Interview with Frank Weber, E-Flex/Chevy Volt Vehicle Line Executive, Part II

A few final questions from my interview with Frank Weber, Chevy Volt/E-Flex vehicle line executive:
Do you have or are you working on E-Flex simulation models for other sizes of vehicles besides the Volt?
Before we get the team up off the track in thinking too much about the expansion of E-Flex, the focus is clearly to [...]

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Opel Flextreme is not for Production: Chevy Volt will be a Global Vehicle

At the Frankfurt Auto show in September, GM unveiled the Opel Flextreme; an E-Flex concept car illustrating the possibility of using a diesel generator as a range-extender. Lost in the initial enthusiasm were comments we had here from Tony Posawatz in which he acknowledged the Flextreme was not production intent.
Here is vehicle line director [...]

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Interview with Frank Weber, E-Flex/Chevy Volt Vehicle Line Executive, Part I

Frank Weber
I just had the chance to speak with Frank Weber who is GM’s vehicle line executive for the Chevy Volt and E-Flex systems. This is the first of two parts.
Do you have some new information for us today?

We are explaining that vehicle efficiency is something that is very important to make the volt [...]

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Tour of Volt Design Lab and More Production Volt Details

Sam Abuelsamid of Autobloggreen, out in Detroit, had the chance to tour the GM wind tunnel and E-Flex Design studio the othe day and heard from Frank Weber, E-Flex vehicle line executive.
Sam has written a post about it: (LINK)
He talks about why aerodynamics are so important in this car, more so than mass.
He also goes [...]

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GM’s Brand New E-Flex Design Center

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Back in early October when I interviewed Bob Boniface (post), the Volt’s Chief designer, he told us about GM’s new E-Flex design center, which he happened to be moving into that day. He [...]

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GM Takes Delivery of Second LG Chem/Compact Power Chevy Volt Battery Pack, and it’s Better Than the First

Jon Lauckner

Yesterday, in remarks made at the EVS23 conference, GM Vice President of Global Program Management, Jon Lauckner, announced that the automaker received the second prototype lithium-ion battery pack from LG Chem/Compact Power. He said:
“A second battery pack, incorporating improvements from the first one, is being delivered to our battery lab today for similar [...]

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A123 Unveils New E-REV Battery Cell for Chevy Volt

On December 2 at EVS23, A123Systems publicly unveiled the lithium ion battery cell that they have co-developed with GM specifically for the Volt. It is a flat “prismatic” cell that is significantly larger than the cylindrical cells that we are used to seeing from A123. The cell is rectangular, and is designed to be stacked [...]

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GM Official Chevy Volt E-Flex Briefing Part 3

The last of 3 parts of an official GM briefing on the status of the Chevy Volt, from LA, November 14th.  This segment includes Denise Gray, battery director.

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GM Official Chevy Volt E-Flex Briefing Part 2

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GM Official Chevy Volt E-Flex Briefing Part 1

Here is a live video of Tony Posawatz and Denise Gray giving the media a live briefing on the current status of the Chevy Volt/E-Flex program.  This took place in LA on November 14th.  This is the first of three parts, each ~8 minutes.
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GM Calls the Volt an E-REV

We have had spirited discussion along the way about exactly what the Volt is.  Common misrepresentations have included calling it a hybrid or series hybrid, or more commonly a plug-in hybrid.  Bob Lutz has specifically said the Volt is not a hybrid (see post).
Calling a car a hybrid signifies that it’s driveshaft can be turned [...]

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Will There be an E-Flex Saturn?

Recently we told you there was some information that GM was planning an E-Flex surprise for us in January at the Detroit Auto Show (prior post). This was not verified, but reliable.
Yesterday the GMinsidenews forum published a brief interview with Jill Lajdiak who is GM’s Saturn brand manager. Among other points of discussion, this [...]

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