GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Ford has given advanced billing for a rolling design thesis it is calling the Evos Concept, a new kind of plug-in hybrid that will go on display this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Don’t expect to see it coming to any showrooms however. The custom-made vehicle is rather “an ultimate expression of Ford’s new global design and technology vision” and a promise of things to come.

“The Ford Evos Concept unites three key elements which are at the core of our One Ford global product strategy: outstanding design, smart technologies and fuel economy leadership,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development.

Ford Evos Concept.

In a longer-than-average press release, Ford says the four-seater fastback is a first view of “customer focused and intuitive technologies.”

Head in the ‘clouds’

While the company does get around to saying it is a “driver’s car” propelled by the C-Max Energi’s powertrain, it spends a lot of word space up front explaining how “the driver’s ‘personal cloud’ of information is at the heart of the vision for its capabilities.”

Ford says the car will offer a personalized and seamless extension of the “connected lifestyle” from the office or home and signals how Ford will build on the momentum of innovations including its SYNC in-car connectivity system.

“Our goal is to focus on enriching a customer’s every experience with their vehicle – by personalizing it, adapting it, and creating unique, unexpected features that surprise and delight them,” said Kuzak. “In the Ford Evos Concept, this objective is explored and extended to the area of connectivity, where the intent is not to convert the vehicle into a smartphone, but rather to provide personalised and safe connection to the outside world in an enriching manner designed totally for the vehicle context.”

Functional and visually dramatic.

Ford also says the car will get to “know the driver” and automatically adapt handling, steering and engine controls to him or her.

“At Ford, the future of technology in the car will be defined by the experience that it delivers to the driver and passengers,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation. “We see technology as more than just an impressive list of microprocessors, sensors and software; it’s about the application of that technology to create an experience that enhances the driver’s time behind the wheel.”

What’s in it for passengers? Both rear-seat guests “get an equally special experience,” Ford says, with dedicated touch-screen displays to interact with the vehicle and individually adjustable sports seats.

A car that cares

Ford says it wants occupants to be healthy and drivers operating at 100-percent capability, so an emphasis on “wellness” is baked into the tech-laden Evos.

“Our wellness research and technologies are focused on relieving driver stress and enhancing their situational awareness,” said Mascarenas. “Drivers around the world are spending more time behind the wheel, and the car should not be another stress point in their lives.”

Red driver’s seat.

The red driver’s seat carries over previously developed heart-rate monitoring ability, the interior is made of hypoallergenic materials, and the air filtration and monitoring system are nothing to sneeze at.

The car can even access air quality data and suggest an alternate route.

In “dynamic driving situations” the instrument panel can switch to display only vital data so drivers can better focus, and the integrated smartphone goes into a “Do Not Disturb Mode,” to further avoid distracted driving.

Powertrain

Normally the powertrain is among the first things described in a car review, and Ford does say it is just as proud of this aspect as the novel cloud concept it is attempting to float.

But the Evos is no hi-po Mustang beater. Instead it’s an ultimate expression of a comparatively sedate offering. Its go-power – donated by the C-Max Energi – includes a high-voltage lithium-ion battery, electric traction motor and high-efficiency Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine.

All the data one could ask for.

So don’t let those Aston-Martinesque looks fool you. This aesthetic wonder is eminently eco-friendly, and not likely to pin you to the special driver’s seat on a quick trip to 100 mph and beyond.

Its speed and driving range are equivalent to the donor car, Ford says, while noting its 500 mile (800 km) combined distance attainable are “more than any other plug-in or extended range electric vehicle.”

Ford says its “powersplit” hybrid architecture lets it run in all-electric mode or combined petrol-electric.

The Evos could arguably be called the world’s coolest C-Max Energi.

Its default mode is all electric before switching to charge-sustaining mode as needed.

The Evos’ immense data processing capabilities make its powertrain also “cloud optimized.” One of its capabilities is to select the ideal combination of powertrain modes for any journey.

“Access to historical driver behaviour and travel patterns allows us to calculate the optimal fuel and energy efficiency by predicting the destination,” said Mascarenas. “Our researchers are working to increase understanding of driver behaviour, develop accurate protocols to predict it and enhance the trip by providing the smartest use of fuel or battery for the situation.”

The Evos would further “know” when to save energy and switch modes depending on data from the predicted travel route, any emissions restricted zones and current weather conditions.

London, Berlin and Stockholm already have low-emissions zones, for example, and regions in France may soon also. Ford says it will be ready with a car that can adapt.

Design

Ford upstaged Lamborghini by giving the Evos four hinged gullwing doors which not only scream for attention, but, Ford adds, are practical because they give ease of ingress and egress.

Other more subtle cues inside and out are portents of future Fords, the company says.

Would you kick this out of your garage?

“We wanted the Ford Evos Concept to give a clear message about where Ford design is heading – shaping vehicles that are fun to drive, have a strong premium visual appeal, and above all, are stunningly beautiful,” said J Mays, group vice president, design and chief creative officer.

The Evos measures 177 inches (4.50 m) long, 77 inches (1.97 m) wide, and 53 inches (1.36 m). Its wheelbase is 108 inches (2.74 m).

These dimensions are close to a global “C” platform in length, and a “C-D” platform in width to create a car reminiscent of great GTs of the past, but more user friendly, Ford says.

“This is an exciting new interpretation of the fastback bodystyle, with a really innovative silhouette as well as dramatic and very modern proportions,” Mays said.

Eye candy

Ford’s press release waxes quasi-eloquent with lavish self praise for what looks like a pretty neat car with great potential that unfortunately will never be.

The face of things to come from Ford.

One question is now that Ford has shown what it can do, and says this is a rolling showcase of future design and tech elements, what vehicles will it build that incorporate them and how soon?

As for the concept, we think it is quite spectacular, but incongruent in one key respect.

Namely, a car that looks so athletic ought to have more power than what is provided by a C-Max powertrain.

But that is not the point. Since the Evos never has to go anywhere except to the show circuit and photo shoots, Ford can get away with an upscale mythical pony car that reflects favorably on its almost-ready C-Max. Meanwhile Ford will continue soliciting and accepting spectators’ oohs and ahhs, while never being so forthright as to state that its ostensible stallion is actually gelded.

More Evos videos follow if you click through at the end.

“Both the exterior and interior of the Ford Evos Concept clearly communicate that this is a driver’s car, so that as soon as people see the vehicle, they will immediately want to get in and drive,” said executive design director Moray Callum.

Yes, maybe so. And while we would not turn down a spin, we hold no illusion that appearances of unbridled performance are anything more than deceiving. No word was given on curb weight, performance, or potential price, which does not matter because it will not be for sale.

Source: Ford

Things are speeding up for the Chevrolet Volt as dealers report new shoppers and production numbers significantly escalate.

The automaker reports Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic dealers in particular are drawing out people to see the car, as new Volts are being allocated.

“We’ve been here a long time and the Volt is bringing in people we have never seen before,” said Alan Starling, a dealer in Starling Chevrolet in St. Cloud, Fla.

Chevy Volt.

GM said initial buyer surveys it conducted show more than half of the people buying Volts have not darkened the door of a Chevrolet dealership in the past 10 years. Almost one-third of these buyers have never been to a Chevy dealership.

“The Volt is an intriguing proposition that’s drawing new faces to Chevrolet dealerships to learn more about the car and re-discover the brand,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet Volt marketing director. “To date, the Volt has been available for sale at dealerships in only seven states. In the next four months the number of Chevrolet dealers with Volts available for test drives and for sale will increase from 550 to more than 2,600.”

GM said more than 700 Volts are being shipped to Volt dealerships in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington for use as demonstration units.

Meanwhile, the Detroit-Hamtramck plant is churning them out even faster. We reported a little while ago that by January 2012 it will be producing 5,000 Volts and Amperas per month. As of today, it is producing around half that number – 150 Volts per day, four days a week. This in itself is significant considering sales started this year in the hundreds per month – including August (last month), during which 302 Volts were sold.

But just as GM is telling how it’s winning over shoppers who’d been implicitly critical of its past, it also may be doing what it can to head remaining critics off at the pass by plainly declaring the Volt is yet a halo car to many buyers who wind up going home in its lower-priced cousin.

This is the gist of a “fair-and-balanced” story Fox News wrote about the Volt, and instead of whitewashing issues, GM verified them in its own press release.

GM reports customers searching online for fuel-efficient transportation often begin looking at the Volt, then cross-shop the Cruze.

“Since April, nearly 200,000 visitors searching for information on the Chevrolet Volt also searched for information on the Cruze,” GM said.

In fact, Web traffic data from both Chevy.com and Edmunds.com show the Cruze is the most cross-shopped vehicle to the Volt, GM said, adding the Cruze has been the number-one selling compact in the U.S. for the past couple of months.

Nor are some Chevy dealers altogether unhappy about this. We at GM-Volt have been personally told by a Chevy dealer the Volt was overpriced, as he attempted to switch us to the Cruze. We have heard several similar reports besides.

Perhaps GM’s disclosure is an attempt also at “transparency” on Chevrolet’s behalf, as the company openly says the Volt is still a magnet leading to the Cruze.

“As far as image goes … the Volt is huge because it’s also helping sell the Cruze,” said Inder Dosanjh, a Chevrolet dealer in Dublin, Calif. who was quoted by Chevrolet in the same press release.

What does it mean?

In any event, GM is still selling cars, and making money is why it is in business.

Nor is it entirely egg on its face to report slow sales for the Volt when its own Cruze is the one beating it. It’s not like another brand is the most cross-shopped, so it is a mixed blessing for GM.

Further, this is still a transitional time for the Volt. GM is well aware of cost-benefit analyses that could attract more cost-conscious buyers to the Volt.

We suspect when it really needs to – that is, when supply is up to speed in more locations – it can create an even more compelling case for the Volt that will spell out the advantages.

Old paradigms die hard.

A few days ago, we ran a story showing how Kiplinger had analyzed the five-year cost between the Volt and Cruze. That story had to be corrected, but post-correction, the five-year ownership cost difference in one potential scenario was still just $1,575 more for a 2011 Volt vs. 2011 Cruze, even though the Volt’s MSRP was about $18,000 more.

We know many people – even GM-Volt readers – are waiting for costs to come down in Gen 2, but out of the starting gate the Volt is not a half-bad financial proposition for many would-be buyers.

Regarding the Kiplinger analysis, GM’s Tony Posawatz told us this is a “very important message that few are truly understanding.”

Fact is, GM understands its own strengths and weaknesses. That the Volt is predominately a winner is why the company has stuck to its guns and let the critics yell their heads off.

The company continues going about its business promoting the car, and ramping up production. Nor will it want them sitting on lots unsold just so critics like Neil Cavuto and his ilk can continue to rant.

Question is, what more will GM do, and how effectively can it get its message across that today’s Volt makes sense? These are interesting times for the Chevy Volt.

Yesterday General Motors announced the Chevrolet Volt began shipping to Canadian dealerships with some actually receiving them yesterday as well.

The first retail deliveries will be to customers in Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Oshawa, Ottawa-Gatineau, Montreal and Quebec City. Some of these will be as soon as a few days from now, GM said.

The company celebrated the Volt’s Canadian arrival in Oshawa yesterday morning at an event presided over by Kevin Williams, president and managing director for General Motors of Canada.

Kevin Williams, president and managing director for General Motors of Canada, released the first Canadian Volt customer shipments at an event in Oshawa yesterday.

“Today is an historic milestone for Chevrolet in Canada,” said Williams. “The Chevrolet Volt deploys transformative vehicle technologies that are redefining automotive transportation. Very soon, enthusiastic Volt customers will be able to eliminate gasoline from their daily commutes while having the flexibility to go further, something no other electrified vehicle can provide.”

GM said it is pleased to offer the “award-winning Chevrolet Volt” and compiled a list of the majority of the car’s many accolades garnered thus far.

• 2012 World Green Car of the Year
• Car of the Year for Guide de l’Auto 2012
• North American Car of the Year
• Motor Trend 2011 Car of the Year
• Green Car Journal’s 2011 Green Car of the Year
• AUTOMOBILE Magazine 2011 Automobile of the Year
• Car and Driver 10Best
• Popular Mechanics 2010 Breakthrough Technology
• Ward’s 10 Best Engines, recognition for Volt’s advanced powertrain system

When we last reported on the Volt’s status in Canada, Chevrolet had just begun taking orders and drumming up interest.

GM of Canada Spokesman Jason Easton said in the three-plus months since then, the campaign to promote the plug-in Chevy has been successful.

“In terms of pre-orders, we are very excited by the interest Canadians have shown in the Volt,” Easton said, “and demand is currently outpacing supply.”

We had asked a bunch of specific questions pertaining to numbers ordered, allocated – now, and for subsequent waves – but Easton said he was not at liberty to answer most, but would share what he could.

“We will sell as many Volts as the market demands, but in the early days we expect supply to be limited as Chevrolet is also launching this vehicle globally (China and Europe) this fall,” Easton said. “Next spring we are expecting to start Volt sales in additional Canadian markets, with the goal of nation-wide sales 12 months from now.”

So Canadians will go through a staged roll out similar to what the U.S. has endured – albeit with more of the country getting them on the first wave. This is considering also that Canadians and the rest of the world have been waiting since the beginning of this year already.

What we know from previous digging on this subject is that GM typically allocates about one-tenth the number of a given vehicle to Canada as it does to the U.S. In the case of a higher priced car like the Volt, the numbers may be even fewer.

Nonetheless, the word is that Nissan will deliver a total of 40 LEAFS to Canada this year, and these sold out over last weekend.

Although GM is being a bit dodgy about the actual Volt numbers, you can be sure they are otherwise positively extravagant by comparison.

While we were at it, we also asked about the situation of charging the Volt up there.

House current is the same in Canada as in the U.S. at 120 volts, and 240-volt lines are said to be readily available for optional chargers for those so inclined.

“In Quebec, there is a $1,000 credit to encourage people to install 240-volt charging in their home (half of installation cost up to $1,000 max),” Easton said, “as well as an initiative from Hydro Quebec to install public charge stations. Ontario just announced an $80 million fund for EV charging infrastructure … no further details yet.”

Easton further said most garages will require re-wiring for 240 volts, and GM just announced a partnership to help with that as well.

By nasaman

Yesterday I drove a gorgeous “Eclipse Black” Karma production prototype along with my 19-year-old grandson Blake (who had also driven a Volt and a LEAF with me previously). The following comments reflect his observations as well as mine.

The car is even more impressive in person than in the best photos I’ve seen. The paint is smooth as glass. You’d expect to see a Playboy centerfold climb in and drive off silently (“stealthily,” Fisker would say). I wouldn’t expect anything less from Scandinavian Henrik Fisker!

The Karma, like the Volt, is an extended-range electric vehicle – a fact which Fisker used to make a publicity splash with by saying the Karma is “the world’s first,” disregarding the Volt in the process. Its rationale was the assertion that the Karma is truer to the EREV concept in that the genset never mechanically powers the wheels.

Fisker Karma.

Aside from that contention which GM never commented on, what can be factually said is the Karma is much larger, heavier, and definitely more expensive than a Volt.

It rides on a long 124.4-inch wheelbase on huge 22-inch wheels. Two 201-horsepower electric motors drive the rear wheels. The aforementioned generator is a GM four-cylinder that is turbocharged to produce 260-horsepower.

The 20-kwh battery is by A123 Systems, placed in the center like the Volt’s battery is, and also like the Volt – and LEAF – it has an 8-year warranty.

Driving impressions

On our first attempt to start driving, the car would not go into Drive from Park or Neutral – Fisker factory people had to do a total reprogramming of its software, not merely some kind of reboot.

As soon as we hit the road, our Fisker host said, “slam the accelerator hard to the floor” and I did just that …

In Stealth mode it feels faster than the Volt, much faster than LEAF – specs are 0-60 in 7.9 sec & 95mph top speed. In Sport mode it’s MUCH faster than either the Volt or LEAF – a real “back slapper.”

Fisker says actual specs are 0-60 mph in 5.8 sec and 125 mph top speed. All-electric range is said to be 50 miles (80km) with efficiency at 100 MPGe (2.4L/100km). Its total combined range is 300 miles (483 km).

“The EPA data has not yet been developed,” said our Fisker host, “but the car averages about 40 mpg in Sport mode.”

Sleek interior.

Likes
(Styling/Build):
• Karma’s highly-distinctive, almost exotic styling – very impressive in person
• Use of a Lightweight Extruded Aluminum Spaceframe
• Lightweight Aluminum and Composite Body Panels
• Four very comfortable, sporty bucket seats (comparable to Volt’s plus they power adjust)
• Interior finish on a par w/ any Rolls or Jaguar I’ve been in
(Functionality):
• Excellent road feel, handling & cornering even better than Volt or LEAF
• A Start button located where Volt & LEAF place theirs on the dash
• Traction control that can be disabled
• Forward “creep” from a stop like Volt (but non-defeatable, I think)
• When started, Karma defaults to “Stealth mode” (battery only)
• “Sport mode” is always available using a paddle on the steering wheel
• Maximum braking regeneration is available by switching to “Hill mode”

Dislikes
• The Karma is unbelievably low slung, making entry/egress very awkward
• The trunk is TINY – barely large enough for a golf bag & a small suitcase (hatchbacks Volt & Leaf have vastly more hauling/luggage space)
• There’s a bad blind area when looking rearward over your right shoulder
• The center display is “washed-out” compared to Volt or LEAF (see above photo to compare it to the bright/clear driver’s display; it’s more noticeable in person)
• Karma has even more touch-screen controls than Volt or LEAF (good for iPads, but dangerous in a car)

Conclusion

As you can see my likes outnumber dislikes by more than two to one. The Karma’s MSRP ranges from $95,500-$108,900. Options are a solar roof, navigation system, and paint choices.

I’ve also embedded a video (above) with an evaluation by Autocar which tested the Karma two weeks ago. For more info besides that, here is a 40-page brochure, and Fisker’s spec page.