GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

The first pre-production Chevrolet Volt to be built on production line tools at the Detroit assembly plant rolled off the assembly line today.

This vehicle is the first of several hundred PPV (Process, Product Validation) that will be built at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant prior to going into retail production in the fourth quarter.

Theses cars, also known as validation builds, are important because they let the automaker know how the high volume process works and enables them to iron out any snags. They use this process to ensure the tools have been properly built, the factory properly arranged, and the workers effectively trained.

The building process itself was first developed earlier this year at GM’s Warren technical center where the 80 IV (integration vehicles) were made. One quarter of those cars have been used for crash tests so far, and the remaining ones have logged well over half a million collective miles of testing.

Like everything else it seems in the Volt program, since its inception, the first full scale assembly line build has gone remarkably well too.

“Never seen a first, pre-production build go as smoothly as this one,” said Andrew Farah, Volt chief engineer.

This first car and many more will be kept by GM for testing. The first car builds go very slowly. This PPV number 1 though rolling off the line today, first began production on Monday. At peak production this plant is capable of building 200,000 cars per year. There is some evidence GM has projected a production limit of 50,000 to 60,000 cars per year initially.

However, Chevrolet marketing manager John Hughes has said GM is committed to build to demand.

“We believe initially we’ll have much greater demand than we have supply,” Hughes told NBC News NY.  However GM “can dramatically increase production if demand is there.”

By its production today GM has met another landmark goal of building the first full scale production line Chevrolet Volt in the first quarter of 2010.

Some of the limelight of this news is shared by Nissan announcing its Leaf EV price at $32,780 (plus $2200 for 220V charger), causing some to speculate it has undercut the Volt.  However, the Volt is a very different car, not to mention its price has never been released.

Hughes refused to say when GM will release the Volt’s price.

He did say “it takes all kinds of EVs at different price points to  meet the needs of consumers, just as there are all different types of SUVs at different prices.”

Source (USA Today) and (NBC News)

A moment the world of electric car enthusiasts has been waiting for has just occurred and its better than expected.

Nissan has released the official price of its Leaf pure electric car which will go on sale in December of this year. Pre-orders will be accepted starting April 20th.

The MSRP is $32,780.  With a federal tax credit of $7500 the effective price will be $25,280.

Further state tax incentives could lower the price further including $5000 available in California and Georgia, and $1500 in Oregon.

MSRP includes the battery.

The car will also be available as a lease option at $349 per month for 36 month after putting $1999 down. This price incorporates the $7500 tax credit.

There are two trim levels the SV and the SL:

The SV trim level includes an advanced navigation system and Internet/smart phone connectivity to the vehicle.

The SL trim level adds several convenience features, including rearview monitor, solar panel spoiler, fog lights, and automatic headlights for an additional $940 (MSRP).

The SV trim level includes an advanced navigation system and Internet/smart phone connectivity to the vehicle.

The SL trim level adds several convenience features, including rearview monitor, solar panel spoiler, fog lights, and automatic headlights for an additional $940 (MSRP).

The 220V AeroVironment home EV charger will cost $2200 including installation though will be provide for free to those participating in the eTec EV program. A 50% federal tax credit is available.

Cars will be availe at selected Nissan dealers in 2010, and nationwide in 2011.

“Imagine the possibility of never needing to go to a gas station again. Or of paying less than $3 for 100 miles behind the wheel. Or of creating zero emissions while driving,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, NNA. “Nissan leads the industry by offering the first affordable, zero-emission vehicle for the mass market. Nissan LEAF truly is in a class by itself.”

The ball is now in GM’s court. Volt pricing is expected at least six months prior to launch.

“I think it’s fair to say their pricing, it won’t overwhelm, but it will have some influence on our pricing decision,” GM spokesman Rob Peterson told the AP.

Source (Nissan)

In January, GM unveiled its new flagship Cadillac luxury sedan, called the XTS.  It was shown as a plug-in hybrid concept mating a 3.5 L V-6 engine to GMs’ 2-mode plugin hybrid drivetrain.  This drivetrain has been under development since 2006 and is functioning well in prototypes, including one this author test drove.  It includes an 8 kw lithium-ion battery and the potential to travel 20 miles up to in EV mode when fully charged.

Recently, inside reports confirmed by Bob Lutz indicated that GM’s first electric Caddy concept, the Converj, had been cancelled.  The Converj was a stylish but compact 4 seater that relied on an amped-up Voltec drivetrain, similar to the Volt’s, for up to 40 miles electric driving.

According to new reports citing inside sources the plugin XTS has been greenlighted for production.

Apparently GM’s rationale for killing the Converj and approving the plugin XTS is simple, profit.

It is speculated that GM will not make money on early units of the Chevy Volt, and may sell them at a loss.  The new technology may be too expensive to allow the cars to be sold affordably for profit.  The same would be true for the Converj.  Furthermore, it is reported that GM isn’t sure there is enough global demand for 3 Voltec vehicles; Volt, Ampera, and Converj.

The 2-mode plugin drivetrain has half the battery expense and is built off the 2-mode hybrid system already in production.  It could appeal to the luxury-green crowd much as competitors such as the Mercedes plugin S class, slated for production, and be profitable.

Also it would have been a difficult engineering challenge for GM to give the Converj the power and smoothness expected of a luxury Cadillac using the Voltec propulsion system.  The 2-mode drivetrain can utilize the gas engine when high power is required.

Source (MotorTrend)

GM has announced it will be working with New York’s major utility company, Con Edison, as part of a Volt development and demonstration project. The utility company will join a nationwide group of 10 utility companies with whom GM is partnering that will receive Chevy Volts for a research study.

The study is funded by a $30 million DOE grant and will include a total of 100 cars and over 500 charging stations which will be used in home, workplace, and public locations. The study will particularly evaluate the installation and charging, and gauge customer feedback.

“Chevrolet is committed to a successful Volt launch, and to achieve that, we need to work with our utility partners to introduce our customers to electric vehicles and the infrastructure that will support them,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet marketing. “So far, we have invested more than $700 million in the U.S. to reinforce our leadership in this new technology.”

The demonstration project will start after retail sales begin and not before.

GM made similar other utility announcements at the same time it announced Michigan, Washington DC, and California were to be initial consumer retail Volt markets. Today’s press release specifically did not mention New York would be part of that first wave.

Instead it is written “Chevrolet has previously announced that Volt sales will start simultaneously in California, Michigan and Washington D.C., with other markets to follow.”

It is speculated it may take a year or more for GM to roll out vehicles to the rest of the nation. It is likely New York will be part of a second wave possibly in early to mid-2011.

As a reminder what will be taking place in New York today is our 10 contest winners wil be getting their firsthand Volt test drives. We look forward to their reviews!

Source (GM)

The Chevrolet Cruze is the Volt’s high volume, lower cost, high efficiency gas-powered compact sedan sister.

Though already on sale globally, the car is expected to be released in several trims in the US in the fourth quarter.

Ahead of the NY Auto Show GM has released details on the Cruze Eco trim. This vehicle has specially designed powertrain and aerodynamic features that allow it to achieve an estimated 40 mpg on the highway.

“The Cruze Eco delivers hybrid-like efficiency without the price tag,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president Chevrolet marketing. “Along with the Volt electric vehicle, it demonstrates how Chevrolet is working to bring new products to market that range from gas-friendly to gas-free.”

To achieve its efficiency the car uses a 1.4 L turbocharged Ecotec engine with variable valve timing. It is the standard manual 6 speed transmission version that will get to 40 mpg on the highway. GM states the car’s city cycle fuel efficiency, and automatic transmission efficiency numbers will be finalized closer to launch.

Other features to improve efficiency include an actuating lower grille shutter that will close at high speeds to improve aerodynamics, and open at low speeds to improve engine cooling. The upper grille will also have more “closeouts” than the standrad version.

There is a lower airdam extension, extensive use of underbody panels, and a rear spoiler all of which improve aerodynamics.

A lower ride height, unique lightweight 17 inch aluminum wheels and ultra low rolling resistance Goodyear tires all contribute to efficiency.

The 1.4L turbo engine is rated at 138 hp and 148 ft-lbs of torque, will do 0 to 60 in 10 seconds, and has a cruising range of over 500 miles.

Some additional standrad features for the car include 10 airbags, bluetooth, USB connectivity, Macpherson struts, electronic stability control, power steering, and an upscale interior design.

The car will also be available in RS, LS, LT and LTZ trims.

GM promises this to be “the first in a family of all-new Chevrolet small and compact cars designed to offer excellent fuel economy, outstanding quality and top safety ratings.”

Pricing is not released.

Last fall at the Tokyo auto show, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s CEO said that a “stylish, compact, high performance four-seat luxury Infiniti with zero emissions” with “inspired performance” was being developed for his upscale brand.

This week, Top Gear (of all the news sources), broke the news that indeed a Infiniti EV based on the Nissan Leaf is in the pipeline and will be launched in 2014.

Top Gear asked the “boss of Infiniti” (So much for responsible journalism I suppose. I guess we have to make a random stab in the dark about who this person actually is. I’ll go with Toru Saito, because he was the ‘talking head’ when Infiniti debuted its electric hybrid Essence concept at the Geneva show last year) to explain why it would be based on the Leaf platform, and be four seats.

“We’re not doing EVs for a limited number of people. We want lots of buyers quickly, so we are making a family car. We have no intention to make a niche EV. Besides, big vehicles are too heavy for today’s batteries, which is why our car will be compact.”

This as of yet unnamed EV will coincide with the arrival of Nissan’s second generation battery, which is expected to be able to deliver the range of the current Leaf, but also a greater performance benchmark for the Infiniti iteration.

Much like the Converj was thought to have done for the image of GM’s languishing Cadillac brand before it was cancelled, the Infiniti EV is envisioned as bringing some much needed exposure (and new customers) to Nissan’s upscale nameplate.

/probably not a bad idea…is it too late to bring the Converj back?