Part of this test process is seeing how the cars behave in real-world situations.

I received the following note from Volt fan Jim Northrop who lives in Nevada near Death Valley. Since it sent chills up my spine I thought I’d share it here (with Jim’s permission):

It was the best lunch I’ve had in a long time…. It was 11:55 AM. I was waiting for a traffic light in Pahrump, Nevada, on my way home for lunch and what should pass in front of me, headed North on Nevada Highway 160, but five (5) mysterious cars: silver and also white, with strange masking panels, antennae, and Michigan manufacturer plates. The fifth car was lagging and I had a chance to study the grill, gold accents, silhouette, then the rear spoiler. I had seen these features somewhere… they were Volts!! The “Fleet”. I quickly fell in behind, but intervening vehicles kept me distant and I couldn’t pass. I was hoping they would turn on Bellvista which is a popular route to Death Valley Junction and my house. Lucky for me they did make this turn and the chase began. I drove uncharacteristically fast to catch up, passing what I now believe was a large white Chevy “support van” and a few other cars. Finally, the trailing Volt was in reach. I was going way too fast as I pulled up and abruptly slowed next to the Volt–the two occupants didn’t give eye contact–they were probably busy praying they would survive this scary encounter with me (sorry guys). Momentarily mesmerized, I again accelerated, and pulled in front. I was now gaining on the other 4 Volts which were beginning to slow for the stop sign at Leslie. I pulled up behind the fourth Volt (sorry guys, I didn’t mean to scare you, but was completely focused on that round, gray, plug/cap centered low on your rear bumper–darn near caused the first Volt wreck…gasp!) Once I came to my senses and stopped, I honked my horn a few times, and grinning from ear to ear, gave driver and passenger excited “thumbs up”. They both gave me firm thumbs up in return and away they went. I rolled the stop and accelerated to catch them–they easily pulled away from me in my 2005 ,V8 Silverado– acceleration was comparable to my wife’s V6 07 Malibu (I know this as she always tries to beat me home, often from this same stop sign). Noteworthy… they had their windows up which meant they had to have their A/C’s on (in our heat)– strong acceleration!! They continued West, on Bellvista, toward the foothills. So excited, I forgot to eat lunch, too busy calling everyone I know… They are really beautiful, artistically sculpted automobiles. Wow! Very, very Impressive!!! Thanks GM for your commitment to the Volt, and for bringing them through our town today. By the way GM, please send some to Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza, a Volt is on my Christmas list.

Jim, didn’t have a camera with him, but apparently another lucky guy from internetautoguide caught a glimpse of this same fleet in a parking lot (photo above)

1. Jalopnik – the tongue in cheek and heavily prolific automotive blog had a mule drive with Bob Lutz riding shotgun. They called it “utterly unremarkable” to GM’s delight because that is the goal. Making a car that doesnt use gas seem the same as cars people are used to. They timed the 0 to 60 at 8 seconds letting them call it “peppy”

2. Automobile Magazine – the author seemed pleased by the silence not only at low speeds but of course during acceleration, quite distinct from current hybrids. They wrote “the mule feels like a normal, if slightly pudgy compact.” The also advise us “the team says it hopes to have closer-to-production prototypes for us to drive by fall.” That would be the IVers.

3. Detroit Free Press- Title says it all “Volt is sporty, fun in test spin.” The author experienced a “fast, smooth blast from 0 to 70 mph.”He quoted Volt executive Frank Weber as saying “People must understand that you don’t have to give anything up to drive an electric vehicle, this is something you will really like and enjoy.” A pedestrian alert signal will be installed due to the car’s silence. He noted “the electric steering was responsive and well balanced,” and that the car hugged the road well.

It was also noted, and this I am sure, the true Volt prototypes (and actual Volts) will be sleeker, faster, smoother and better handling. I can’t wait to see.

Also by now its no secret that GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz will be a guest on the David Letterman show tonight. He will be there to redeem the image of the Volt which was maligned and misrepresented by Letterman a few weeks ago when Elon Musk was a guest.

It has also come out that comedian Stephen Colbert with be joining Lutz and Letterman on the show as part of the discussion. Lutz made his famous “the Volt will get you chicks with hairy legs” comment while on Colbert’s show. The Volt will be onstage too, and no doubt this will be an event to remember for us Volt enthusiasts.

In preparation for this historic segment the Detroit Free Press’ Mark Phelan decided to see Mr. Lutz off from Detroit to New York with a Chevy Volt top ten list for Dave to study:

10. With 40 miles of battery power, it’ll clear a driveway that stretches from Times Square to Piscataway, N.J.

9. About 80% of Americans drive fewer than 40 miles a day, so they’d almost never need the onboard generator.

8. For longer trips — say to Muncie, Ind., for Ball State alumni weekend — the Volt’s gasoline-powered onboard generator keeps the batteries charged for up to 400 miles between fill-ups.

7. Jay Leno wants one.

6. The Volt accelerates fast enough to put Letterman back on the New Jersey State Police’s radar.

5. The Volt will be built by UAW workers in GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

4. Danica Patrick will look great in one.

3. The Volt has an unofficial fan Web site, www.gm-volt.com, just like Dave. (my personal favorite)

2. Entering “Chevrolet Volt” on Google produces 3,460,000 hits. Entering “Late Show with David Letterman” gets 1,320,000.

1. Putting your tongue on the terminals of its lithium-ion battery pack would be a really stupid human trick.

What is your number one reason for wanting to buy a Chevy Volt?

Call for Help from GM-Volt.com: Can someone please upload the segment to YouTube tonight and email me the link or video to: chevyvolt@gmail.com

Source (Detroit Free Press)

It was an experience I wont soon forget. I have included the video I shot of that moment below to share it with you.

After the unveiling we ran a poll to see if GM-Volt.com readers preferred the production or concept model.

Of 2468 unique respondents, 48% preferred the production version and 40% preferred the concept version, and 11% preferred both models equally.

It is good to see more people prefer the production model to the concept, and I’d like to say a final goodbye to that concept and thanks to GM for making it happen.

The photo above shows the swarm that immediately occurred after the car rolled out. It is the official GM shot, and it was fun to discover myself standing right in the middle of it all (arrow).

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKW2hvIKF8o]

Other key events of the day including the possibility for live online chats with GM execs can be found here .

We expect the Chevy Volt will be revealed at this time, as well as “some other surprises.” The video will be available here afterwards for replay.

[UPDATE 8:02 AM: Im sitting before the stage in a crowd of about 1000]

Edmunds has found out a little more about that particular vehicle. Apparently it was indeed a production Volt fiberglass shell, only one of which was made for the movie, with restrictions that it be held under very tight security.

That shell was mounted on a standard Malibu chassis, dirvetrain, and interior by Saleen.

GM sources still insist that it isn’t a true production version.

The article rapidly loses credibility though on its insistence that the production Chevy Volt itself will be available in showroom next summer (2009) when the Transformers 2 movie debuts.

What we do expect to see by next summer are fleets of hundreds of near production Volt prototypes out gathering data.

Source (Edmunds)

GM-Volt.com has reached the next level.

For more than a year I have served as your intermediary. After building visibility and credibility to the point I could meet with actual GM executives in charge of building the Volt, I brought your questions, ideas, and enthusiasm to them. We let them know we are here and holding them accountable to building this car. It has always been my hope to connect you all to them as well. A couple of months ago I proposed to GM that they co-host the GM-Volt.com community in a town hall-type event, where we could all get together, meet in person, inspect the Volt show car, and get our questions answered directly from GM executives.

Well, they took me up on the offer!

Wednesday, March 19th, 4:30PM at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City, the first VOLT NATION Town Hall event will take place.

The venue will be the last conference of the NY Auto Show press days, before it opens to the public.

The first 250 people to register, exclusively on this site, will get guaranteed entry and a press pass. At the show we will have a private, exclusive get-together with the entire Chevy Volt executive team, on stage, gathered around the show car. Your questions will be taken and answered.

Don’t miss this unprecedented opportunity to continue to get our message and input to GM how much this car means to us and the world.

Register by sending your name, address, email address and phone number to voltnation@gmail.com. Your data is secure and will be managed by me (with a little help from GM’s PR firm).

Witness the power of social media!

GM has just revealed a teaser photo of the production version of the Chevy Volt, and there it is!

You will remember how Bob Lutz previously told us that the concept Volt did not do so well in the wind tunnel. We also heard from vehicle line director Tony Posawatz that it turns out aerodynamics is more important than mass or electricals for getting the Volt to make it 40 miles on a charge.

Frank Weber, E-Flex vehicle line executive states:

“The electric range of the Chevrolet Volt is most sensitive to improvements in aero, which is in contrast to a traditional vehicle program in which mass typically plays a larger role.”

GM now tells us through aggressive work in their state of the art wind tunnel, and through the efforts of a team of designers headed by Bob Boniface, they have made significant progress getting the Volt more aerodynamic; hence the new design above.
Aerodynamics apparently accounts for about 20% of any vehicle’s efficiency.

Ed Welburn, GM VP Global Design states:

“I’m proud to say that after extensive aero development of the Volt, and more to come, we have achieved a vehicle that had a coefficient of drag that is more 30% lower in drag than the original concept,”…“It’s not easy, but it is a necessity.”

Read the whole press release after the jump.

For Release: Monday, December 10, 2007

Chevrolet Volt development moves forward with focus on aerodynamics
Design team explores aerodynamic enablers to maximize range for next-generation electric vehicles

Warren, MI –The massive fan in GM’s aero lab wind tunnel has been cranked up to full blast as GM’s designers and engineers work to optimize the aerodynamics of the Chevrolet Volt as part of the quest to make the breakthrough concept car a production reality. Aerodynamic improvement is a critical step in meeting the range targets necessary for moving the vehicle to a final production decision.

The design team, now with its own studio dedicated to the development of vehicles powered by the E-flex propulsion system, has been working with engineering, aerodynamicists and other scientists to develop an energy efficient Chevrolet Volt by optimizing aerodynamics.

“One of the ways design can contribute to the efficiency of any vehicle is through the aerodynamics of the body shape,” says Ed Welburn, VP, GM Global Design. “The collaboration between a designer and an aerodynamicist can not only contribute to improved fuel economy or extended range, but can produce beautiful and different body shapes.”

Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive and global vehicle chief engineer for the E-Flex System, agrees. “The electric range of the Chevrolet Volt is most sensitive to improvements in aero, which is in contrast to a traditional vehicle program in which mass typically plays a larger role.”

Reducing drag
Aerodynamic drag accounts for approximately 20 percent of the energy consumed in an average vehicle, directly impacting vehicle fuel efficiency. GM designers apply their expertise to address the opportunity to improve the fuel economy of all GM vehicles. In fact, GM offers more fuel efficient vehicles than any other manufacturer, in part due to vehicle design and GM’s aerodynamic development capabilities.

GM’s aerodynamics laboratory, located at the technical center in Warren, Mich., is the center of expertise for optimizing the impact of airflow. In addition to fuel economy, range, emissions, and acceleration are all affected by wind resistance, or aerodynamic drag. The cooling of components such as radiators and brakes are affected by airflow, as is cornering capability, crosswind response, directional stability and on-center handling. GM’s aero lab allows for the testing and development of each of these characteristics.

Aerodynamics development begins with a 1/3-scale model where basic shape and major features are defined. The model includes a highly detailed underbody and engine compartment. Radiator and under hood cooling flow is developed with computational fluid dynamic models. Simultaneously, computation development takes place to determine aerodynamic drag of design alternatives. Development continues with full-scale models, where shape is refined and optimized for low wind noise. The development process concludes with a vehicle prototype validation of the math-based analysis and physical testing.

“I’m proud to say that after extensive aero development of the Volt, and more to come, we have achieved a vehicle that had a coefficient of drag that is more 30% lower in drag than the original concept,” said Welburn. “It’s not easy, but it is a necessity.”

GM’s Aerodynamic Laboratory: The Wind Tunnel
Founded in the late 1970s, GM’s aerodynamics laboratory was built in response to fuel shortages of that time and the introduction of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards. Test operations began in 1980 with several production vehicle tests that benchmarked the wind tunnel’s performance against other facilities. All new GM vehicles for the North American market have been developed using the lab. Today, the experimental work in the aero lab is supplemented by computational fluid dynamics analysis. The combination of the two testing operations provides a powerful tool to improve aerodynamics of future GM vehicles.

Wind speed in the tunnel can reach up to more than 120 miles-per-hour. Real-time data acquisition and display systems measure forces and moments, airflow velocities, pressures, temperatures and wind noise.

In addition to helping GM create today’s most fuel efficient vehicles, wind tunnel testing has provided a competitive advantage for GM racing vehicles. Several GM sponsored teams also have taken advantage of the wind tunnel, including America ’s Cup challengers, Sunrayce solar cars, bicycle racers, the U.S. Disabled Ski Team and the Canadian Alpine Ski Team.

The GM Aerodynamics Laboratory celebrated 26 years of wind tunnel test operations in August. The lab was the first full-scale automotive wind tunnel built in North America and remains the largest wind tunnel in the world dedicated to automotive testing.

GM and Aerodynamics
GM’s history in aerodynamics dates back to the 1930s with aircraft-inspired designs as industrial art. In the 1950s and 60s the company focused more on the science of drag reduction, but in the 1970s, the public demanded smaller, more fuel efficient cars in response to fuel shortages. As a new trend in aerodynamics emerges, GM leverages its heritage and expertise to develop full-sized trucks as fuel efficient as a mid-sized sedan and the next generation of electric vehicles with extended range, starting with the development of the Chevrolet Volt.

“We are now in the midst of a new period of aero exploration,” said Welburn. “There has been a significant effort by all our program teams to improve fuel economy and now to extend the range of electric vehicles for the future.”

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYri9hPgVzQ]

Originally posted by carscoop and then Jalopnik. These are the first full pictures of the Opel E-Flex diesel variant. Click below to view larger image.

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