GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

I am here in Detroit about to get started out to the events. Below you will find a real-time live video stream so you can watch the press conference unfold at 10 AM EST. We expect to see a production version of the 50 mpg Chevy Beat (now called Spark), the high efficiency 7-seater microvan called Chevy Orlando, and the new E-Flex Cadillac. As well we should finally have confirmation that LG Chem/CPI got the Volt battery contract and that they will be building a Volt battery pack assembly plant in Michigan.

There has also been news that Ford has finally decided to jump into the electric car arena, and will be showing a 100 mile range pure electric Focus with production plans for 10,000 units in 2011. That’s of course at their press conference.

I’ll be getting more details from the executives involved as the day goes on. Enjoy and thanks for your questions.

Video feed can be found here .

We have been hearing for some time rumors that GM would be unveiling a surprise E-Flex electric car at the Detroit Auto Show later this week.

In fact I have heard from sources that the car would be an example of how far machine-driver interface could be taken, and that it would not be a four door Chevy.

Businessweek has now published more details about the car.

Sources have advised them it will be a brash new 2-door Cadillac Coupe, similar in styling to the upcoming CTS coupe (shown above). The car will be smaller and even bolder.

The design will be so striking that an unnamed GM executive has said it will make “people want it regardless of the energy source.”

The car is noted to be a concept, not necessarily production-intent, but will illustrate how additional vehicle designs could also achieve the 40 mile AER and utilize the E-Flex underpinning. Indeed Volt executive Frank Weber has previously told me that changing designs is the “easy part” relative to the complex undertaking of creating a perfect E-Flex drivetrain.

Source (Businessweek)

The Chevy Volt has started a revolution.  Not just for GM, but really for the entire automotive industry.  Perhaps the credit might go to Tesla, but certainly the widespread Volt marketing message has convinced nearly all the automakers that electric cars are the way to go.  Maybe our effort here had a little something to do with it to.  Or maybe not.

Either way, bearing the fruits of this labor, this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit will run rampant with electric concept cars, and new news keeps coming out.

1. Mercedes Benz is expected to be revealing a pure electric and range-extended electric car called the BLueZero series, based on a SUV platform.  Daimler has indicated that “small-scale production of Mercedes-Benz cars with battery-electric drive alone will then commence in 2010.”

2. BMW will be showing its two-seater pure electric MINI E, which will begin field trials this year.  500 cars will be leased to people in NY, NJ, and CA for 1-year.  I’ll admit it, I put in my application.

3. Toyota will be revealing a newly designed short-distance, neighborhood pure electric car.  No specs or image is available.  As well the third generation Prius will be unveiled to the world.  A company official advised me rumors that it is secretly planning a solar-powered car were untrue.

4. Dodge will apparently be showing a 4th EV prototype which will be a four seater different than the Dodge EV it had shown previously.

5. Ford will be discussing its plans to bring a pure EV to market in 2011, and a commercial BEV van in 2010.  Spokesperson Alan Hall told me that although Ford has announced no lithium-ion PHEV plans yet “rest assured that we are pursuing them just as aggressively as anyone else.” There will be a “relevant” press conference at the event, and they will also be showing the new Fusion Hybrid.

6. Fisker will be unveiling the production version Karma E-REV, and unveiling a new Sunset model, which will likely be the word’s first convertible E-REV.

And of course GM.  Well nothing official, but there are continued rumors about a surprise unveiling of a new E-Flex vehicle.  GM will be introducing a newly designed 2010 Cadillac SRX.  That car was actually shown previously as the Provoq concept, an E-Flex vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell range extender.

It should be quite an experience.  I am looking forward to being there at ground zero when the press days open on Sunday January 11th.  Stay close to the site, and I’ll get the news as soon as it hits, with of course firsthand in-depth interviews and inside information whenever possible.

And despite the recent drop in auto sales, the economy, and gas prices, the momentum for electrification of the automobile remains strong.

These last weeks have been very difficult for GM, as they have skidded impossibly close to bankruptcy. Aside from VOLT and Cruze, most future planning has had to come to a halt, and even the Volt’s engine factory construction has shut down.

President Bush is soon to make an announcement about whether GM will get government loans or possibly have to endure a pre-packaged bankruptcy.

Regardless of the timing there is a rumor brewing.

Sources have told GM-Volt.com that GM has a brand new E-Flex extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) under wraps and have been hoping to unveil it in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

We have known previously that other E-Flex cars were being designed. The last time I spoke to E-Flex Design Chief Bob Boniface he acknowledged that was true. Although he didn’t say exactly what it would be he did say it wouldn’t be a “four door Chevy”

Since about four GM brands are on the chopping block, and we’ve heard rumors of such in the past, Ill go out on a line and predict the car will be a Cadillac. Indeed previous reports have stated the next E-Flex car would be a Cadillac, and vice-chairman Bob Lutz has gone on record stating “there’s going to have to be some kind of dramatic environmental statement from Cadillac.”

Sources indicate that the new car will illustrate just how far one can go technologically in advancing the driver machine interface under the unique circumstance of the car being electrically driven. Considering how costly such an interface might be, it would logically have to be a luxury car.

Furthermore, GM unveiled a Cadillac Provoq crossover concept with an E-Flex drivetrain and fuel cell last year. This same design is to be launched as the Cadillac SRX crossover. It is unknown whether this new car will be an E-Flex SRX with a gas generator, or whether GM has a totally new design.

Thus it looks like we have yet another reason for being excited about GM’s survival and success, one more route away from oil dependence, and one more reason for the Bush administration to give them another chance.

Stay tuned.

GM’s viability plan reveals their intended future development of advanced technology fuel efficient vehicles, as shown in Table 8 above.

The company already produces mild hybrids, such as the Malibu, which get about a 10 to 15% increase in fuel efficiency. These cars mainly improve efficiency by turning off the engine at stops, using regenerative braking, and providing electric motor acceleration assist. But, there is no ability to drive electric only.

GM also has so-called strong hybrids on the market. Using their 2-mode hybrid system, these cars obtain fuel efficiency increases of up to 55%. Right now they can only be found in large trucks such as the Tahoe. A smaller vehicle, the Saturn VUE is set to launch shortly.

One obvious question is why hasn’t GM applied this strong hybrid technology to a small, light car and get some high mpgs?

According to the table, it seems GM plans to after all. The business plan indicates a strong hybrid small vehicle program with a $315 million budget between 2009 and 2012. This is actually half of the Volt’s allocated budget of $758 million.

Since it appears such a car is part of their future plans, I wondered what vehicle they might have in store for us.

I asked product development spokesperson Dee Allen for an answer. He replied “I cannot comment on future plans beyond what is in the Plan.”

I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

It is good to see that GM plans to spend the largest portion of its R&D budget on E-REVs confirming just how important the Volt is to GM’s future.

It is clear though that the automaker thinks more should be spent on mild hybrids and strong hybrid large vehicles than strong hybrid cars.

What do you think the priorities should be? After all it may be your money.

Despite all of the abysmal financial issues plaguing GM and the “important changes” to business operations GM CEO Rick Wagoner plans to announce on Friday, GM continues to push ahead with the Volt program.

Multiple sources have stated that with all the slashing going on at GM, the Volt program and budget remains unchanged. In fact there is good evidence GM is actually continuing to work on a portfolio of future E-Flex vehicles.

Reuters is reporting that GM will be developing a range of plug-in vehicles to follow the Volt launch in 2010. These include a Cadillac luxury E-Flex and a Chevy with “SUV styling”.

Supporting this report is a recent exchange I had with E-Flex lead designer Bob Boniface:

Can you say anything about other E-Flex vehicles besides the Volt that you are designing now?
No…well I’m working on some other derivative concepts that use this powertrain. That’s all I can say. And they’re not four door Chevys. In other words, we’re playing with brand and were playing with category.