hopefully there would be enough condemnation to go around.
Texas is interesting because at the moment the only real political fight is between populist and country club Republicans. This means the salient political division is not really left versus right.
/Edit — I see Dan did speak for himself! LOL
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:07 am)OT, Heads up to those in the Austin area, there is a rumor that the Volt will be stopping off at SXSW next month.
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:12 am)You could by some A123, they IPO’d not long ago.. ticker is AONE
-11
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:14 am)(click to show comment)
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:15 am)here you go Europa
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/02/25/spy-shots-pre-production-opel-ampera-spotted-in-the-wild/
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:16 am)I’m sure she did a great job of training her subordinates. But that won’t help if GM loses one good employee after another. But if they can’t pay people what they can get elsewhere…
That said, I think this was about more than money. Battery tech is a very hot field right now. And we need it to be. I hope that she succeeds. She certainly deserves it.
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:21 am)As someone who flies electric model airplanes I can testify that batteries have come a LONG way in the last 10 years. Thanks to all those who have made this advancement possible. However good the batteries are, however, you still need to generate the electricity to charge them. This IMO is where we also need some breakthroughs, unfortunately you can’t create energy from “nothing”, although fission and fusion come close I suppose.
Hopefully the innovative companies working on all this high-tech stuff get international patents on their inventions, the Chinese have no shame about copying others’ work.
Considering that Ms Gray is roughly my age, all I can say is that she has held up a whole lot better than I have!! I am about ready to retire from engineering and hit the easy chair (I wish).
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:23 am)Generally speaking you’re right that a philosophical opposition to regulation does seem to lead to a lack of enforcement, and a lack of enforcement can lead to bad things. Look no further than Wall Street and the Great Recession for a great example of this.
That said, I’m not sure this was even a small contributing factor in the Santee case. The Santee case was apparently not related to fly by wire. The final report found that the dealership put SUV floor mats in a Lexus sedan, probably to protect the interior, and the floor mat jammed the accelerator. As a sidebar, a customer of the dealership had experienced the floor mat jamming problem shortly before the accident and had reported it to the dealership but whether that report even made it to the service department is unclear. The woman at the desk who took the report said she reported it; the service manager said he never heard about it.
In this regard, some people were taken aback in the congressional hearings when the Toyota sales head said Toyota wasn’t sure the recall fixed the acceleration problem. Duh, no kidding. Toyota has never been able to reproduce the safety defect. While this doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, you can’t fix what you can’t reproduce.
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:35 am)Ampera spotted….
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/02/2011-opel-vauxhall-ampera-plug-in.html
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:36 am)New York is a very liberal state. But our legislature is one of the most corrupt in the country. If not the most corrupt. And the most childish and immature. A couple of our state legislators decided to switch parties in exchange for a power grab. The senate went into a stalemate where both sides refused to so much as negotiate for three months. Meanwhile, the state didn’t have a budget. It wound up costing us millions in foregone rent, revenue, and debt rollover costs.
Our former (republican) majority leader was just convicted on two charges of corruption–accepting payments from businessmen who receive help from the legislature. (He was charged with eight. One of which the jury couldn’t reach a verdict on.) Another state legislator (a democrat) was convicted of domestic violence. I could go on…
Unfortunately, corruption and overall incompetence is a bipartisan problem in this country.
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:48 am)3rd parties have repoduced the problem.
+2
Feb 25th, 2010 (10:56 am)Exactly, And when a portion of the country wants to blame things on right wing crooks and ignore the antics of the lefty crooks while another portion does the mirror opposite from the other side of the political spectrum, the system carries on as is and they seem to generally get away with unbelievable hypocrisy.
We should all demand more accountability from the whole of government.
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:01 am)Are you an expert on modeling and reliability predictions?.. probably not. Trust GM knows what they are doing, just look how reliable their recent cars have been.
This is the reason for the initial low production volume.. to catch and fix and potential problems before they start pumping them out by the 100’s k volumes. This is new stuff, it would be irresponsible to dump it on the market too quickly.
Why did Denise leave?.. probably got a hell of a good offer. Battery people (and battery manufacturing equipment companies) can name their price these days.
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:46 am)Amen. I think we’re traveling pretty far from Denise, batteries, or even the Volt. Maybe I”m just having trouble connecting the dots. I know *where* we went off track, and agree that politics basically stink on ice, but Denise made SUCH a contribution to our favorite vehicle, doesn’t she deserve a thread?
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:47 am)#35
Amen. +1
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:47 am)I want to add my thanks and best wishes to Denise as many of you have already. I am sure she will be successful in her new position. Please stay in touch with GM-VOLT.COM, Denise.
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:50 am)AND a return to the thread (g).
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (11:52 am)And building Volts and their components should be a great start.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:01 pm)Bravo! Shake out the bugs, fix them, and then ramp up the volume.
Re Denise’s leave, the several articles I read last night gave me the clear impression that she’s looking for a role in which she can provide more guidance and control at key points in the development of even *better* battery technology (on so many levels).
She’s a winner (IMHO) and said “I never wanted to look back and say I could have, I should have…”.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:03 pm)#63
Pretty sad all right. I hate it, but I have to give you +1 for this.
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:25 pm)Yeah, but he didn’t mention that it’s only 20 hours a week (g).
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:25 pm)It would be fitting if one or more of these companies carry energy storage to the next level. Batteries of this size and performance will do for some region, somewhere, what microprocessor technology did for Silicon Valley (“Lithium Lane?”).
Having helped to found an exploding industry, Denise Gray certainly deserves to participate in the next chapter of a world-altering technology.
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:27 pm)Well done, Denise Gray.
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:32 pm)What thread
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”! And “Return to the Thread” !!!
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:34 pm)Correction! 20 hours per MONTH. Eddy is getting 9 million.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (12:48 pm)The problem is simple. To get elected, any candidate needs a lot of money to campaign – no matter if that candidate is a right or left wing one. To get money, a candidate will sollicitate. Any businessman giving money to the candidate expect some kind of return on investment if he gets elected. And voilà, decisions are made not for the good of the people but for the good of those who contributed. At least, that’s what it seems to be the case too often.
+1
Feb 25th, 2010 (1:06 pm)Entrepreneurship is one of the strengths of the American economy. And a huge part of our mechanism for innovation. Start-ups are usually much more innovative and flexible than existing companies. While I’m not happy that GM is losing her, her move demonstrates how the American economy is supposed to work. And, in the long run, she can probably make more of a difference in a start-up than at GM.
Of course, for every start-up that succeeds, ten fail. But she has the experience to make it work. Or at least, increase her chances. Whatever happens, I’m sure she’ll be fine. If the start-up doesn’t work out, she won’t have a problem finding employment. There are many companies that would be happy to have her.
Feb 25th, 2010 (1:25 pm)Agreed 100% +1
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
/the healthcare meeting is curing my insomnia! Back after a nap. APD (avoid political discussion) (g).
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****No More “Stay Tuned”!
Feb 25th, 2010 (4:39 pm)Reminds me of an old white poodle with those tear stains they tend to get. In other words, yech! I hope they fix this before production.
Would these be built in the US or in Europe??
Apologies to Ms Gray for messing up her thread.
Feb 25th, 2010 (5:15 pm)Just as with the EV1, the Volt program will produce countless experts in a viable segment of clean transportation. Weber, Gray and many others will rise to even greater heights within and outside GM.
Feb 25th, 2010 (8:24 pm)Anyone who doesn’t care about safety in technology, nor increasing the effectiveness of educating their children or grandchildren (as well as all others) so that they all can have decent paying jobs, is someone who, well, doesn’t care enough to not be excessively self-absorbed.
Feb 25th, 2010 (9:45 pm)LOL.
But how many more times do we have to wish Denise well. I did it several times.
I’d bet Denise would appreciate more commentary than the standard “yay volt”
and “stay on topic”, especially where it concerns our public officials being ineffective in
both technical education (to prep students for battery careers) and automotive safety (drive by wire faults). Otherwise, a brilliant person like that might find this site boring to the point of tears.
She would not be the only one.
Feb 26th, 2010 (6:15 pm)Time for some more house cleaning at GM thanks to the new “take charge” CEO !
Plenty more to come fo sho !
- The General