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Archive for the 'Generator' Category

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Bob Lutz Implies Chevy Volt Will Get Between 40 and 50 MPG in Charge-Sustaining Mode

October 27th, 2009 | Posted in: Efficiency, Generator with 196 Comments

GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz was interviewed on Fox Business News.  The entire interview can be watched at the bottom of the post.
Just as vehicle line director Tony Posawatz was asked by Fox the other day, Lutz was also asked what the Chevy Volt’s MPG will be when it is running in charge-sustaining mode, after the [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 196 Comments

Chevy Volt Engine Generator Operates Between 1200 and 4000 RPM

October 26th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator with 123 Comments

The Chevy Volt’s 1.4 L 4 cylinder flex fuel generator garners a lot of attention and discussion online.
It is this range-extender that make the car so unique. Although the Volt always operates as an EV, once the battery’s state of charge reaches roughly 30% this generator powers on, providing electricity to the motor. [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 123 Comments

Volt Runs Without Gas Though Needs it Occasionally, Can’t Run Without Battery

August 19th, 2009 | Posted in: Battery, Fuel, Generator with 296 Comments

Since the Volt is at its core and electric car, people often ask whether it will be able to run without any gas in its tank.
According to Volt vehicle line engineer Tony Posawatz, “the VOLT can run without gas since it is an EV.”
Here’s how he explains it:
We will provide many tips to customers on [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 296 Comments

Poll: What Will the Volt’s MPG in Charge Sustaining Mode be?

August 18th, 2009 | Posted in: Efficiency, Generator with 484 Comments

Now that GM has announced the Volt will average 230 MPG in city driving, we are interested in knowing more.
When the Volt concept was first unveiled in January 2007, GM said the car would get 50 MPG average when it was in generator mode based on computer simulations.
We understand the car will get up to [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 484 Comments

Exclusive: The Engineering Challenges of Volt Generator Mode

August 17th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator with 341 Comments

After the Chevy Volt has been driven 40 miles on electricity, the gas-powered generator turns on supplying electricity along with a buffer in the battery that the electric motor needs for continued operation.  Though GM has been developing this function for a while they have not shown it publicly.
I had a chance to discuss this [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 341 Comments

EPA Playing a Role in Volt Generator Mode Behavior?

June 12th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator, Prototypes with 184 Comments

It is known that no one outside GM at this point has been allowed to witness the Chevy Volt prototypes running in generator mode.
Previously it was reported that the reason for this is that the car isn’t soundproofed and GM doesn’t want people to hear the engine. Jon Lauckner has also told me the [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 184 Comments

Chevy Volt Mule in Generator Mode Already ‘Prius Quiet’

May 27th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator, Performance, Test drive with 164 Comments

General Motors has allowed the Cruze-bodied Chevy Volt mules to be test driven by more than a dozen journalists and various others including myself.
They have strictly restricted those driving experiences to the vehicle’s charge depleting mode. Outsiders thus only have the experience of driving the car in pure electric mode without the gas generator [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 164 Comments

What Will the Volt’s Generator Mode Feel Like?

May 4th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator with 233 Comments

GM has not let any of the media including myself experience driving in the charge-sustaining or generator mode in the Chevy Volt mules. There might be some concerns about how it will be experienced possibly leading to some negative press.
While I was at the Milford Proving Grounds I was told that many people who drive [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 233 Comments

Gen II Volt Engine Less Than 1 L, Smaller and Simpler

March 15th, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Generator, Next Generation with 120 Comments

Now that electrification has begun to take hold, the roles will be reversed from present day hybrids.  Instead of a small electric motor assisting the main gas engine, the gas engine will take a backseat.  This is well illustrated in the Volt where the gas engine simply waits until its services are needed only if [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 120 Comments

GM Says Production of Volt Engines in December 2010 Does Not Delay November Volt Launch

February 27th, 2009 | Posted in: Generator, Production with 89 Comments

This week GM announced that they will be building Chevy Volt engines in a re-tooled existing plant rather than building a new plant which had been the previous plan.
Within that announcement GM indicated the first of these engines would begin being assembled in December 2010. This led some to speculate that GM would somehow [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 89 Comments

GM Announces Chevy Volt Engines to be Built at Existing Flint Michigan Plant

February 24th, 2009 | Posted in: Generator, Production with 69 Comments

In recent weeks we heard that construction at the Flint Michigan engine plant where the Chevy Volt and Cruze engines were to be built had been put on hold due to cash flow difficulties. This plant had initially been earmarked for the Family Zero engines back in September.
Now the automaker has announced it will [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 69 Comments

Confirmed: First Production Chevy Volt Engines Will be Imported From Aspern, Austria

February 4th, 2009 | Posted in: Generator, Production with 155 Comments

A key component of the Chevy Volt is the combustion engine that will act as the range-extender, turning the generator to make electricity for continued driving beyond the first 40 miles between charges.
One chapter of the Volt story was that a 1.4 L Family 0 normally-aspirated engine had been chosen for this task. Last year [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 155 Comments

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