GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Just now an article appeared on Bloomberg.com. The authors cite “secret sources” (not sauces) as saying that GM expects to have an early working Volt prototype out in 2008 which will get a 10 mile all-electric range. Their secret source goes on to say that a 40-mile version will be out in 2009. Official GM spokesman Scott Fosgard is noted to decline a comment.

The article points out thats GM’s plan is more aggressive than Toyota’s plan for a shorter range PHEV expected to max out with 10 miles, and we suspect to use NiMh batteries. Toyota is described as being unable to produce longer electric ranges within an affordable price range. Bob Lutz, however, is quoted as being confident that GM can overcome these technical and pricing obstacles.

This indeed is very new information. I cannot verify the secret source, but considering it’s been two months since the battery contracts were awarded, and the very aggressive efforts of those battery makers, it wouldn’t surprise me. How does it taste to you?

Remember Johnson-Saft Controls. They were the partnership who were to be one of the potential suppliers of the Volt’s battery pack, named at the time GM announced the Volt concept. In the end, they did not get one of the contracts, going instead to A123/Continental and CPI/LG. However, the partnership was given a contract to build the battery pack for the VUE plugin, hopefully due out in 2009.

Well, now Johnson Controls has announced it’s intention to jump into the plug-in car venue all by itself. At the same time they will be presenting their “new corporate identity” at the International Motor Show in Germany, they also plan to present a Li-ion battery powered plug-in hybrid concpet vehicle. Details are sketchy at this point, but the vehicle will emphasize a new way of using space, new types of electronic interfaces, and new surfaces, and well as a plug-in battery pack in the trunk.

You can read their announcement here.

Competition is the engine of innovation, so welcome aboard.

Now that the news is out on the Toyota plugin there has been a flurry of interest. Of course, we realize than an 8 mile range NiMh car is only a starter, its the Li-ion battery that makes it a killer-app. Toyota has announced they are not ready for Li-ion yet. Let’s hope GM gets there first!

Here are some more detailed specs on the Toyota (from greencarcongress.com):

Toyota also mentioned that U.S. testing will take place at UC Berkeley and UC Irvine,with each campus getting one car.

Today Toyota Motor Corp. announced that they have developed a plug-in hybrid car based on the Prius. The car is called the Toyota Plug-in HV (name definitely not as cool as “the Volt”) and is slated for testing in the U.S. and Europe. The vehicle does not use lithium-ion batteries but rather relies on lower energy density Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries. Due to this limitation, the car can only go 8 miles on a full charge, despite a “trunk-full” of batteries.

Also, unlike the current Prius, the test car can drive electric-only at all speeds, and not just low velocities.

This news attests to the importance of the plug-in paradigm, the not-yet-ready nature of lithium-ion battery packs, and the staunch competition that GM and it’s Volt will face.

Source: Reuters

Tom Hanks was the first person to buy a fully electric Scion, taking delivery on 2/15. This vehicle is very interesting. It is a modified vehicle with the mod coming from a company called AC propulsions.

They’ve actually made a Volt-like vehicle. It has a pure 160 HP (same as Volt) electric engine that powers the fromt wheels. Also like the Volt it has a 650 lb Li-ion battery bank to power the engine. Not like the Volt it has a range of 120-150 miles!!! And also not like the Volt and maybe why the range is so long it has regenerative braking.

Lastly , most not like the Volt, there is No Combustion Engine; its all plug-in.

GM should take note of this car – I’d say adding regenerative braking is a very good idea.

By now we’ve all heard about DaimlerChrysler’s woes in terms of financial losses. Reports are now beginning to surface that GM may be in talks to buy the Chrysler division. As we’ve reported in a previous post, DC has already released a fleet of 20 lithium-battery powered PHEVs for a pilot program. There could be significant synergy in the development of the E-Flex system if GM buys Chrysler. There have also been reports about how GM hopes to be able to roll out the E-flex PHEV (Volt) on a worldwide level by fitting it to the already low cost high economy of scale Cobalt platform. Gm has said that that platform will physically receive the E-flex motor and batteries well.