GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Electric cars not only offer instantaneous torque but continue to provide linear acceleration throughout the driving velocity range. Torque and acceleration are greatest at the low-end and then flatten out as high speeds are reached.

One reporter’s observation of a 67% calibration Volt prototype on the highway brought into question highway performance.  As some here may know, I recently had the opportunity to experience a near-final Volt going from 55 to 80 mph ont the highway and although linear felt performance was quite acceptable.

Combustion engine cars operate differently. At higher speeds, if the driver floors the accelerator  pedal, the automatic transmission will shift down a gear, engine speed and torque will increase, and the car will accelerate.  Among the uninitiated, the lack of this type of responsiveness could disturb some would-be electric car buyers.

As far as I can tell, or know, the Volt does not simulate this experience.

However, according to a test drive from Edmund’s Inside Line, the LEAF does.  Apparently Nissan believes it was necessary to reproduce the passing gear experience in its electric car for greatest customer acceptance.

Edmund’s reports the following statement as attributed to Mark Perry who Nissan North American product planning and advanced technology director:

Engineers programmed the electronics to add a bit of power at the very end of the accelerator pedal’s travel, and when you floor the Leaf you do feel a little extra surge – not quite like having a passing gear, but enough to let you know the powertrain is responding to the signal your right foot is sending.

Edmund’s apparently did not get it quite right though with this description per a direct communication between Perry and GM-Volt.

“The (LEAF) electric motor still has sufficient torque to have good passing speed from 55 to 70,” Perry told GM-Volt.  There are “no gears or “step down.”  With respect to O’Dells comments, “he mixed two pieces of info but intention is correct,” said Perry.

Nonetheless, some other interesting comparisons between the LEAF and Volt were delineated in this review.

The LEAF, as does the Volt, has both a normal braking mode and an eco braking mode which gives the driver a little regenerative drag, allowing the car to be slowed without the brakes.  The LEAF, however, has only a normal and Eco power mode (slower) which determines overall driving power.  The Volt has a normal and a sports power modes, with the sports mode adding about 20 kw of power.  The fact that the Volt has more power and acceleration speed  may be part of the reason why GM engineers didn’t think a passing gear simulation was necessary on the Volt.  The LEAF motor’s peak power is 80 kw, whereas the Volt’s is 110 kw.  The LEAF has a CD of 0.29, the Volt’s is 0.28, the LEAF weighs about 3500 pounds and the Volt 3900 lb due to the presence of the gas engine.

A surprising point of the LEAF review is that Nissan allowed the journalist to take the test car up and down public roads in San Diego, even up to 82 mph.  GM has said it is legally “not allowed” to let anyone but GM employees drive Volt prototypes on public roads, and thus all media drives have taken place on pylon-lined parking-lot based test courses.  That is everyone expect Jay Leno, who for some reason did get to take the Volt on public roads.

The presence or absence of a passing gear simulation on an electric car is an interesting issue.  How important do you think it is?

Source (Edmunds)

The video below illustrates a safety test GM is putting Chevrolet Volt test cars through, called the flooded road test.

It takes place at GM’s Milford proving grounds and is headed by Engineer Rob Drexler. Concerns about putting large batteries in water is the rationale for the test which is done “to verify and confirm the customer is protected from any water intrusion into the battery,” says Drexler.

He notes the Volt’s battery system has three or four detection systems inside that will kill the power if water is detected inside. Development testing with a battery shell in the same trough, checking to ensure water did not enter it had been done six months ago.

The test demonstrated is an actual live battery in a Volt run through at various depths and speeds. It is both driven forward and in reverse multiple times. In between each run, engineers physically check the battery and the air induction system to make sure it passes specifications.

Whether water enters the pack is determined indirectly in between each run, and after the whole test the pack is physically completely broken down and visually checked by hand.

Drexel notes there are very stringent specifications for the allowance of any water into the battery and that the Volt is, of course, passing.

Previously, GM battery engineer Lance Turner described a test where GM fully submerged an EV-1 into a tank of salt water to simulate what would happen if a passenger accidentally drove into the sea.

I asked Turner if such a test had been done with the Volt. “I can’t confirm or deny,” says Turner.

The Chevroelt Volt and the Nissan LEAF are leading the way towards bringing electric cars to the masses.  Ford plans to release 10,000 Ford Focus Electrics in 2011 as well.

BMW has been on a different path towards electrification.  The current MINI E program, followed by the interim next step ActiveE program are paving the way to what BMW is calling the Megacity (MCV) electric car.

The Megacity will be a pure electric 4-seater intended for use in large or mega city environments around the world.  Like most BMW’s it will be a premium car, and will debut in 2013.

Earlier, the company released some teaser photos of the car, along with a bit more description.

First of all, the compact car will be the world’s first vehicle made entirely out of super lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).  As such, it will completely offset the added 250kg to 350kg weight typical for lithium ion batteries.  “The Megacity Vehicle is a revolutionary automobile. It will be the world’s first volume-produced vehicle with a passenger cell made from carbon. Our LifeDrive architecture is helping us to open a new chapter in automotive lightweight design. Indeed, this concept allows us to practically offset the extra 250 to 350 kilograms of weight typically found in electrically powered vehicles.” says Klaus Draeger, Member of the BMW Board of Management for Development.

The vehicle  embodies what BMW calls the Life Drive concept, which is two separate but unified independent modules.  Th first module, called the Drive module contains the aluminum chassis, battery, drive system and crash components.

The second module is the Life module and makes up the lightweight passenger compartment.

BMW is applying the learning from its MINI E program, which they said was “extremely useful” to develop the MCV.  BMW found most of the 246 total private US MINI E drivers were well to do, over 35, with an affinity for new technology.  The longest drive known to occur in a MINI E was 98 miles (wasn’t me).  Most lessees used the car as a second car just for commuting (as did I), and though most felt range would be a problem, it only turned out to be in a few cases.

The MCV will of course provide trunk space, something the MINI E did not.

BMW’s director of EVs, Rich Steinberg told GM-Volt.com “the Active E will use the same battery cell technology and drivetrain that will end up in the MCV.”  This is a thermally managed 44.4 kwh (35 kwh usable) lithium ion battery mated to a 170 hp (125 kw) electric motor, which is rear-wheel drive and capable of zero to 60 in 8.5 seconds.

As for price, “its safe to say that it will be competitive with other EVs, but will be ‘premium’ as you would expect from BMW,” says Steinberg.

Planned production volumes are not known at this time.

Source (BMW) and (AutoBlogGreen)

Much is made about planned Chevrolet Volt production volumes.  Enthusiasts are often concerned that GM only plans a modest initial production run with gradual ramp up.  Conspiracy theorists imagine the company is intentionally limiting demand because they are not serious about the car, are using it only as a halo product, or just using its mpg to inflate fleet average and allow more trucks to be sold.

Former GM vice chairman Bob Lutz once explicitly told GM-Volt that from 50,000 to 60,000 Volts will be built annually beginning in 2012, and that if demand goes wild new plants could be opened for them.

Bob Lutz is retired now, and more recently Tony DiSalle, the new Volt marketing director, announced GM will only build 30,000 Volts in the 2012 year.  If the demand is there, could this mean GM is artificially limiting production?

I had the chance to recently ask Mr. DiSalle whether GM will build enough Volts to satisfy demand if it turns out to be even greater than only 30,000 cars.

“GM is not artificially limiting the capacity,” said DiSalle. “There’s a plan in place for a fixed amount of capacity.”

“You need to absolutely make sure, because there’s a lot of innovation here, that the vehicle is built in a very high quality fashion,” he said. “Its much more of a sense of ensuring the quality of the ramp-up much more so than any artificial constraint that’s being put on it.”

He conceded, however, if demand is there GM will meet it.

“Quite frankly if the vehicle takes off from a market demand perspective,  I would certainly think it is going to be in the company’s best interest from a business standpoint to pursue that,” he added.

This is in line with what Volt vehicle line director Tony Posawzt previously said.

”We are certainly optimistic about our prospects but prudent and cautious when making claims,” said Posawatz. ”I think we will always want to keep VOLT in a position where demand for the product is slightly greater than supply.”

In our last post, an equal number of readers polled believed 10,000 units in 2011 was either a good or bad idea. Some commentators requested we add a second poll about 2012 volumes. So here it is.

We heard GM last week officially announce it would be producing 10,000 Chevy Volts in the the first year of production, calendar year 2011.  Marketing director Tony DiSalle also said Volt dealers would specifically have to retain a Volt on the premises for demonstration and test drive purposes.  GM spokesperson Rob Peterson says those 3000 or so demo cars would not come from the 10,000 vehicle allotment, so in the end there will still be 10,000 to sell.

By mid 2011, the Volt will be on sale in seven out of 50 states, it will be another 6 to 12 months from then before all 50 states have them on sale.

Very clearly there is much more demand for Volts than 10,000 cars can satisfy even at a price around $40,000, which isn’t confirmed.

So this begs the question as to whether GM’s strategy to limit availability is a good idea.

Those among us, especially in less-populated states, don’t think so for personal reasons; i.e. they cannot get one.  Those among us who would like to see the country begin to reduce petroleum usage as fast as possible also are unhappy as such a small volume won’t make much of a dent.

So why is GM doing this, and is it a good idea for them?

There seems to be five major reasons for this decision; to keep the car in strong demand, to allow for maximum quality builds off the production line, limitation of supplier components such as batteries, to keep a close eye on real-world behavior and to be able to react to any issues, and to minimize financial loss.

Demand
GM knows there is more demand than for 10,000 cars. By keeping demand far greater than supply, it ensures interest in the car and news about it. It also allows justification of a higher price. Plummeting prices and the need to discount the Volt wouldn’t be a good thing for GM.  Also if the cars really take off GM could make positive announcements about demand exceeding supply.  The presence of the Nissan LEAF will also place some pressure on the early adopter market.

Quality
The Volt utilizes the Voltec drivetrain, a large lithium-ion battery, and an array of specialized software controls. No car like it has ever been sold in the mass market before. GM knows it must produce a very high quality vehicle as the car has been under the microscope for a long time and will continue to be. Any quality failure would be very bad press. By limiting the line build rate, GM can ensure each and every Volt is built to the highest quality standards possible.

Components
The most important external component going into the Volt is its lithium-ion battery back. The cells are being made in Korea by LG Chem and shipped to the US where they are then assembled into packs at GMs battery assembly plant. Both the cell and pack assembly line are limited, with a maximum current volume believed to be for about 50,000 packs. Like the cars, these packs must be very carefully assembled to ensure high quality.

Surveillance
Once the Volts enter the public space, GM will continue to watch them closely to be able to react if any issues arise. So much so, OnStar will be especially amped up, required, and included free in the Volt allowing very precise monitoring of software controls and every cell in the packs. By keeping volumes and geographic locations restricted, GM can more carefully monitor these vehicles, and quickly issue any fixes if the need arises.

Minimize Losses
Though we do not yet know the Volt’s official MSRP, it is likely they will be initially sold as a loss. Keeping production volume low will mitigate large financial burden especially during IPO season, and still allow for eventual cost reductions over time.

So though many of us are disappointed with GM’s first year Volt volume, they have valid reasons for it. Toyota for example only built 12,000 Priuses in it first year of production, despite high demand for it in Japan at the time. It wasn’t brought into the US until later.

Nissan, though projecting large LEAF demand down the line will also only be producing about 25,000 cars for the North American market by the end of 2011.  For the first several months, availability will be limited to five locations.

With the launch of the Volt nearly upon us, GM has finally provided some detail as to how they plan to go about the rollout process, and how some of the luckier and wealthier among us might be able to go about getting one.

The information was provided by GM’s Volt marketing director Tony DiSalle in a webcast in which he took reader’s questions.

He explained GM will produce 10,000 Volts from the end of this year through the end of next calendar year, and that they will produce 30,000 Volts in the 2012 calendar year. He noted that GM has been electronically communicating with every Chevrolet dealer across the nation what their Volt allocation will be and asked them if they wish to sell Volts and/or service them. Specific requirements for these dealers will not formidable and will include having personnel trained in Volts sales and Volt service, an the installation of two 240 Volt chargers.

He also explained those dealers will have to keep one Volt on the premises for demonstration and test drive purposes. He said he anticipates the car will be “very hot” and that dealers may not be able to keep any in inventory.

He said specifically GM will not maintain a centralized waiting list, and in personal communication with me said the long-lived GM-Volt want list will not be used in any way, that instead they will be “going through their dealer body.”

To get a Volt, DiSalle is recommending people “to go see the dealers.”

A given dealer’s allocation number will be based on that dealership’s regular sales volumes, so that busier dealers will get more Volts and smaller dealerships few if any. GM is then asking the dealers to reply back as to whether they want that allocation.

DiSalle expects most “medium and large volume dealerships will participate.”

He also expects that dealers outside of the launch markets will agree to service training, to help customers who might need service while driving away from home.

DiSalle is encouraging participating dealers to start their own waiting lists, and interested customers to get themselves on them. Placing a deposit is not necessary he says.

“The (dealers) can build their waitlists in conjunction with their particular allocation,” said DiSalle. “Deposits are not requirement of getting on dealers waitlist.”

The states of California and Michigan, and the cities of Washington DC, Austin Texas and New York will start receiving Volt deliveries “by the end of this calendar year,” said DiSalle.  He declined to confirm the November (or sooner) delivery date.

By mid-2011 the entire states of New York, Texas, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be getting Volt deliveries.  From there, GM will continue to announce new launch regions until finally all areas of the nation have Volts for sale.

“We’ll be adding markets halfway through the 2011 calendar year as we are getting into the 2012 model year,” said DiSalle.”We have very intention of selling in 12 to 18 months in all 50 states.”  By the time all states have allocation it will be into the second calendar year of production beyond the first 10,000 units.

DiSalle believes all the initial Volt allocations will sell out “very very quickly.”

“We do have estimates for demand,” said DiSalle.  “This is a movement that we are trying to create here.”

“It will require continued investment and communication,” he said.  “We’ll continue to market the car, we understand we’ll be short early.”

Like it or not, at least now we know what to expect.  What is your opinion?

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