GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Your trusty moderator is here right now in the lobby of GM Headquarters in Detroit, awaiting a day of meetings with several GM executives critical to the developemnt of the Volt.

I will do my best to get our questions answered!

Latest news so far includes:

-a supposed quote from GM on Volt production in 2015 (way too long…I’m asking about that one)?!

-a deadline for working Battery pack final candidate in June 2008 from either Continental/A123 or Compact Power/AG.

Stay tuned, and I will report back todays findings, including the winner of the Challenge X competition.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced today that 2 companies have been awarded contracts to develop the Lithium-ion battery packs that will power the Volt.

One went to Compact Power Inc (CPI) who will use batteries created by LG Chem. The other went to Continental Automotive Systems who will use A123 batteries.

Mr. Wagoner noted these contracts are an important next step to bringing the Volt closer to reality and specifically indicated the Volt can have a “huge” impact on oil consumption and that it is a “top priority” for GM.

This step will hopefully enable a working prototype by year’s end.

Read full press release here.

Nick Zielinski, Chief Vehicle Engineer of the Volt reads common enthusiasts questions and responds to them in a video statement. He specifically addresses the following questions with the following answers:

1) When the vehicle will be released – he wont say
2) How much it will cost – he wont say except “competitively-priced”
3) Where it will be built – he wont say
4) If one can sign up to buy or test drive it – says they’re not at that stage yet
5) Whether a solar panel on the roof matters – only will produce 75W, vehicle needs 15KW at peak speeds
6) Why they wont make it with NiMh batteries – not enough power density, and Li-ion will drop in price over time
7) How it differs from the EV1 – on-board ICE

See video below.  Ask Mr. Zielinski your questions here.
[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNbNwst3_C4]

A very thoughtful discussion on the birth of the Volt appeared in today’s Wall Street Journal. The story goes that GM has been feeling the heat and threat from Toyota, a company now known for its green-ness due to the Prius. Seeing the risk of being known as a company that turns out gas guzzlers (i.e. Maximum Bob and his Viper), GM realized that now was the critical turning point in history to re-invent itself. Larry Burns was noted as saying that GM had to come out with it’s equivalent of Apple’s iPod. And so the Toyota Prius-crushing Volt concept was born.

Now that the horse is out of the barn, and treading on the public relations disaster that the EV-1 was, GM is betting the farm on the Volt. Although early estimates are that the car will not be a high volume vehicle, and that the profit margin could be slim to none, GM must get the car on the road. The Volt will allow GM to become known as the leader of the green revolution, and that indeed this new image will be their only hope of survival in the upcoming brave new world of carbon taxes, peak oil, and renewable energy usage. Indeed GM is committing considerable resources developing all the other parts of the car, even though the heart of the car, the final form of the Li-ion battery does not exist.

We at gm-volt.com commend GM for this most honorable effort, and are here to see this car to production.

Bob Lutz was quoted as saying some very interesting things. See source article here. He was commenting on the Federal decison to increase fuel economy ratings. In the discussion, which took place on May 10th, he said that the Volt’s consumer cost would be less than $30,000. He also said that the Li-ion battery is now only 2 to 3 years away from mass production, and that the vehicle could have a combined electric-combustion range of 750 miles.
He also quite thoughtfully invoked the need for a Manhattan Project-like effort of the Federal government to wean the U.S. off petroleum and onto renewable energy.

For those who follow the Volts’ development carefully these are some very important pieces of information from Bob. Its the first time we’ve heard a possible price-point for the car, and a number likely to make a lot of people happy. Also we are tantalized by the prospect of the car arriving a year ahead of time.

With the Zaap Obvio and possibly Tesla sedan slated to arrive in 2009, an early Volt arrival will be a very good thing.

Larry Burns gave an interview to Automotive News in which he elaborated on some details of the Volt’s production process and plans, and included that a formal production program for the vehicle exists, with initial engineering work already underway.

He says that GM has allocated specific funds for development, with expectations being that 500 million will have to be spent. Also, the engineering team has chosen the next-generation Delta platform ( same as next Cobalt and Astra) upon which the car will be built.

As per the typical GM production process, from the point the Volt is currently at, it should take sbout 36 months for the first Volts to roll off the production line. Thats May 2010 for those keeping score.

Lets hope its available in ALL cities, not just west coast U.S.

To those who think the Volt will be a low volume vehicle, we say think again!