GM: Why not a 20 Mile AER Voltec Chevy Cruise

[kingofl337]

GM I don't understand why the Cruise with a 20 mile AER is not being offered along side the Volt for like 25k. All the R&D is already being done using that model I would think it would make perfect sense. GM could use that platform as a mass market plug in hybrid. If you need more millage just move up to the Volt. GM could have two Plug in Hybrids ready to launch for 2010.

If the final price of the Volt is $35,000 and they sell 10,000.
If the final price of the Cruise is $25,000 and they sell 40,000.

Which will have a bigger impact on the bottom line and improving the technology from generation to generation?

[DaV8or]

A Volt with a smaller battery and shorter range for a cheaper price is something that GM has said they are looking into for the near future. However they want to get the 40 mile version out first and then work on alternatives. Going to a smaller battery pack would only in theory save you about $5000, not $10,000, but still, it would make the technology accessible to a few more people. I think if they build a 40 mile Volt for $40,000 and 20 mile Volt for $35,000, most buyers will pony up the cash for the extra range IMO. Still, with the tax credits this would get you an electric car for under 30 grand, and since it is the same car as the 40 mile Volt, the owner could upgrade their battery pack in the future.

[HyperMiler]

GM I don't understand why the Cruise with a 20 mile AER is not being offered along side the Volt for like 25k. All the R&D is already being done using that model I would think it would make perfect sense. GM could use that platform as a mass market plug in hybrid. If you need more millage just move up to the Volt. GM could have two Plug in Hybrids ready to launch for 2010.

If the final price of the Volt is $35,000 and they sell 10,000.
If the final price of the Cruise is $25,000 and they sell 40,000.

Which will have a bigger impact on the bottom line and improving the technology from generation to generation?

There is no end-user price difference between a 8 kwh Volt and 16 kwh Volt, because of the current proportional tax credit in accordance with battery capacity.

[nlh_90210]

Not only do you lose 50% Energy capacity but also 50% of your available battery power. Max speed will be cut by ~20% and acceleration would be cut in half.

Also your ability to recapture regenerative braking would be cut in half decreasing your AER further, and lowering the hybrid mpg.

It might sell...

There is some promising tech out there for increasing power to mass ratio of Li-ion batteries, but for now that's as much a limiting factor as capacity.

[pdt]

The power issue is one of the reasons why a 20 mile range vehicle will not have a battery that costs half as much (another reason is the need to have a finite battery capacity at the low and high end of charge state for charge-sustaining mode, which means the battery will not have half the capacity). The way to get the same voltage and even more power with a lower capacity battery is to have the same number of cells, but with thinner electrodes. That will result in a battery that costs almost as much as the higher capacity battery, but with significantly more power capability. If you reduce the number of cells you will also need to thin the electrodes down to keep the power at the same level, so the 20-mile range vehicle will have fewer cells (but not half as many) with thinner electrodes to get the same power. The battery will cost less, but not even close to half as much (maybe 75%?)