As was announced, GM has selected me to participate on their Chevrolet Volt Consumer Advisory Board. I will be taking a delivery of a salable Chevrolet Volt on or about October 24th, in New York, several weeks before the first consumers’ models are produced and later delivered. I and the other 14 board members will have Volts and free 240-v chargers to live with for three months.
On the day of the announcement we spent a whole day out at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck (DHAM) assembly plant where the Volts are being built, and at GM’s Milford proving grounds test track where cars are tested. I got to meet and chat with many other members of the advisory board and attended a series of Volt educational Volt lectures by several GM subject matter experts. We toured the assembly plant and got brief test drives the latest Volts out on the proving ground. We also dined and chatted with several GM executives including Sales President Mark Reuss, Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick, and Volt marketing director Tony DiSalle.
Needless to say it was a terrific, informative and exciting day.
The whole point of this program is to put cars in the hands of people who are avid EV enthusiasts, who will use the opportunity to begin spreading the message about the Volt to those they come in contact with. Not only does GM want us to validate and iron out the consumer purchase and charging installation process, but they hope we will show off the cars to as many people as possible. Indeed I and several of the other members with whom I spoke, look forward to finding swarms of curious people surrounding our cars when we return to them in public parking lots.
For those that asked, you can rest assured I am not subjected to any type of non-disclosure agreement. All the facts about the car will be exposed analyzed and detailed during its time in my possession. Not only am I allowed to talk about it, but GM is encouraging me to do so. And so I shall on these very pages.
My only obligation as a CAB member is weekly feedback sessions using the OnStar system, and monthly conference calls. The Smartphone apps and web-based myvolt.com information and control systems will be fully operational.
After my three month evaluation period is over I plan to seamlessly transition without missing a day to my own Volt that I’ve already ordered from my local Chevrolet Dealer, the Englewood Auto Group.
My latest test drive with the newest cars revealed rather dramatic improvements over the earlier 67% calibration version I test drove nearly a year ago. I found it much more refined; smoother, faster, and quieter. The screens are vivid, intuitive, and full of fun and useful information. Shifting the lever, switching between sport and normal mode, and capacitive button pressing were all more precise and crisp. Handling was improved as well; engineers explained that the whole rear suspension was upgraded.
I even thought the doors felt more solid and closed with a definitive thud. There were the beginnings of attractive graining on the interior surfaces and the new smaller paddle shifter was markedly improved.
The Detroit Hammtramck plant is a massive and dramatic facility, and I toured the entire interior with my other co-members. We saw Volts under various stages of construction. I was struck with a sense of awe and pride at the great and important American manufacturing taking place there.
I hope to roll out some new interesting information over the next few days that I found during my trip.
I am also scheduled to go back on October 11th when GM themselves will lay bare the details of how the drivetrain truly operates, finally answering burning questions about the transmission and whether at any point the engine can turn the driveshaft (they still say no).
We were also told the EPA is currently testing the Volt and should have some final fuel efficiency values shortly, along with an official sticker, prior to launch.
And for those who are near me in the NY/NJ area we will be planning one or more meet-ups.
Thank you all for your congratulations and well wishes. I am humbled and honored at this great opportunity.
And for those of you who want to get your own test drive, GM is about to launch the Volt Unplugged nationwide tour. Beginning on October 9th, GM will be bring Chevy Volts on a 12 city, six week, cross-country tour including demonstrations discussions with engineers and most importantly test drives.
The tour will stop as follows:
• Oct. 9 and 10 – Seattle
• Oct. 13 and 14 – San Francisco
• Oct. 16 – 18 – Los Angeles
• Oct. 20 – San Diego
• Oct. 22 and 23 – San Antonio
• Oct. 24 and 25 – Houston
• Oct. 28 and 29 – Miami
• Oct. 29 and 30 – Washington D.C.
• Oct. 30 – Orlando • Nov. 1 – Raleigh
• Nov. 5 – 7 – New York City
• Nov. 18 – 20 – Chicago
This entry was posted on Thursday, September 30th, 2010 at 6:00 am and is filed under Volt Nation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:16 am)Wow. Lots of information. Houston looks good for a day trip!
“..scheduled to go back on October 11th when GM themselves will lay bare the details of how the drivetrain truly operates..”
This is the sentence that struck me as very important. This will validate the post about the transmission patent from a couple days ago.
We got a guy on the inside now! Keep the info coming Lyle!
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:23 am)Sent in the application for the L.A. demo drive. Hope to hear back with an affirm soon. Lyle, your description of the recent Volt demo validates a prior comment from GM, “The lag you feel off the line will be gone”.
=D-Volt
+4
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:33 am)Smiling…It has been a long journey…
Soon the auto enthusiast mag reviews of production Volts will be showing up, the public will begin seeing them on the roads, and the debates will continue about which forms of electrically supported auto transportation are best.
So the slow movement away from oil takes another step…Volt and Leaf could be the jolt that quickens that pace
Well done GM, well done Lyle.
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:38 am)Great Job, Lyle! I’m glad GM has recognized your efforts. I hope they let you keep your Volt.
I signed up for the DC test drive, but let us know when we can meet up with you in NY.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:55 am)That all looks great for Lyle and people who live on the perimeter of the country, but it puts me a minimum 10 hour drive away from a test drive. I’m bummed… Oh well, back to waiting 2 more years for mine.
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:56 am)This is great news!!!
So it looks to me like we will have all of our questions answered in the next 30 days. I am giving Lyle a week to figure out everything and report it back to us……
Lyle:
Why don’t you start a “Questions” thread? This way, those of us that will not be able to get a Volt for another year or so can get answers to what we are most curious about. And it will give you plenty of things to write about for the site.
Just a suggestion.
NPNS
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:58 am)RB– Where do you live in NC? I registered yesteday and plan to drive the 110 miles to Raleigh.
The whole registration process is not very reassuring. It looks like GM will have a lot of models on this tour and is pushing them as much as the Volt. Nothing spoke specifically of test driving the Volt. After I registered the confirmation e-mail gave no indication that I would for sure get a Volt a test drive – i.e. a time slot etc. I’m wary but hopeful.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:04 am)Too bad they don’t come to Canada…
Go Volt!
+7
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:10 am)“I was struck with a sense of awe and pride at the great and important American manufacturing taking place there.”
+10 to you Lyle!
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:18 am)I see on that map of the Volt unplugged tour, as it goes from new york to Chicago on interstate 80 in Ohio they’ll be driving within a mile of my home. Oh well, maybe in a year or so I’ll be able to drive one and make my final choice between the Volt and the Leaf.
I gave my contact info to my local chevy dealer who does not have a list, but said they will be training their mechanics early in 2011 on Volt maintenance. They said in case a Volt driving through town needed service they’d have to service it. But yet they don’t have an official list yet, but when they do I’m on top of the list. Of course I’m also on top of the Leaf list whenever thats available in Ohio.
Because the Leaf will eventually be built in Tennessee, the made in America is a wash. The choice for me is mostly which car can i drive the most yearly AER (the Volt requires a daytime charge that the Leaf probably won’t most days). The one advantage the Volt hopefully will have is a highway 50mpg in CS mode so I can also take it out of town.
-7
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:19 am)Or more precisely invalidate.
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:32 am)Lyle,
I’m gonna be outta town during the Test drive in NYC on Nov 5-7…..
Any chance your gonna do a local meet & greet when you get yours. I could meet you at the Fireside Grill by your job…. Lunch is on me!
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:38 am)Interesting that the stop in NC (Raleigh) is shown as a dot on Lyle’s map and an entry on Lyle’s list, sort of, but is not listed on the registration drop-down box, which moves directly from Orlando to DC.
I trust gm has not come to imagine that NC is a suburb of DC.
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:40 am)I’m interested in getting my own test drive in one of the chosen cities. My question is: when and where can I get more info on this?
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:42 am)SWEET!!
join thE REVolution
-2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:43 am)Lyle, you’ve got a few howlers of typos in there — “discompusure”, “who”, maybe more. But you also misuse “paddle shifter”; I seriously doubt that the Volt has paddle shifters, which are flat paddles mounted on the back of the steering wheel for discrete up- and down-shifts; introduced in race cars years ago, they’ve started appearing in production cars more recently, but only in multi-gear ICE cars. Here’s a picture from a Lamborghini: http://www.italiancar.net/images/scaglietti_interior2_lg.jpg . Just call it a shifter.
Pretty much the entire forum section serves as that already. And Lyle won’t be hurting for questions to answer for a looong time.
Of course the site DOES speak specifically of test driving the Volt — for one, look at the URL. You just haven’t received your time slot yet. Sheesh.
Did you actually get a confirmation EMAIL, or just the web page confirm after you submitted the form? As of last night nobody had received any emails, so I expect there’s a human in the middle working the logistics.
Huh. It showed Raleigh for me yesterday, because I registered for it (no email confirm yet though). Maybe that site has already filled up!
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:45 am)Do you think Raleigh is the first location to get their spots completely filled? If that’s the case, for the first time on GM_Volt I’ll say GM, take note.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:55 am)Lyle,
I am still wondering how perceptive the ‘average’ motorist will be in realizing you are driving a revolutionary car when you pull into a public space.
Afterall, the Volt does not stand out visually the way a Prius did when it was first introduced a decade ago.
I seem to remember GM was in fact looking for a design that would fit into the mainstream(unlike the unveiling–which more importantly had aerodynamic issues), but that being said–I would be curious if aficianados on this site really think ‘John Q. Public’ is going to turn his head at this car.
So, I’m kind of wondering if perhaps GM as well as individual owners who are on a mission to ‘sell’ this car might want to stencil ‘electric car’ somewhere on a body panel? Subtly of course, but visible nonetheless.
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:57 am)Wow that’s great news! The roll out and information flow is heating up! Wish GM would stop here in Phoenix for test drives. Unfortunately I’ll be on vacation in the wrong part of the country when they are in LA and San Diego.
Maybe GM could spring for Volt T-shirts for all of us dedicated fans here on the list? Great advertising opportunity for them in my opinion.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:57 am)“And for those who are near me in the NY/NJ area we will be planning one or more meet-ups.”
That’s great news Lyle! Has GM said anything about letting others drive your loaner? I know of a big parking lot behind a Super Wal-Mart in North Bergen, NJ that gets no use, which would be a great place to “meet-up”! One thing I’d like you to test for me when you get the Volt is whether or not it creeps back going uphill if the your foot is off the break and not on the accelerator. The scenario is like when you’re stopped at a red light on a steep incline, when you take your foot off the break some cars will creep back more than others. Most test drives are on flat terrain so it will be next to impossible to experience on a short test drive.
Thanks.
NPNS!
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:01 am)Lyle, How truly wonderful! I’m really impressed with the way GM is handling the rollout, especially your massive involvement that will trickle down to all of us. Thank you so much as we eagerly await yor reports back on daily driving experiences. Go Volt!
+4
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:04 am)I think these Volt Consumer Advisory Board members should all agree to give rides to stranded Leaf owners whenever they see them standing by their cars on the side of the road.
You know, just to be nice.
+24
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:11 am)Lyle – I’m not sure how you do it – but your AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE EFFORT over the past few years is greatly appreciated by all who have visited this site. You deserve all the good things coming your way – and we look forward to continuing to learn more and more about the VOLT as you peel back the layers surrounding it!
+7
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:29 am)Just keep this in mind..
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:31 am)Miami Oct 29th….Bummer…I fly out to Vegas for my daughters wedding on the 28th and will miss the ride and drive entirely. I will have to wait until March for my official Volt smile. Lyle plan on visiting Southwest Florida on Vacation this fall in your Volt? Call me.
Take Care,
TED
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:33 am)GM Informational alert
Everyone who wants a test ride in Raleigh, but can’t register, please post a response.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:34 am)I heard from my local Chevy, sorry Chevrolet, dealer that something like 80% of the car parts are produced in Ohio. To bad there are no stops here. Oh Well, the dealer said he will have one next year for customer test drives. I will catch a ride then.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:41 am)>> I am also scheduled to go back on October 11th when
>> GM themselves will lay bare the details of how the drivetrain
>> truly operates, finally answering burning questions about the
>> transmission and whether at any point the engine can turn
>> the driveshaft (they still say no).
This is huge! It’s gonna be a looooong two weeks waiting for this!
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:42 am)OT, but interesting and related:
http://business-journal.com/delphi-works-on-wireless-charging-for-cars-p17574-1.htm
If they can really get this to work, it will take out the last item on the naysayers’ list: “It is such a chore to have to plug in the car every night…..”
Sure wish that GM had some test drives in Ohio!!!!!!
NPNS
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:51 am)Have they chosen a ‘Spokesperson’ or Slogan for the Volt yet? When does the real advertising blitz start?
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:53 am)Still 1000+ miles away from me. Why is the whole middle of the country ignored? Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Both Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas Olkahoma…. Too many to list, but I think you get the point… Oh, I know.. Maybe it’s because, there’s nobody there who wants an EV.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:58 am)Or more generally, validate can either be “not validated” or “validated”.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:59 am)The map shows Orlando, but the schedule doesn’t show a date for Orlando, just Miami. What is the deal?
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:02 am)I got an ack email right away early this morning.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:02 am)Excellent job Lyle !!
I am looking forward to a wealth of information on the Volt… I will not see one in my area (Central Alberta Canada) till 2013 or 2014 but am going to be fully prepared when I order it.
(Probably have the teach the salesperson at the dealership on how everything works) (:-)
Ray
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:04 am)You gave em too many good choices.
Take Care,
TED
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:06 am)In general, any shifter that uses an electronic mechanism is a paddle shifter. Although, we call the console mounted ones ‘slap shifter’ or other terms.
Give Lyle a break already. He’s a Doctor not a Mechanic, Jim.
/”A semi-automatic transmission (also known as clutchless manual transmission, automated manual transmission, flappy-paddle gearbox, or paddle shift gearbox) is a system which uses electronic sensors, processors and actuators to execute gear shifts on the command of the driver.”
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:12 am)I can feel it.
+4
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:12 am)It’s a shift lever.
It is (or was, until its recent redesign anyway) very paddle-like in shape.
Hence, “paddle shifter.”
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:26 am)I dunno. My car has them. I’m never used them but they are definitely there. In fact about a week ago, in the mountains, I was thinking I should probably check out the owners manual. LOL
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:30 am)One interesting thing is that I’m liking the marketing a lot more. The advisory panel is a great idea, and the demo rides — if that’s what they turn out to be — are also a good idea. Not sure if this reflects some new ideas from new people or not, but for the first time there are some glimmers of hope for those wanting the Volt to succeed that GM will be able to effectively market this car.
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:32 am)HaHaHaHaHa!!!
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:36 am)I’m still going with “Because Grandmother’s house is over the river and through the woods” for the range anxiety spot and the “I’m getting lonely over here” for a more sophisticated spot highlighting the high MPG you can get. Testimonials from real people are also good, especially if they’re targeted correctly. The Advisory Board may give them some material in this regard.
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:36 am)Hey Ted – If you could return thru Orlando w/ a brief stopover Sat Oct 30 I’ll be happy to meet you & take you to the Orlando test drive where I’m already registered then back to the airport.
My map has Orlando on Oct 30
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:43 am)(deleted)
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:44 am)I got signed up for Seattle last night! Woo hoo !
I’m hoping to take at least a few of my daughter’s classmates from her 7th-8th grade class at a small Catholic school. Some of them hardly ever get to leave town. I would like to show them history in the making !
When I get back, I’m going to give a community ed presentation at the local branch campus of our community college (College of the Redwoods), where I’m a maintenance worker. Everybodys almost as excited as I am ‘cos I’ve been jabbering about this car for over 2 years.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:44 am)Lyle and other test drivers,
I have seen very little discussion about how well the Volt cruise control feature will work. With the sophisticated software controls that should be available, the Volt under cruise control should be able to cruise up and down fairly steep hills and maintain speed control within +- 2mph.
Much tighter speed control of the Volt should be possible, unlike the cruise control feature with an ICE. Please report on how well this feature works.
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:47 am)I personally don’t think the Leaf is an all weather car. Obviously it will be better with the cold weather package, which is still unannounced, but I’d still have some doubts about the range in cold weather. It could easily end up under 50 miles during the winter near the end of the warranty.
If you’re driving it 20 miles a day then this wouldn’t be an issue, but I don’t think I’d take the chance if I expected to regularly go over 50 miles on a daily basis and lived where you could get some real doses of winter. Where I am this is not an issue — rarely gets into the 40s — so perhaps I’m over-reacting. But when you look at the expected degradation of the battery and the reduced range in winter, especially given the energy demands of the heater, you have to question how well a 24 kWh pack will work out.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:49 am)Suggestion: Put your ideas in a slide-deck on your site. It’d be cool to be able to go back and see them once in a while without searching the forum. Plus, you’d get more site traffic.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:52 am)Way to pass right by Portland GM. I mean, you have to actually pass RIGHT through it on your way to San Francisco.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:55 am)Lyle, the times are getting more exciting for you. We the readers will be glued to your Volt trial experiences.
I am trying to pay of my solar array as fast as possible, so I can go from a deposit to ownership as fast as possible.
CS mode thoughts. 44 Miles a day ~ 35 on electric (It will be the Wife’s Car and I see the MPG diff when she drives my Hybrid) ~ 9 on gas ~ 9*5 = 45/32 = 1.40625 Gal a week.
8*5 = 40KW a week @0.17 = $6.80
. And this is not counting on my Electricity being free do to my Solar array.
1.5 * $3.00 = 4.50
$11.30 a week for her to go to work compared to approx $35 currently. The Numbers work for me
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:58 am)I’m with ya on this one.
That’s why I voted 150 miles on Tom’s op/ed a couple days ago. The expected range on EV’s under varying conditions is a large swing in performance.
Even in Texas, the land of 69 contiguous days above 100 degrees, we got 12″ of snow one day last winter. (Of course the entire metroplex was closed, so, ya really couldn’t go anywhere.)
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:00 am)Better rear suspension and no lag off the line. So GM is allowing the $41 k Volt to embarrass a $1,700 k Bugatti Veyron full gasser, which can never have maximum torque at 0 rpm, off the line cold start for a good distance (maybe enough to beat one to the stop sign at the end of the block, stop, beat it again for the next block, repeat ad nauseum). Nice. Here’s a list of other full gasser cars that are deficient in an off the line cold start compared to the Volt:
http://www.thesupercars.org/top-cars/most-expensive-cars-in-the-world-top-10-list-2007-2008/
Sure, they all get to 60 mph faster and have higher top speeds, but in daily commutes, gridlock, rush hour, and with in-town speed limits, other traffic, stop signs, red lights and turns, it’s off the line torque that really matters, especially once you get in front. Having to make a full gasser engine shriek and bellow in pain in advance simply to try to compete with something else that’s at 0 rpm is whole lotta ICE fail in my book.
The doors sound too heavy – they should move with minimal input from users and close with a click or less sound, not a thud like you’re hurling an asphalt filled lead ingot edged in rubber. Although I do understand that American consumers have been trained by domestic manufacturers and dealerships to SLAM their doors to get them to close due to poor fit in domestic products in prior decades. Nice that Volvo has figured out how to have the body panels (eventually going to a blended monocoque) BE the power pack for weight and packaging savings and use a liquid fuel heating and cooling system to minimize hammering on power pack efficiency. Like I’ve said before, vehicle manufacturers have still not even scatched the surface of what’s possible with configurations that include electric drive. And yes, that’s AFTER considering the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid and the Merecedes Benz diesel electric pickup truck, both of which are plug ins.
Never mind all that – the Volt is brilliant in it’s own regard for this year’s release, without having to diss anything else coming out (that makes it sound insecure). Now GM can make gen II and III take our breath away on price, utility, lightness, efficiency, renewable domestic energy (CNG biogas (landfills, farms) blend, E-85 to E-100, B-20 to B-00 biodiesel, etc.), etc.. Sure, they can do a multi-fuel micro-turbine for range extender quietness if they can do ‘em real cheap. Last, every single gasser remaining in the GM stables oughta have weight reduction, stop/start hybrid tech, fuel injection, a tall cruising gear, be at least E-20 compatible and have increased interior space utility and perception as their bone stock minimum standard.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:02 am)Yes someone at GM must really hate Portland.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:07 am)Depends on the ICE. Mine has 340bhp and 390lb-ft torque. It walks up hills in 5th gear no problem
.
If I set it on 83mph, it goes 83mph and varies very little. The Missouri State Police can testify to this (again).
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:21 am)No test stop in Michigan, eh? Too bad!!
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:22 am)I don’t care who ya are, that’s some high-quality descriptive imagery right there.
+1 for this reason, AND for the rest of the post.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:35 am)GM must have had 10,000 hits on the L.A. demo drives. No word back.
=D-Volt
http://garfwod.250free.com/12009/Volt_GratefulDead.mp3
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:39 am)Or there’s nobody there.
Just kidding, but you have to admit the map is similar.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:40 am)Would be interesting to see a map of the states where the participants in the Volt Consumer Advisory Board reside too, just for curiousity.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:40 am)Loboc #55
How well does your car’s cruise control control speed coming down a steep hill? I have never seen a cruise control with an ICE do very well on the downhill side, i.e. control speed with +2mph. I hope GM is using the regen braking for good speed control on the downhill side, and they should have the torque to also control the speed on the uphill side.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:47 am)Grrr…I’ll try this image one more time.
-2
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:50 am)So other than a schedule of events, nothing new?
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:06 am)Very good to see people being educated about industry. I’m sure you noticed the thousands of people working at the manufacturing plant. AND this plant is paying US taxes and paying a decent wage… and bringing millions INTO our economy… unlike the transplants from our “friends” who keep us out.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:07 am)Of course, it doesn’t FEEL or SOUND like you’re beating a full gasser supercar in a Volt because you have luxury quiet and complete smoothness while beating it that no full gasser ever can or will have. I guess that makes full gassers doubly deficient.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:08 am)Hmmm, 3 months with someone elses Volt. This opportunity could lead to a “Top Gear” kinda version of a video or documentary?
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:14 am)Congrats, Lyle, but it’s a shame you probably won’t have the Volt long enough to determine its mileage in CS mode. I imagine there will be quite a line of people waiting for test drives, so each test drive may be short.
The mileage in CS mode is the final thing I am waiting on before committing to buy a Volt. I don’t make a purchase unless I have all the facts. As a full-time grump, and a professional pessimist, I wonder why GM is hiding such important information at this late stage of the game. Barely two months before the Volt’s launch date, I still don’t have the facts from GM.
And please, Don C and company, no guesses or bar napkin estimates of the CS mileage – I want to hear it from GM officially before I commit to make a purchase.
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:22 am)Maybe it is as simple as withholding info so that they have enough to release through the launch of the car. Even just the past 2 days the # of tweets about the Volt went up significantly based on the stories about the CAB, and the test drives at the Texas State Fair. I’m sure they have a whole marketing schedule planned out.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:23 am)To all the people in flyover land patience is a virtue. It really is a good thing to get the next-generation Volt . No matter how hard they try there are going to be flaws both mechanical and electrical in the first production run if by some miracle GM produces a flawless car it would be the first time in the history of automaking. It is also great news that the waiting list for the Volt as of today is two years out. I think after the launch of the Volt there could be a 3 to 4 year waiting list even with ramped up production. I still say 1 million Erev and EV vehicles on the road by 2015 and 1 million more added to the roads every year thereafter just in the United States of America. It’s so nice to have Lyle walking through an American company and feelings of pride this is something I have not witnessed in a couple of years now. I’d be remiss if I didn’t go back a couple of years as every other post mentioned the words “This vehicle is a game changer!” Pretty soon we’ll all be yelling let the games begin,,, OPEC your days are numbered slowly at first Middle East oil will not be a problem anymore for my child and yours.
Off-topic I found a way to get cheap solar panels with one small catch. You have two build your own solar panel frame. The average cost per watt for solar panels is $3.50 a watt making it very expensive to supplement or grid tie your house. But solar companies like any other company offers 6 x 6″ or 3 x 6” individual panel that have small nick’s or scratches in the glass they can only ship the flawless panels to manufacturers to be put in larger arrays there is nothing wrong with the scratched or chipped glass panel they still produce the same voltage as the flawless one. The price difference is very substantial I’ve seen it as low as $.35 a watt thus making a 1000 k watt panels for $350. At this price it would make it very affordable to add solar panels to your house with great tie-in and hopefully run your brand-new Chevy volt with renewable energy. You can get these factory second solar chips from eBay go to home improvement and search the hundreds of solar panel options. You can go to YouTube and get step-by-step instructions on how to build and wiring for both building the solar panel and grid tie into your house. Good luck and best wishes
+22
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:30 am)My first Test DRIVE!!
I did it!!! My first time in a VOLT happened this morning at 07:30am. The experience was amazing. When we started out there was 6 km left on the battery. The chap that lent us the car had taken it home the previous night and charged it up. Fortunately (or unfortunately) his commute to work is about 65 km, so as I said there was 6 km left on the battery. When I say test drive, I mean TEST DRIVE the whole trip lasted a little under an hour. We started our trip by taking it directly onto the highway. The acceleration was impressive. No problem getting 100km/hr before we reached the end of the onramp. During our trip on the highway we selected “Sport Mode”, almost immediately the engine kicked in and provided extra power as we took off past cars and trucks accelerating up 130km/hr. We got off the highway after a few minutes and then it happened the battery ICON switched places on the display with the Blue gas tank and the engine turned on. We where now in charge sustain mode. It was rather anti-climatic, real seamless. At that point we switched it back to Normal mode by selecting the power mode button directly above the Blue power on button. When we pulled up to the stop sign the engine was running at a low rev and after about 15 seconds it shut off. When the light went green we pulled away on battery and then the engine turned back on. The rev’s on the engine seemed to match our speed. Everything seem pretty normal, we drove around town stop start , stop start with the light regen kicking in every time you lift your off the accelerator. Most of the time the engine shut off at stop lights letting us pull away on battery for 20 or 30 meters. On our way back to exchange a person we selected “Mountain Mode”. We were thinking that the next test driver would like to experience battery mode. Since we had depleted the battery we thought maybe “Mountain Mode” would put some juice back into the battery. Almost immediately the engine turned on and started pumping energy into the battery. The engine was rev’ing at a significant RPM, it felt like 3000 rpm or close to it. Even when we pulled up to pick up the next passenger the engine was humming away at approx 1500RPM. To our surprise when we pulled away after switching it back to normal mode our 10 minute stint in Mountain mode had built up 15 KM range on the battery. WOW we were all impressed. The ride was great the acceleration was better than expected considering the combined weight of the four of us was close to 900lbs. All I can say is, I’m going again the first chance I get!
-1
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:35 am)@83mph the engine is running at ~3,000rpm, so, a downhill grade is handled by engine braking and aerodynamic resistance. It’s a big car (Magnum. Same size as a 300C.), so, it pushes a lot of air.
My other car, a V-6 Impala LT, doesn’t gain or lose speed under cruise control either. Although, it does downshift to hold speed if the hill is steep (going up, not down).
Both cars at highway speeds (above 60) push so much air that they can’t really coast (gain speed) down a hill. I don’t drive pikes peak regularly though. Biggest hills I drive are in the Ozarks. Not really mountains like Pennsylvania or Colorado.
Older vehicles (like my family’s 1972 Winnebego) had a much different setup. It couldn’t hold speed even if you held the pedal to the floor! Plus, it had a carburetor and manual cruise control. Not the fancy electronic stuff we have now. If it was within 5mph +/-, you were lucky.
I’m sure there are some cars that can’t hold the cruise speed steady and there are probably some where the speed control is set up to maximize mpg (don’t accelerate up hill and do coast downhill). I don’t generally own or drive high mpg or low-power cars.
It really doesn’t matter. This is about the Volt and a question about Volt’s cruise control should be on ‘the list’.
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:38 am)FME III — I live in Orange county between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill. If you’d like to coordinate, send and email to Lyle and ask him to forward to me.
+6
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:40 am)Well, well, well….. the tortoise passes the tired hare. All the past complaints about GM’s low profile in marketing the Volt while Nissan was loudly beating their drums and shaking their tambourines with the LEAF… nothing but meaningless now.
Let the music now begin; prepare for the curtain to sweep aside – the time for the Volt is upon us!
I’ve sent my app for San Francisco which happily is one of the first stops – only two weeks away! Yahoooo!!!!!!
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:41 am)On the list as of now, Raleigh does not appear. List shows Orlando to Washington to NY.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:42 am)Bintoo , great post , What Country was your test drive in ?
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:49 am)So where in Miami will you be? Are you passing thru Boca Raton?
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:11 pm)Canada Eh! Oshawa, On.
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:16 pm)Very cool. Lots of interesting info. Thanks for sharing.
I guaranteed you got to go faster than anyone on the test drives will!
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:17 pm)Nasaman:
Sorry I will be gone for 4 days and my daughter is getting married on Saturday. I won’t be home until late Monday night. Enjoy your ride and send me a picture of the Volt smile via email or facebook.
Take Care,
TED
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:20 pm)Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I guess a grump would need to ruin all of our fun. LOL BTW why don’t you think three months is long enough for Lyle to get an idea about MPG in CS Mode?
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:21 pm)OT: The electrics are coming. Nissan delivered their first leaf today to Lance Armstong, can not really say it is to the public, but someone in the public owns one.
http://nissan-leaf.net/2010/09/30/lance-armstrong-takes-delivery-of-first-leaf/
+4
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:25 pm)The VOLT Unplugged Tour and Lyle’s consumer group have implications beyond VOLT. Today & tomorrow Paris Auto Show opens. Here, if reports are accurate, by showing the most EV variant models, GM will be making a milestone statement in support of its commitment to electric propulsion.
The VOLT tour should have been divided into regional. Far too much for one small group to undertake. By the time they reach Texas they’ll just be burned out. (And catch main street USA)
Lyle: I must say today is a five-star posting. An outstanding report! You’ve earned the VIP accommodations GM has bestowed on your group.
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:28 pm)So the gas engine came on in Sport Mode? I didn’t expect that. Was the car still in Charge Depletion mode when that happened?
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:38 pm)Whoa! They have test drives? Is there any restriction, time-frame, or registration? I’m going this weekend.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:42 pm)I am not aware of cold weather package, but my plan if I didn’t get a Volt, was to get a Leaf, but to lease for 3 years so I’m not impacted by battery degradation that will certainly occur since the Leaf uses what 20 of available 24 kwh. I’ll also charge during the day as needed.
I do live in northern Ohio with cold winters, but am hoping winter cold won’t change the range from 100 down to 50 miles. Wouldn’t the Volt be similarly impacted dropping range from 40 to 20 miles.
Work Place Charge stations are certainly the key to extending AER in any of these vehicles. This is what will really bring these cars into the mainstream. It isn’t just range anxiety but maximizing AER that will make EREV/BEVs the future. But its the chicken and egg scenario, what comes first, EVs or workplace charge stations.
Being able to charge at work whatever you need to safely return to your home charging station will be the key to mass adoption.
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:47 pm)Count me in as another Raleigh person who wants to do the event even though it doesn’t show up on the list!
Sep 30th, 2010 (12:56 pm)The cold weather package is for the comfort of the passengers, heated seats, steering wheel and extra air conditioning ducts to the rear of the car..
I am fairly sure the LEAF’s battery pack will have electric heating elements built in, they are inexpensive and take up no room. The pack will be preconditioned while charging.
The problem will be after you leave your warm garage, the battery pack is probably not insulated (but perhaps it is) and will quickly get cold.
-17
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:01 pm)(click to show comment)
+6
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:07 pm)Thought for the Day:
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:11 pm)As the countdown to launch day progresses more pieces of the puzzle are found.
Looks like GM marketing is getting it together in time for launch day.
Great job Lyle and we are looking forward to your in depth reports on the VOLT. :+}
-3
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:35 pm)I doubt that will happen.
GM has repeatedly downplayed the importance of CS mileage and has no incentive (other than a few of us crying about it) to publish a number or range of numbers. Their dis-incentive (people comparing 38mpg to 50mpg and such nonsense) is a much higher risk.
In the end, they will probably just tack up the eventual EPA numbers and call it good.
/In my opinion, raw CS mode mpg is not measurable since the battery, regen, and electric drive are always in play. GM may come out with a statement to that effect so that this CSmpg thing is put to bed. Or, they might just keep quiet.
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:38 pm)It could simply be a coincidence but I think it likely that “Sport Mode” does something similar to “Mountain Mode” and increases the minimum charge to be maintained in the battery. They were probably below that level at the time they hit the button.
I think it’s possible. If the Volt can manage 40 miles AER at 60mph, that’s a 12KW load, on average, presuming level terrain (or an equal number of hills and dales). The ICE and generator can supply up to 53KW, so running at a 24KW rate, it should be able to keep the car moving and add 1 mile of range per minute. Uphill at higher speeds (like, into the Rockies, West of Denver) with A/C, etc, and it might well need all 53KW to keep moving, in which case the battery would charge slowly, if at all.
-10
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:40 pm)(click to show comment)
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:44 pm)I basically agree with what you say, Loboc, except the last sentence. Although terrain, speed, local or freeway driving, etc will certainly affect CS mode mpg, it can still be measured —just as with a conventional car— by recording the miles driven to nearly empty the tank while in CS mode only and doing the math: (miles driven)/(gals used). I still expect it to average ~50mpg.
-3
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:52 pm)Did you actually see yesterdays post at best you are looking at 43 CS mpg. But that shouldn’t change your decision.
-12
Sep 30th, 2010 (1:55 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (2:03 pm)That’s right, GM: Completely bypass my State, and all those which border it except one (and this after closing your assembly plant here). What did the Deep South ever do to you? Are you really (as the map seems literally to indicate) going to ship the Volts from N. Carolina to Florida by sea in order to avoid trucking them down our Interstates? Or can fans post here the times and routes so that we can at least follow the trailers down the coast for a few minutes?
Perhaps you don’t think we’re smart enough to ‘get it.’ I’ll have anyone there know that the last time I mentioned the Volt, all but one person in the room had heard of it. We do know about more here than how to slop hogs.
It’s not like I didn’t get a Volt ride, but I had to fly to NYC.
Yes, I’m in therapy. Darned trolls.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (2:09 pm)Dobranoc from Poland. Wow.. so much happens when I don’t have time to be on here.
Lyle – just a quick one.. Sport Mode 0-60mph, I’d like a real time not some other reporters pseudo time.
Dziekuje,
Kdawg
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (2:20 pm)Off Topic:
On the new “Hawaii Five-O”, McGarrett drives a Chevy Camaro… Kono drives a Crystal Red Chevy Cruze… Chin-Ho is rumbling down the road on a Harley ‘bagger’… so Danno should get the Volt. Then he can sneak up on the bad guys in Electric Mode.
Sep 30th, 2010 (2:36 pm)GM stated the worst AER you would get is 25miles. Thats in the cold, going fast, with lots of start/stops, etc..
Sep 30th, 2010 (2:38 pm)Inevitable, but no less welcome. This oughtta put a bite in the supercar performance list when produced. The only question is price.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/09/turbine-electric_jag
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:08 pm)Me too. I have 50-52mpg spot in the poll in engineering.
What I meant was that it will be like a hybrid somewhat. Electrons will move in and out of the battery which means that you won’t know exactly which electrons are made by regen and which ones are made by the generator.
Since the generator runs at a set of rpms, there will be some conversions when the motor is not calling for the exact power the generator is producing. This will cause battery charging rather than direct generator to motor. There will be some exact mph where the two will sync. (I have read that this is 50mph.)
All this makes me say that the ‘raw’ CS mode will not be measurable because of all these interactions.
Although, at a steady state (flat road, speed controlled), I suppose it won’t matter. At that point it will be a serial hybrid and we’ll get what we get. Hopefully a well-funded car mag will throw it on a dyno.
/This CS mode crap is just that. I doesn’t matter in the real world.
/I’m probably over-thinking it.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:11 pm)Well don’t give it to McGyver. I can just see him tapping into the high-voltage DC to do some crazy thing like jump-start a Cray.
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:15 pm)Just give them names and call the roll …
Sorry, couldn’t resist
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:20 pm)When you consider the possibility of a second charge at your work place, you may find that you can get 2×40=80 miles AER per day; that ‘s is very close to what the leaf will give on average.
And you won’t have any worry about range anxiety. Just something to think about.
Happy trails to you ’til we meet again.
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:24 pm)Is Raleigh, NC on Nov. 1 part of the tour?
Raleigh is listed on this page but it is not listed on the Registration Page.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:46 pm)Cruise control: Time to bash Toyota. Within three months of each other in 2008, I purchased a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Allegedly, cruise control should save us gas since we have a tendency to fluctuate too much in our manual control. Me being the cheapo, obsessive compulsive that I am (and also having focused on feedback control systems in my ME program), I have overanalyzed the productivity of cruise control to death. I have concluded:
1) GM makes GREAT cruise control. In the 2 mode Tahoe, the sweet spot is when you can go the fastest while still staying on 4 cylinders. As soon as you kick over to 8 cylinders, you watch instantaneous gas mileage fall off 3-4 mpg. I find that, in general, I cannot compete with cruise control with respect to staying in the sweet spot. And that goes for going up moderate hills (like an Interstate overpass), as well.
2) Toyota makes HORRIBLE cruise control. There is just too much lag before gain picks up. As such, the gas pedal ends up being floored by cruise control because it took too long to decide, “hey, I might need to give it some gas because the speed fell off too much.” I have learned to NEVER let Toyota’s cruise control take me up a hill.
And with that said, I stirred up the debate a few weeks ago. Then it was about jack rabbit starts. Harder acceleration means you go shorter distances with the same amount of fuel. (And no, I don’t want to debate it again; the reference links were previously posted). A hill presents the same thing to an engine as accelerating away from a stop light. The more you rely on maintaining constant speed up a hill (vs providing constant throttle and letting vehicle speed fall), the faster you deplete the battery. AER management in the Volt may require proactive behavior with respect to cruise control usage over hilly terrain. It will be even more of a challenge without engine noise. It will be very tempting to let the vehicle silently get you quickly up the hill, but the green efficiency ball on the dash may help you decide to not let cruise control do the task.
But back to item 1); if GM continues to provide cruise control of the caliber it has in the past, many may find, as you suppose, that their own throttle management stinks compared to electronic algorithms controlling an all electric engine. Can’t wait to see for myself. Although my closest location to test drive (in FLAT Florida) will not answer this question.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:50 pm)2010 Camaro = Home Run!
2010 Equinox = Home Run!
2011 Cruze = Home Run!
2011 Volt = Home Run!
2011 Camaro Convertible = Home Run! (and may arrive sooner than we think)
Is there any doubt GM is on a roll?!!!
Sep 30th, 2010 (3:59 pm)I’ll bet that sweetie tops out over $40k! She’s beautiful!
Sep 30th, 2010 (4:05 pm)The photo they sent to me came with this press release:
September 30, 2010
For Immediate Release
Opening Soon: 2011 Camaro Convertible
DETROIT – The 21st century rebirth of the Chevrolet Camaro opens a new chapter when the 2011 Camaro Convertible premieres at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on November 17.
The Camaro Convertible will arrive in Chevrolet showrooms in February 2011. Starting price will be $30,000, including $850 destination. (Full details will be released later this year.)
“The Convertible will make the all-new Camaro, already a smash-hit, even more desirable to a greater range of drivers,” says Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.
The Convertible model will be available in the same basic model offering as the Camaro Coupe. The standard model will have a 312-hp Direct Injection V6 engine featuring 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The SS model will feature the 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 426 hp. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard, with an optional six-speed automatic.
Camaro is America’s most popular sports car, seizing leadership in U.S. sales with the original coupe model that launched in spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. The right to purchase one of the first Convertibles was recently sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction for $205,000, with all proceeds donated to charity.
*******
Sep 30th, 2010 (4:31 pm)Yeah right. A regular Camaro ‘starts at’ 22,680. An SS/RS is 38,670 without the 21s and dropping a few other options.
An SS/RS convertible has got to be $44k or so. And add another $5k for 21″.
Just how many $40k Camaros do you sell? And the % at that vs a lower-end one.
This would show the folks that a $40k car is not outrageous. (I never thought it was, btw.)
Sep 30th, 2010 (4:37 pm)That’s cool, congrats to Lance on getting the first Leaf! Smart move by Nissan getting these into the hands of high profile people.
Sep 30th, 2010 (4:44 pm)It adds heated seats and a duct to the rear. Definitely needed where you live. Heating is a big issue for EVs. Plus cold weather kills range for a number of reasons — aero, tire resistance, drivetrain friction. The cold weather package will help with the former but not the latter.
Sep 30th, 2010 (4:46 pm)You mean pulse and glide?
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:23 pm)# 108 Corvette Guy,
The back seat of a Camaro looks to me like a perfect place to put some batteries for a Voltec drive train.
-6
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:29 pm)Get it looked at. My Toys remain within +/- .2mph, per the GPS, unless the hill is just too steep. And, unlike the situation with the Cruze, my stick Toyota has cruise. GM probably didn’t do “cruze” control because you need switches on the clutch and transmission to prevent runaway revs if you bury the clutch or knock the car out of gear; probably costs them an extra buck to do it and almost nobody buys a stick car anymore, anyway. They probably put the extra money into researching a kewl name for the car.
Of course, stick is the only way to get 40mpg in your Cruze (figures not yet up on the EPA site, though… probably needs “calibrating” to get there). So, for your $1800 or so, you get the 40mpg (maybe) and tough noogies on the “cruze” control… or lack thereof.
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:40 pm)I want to know output power for max genset efficiency at each RPM. I also want to be able to set cruise at a power level instead of a spead. I realize most people will probably want a speed setting and that is fine, I want that too. But, for cruising on the open road I’ld like to be able to set it in the 17KW – 22 KW range, whatever the genset max efficiency is in that range, and avoid any energy surplus going into the battery. Sure, speed will fluctuate more with this setting but it would be most efficient.
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:47 pm)I really can’t follow the second part of your discussion, but regarding the first- uh uh. This Highlander replaced a 2006. It did the same thing. As I said, I understand control systems. Toyota’s algorithm has too much delay. You missed the point. It is not how far off you ULTIMATELY get. By the time the Toyota has figured out it has to increase signal gain (throttle, in this case) to bring output back to desired value, the gain is excessive. Better to add small gain in closer proximity to detected variation from desired output. And I don’t know where you get your numbers from, but all three of my Toyota’s (in the last 3 years) were not even close to .2 mph on hills (even wimpy ones).
+2
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:48 pm)Lyle:
I can’t agree more with LeoK. Thank you Lyle for all your early morning and late night work. I’m pretty sure your work has has been a key to the creation of this car and the entire electric car industry.
Given how dedicated you have been to all the folks that read your blog, I can only imagine how you must treat your patients.
I’m supposed to be #1 on the wait list for a Volt at WV’s largest Chevy dealer. That would not have happened without this site.
Again, THANK YOU, sir.
WVhybrid
-6
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:51 pm)Wonder what high profile person will be the face of the Chevy Volt?
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (5:52 pm)I’d love this too, but I have never been acquainted with gain limiting cruise control. It should be easy, but most people (and therefore car makers follow suit) can only envision throttle control based on output signal (instead of input amplitude).
Hey GM guys, if you are reading this, there are at least two votes here for some creative thinking on cruise control.
-6
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:02 pm)“Let the music now begin; prepare for the curtain to sweep aside ”
Let’s Dance!!!!!!
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:09 pm)Here you go again with this…
…no.
I tried to previously discuss why my hybrids do better in hilly terrain and finally gave up trying to convince you of it and you kept coming back to PnG. Refer to both quote and response of item 121. While the background ‘feel’ of PnG is there, it has to do with required energy INPUT to obtain a desired output. You repeatedly kept refering back to my results with conservation of energy arguments. If you don’t try to fight gravity by insisting on constant velocity, you can let momentum work wonders for making it over the next hill (and yes, the engine shuts off part of the time in the case of hybrids). If you instead say that you will accept a limitation on input gain as an overide to required output signal, you, in essence, reduce acceleration when it costs the most- therefore increasing AER.
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:52 pm)#117 Koz said:
Sure, speed will fluctuate more with this setting but it would be most efficient.
I can hear the judge now, responding to that argument.
Sep 30th, 2010 (6:56 pm)120 Darpa
Lady Gaga would make me mortgage my house to buy a Volt, if the bank would do that.
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:12 pm)One interpretation of the locations where the tour stops is that these are places where the Volt is sold or soon will be. From that perspective, soon-to-be-added sites for Volt sales will be Miami, Orlando, and Chicago, all strong and sensible additions.
Raleigh was considered for the tour, maybe because the travel route from Orlando to Washington could come through Raleigh, but dropped because there may be at present no plan to sell cars there in the next year or so, and in that sense having the tour stop there would be a waste.
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:18 pm)At this point I have to wonder, who will be the first to report CS mpg?
GM said they will not, could it be the EPA will be first, Lyle said they would release the sticker before the Volt goes on sale. Or possibly could it be a member of the “Consumer Advisory Board”? I wonder if could even be the unknown 15th member of the board as referenced in the Motor Trend article?
http://wot.motortrend.com/6715752/auto-news/gm-puts-chevrolet-volt-customer-advisory-board-together-prior-to-launch/index.html
We were so far off on our collective guess on the price of the Volt, I wonder if we collectively are as far off for our guess for CS mpg?
Saving the best for last???
Ah, Who Is that Lyle Dennis guy again???
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:51 pm)Conceptually they’re the same thing. If the g’s equal the slope, accelerating on a level road uses the same energy as climbing a hill at constant speed. Similarly, decelerating on a level road is the same as coasting down a hill at constant speed. You may think they’re different but they’re not.
In both cases you’re just trying to run the engine at its most efficient speed. With the Prius you want something like a 6% grade up and a 2% grade down. The 6% grade runs the engine at its most efficient RPM, and the 2% downward slope lets the force of gravity overcome drag and friction so the engine stays off. On the other hand, if you went up a 2% grade and down a 6% grade you’d get much worse mileage.
Sep 30th, 2010 (7:59 pm)Nice map. Thank you for posting.l
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:07 pm)Not sure what you are talking about. No doubt you know about the Leaf tour, which has been public knowledge for some weeks, and which covers most all these same places, and more.
+3
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:11 pm)One of the important details we have not heard yet is how GM will deal with the issue of power fade.
The electric motor is capable of 149 hp while the generator can only put out 74 hp. We have never heard how GM will deal with this potentially unsafe condition (i.e. passing several cars on a 2 lane highway and hitting power fade about 1/2 way into the pass).
Speculation:
It is possible that the entire 149 hp is not available when operating in normal mode. GM may limit the power to something closer to 74 hp, thus eliminating the chance of having the power fade off drastically.
We already know that in sport mode there will be a bigger battery buffer to reduce/eliminate onset of power fade.
It’s possible that in sport mode you get the same kind of increased battery buffer to keep power fade at bay. This would be different, for example, from what Honda does with the CR-Z where in econ or normal mode full power is available — just the throttle mapping has changed.
The downside of this “handicapped normal mode” is that you have a bit of a split personality car , and that full power wouldn’t be available to you unless you punch a button.
/ a quick test would be to check 0 to 60 with full throttle (throttle mashed to floor) in normal mode and in sport mode (both in CD and in CS mode) if there’s a noticeable difference then you know it’s not just throttle mapping but indeed max power that changes when you hit the button.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:14 pm)http://garfwod.250free.com/Volt_LadyGaGa.mp3
=D-Volt
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:19 pm)Do we, though? AFAIK, we’ve been told that sport mode means only a remapping of the throttle.
And I don’t believe that the car “provided extra power” during Bintoo’s test drive (reported above in comment #70), rather that he mistook the new throttle behavior for extra power.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:24 pm)We had 900lbs of Canadian beef in the car and there was no power fade I saw. I’m sure it’s there but we were still very carefull. We were on a 6 lane highway (401). More to come on Mountain mode, this mode is Geek heaven! Lots to discuss.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:25 pm)I live in Raleigh. I’m completly bummed that it’s not on the list anymore.
HEY GM!!! HOW ‘BOUT SOME LOVE!!
I’d like to at least know where it will be held so I can go an watch. Would one of you folks that were able to register pass this info on?
Regards,
Neil
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:29 pm)Had a look at the CR-Z. What would be the back seat is a small cargo area. Small 4 cylinder ICE delivers 108 ft lb torque. NiMH battery hybrid system. The CR-Z is a little below the curve on technology. But a good first step for Honda toward lowering fuel consumption.
=D-Volt
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:30 pm)I want it to follow the car in front of me and match their velocity over terrain. Possibly close enough for mild drafting.
According to experiments on Myth Busters. You don’t have to be all that close to cause a 10% reduction in drag.
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:34 pm)GM is taking over my neighborhood. We have a new black Cadillac on one side of us. And a new silver Camaro SS on the other. The SS looks very muscular.
=D-Volt
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:46 pm)When the Camaro first came out, I sold 19 before I was moved into mostly Internet Marketing for 3 dealerships. About 50/50 on V6 and V8′s. Most V8 Camaro sales are in the upper 30′s before taxes. The V6′s end up just under $30,000… Most of the Silverado trucks are between $35-$45,000… So, yeah. Lots of people spend $40,000 these days on a vehicle. What they are not buying these days are $65-$75,000 Corvettes. Not like the old days.
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:50 pm)and now for something completely different…
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/g-m-building-electric-opels-for-vehicle-to-grid-test-in-germany/
+1
Sep 30th, 2010 (8:54 pm)Open letter to CorvetteGuy:
Dear CorvetteGuy,
Thank you for ruining my 3-year commitment to new eco-friendly, responsible transportation for the future. For years now, I’ve spent countless hours on this website lurking in the forums and reading all the cool technology development. Even though I live dead-center in the “NO VOLT FOR YOU!” part of the country, I placed my order with a dealer in Michigan who hopes he’ll get enough allocations to fill my order sometime next spring. Then tonight you shattered my dreams completely by posting that pic of a convertible Camaro. (… hold on a minute while I wipe drool off my keyboard… ) There’s no way I can afford a Volt too! I’m having a terrible time sticking with my green-hat ideals with that kind of temptation.
BTW: Just kidding
The Camaro still takes second place until it gets a Voltec drive system. Thanks for all you’ve contributed to this blog!
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:07 pm)After seeing stuey81_in_australia’s post yesterday about the Volt Unplugged tour, I signed up for the San Francisco stop and immediately got a confirmation email thanking me for registering and to bring my driver’s license to check in. No word on which date or time of the test drive, though. Hopefully they will be in touch soon with that information!
Very exciting!
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:09 pm)Thank you Lyle , that was an inspiring and assuring piece of writing. I really fell in love with Volt though I may not be able to put my hands on one in the near future because of my geographical location. Good wishes to all those lucky ones who are going to drive one
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:30 pm)Do you like rhetorical arguments or just reading your own writing? So you don’t extrapolate on the POINT of the discussion. Instead you debate semantics. Perusal of various hypermiling web sites divides strategies into ‘pulse and glide, ‘ridge riding’, ‘forced auto stop’, etc. Some of them validate your assertion and others conflict with it. According to http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/lifestylecleangreen/a/hyperpulsenglid.htm , the subheading states “Pulse and Glide: For Hybrids Only”. Until someone patents, trademarks or otherwise standardizes the meanings of these various techniques and starts teaching them in accredited curriculums, there is little point in caring what label you apply to the concept. Regardless, my point is NOT what you are translating it into. Again, go back to #121 and my original comment #107.
The good aspect of cruise control is to overcome the erratic nature of many people’s usage of the gas pedal. The bad aspect is its complete reliance on measured speed for determination of gas pedal placement. Until automotive engineers provide for more refined cruise control that accommodates input signal limitation, people should be aware that cruise control may cut AER if used on inclined planes.
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:42 pm)I make 1400 mile trips about a half dozen times a year. I draft more in the Highlander Hybrid than the Tahoe Hybrid. Because the Tahoe Hybrid lets me know when it goes from 4 cylinders to 8, I am very aware of when drafting is helping me- and when it is hurting me. It usually comes down to how well the trucker in front of me is driving. Unfortunately, if you had a cruise control that maintained distance, you would quickly realize that many times that guy in front of you accelerates at all the wrong times (like going up hills). That’s not to say it wouldn’t be a good idea- it would just require the driver to be more aware (and selective) of how well that guy in front of you is doing with his own driving.
Sep 30th, 2010 (9:55 pm)That should have read: “We already know that in ‘mountain mode’ there will be a bigger battery buffer to reduce/eliminate onset of power fade.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:03 pm)I know it’s OT, but things are a little slow tonite, so I read this article & noticed with interest that Opel put the charge port on the right rear. This makes NO sense because all Europeans but the Brits drive on the right just as we do, so the driver has to walk around back & to the other side of the car to connect it?!?! [Or perhaps there's another charge port on the left side?]
/Anyway, it’s my contribution of trivia for today.
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:12 pm)Wow only one city in the entire Northeast, the most densely populated area in the country. “Nationwide tour” my azz lol. Why is Raleigh on the list? I consider it out of place in that list, should be Atlanta, Philly, or Boston instead.
-5
Sep 30th, 2010 (10:47 pm)St Paul 10/15
Detroit 10/23
Seattle 10/27
Cincinnati 10/30
St Louis 11/03
Boston 11/06
Denver 11/07
Wash DC 11/12 & 11/13
Austin 11/12
Atlanta 11/17
NYC 11/19
Miami 11/24
Those are the locations & dates I can recall (12 of the 15) for what Toyota did with the launch of the new Prius back in 2003.
They provided the opportunity to take the car out for a spin through the city and out on the highway. It was a lot of fun!
Sep 30th, 2010 (11:55 pm)You more or less completely missed my original point, which was that it should be possible to implement a pulse and glide cruise control.
As for the fact that using cruise control on inclined planes “may” (or obviously may not) decrease AER, I was pointing out how to determine more specifically when your “may” condition would obtain. Since your reaction suggests you missed this completely, the answer was that, in the absence of freewheeling, the “may” condition will obtain for slopes deviating significantly from 2% and 40 MPG. At these speeds on the downhill, you’re essentially using no energy from the battery since you’re using the gravitational force to maintain a constant speed, overcoming drag and frictional forces. At these speeds on the uphills you’re not stressing the battery enough to invoke Peukert’s Law and the wh/mile are probably at a minimum.
Oct 1st, 2010 (12:03 am)Pulse or passive-variable regen on downgrades when using cruise control?
=D-Volt
Oct 1st, 2010 (12:08 am)I signed up in Houston and DC…Maybe I’ll get lucky and get both.
Oct 1st, 2010 (12:17 am)From Edmunds:
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is a midsize five-door hatchback sedan with seating for four.
Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, keyless ignition, remote ignition, automatic climate control, cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, six-way manual front seats, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, Bluetooth, OnStar, a navigation system with touchscreen, voice controls and real-time traffic, and a six-speaker Bose stereo with CD/DVD player, auxiliary audio jack, iPod/USB interface and 30GB of digital music storage.
The Premium Trim package adds leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats. The Rear Camera and Park Assist package adds a rearview camera and front and rear parking sensors.
=D-Volt
Oct 1st, 2010 (12:59 am)Nah, that was a different idea. I’m just saying that 2% grades are good for extending AER if you’re willing to go 40 MPH. At that speed you can go down a 2% slope without drawing any energy from the battery. You’re not recapturing anything using regen either, but overall that’s a good thing because regen is not 100% efficient.
Oct 1st, 2010 (1:02 am)Woo hoo! October 9th through the 10th for Seattle now I can see what a Volt really looks like. I may not know how to drive but I am excited that we are heading into a cleaner and healthier future and I do very much so want to see all car companies bring out there own cars to revolutionize the future of the electric car and I will see if they will post it in the Seattle Times so I can see what this baby really can do! Let’s get the Volt wheels on the road!
+1
Oct 1st, 2010 (1:11 am)In England they drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel on the car is on the right side because if the charger was on the left instead of the right then the British would have to go around the opposite side now you know why the charger is on the right instead of the left.
Oct 1st, 2010 (1:27 am)But the test is being done in germany, where they drive on the right side and sit on the left.
Oct 1st, 2010 (2:33 am)Huh? Not sure if your trying to say this would lead to speading or accidents but I disagree with both. Steady power out of the generator won’t increase risk anymore than “steady” velocity cruise control. The driver has “drive” either way.
Oct 1st, 2010 (4:55 am)158 Koz
I was talking about speeding tickets when cruising at or a few miles above the speed limit.
Oct 1st, 2010 (8:08 am)Sorry to say GM skipped large geographic areas of the country (namely mine) when it could have added a few more and made it fairly convenient for most people to go see the vehicle and possibly drive it. This is another “stone against the wall” and will lead me and others to believe GM does not really give a damn about “loyal” customers. Nissan is keeping in touch with me about the Leaf and now it appears it may just be the way I go. Or I will wait for another manufacturer to offer an alternative. I am just disappointed and not satisfied with GM at this point. I have the money for the Volt just sitting in my account waiting.
-2
Oct 1st, 2010 (12:13 pm)I live in fly-over country too, but do not take it personal. Luckily for me, our daughter is in Portland OR at college, so we have a ready-make excuse to visit her coincidentally when the LEAF is in town for test drives.
Oct 2nd, 2010 (10:10 am)I am still pushing an updated version of the vintage “See the USA, in your Chevrolet” jingle….
but I am not holding my breath….
Oct 4th, 2010 (2:56 pm)The venues for the first of the Volt UNPLUGGED events have been officially released
SEE YOU IN SEATTLE!!!
WopOnTour
**********************
Seattle – Oct. 9 and 10
Oct. 9 -10 a.m – 6 p.m.
Griot’s Garage Ride and Drive and Tour Kick-Off
333 S. 38th Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Oct. 10 – 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Volt Ride and Drive at Best Buy
19225 Alderwood Mall Pkwy
Lynnwood, WA 98036
San Francisco – Oct. 13 and 14
Oct. 14 – 12 -5 p.m.
Volt Ride and Drive
50 Moraga Ave.
San Francisco, CA 91429
Los Angeles – Oct. 16 – 18
Oct. 16 – 12 – 4 p.m.
Volt Ride and Drive at LA Fashion Weekend’s Public “Green” Show
Sunset Gower Studios1438 North Gower StreetSunset Gower Studios
1438 North Gower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Oct. 17 – 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Volt Ride and Drive at Best Buy
740 S Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA 90245
San Diego – Oct. 20
Oct. 20 – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Volt Ride and Drive at Center for Sustainable Energy
8690 Balboa Ave., Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123
Oct 4th, 2010 (9:48 pm)So, exactly what would it take to get them to slow down in Albuquerque on their way from San Diego to San Antonio?
Oct 5th, 2010 (11:55 am)Well, I don’t think I could be farther from a tour stop if I tried! 1,000 miles to Chicago! Guess the middle of the country can wait as it always does!
Oct 5th, 2010 (9:11 pm)See you in San Francisco!
Oct 5th, 2010 (9:12 pm)testing my profile picture
+1
Oct 6th, 2010 (9:54 am)I would love to drive one of these to see what all the hype is about. Looks like I have to wait a month.