GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

GM revealed the Chevrolet Orlando MPV7 concept this week at the Paris Motor Show.

The car is built on the same global compact delta platform as the Chevy Volt and Cruze. GM notes this is an entry into a new segment for the brand, a small footprint 7-seater with “impressive interior space,” and an adaptable theater-style seating configuration that combines elements of a sport utility, family van, and wagon.

The show car demonstrates a 150 hp 2.0 L diesel engine.

It has been speculated this car will be built alongside the Volt at the same plant in Detroit-Hamtramck, and since it shares the same platform, would be ideally suited for an E-Flex drivetrain. Since we know GM has at least 2 other E-Flex models under development, this car seems an ideal opportunity considering the needs of families.

I asked GM spokesperson Nancy Libby if this car will be sold in North America, and she responded it was simply a demonstration show car and “at this point, we have nothing to announce regarding the production of a similar vehicle in the U.S. or anywhere else. ”

Recently the Wall Street Journal reported that GM pulled the Orlando from DHAM, although that remains unconfirmed.

GM sources told me the plant is currently building Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucernes and the ability to go to Volt is “subject to successful discussions with state and local governments.” These sources also report that “no other product has been announced for our plant.”  But since capacity there is in the hundreds of thousands, and first year Volt volumes won’t be as high, perhaps the E-Flex Orlando will wind up being that other product.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see, but what do you think about this being an E-Flex microvan?

As we discuss the Volt and its revolutionary E-flex drivetrain, interest in seeing this technology placed in vehicles other than a 4-seater sedan is often expressed.

Although nothing has been publicly unveiled yet, GM has certainly implied plans for a future portfolio of E-Flex vehicles.  Clearly they don’t expect the momentum to stop with the Volt, but rather expect E-Flex is the dawn of a new era.  Indeed we already know that the E-Flex design studio has at least two other new concepts in the scale model stage (post).

So just when will this new era will begin?  On a few occasions, spy photographers have spotted a small GM Chevy prototype microvan mule, known alternatively as the MPV7 or Chevy Tacuma, undergoing testing in Germany (shown above). For those not familiar with the term, a microvan is a smaller sedan-sized version of a minivan, the most common example being the current Mazda5.

Reportedly this particular Chevy vehicle will be built on the same Delta platform as the Volt will and alongside the Volt at the same assembly plant in Hamtramck.

Because of these shared aspects, some authors have guessed that this vehicle might also have an E-flex drivetrain.  Imagine that, an E-Flex microvan?!

I obtained GMs official comment on this: “pure speculation.”

We’ll see.

Source (Jalopnik)

GM has previously unveiled a concept car called the Cadillac Provoq. It was meant to demonstrate an E-Flex platform using a hydrogen fuel cell range extender in the form of a crossover.

As far as anyone at GM would say at the time of the unveiling, that vehicle was not production-intent.

From early on, considering the cost of lithium-ion batteries, there has been speculation that the Cadillac brand would be getting an E-Flex car. At first some thought the Volt would wind up a Caddy, but of course that has not turned out to be the case.

Automotive news is reporting something that they seem to know but aren’t willing to fully disclose.

An article was just published today about how GMs product line-up is changing for the smaller. They interviewed Bob Lutz who noted that Aveos may be getting larger and Cadillacs smaller. Lutz also noted that several vehicles could be built on the same Delta platform the Volt will, indicating a belief consumers are looking for small but well-appointed cars.

It was the last line in the article though that seems to catch our attention:

“There is talk that Cadillac will get the next vehicle to use the Volt technology. Stay tuned.”

I checked in with GM sources who would not confirm this possibility.

Source (Automotive News, subscription)

While getting the first Volt into production remains GMs focus right now, there’s no question they have big plans for E-Flex in the future.

In case you missed it, in my interview with Bob Boniface , E-Flex lead designer, he states clearly that he is already designing future E-Flex vehicles.

In today’s Detroit Press, Volt director Frank Weber confirmed that fact stating "The significance of the project has increased,".

Chief engineer Andrew Farah said next vehicles to get E-Flex will likely be small and mid-sized ones, because the drivetrain would have to be modified considerably to be used in trucks and SUVs.

Weber also indicated that Volt updates would occur on a highly accelerated yearly basis as opposed to the usual 3 to 5 year cycles.  He noted that nine areas on the Volt’s design where major improvements or cost reductions could be made for the next year cycle have already been identified.

Furthermore he told reporters that the first running prototypes with production-intent parts will arrive in the next 10 days with 50 expected by year end.

I have been advised by Mr. Farah that these will not have Volt skins, but will "borrow" the skin of another vehicle besides the Malibu that the present "Mali-Volts" are using.

Source (Detroit Free Press )

It is well known the Chevy Volt has been approved for U.S. production for 2010. Less clear is what GM will do in other markets. The E-Flex platform is by design very flexible. The Opel Flextreme concept illustrates how a diesel rather than gas generator can be used.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner previously indicated that GMs European brand, Opel’s E-Flex vehicles were being designed in Michigan. Last month a report surfaced suggesting that E-Flex vehicles would appear in Europe both under the Chevrolet and Opel brands.

That report quoted Mike Arcamone, VP of GM Powertrain Europe as saying “Opel and Chevrolet will get a version of the car in Europe within a few months of each other.”

He also made this statement about timing:

“In terms of European vehicle launch, the Chevrolet probably will come second. The timing is going to be very close at around the end of 2010, but Opel leads by a couple of months.”

Source (Automotive News Europe, paid subscription required)

Today, new information was provided by GM Europe President Carl-Peter Forster. He advised that the E-Flex Opels wont make it to Europe until 2012, will cost 10,000 Euros more than their non-E-Flex counterparts, and will be made in America.

He declined to predict European demand for these cars stating such a guess would be “pure crystal ball gazing – demand is dependent on the oil price.”

So while GMs exact European plans still remain a matter of some speculation, it is clear that the E-Flex platform clearly has the chance to make it into many products, brands, and regions of the world.

How do you think E-Flex would best be utilized?

Source (just-auto, subscription required)

In September GM introduced the Opel Flextreme crossover concept vehicle which was based on an E-Flex drivetrain platform with a diesel range extender, and a 34 mile lithium-ion battery electric range.

By December Frank Weber had told us that the Flextreme was not production intent.

Also we have been told that the Chevy Volt is intended to be a global product.

Yesterday, however, Rick Wagoner made the comment that GM now actually has a program in place to produce a series of production E-Flex vehicles under the Opel line.

Wagoner also reported that the development program is already underway at the GM Technical Center in Warren Michigan. This is in light of the announcement of a $10 billion dollar investment by GM Europe into the Opel line which well help to bring this E-REV to market.

Source (Green Car Congress )