The Chevrolet Volt went from concept to consumers driveways in just under four years. Though these four years may have seemed slow for those of us who waited the whole time, GM’s accomplishment is really very remarkable.
In the beginning the car was considered nothing more than vaporware, a PR exercise that would run on battery technology considered at the time immature and untested.
Not only did GM design, engineer, test, and build the Volt in under four years, the actual vehicle some of us are lucky enough to be driving is truly a blockbuster.
Electric car start-ups like Tesla, Think, Fisker, Coda and others face extensive hurdles trying to get their cars on the road. In fact the Fisker Karma still hasn’t reached production yet and the company just bumped its price to nearly 100K. Building and selling a great electric car from scratch just isn’t easy.
GM gives credit to its whirlwind success with the Volt to its long expertise engineering electric drivetrains. In particular the company said in a press release that learnings from the EV-1 electric car program, the 2-mode hybrid program, and the fuel cell Equinox program have proven invaluable in making the Volt a reality.
By using and utilizing highly developed components and substrates as the building blocks of the Volt GM engineers could focus on integration, packaging, and refinement. Despite its considerable complexity, this resulted in a well-honed and flawless end product.
“By adapting sub-systems such as the EV1-descended motors developed for the front-wheel drive hybrid system and electronically controlled brakes from the fuel cell Equinox, the engineers were able to focus more resources on the new lithium ion battery and overall vehicle integration,” said Volt lead engineer Andrew Farah. “A new drive system like this involves a lot of complex control software such as the regenerative brake blending which benefited from the Two-Mode hybrid development.”
Farah was a lead engineer in the EV-1 program as well and has been hard at work for over a year and a half on the next generation Volt.
The power electronics, traction motors, generators, and battery management systems developed for the earlier electric car programs were readily integrated into the Volt. Furthermore, GM expects to use the learnings from those programs and the Volt itself for future products. Those are envisioned as even more complex integrations of potentially multiple fuels sources and energy storage devices.
“In the future, vehicles will likely combine different energy systems including batteries, ultra capacitors and hydrogen fuel cells with common and scalable electric drives systems depending on regional and application needs,” said Daniel O’Connell, director of fuel cell commercialization.
Source (GM)
+28
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:06 am)There is simply no substitute for experience, especially when designing a breakthrough vehicle like the Volt. The day I was hired to lead the design effort on much of the data acquisition, command & control systems for NASA’a man-on-the-moon program, Apollo, I immediately realized the program was being led by people with the most experience in high-powered rockets —Dr Werner von Braun and many of his top engineers & scientists who decided to become AQmerican citizens after WWII. And I learned an enormous amount from them over the next many years working on that program.
+26
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:14 am)PS to post #1: It therefore came as no surprise that Andrew Farah, with his experience on the EV1, was made the Chief Engineer on the Volt —and what a great decision that was!!! President John Kennedy, in announcing the decision to put men on the moon withing 10 years was viewed by many as a reckless & irresponsible act —but Kennedy knew von Braun’s team had the necessary experience to pull it off!
And GM’s Bob Lutz (and others at the decision-making level) knew the same about Andrew Farah and his team. Congrats, Andrew! You took on what is often called GM’s “moon shot” and you pulled it off ON SCHEDULE!!!
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:14 am)I just can’t wait for GM to focus their experience on a high performance electric drive train. I’m thinking a performance car would not have to sacrifice any of it’s all electric range, and might even get better. While attracting a larger audience at the same time.
+17
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:19 am)How can i even post after that?
Merry Christmas
+9
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:23 am)Let’s face it, Americans do their best work when the chips are down. The Volt is a master piece of good engineering that is a big first step toward a cleaner environment, more American jobs, and less money and men going to the middle east to buy and protect our fuel sources.
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:25 am)Hay Lyle did you stop driving on the 19th or just stop the log?
Tom
+5
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:31 am)You said all that is needed today.
Merry Christmas to all.
And Lyle, thank you for all your great work!
+8
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:36 am)This is a great article, few realize that even while the EV1 was dead, the foundation for the Volt was still being laid if not by GM (through their efforts in small car refinement in the Cruze were being engineered, and all of the systems mentioned here in the article plus) but by LG Chem who began seriously working on Lithium Ion batteries long before the Volt’s inception which has given us extremely robust batteries, not to mention the general electrical engineering improvements such as MOSFETs, and HD touch screen which certainly make the Volt a lot easier to interface with. There’s even small things like Good Year’s low rolling resistance tires, and Bose’s low energy speakers that help squeeze out additional efficiency, or the smart phone movement that makes Volt that much easier to use. I don’t know if it would’ve been realistic to have such a complicated engine/motor/thermal management system back in the EV1 days. Remember the article about how the Volt’s 10 million lines of code vs a F35 Fighter Jet with 6 million lines of code? I think this video sums it up.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/32895.wss
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:58 am)“In the future, vehicles will likely combine different energy systems including batteries, ultra capacitors and hydrogen fuel cells with common and scalable electric drives systems depending on regional and application needs,” said Daniel O’Connell
“Ouch dude, get off my back and stand on your own” said Production Chevy Volt
+6
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:09 am)NOTE: I was unable to post in prior thread. So I will try this one (Arrrggg)
In response to DaveG, regarding keeping future Volt battery sized for 40 miles.
——————-
This is not a “One size fits all” number. This is a statistical number, and while it is a good starting point, it will not be the perfect number for everyone.
Allow the consumer to buy as much or as little battery as he/she needs based on his/her driving pattern. For someone who lives in the city and has lots of opportunity charging, 40 miles is probably way to much. For someone in the suburb who drives 100 miles round trip to work everyday, 40 miles is not enough.
We all know the $/Kw-hr is a expensive, and we only want to buy what we need. So, if they could provide battery size options in, say 5 KW-hr increments, then the consumer pays for what he/she needs, not what some statistician determined as the “right size for all”.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:13 am)Hey, I think that is what Statik said at the WPT!
Well, ok, Statik is from Canda…so never mind.
Merry Christmas!
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:18 am)Great article Lyle, but the mentioning of “Hydrogen” always brings out a lot of comments and posturing.
Maybe it will be overlooked for Christmas? (One can dream on Christmas Eve, right?).
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:30 am)Did little Danny O’Connell say Ultra Capacitors? Isn’t it about time for another non-announcment from Zenn & EEStor. Maybe they can drop one of those, “they might be working with GM” lines like they did about 18 months ago….. Dan said the words Ultra Capacitor. EEStor/Zenn dream about them… Therefore they are working together on it!
Merry Christmas!
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:34 am)Be well and Merry Christmas!,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get Enough VOLTEC Wheels On The Road!!
-18
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:46 am)(click to show comment)
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:52 am)So do you believe in Santa Claus?
You must be kind of a Joe Friday guy “The facts maam, just the facts”
Merry Christmas.
+5
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:53 am)Unforgettable, when first watching the video of the EV-1 and thinking, “I WANT ONE” with the frustration that they no longer existed. That only made the desire for an electric car far greater.
To imagine back then that GM would have pitched a perfect game with every score a home run to produce the Volt is amazing. But to do it while the ballpark was torn down and reconstructed is a miracle.
Hats off the engineers, staff, management at GM and all the subcontractors whos combined efforts made this miracle happen. May your dreams of future engineering excellence be blessed with the same success you are enjoying today.
Thank you Lyle, for bringing your vision into reality. Merry Christmas greetings to all. Enjoy the holiday weekend.
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:54 am)Exactly, all I would need is enough to be sure I can blow away any Audi, BMW or Mustang GT when desired. The rest of the time high, or infinite mpg would be fine.
+42
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:54 am)‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the town,
Not a exhaust pipe was smoking – be it black, gray or brown,
The junction boxes were hung in the garage with care,
In hopes that a Voltec soon would be there;
The drivers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of electrons danced in their heads;
And mamma in her Snuggie and the cat in my lap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the culdesac arose diesel clatter,
We sprang from Jay Leno to see what was the matter.
Away from the iPad without any flash,
I’d been on the net fretting today’s price of gas,
That $100 per barrel Big Oil told us was low,
And I spotted black oily stains cars had left on the snow.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a sleek midsized car it’s cord stored in the rear!
With a celebrity driver , so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his car hauler it came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, GM! now, Leaf! now, Tesla and Prius!
On, Miev! on, Fiesta! on, Fisker and Free Us!
To the top of the world! Top sales numbers will foil!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away OIL!
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the dealers the EVs they flew,
With the truck full of Volts, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard air brakes hoof,
The screeching and slowing of wheels on my roof,
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
Dressed in red Chevy garb, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were not tarnished with exhaust and soot;
A bundle of keyless remotes he had flung on his back,
And his red Chevy Volt had miles left on it’s pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled! his Volt Smile how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow (tie),
The fake beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
BMW 3s, Vipers and GTOs on his Voltec wreath
Marine Corps tattoos and some bugs in his teeth;
He had a proud face and that retired round belly,
His cars didn’t shake and weren’t even smelly,
He was dapper and jolly, could it be Bob Lutz?,
And I laughed when I saw him, I felt quite the klutz,
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had no Peak Oil to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all our garages; myself and naysayers now looking the jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, It’s electrics we chose;
He sprang to his truck , to his engineering team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he silently drove out of sight,
“VOLTEC CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
PUMP OUT THE VOLTS! ( in all 50 states ),
James
+7
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:54 am)Has anyone seen a guesstimate of how many Volts have been delivered and how fast they are being produced? I have a feeling that within a month the Volt will be the largest scale EREV or BEV ever built in sheer numbers built, and they are already the highest SALES level for any BEV or EREV, ever. I am going to love the sales and production race between Nissan and GM. One thing is for sure, either GM or Nissan might win the competition, but the real winners will be all of us, waiting for dependable, relatively inexpensive electric cars.
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year”
CJHD
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:54 am)I was recently talking to the Space Aliens that were helping EEStor build their ultra-capacitors.
The Space Aliens got tired of all the runaround and decided to call it quits. This means EEStor won’t happen.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:59 am)Well done James.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:01 am)Still hoping for the hydrogen dream. Good luck.
At least all that hydrogen research paid off… For the EV. Thank you taxpayers!
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:08 am)James,
Ok, but just wondering about this one phrase:
“And mamma in her Snuggie and the cat in my lap,”
What were you doing to the cat, while mamma was asleep in her snuggie?
Maybe they were celebrating “Festivus for the rest of us?”
+7
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:09 am)Hydrogen is the only way to go. It is all around us.
Oh really? Where can I fill up my car with it?
You won’t have to. Just fill your tank with water and the car will magically produce Hydrogen.
That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.
Well it’s true.
No it isn’t.
Yes it is.
No it isn’t
Yes it is.
No it isn’t.
Ah, I love the argument hydrogen brings to us all.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:13 am)May all your hopes and dreams come true.
Merry Christmas!
NPNS!
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:13 am)Don’t you mean our way of life.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:17 am)Certainly, the Volt did not emerge from the vacuum, but the strategy of what to build and which previous subsystems and new technologies to leverage to produce this fastball strike is beyond amazing.
GM, and companies outside GM, will use the Volt as a testbed for energy conversion and storage technologies of the future. This IS only the beginning.
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:21 am)Boy that EV1 still looks voluptuous. To repeat from a recent post, GM ought to visibly embrace the EV1 in its advertising for the Volt. Show the world they didn’t kill the electric car, they just reinvented it.
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:28 am)James, Thank you for filling our Christmas sock with joyful rhyme. This story will be shared at dinner time!
Those electrons have been dancing in the head. Two dreams last night about the Volt!
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:53 am)From Stephen’s (aircool6) post: Volt is not the first electric Chevy in the modern era!
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?6013-Volt-is-not-the-first-electric-Chevy-in-the-modern-era!
Chevrolet developed two prototype electric cars in the ’60′s using a car that I’m very familiar with: the Chevrolet Corvair. I’m the proud owner of a 1965 Corvair Monza 110 hp, automatic (Powerglide), four door hard top. The 1960 Corvair was also chosen as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year (the 1965 should have been chosen, also, because it made so many technological improvements over the first generation Vairs ’60-’64).
http://www.corvaircorsa.com/monzapr7.html
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0809/gallery.gm_electric_cars/3.html
http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/1964_Electrovair_I_Concept
http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/1966_Electrovair_II_Concept
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (12:04 pm)Don’t know how many have been delivered, but someone has posted on the forum that they have been assigned a VIN of -724. So that speaks to production. More than 700 at the holiday shutdown.
+4
Dec 24th, 2010 (12:08 pm)Photos: AltCar Expo 2008 ~ Chris Paine media interview
The Volt is still a dream at this point with high hopes of going into production. The non-functioning pre-production Volt model has been born from the concept. The economy has taken a severe blow with American families taking big hits on their 401ks. Lyle Dennis at GM Volt dot com continues the 24 hour watch for plug-in news. The Volt “Want List” grows by 1000′s each month. News of a robust lithium ion T battery being developed by LG Chem supports the possibility of a Production Volt being available for public purchase in 2010. Obama and McCain battle it out for the Presidency of the United States of America.
=D-Volt
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (12:08 pm)What a perfect time to celebrate the birth of wisdom, truth, mercy and Love! All of those wonderful qualities have been on display in abundance for the last four years with the development of the Chevy Volt. May I wish all the very best of the joy of this blessed season to the Volt nation and especially to Lyle Dennis and all the people who made it their life’s work to build the second “moon shot.” They accomplished the task in magnificent fashion!
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (12:46 pm)Is the WPT still around? Heeh.
Only the WSOP for me, (=
(…which incidently, the main event was won by a Canadian this year)
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (1:03 pm)Dear GM,
Please stop trying to commercialize fuel cells. They’re a dead end. Give Daniel O’Connell a job he can actually succeed in.
Why a hydrogen economy doesn’t make sense
http://www.physorg.com/news85074285.html
“Even though many scientists, including Bossel, predict that the technology to establish a hydrogen economy is within reach, its implementation will never make economic sense, Bossel argues.
“In the market place, hydrogen would have to compete with its own source of energy, i.e. with (“green”) electricity from the grid,” he says. “For this reason, creating a new energy carrier is a no-win solution. We have to solve an energy problem not an energy carrier problem.”
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (1:43 pm)To heck with car talk.
Merry Christmas to all.
For all you new Volt owners, remember, don’t drink too much eggnog before driving you new toys to gradma’s house.
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (2:29 pm)This is how new words get added to a language. Afterall a computer virus isn’t really livestock, either.
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (2:36 pm)LOL, its called a metaphor.
—————-
Metaphor is the concept of understanding one thing in terms of another. A metaphor is a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas; the analogy is conveyed by the use of a metaphorical word in place of some other word. For example: “Her eyes were glistening jewels”.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (2:50 pm)Yes you don’t appreciate all the work in the background over many years…
The new start up’s are certainly going to have some hurdles – unless thay buy a GM Volt and try to
reverse engineer it without patents.
Interesting times ahead, well done GM people!
Cheers Martin
-16
Dec 24th, 2010 (3:52 pm)(click to show comment)
+13
Dec 24th, 2010 (4:09 pm)Perhaps, but they haven’t done much since and they made it backwards to begin with.
The electric motor should not be helping the gas engine.
It should be the other way around and only when needed.
+5
Dec 24th, 2010 (4:44 pm)To everyone here at gm-volt.com… Have a happy, blessed and rewarding Christmas Eve!
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (5:21 pm)Completed paperwork on the Volt today. She’s still a couple weeks from delivery. Dealer says it will take a day to prep and Zylon coat. Zylon is a chemical that bonds to the surface of paint and leather for added protection. Cost $285 per Volt.
=D-Volt #555
While I was there took a cell phone shot of the new Cruze in Crystal Red Metallic Tintcoat
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (5:55 pm)Merry Christmas everyone!
join thE REVolution
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (6:17 pm)The EV1 begat the Prius begat the Volt.
And lets not forget about the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)
“The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles was a cooperative research program between the U.S. government and major auto corporations, aimed at bringing extremely fuel-efficient (up to 80 mpg) vehicles to market by 2003. The partnership, formed in 1993, involved 8 federal agencies, the national laboratories, universities, and the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), which comprises DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. On track to achieving its objectives, the program was cancelled by the Bush Administration in 2001 at the request of the automakers … ”
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnership_for_a_New_Generation_of_Vehicles
http://www.pngv.org
+4
Dec 24th, 2010 (6:19 pm)Not entirely true. Toyota did its work based on the publications of Victor Wouk, who was called the godfather of hybrid cars:
http://eands.caltech.edu/articles/LXVII3/wouk.html
http://www.hybridcars.com/history/the-great-hybrid-car-cover-up-of-74.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Wouk
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/flint/index.ssf/2009/02/victor_wouks_1972_buick_skylar.html
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/the-hybrid-car-can-trace-its-roots-back-to-teaneck-nj
Toyota was the first to mass produce a hybrid but it didn’t invent the concept. There were prototype hybrids in Europe (Ferdinand Porsche built one in 1899):
http://www.hybrid-vehicle.org/hybrid-vehicle-porsche.html
Raymond
+5
Dec 24th, 2010 (6:23 pm)I have never had a dream about sugarplums, but I do daydream about the Volt!!!!
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim
+6
Dec 24th, 2010 (6:58 pm)The Prius copied the designs of the GM Precept, Ford Prodigy, and Chrysler ESX-3. All 3 vehicles were part of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, started by the Clinton administration in 1993.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnership_for_a_New_Generation_of_Vehicles
So with the Prius, Toyota did what they’ve always done, copy American designs and then improve upon them. The only difference with the Prius was that all the other car companies abandoned their hybrid cars in the late 90′s when gas was less than $1/gal. Toyota was the only one that stuck with it, so public perception credited them with inventing the hybrid.
Bottom line: Don’t look to Toyota for leadership. They’re followers. For example, people have been doing after-market Plug-in Prius conversions since 2003, and Toyota has yet to sell a production version.
Once GM has firmly established EREVs in the market, Toyota will copy the design and then improve it. Not saying that’s good or bad, just the way it is.
+2
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:26 pm)What is the philosophy that everyone can sell here, and we can’t sell there? Free trade the American way. Glad the government saved the Volt and saved the General. This nation is now in the lead once again – private industry and government working together to keep jobs here at home.
CHEVY VOLT: American-made, American-FUELED – the car helping someday keep our boys and girls out of the Middle-East.
+1
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:36 pm)Not to take credit away from Toyota but I doubt the Prius would ever have been built if gasoline was not enormously expensive in Japan. Last time I checked (just now) gasoline is $6 per gallon in Japan. Prius sales in the US did not amount to much until after the gasoline prices skyrocketed starting in 2005. Honda was actually the first to sell a hybrid car, the first generation Honda Insight. Also, keep in mind that Honda cancelled the first gen Insight due to slow sales just before gasoline prices skyrocketed. (I’m not sure if they continued to sell the first gen Insight in Japan) The high price of gasoline in Japan, IMHO, is the reason Japanese automakers are often credited with thinking ahead to the future. They are not building efficient cars because they see the future, IMHO. They build efficient cars because gasoline is expensive in Japan and demand for fuel efficient cars is always high in Japan.
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (9:56 pm)Except having to use NiMH batteries that were developed and patented by Americans. The Atkinson cycle engine they use wasn’t Japanese designed, and the fact that hybrid cars were around long before Toyota even existed, you’re very correct. .
+5
Dec 24th, 2010 (10:03 pm)Well, as I wait for my turn at a Volt being made I will say that I seem to be amoung very distinguished company? Even the trolls on this site have a little more class than some other sites. It has been a truly great year and I sincerely look forward to the coming year, and hopefully receive a Volt along about March. The Volt really does offer to be transformative.
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:48 pm)Raymondjram ,
I thank you for posting the clips , I enjoyed reading them .
Have a Merry Christmas .
+3
Dec 24th, 2010 (11:58 pm)Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
- Michael and Susan
+2
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:12 am)No, NOW! (at least on the east coast).
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year!!!
Be well,
As always,
Tagamet
+2
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:16 am)#14
Amen Brother. +1
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:18 am)#55
“Who loves ya baby?” +1
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:23 am)#34
Nice. +1
+1
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:38 am)And, just to mention yet one more time, there was indeed an EV1 Serial Plug-In Hybrid Concept, and it was a Turbine no less.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EV1#EV1_series_hybrid
+1
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:40 am)Right back at you! Stay tuned!! It should be a very interesting New Year.
Be well,
Tagamet
+1
Dec 25th, 2010 (2:01 am)Lyle,
Thank you for putting my favorite troll comment of all time in your post today! “…the car was considered nothing more than vaporware.”
On that note, it’s been said that the best revenge is living well…enjoy your Volts early adopters, it’s been a long wait.
Merry Christmas all
Dec 25th, 2010 (2:17 am)Merry Christmas all! My 3rd year with you guys!!
+1
Dec 25th, 2010 (11:05 am)GM and the VOLT have written history.
The VOLT will be a major marker in automotive history.
Congratulations to all the good people at GM.
It’s very exciting to anticipate the coming vehicles… I will be in the market in a year or so.
My incredibly reliable Buick will be over 10 years old … I’m hoping to be able to buy a electric utility vehicle with no frills… my main interests when buying a vehicle are Safety… comfort… reliability… convience… seats that come out when not needed to make room for cargo… and the electric drive with no shifting.
Dec 25th, 2010 (11:42 am)If you look a the response this comment got you’d think I was claiming the Moon landing was a hoax.
Dec 25th, 2010 (11:53 am)I know it’s a metaphor. I think it’s a metaphor that makes things less clear than simply stating the Volt incorporates lessons learned from earlier electric vehicle programs. Why do you need a metaphor to explain it? You’re not discussing quantum physics or general relativity.
Dec 25th, 2010 (12:00 pm)But a “computer virus” works as an metaphor to describe what malware does. The car DNA metaphor is making thinks less clear.
Dec 25th, 2010 (7:47 pm)I found a copy of Popular Science from December 1968. Looks like the Volt concept. I put a copy at
http://stormselectric.blogspot.com/
+1
Dec 26th, 2010 (6:49 pm)We’re now well beyond the tipping point for plug ins. Now the only headwind is inexperience. When folks disrespect blended electric drive, they simply sound uninformed.
I’m thinking about a new useful around town metric, which is percent electric drive of total drive horsepower per dollar. It’ll be a measure of competent (quiet, smooth, strong launches) around town performance bang for the buck, A larger number is better . The results are:
Leaf > Volt > Fusion hyb > Tesla
Now, to add in highway and long distance cruising, multiply that metric by approximate one time full to empty tank/power pack range. Again, the bigger metric is better . The results are:
Fusion hyb > Volt > Leaf > Tesla
Ok, now divide by recharge/refill time for that to carry weight in long distance travel, which will not affect the latter ranking.
Take home message: If you’re rich and want to drive a jet fighter, that’s slow to fill up, around, get a Tesla. For the rest of us, look at your mileage for the last year. If your highway mileage at highway speeds is > 70% of total mileage, you’ll get the most bang for your buck with a Fusion hyb. If your in-town mileage is > 70% of total mileage, you’ll get the most bang for your buck with a Leaf. If you drive like most folks, though, with about half your total miles on the highway at highway speeds, get a Volt for the biggest bang for the buck.
Anyone else want to try making new, useful metrics for the new breeds of vehicles? It’s a wide open field with absolutely no competition. And it’ll help all of us think when it comes to AWD, truck beds, and towing, later.
Dec 26th, 2010 (8:57 pm)http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-20026394-42.html
I guess if electric drive is good enough to launch F/A-18E SuperHornets and newer, heavier, and faster aircraft with “higher launch energy capacity” to “deliver improvements in system weight, maintenance, and efficiency, as well as accuracy of end-speed control and smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds”, it’ll be good enough to launch the next generation Corvette and newer, heavier and faster response landcraft as fast with less complaining, inconsistency and caterwauling from the power plant. To get the same grunt as an aircraft carrier launch, you’d need a 1,000 hp electric motor near each wheel. Woot! Since sports cars are land based, which implies a much, much longer runway, maybe a Volt electric motor at each axle would be a reasonable baby step. Do it for Loboc. Show it at SEMA.