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Akerson On 200 Mile Range.

10K views 23 replies 18 participants last post by  sinnombre 
#1 · (Edited)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-06/akerson-says-gm-working-on-200-mile-range-electric-car.html

There will be breakthroughs in battery technology, they’re on the horizon,” Akerson said today during a presentation at the IHS CERAWeek energy conference broadcast on CNBC.com. “We’re actually developing a car today which is really anathema to the way the auto industry works: We’re running a dual play on the technology to see which one will succeed. One will result in” a 100-mile range, “the other will be a 200-mile range.”

Musk talk from Akerson. Sounds like the battery experiments have not crashed and burned yet. Or just get a Model S today.
 
#2 ·
I heard him being interviewed on CNBC, and enjoyed it very much. He mentioned a number of the things discussed in the Bloomberg article. These included the use of nano-steel, carbon fiber, and aluminum to reduce vehicle weight, engines that can use either gasoline or natural gas, and advances in battery technology.
 
#4 ·
Akerson's speech

Here is Akerson's speech verbatim:

Good afternoon. It is an honor to join you today.

There is no more fitting city to host a discussion about the future of energy, and the role of companies like General Motors in securing that future.

After all, this region was the birthplace of the modern petroleum industry. And we sell more vehicles to retail customers in Texas than in any other state.

Being in Houston brings to mind a quote from Larry L. King, the late author and playwright. "For a few precious moments... I am back in Old Texas, under a high sky... where all things are again possible... and the wind blows free."

I don't share these words out of nostalgia. I share them because past is prologue.

From the Spindletop gusher all the way through the mid-1960s, abundant, domestically sourced energy made all things possible for the United States ... and the winds blew free.

Since then, we have continued to move forward as a nation. But our "high sky" started to close in while I was a midshipman at Annapolis in the late 1960s.

We became constrained... and therefore less free... because demand outstripped supply and America became dependent on imported energy.

The first warning shot came in 1967 during the Arab-Israeli war, but the message wasn't received until the embargo of 1973.

Ever since then, our vulnerability has been underscored every time a war or a natural disaster spikes prices or interrupts the flow of energy.

Nearly every President since Richard Nixon has grappled with these issues and their solutions have been remarkably similar:

Curb demand using moral suasion and regulatory pressure...

Provide incentives to speed the adoption of alternative energy... and ask the scientists to invent a magic bullet.

But none of it amounted to a cohesive, long-term national energy policy. We were reactive, lurching from crisis to crisis. And before you knew it, we were all wearing sweaters and driving 55 mph.

To be sure, we have made progress. For example, the energy intensity of the U.S. economy declined 21 percent between 1980 and 2011. However, no President has been able balance supply and demand.

Now, quite unexpectedly, the United States is on the cusp of achieving long-term energy security thanks to the rise of fuel-efficient vehicles, more energy-efficient homes and factories, and the revolution in domestic oil and gas production.

You all have seen the statistics. The U.S. Energy Information Agency reports that we could become a net exporter of natural gas by 2020, and net imports of energy could be cut roughly in half on a percentage basis by 2035.

The impact on our trade deficit could be enormous. According to Citigroup, achieving energy self-sufficiency could reduce the current account deficit by up to 2.4 percent of GDP.

At the same time, energy-related CO2 emissions, which peaked at 6 billion metric tons in the 2005 to 2008 timeframe, have fallen and may never again reach that level according to the EIA.

Then there is the impact on working men and women.

Our host, Dr. Daniel Yergin of IHS, reports that the unconventional oil and gas industry now employs about 1.7 million people directly and indirectly - a number that could increase to 3 million by 2020.

During the same period, federal and state revenues from unconventional energy could increase more than 80 percent to $113 billion.

This kind of stimulus suggests to me that "all things may be possible" once again - if we play our cards right.

The question before us now is this: What should the public and private sectors do to ensure that this extraordinary energy gain pays dividends for generations to come?

Let's start by looking at the role of GM and the auto industry.

Our industry rightfully should play a central role because light-duty vehicles account for about 60 percent of total transportation energy usage in the United States.

Much has already been accomplished. Since 1975, the EPA-estimated real-world fuel economy of cars and trucks has increased from about 13 mpg on average to almost 23 mpg today.

Consumer demand, competition and the Corporate Average Fuel Economy or "CAFE" laws all played a role. But CAFE, at least early on, was onerous for American automakers.

It was a reactive policy that tried to kick-start the domestic automakers into building lots of small cars before enough of our customers really wanted them.

It's no secret that our small cars back then weren't built to the standards of our other vehicles.

Mercifully, those vehicles have since been recycled into Energy Star refrigerators and other useful goods.

Now, we are challenged to meet a new 54.5 mpg CAFE standard. But this time around, past is not prologue, because we are deploying technology that will satisfy customers and make an enormous contribution to energy security at the same time.

I don't want to tip my whole hand to our competitors, but I would like to share some highlights of our fuel economy plan through the 2016 model year.

First, we will reduce vehicle mass. A good rule of thumb is that a 10 percent reduction in curb weight will reduce fuel consumption by about 6.5 percent.

Our target is to reduce weight by up to 15 percent. But if you're worried that we're going to throw safety, comfort and performance out of the window to get there, you can breathe easy.

We are doing a much better job optimizing mass efficiency. For example, the new Cadillac ATS - the brand's first North American Car of the Year - is actually lighter than a comparable BMW 3-Series.

We are also aggressively investing in advanced materials, including Nano steels, carbon fiber and resistance spot welding for aluminum structures.

Next, we are deploying clean diesel engines where they make business sense. For example, we will compete head-to-head with Volkswagen with our new B20-ready Chevrolet Cruze diesel.

We are also improving the thermodynamic efficiency of our gasoline engines using a suite of technologies, including turbocharging, direct injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation.

The good news for Corvette, Camaro and GM pickup fans is that technologies like these mean the death of the V-8 engine has been greatly exaggerated.

It's counterintuitive, but as our Corvette chief engineer explains, when one of GM's all-new V-8s runs as a four-cylinder, it produces enough torque to stay in that mode for a very long time, which helps return better fuel economy than smaller engines.

This is a very big deal, especially for our truck customers who want the power of a V-8 when they need it for acceleration, hauling or towing, and the fuel efficiency of a smaller engine when they don't.

Another major contributor will be vehicle electrification. You know, it's a sport in some circles to poke fun at electric vehicles, especially at this early stage of their commercialization. But the era of using electricity to help improve performance and fuel economy is already here and the trend is only going to grow.

In fact, we expect to have an estimated 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by 2017.

Our plan includes pure electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Spark... extended-range EVs like the Chevrolet Volt and Cadillac ELR... and eAssist, a light-electrification technology that allows large cars like the Buick LaCrosse to achieve up to 36 mpg on the highway.

So what does all of this mean for energy security? GM's commitment will save 12billion gallons of fuel over the life of the vehicles we build between 2011 and 2017.

That's 675 million barrels of oil we won't need - a figure nearly equal to our oil imports from the Persian Gulf in 2011.

Importantly, these investments will make us a much more formidable global competitor because fuel economy and CO2 regulations are converging across mature and emerging markets.

Our contributions to energy security don't end with the vehicles we produce. How we build them matters too, and we're proud that just yesterday the EPA gave GM its 2013 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year "Sustained Excellence" award.

From 2005 to 2010, we reduced our energy intensity per vehicle produced by 28 percent. Going forward, we have committed to achieving a 20 percent reduction per vehicle in our global CO2 footprint by 2020.

We're also going to expand our leadership in reuse and recycling. Worldwide, 90 percent of GM's manufacturing waste is reused or recycled, and our goal is to have 125 landfill-free facilities by 2025, up from 104 today.

Through these activities we generate $1 billion in annual revenue, and in 2011 alone, we diverted 2.5 million metric tons of waste from landfills, which is the equivalent of 38 million garbage bags.

Before I move on, I'd like to say a few words about natural gas as a motor fuel because I think it represents a huge and largely untapped opportunity for commercial fleets and long-haul truckers to save money and contribute to cleaner air.

The bigger the truck and the more it's driven, the bigger the savings. For example, a typical 5,000-vehicle light-duty fleet could save $10 million or more annually by switching to CNG.

That's a powerful demand stimulus, and a key reason why we recently expanded our portfolio to include ¾-ton bi-fuel pickups and dedicated CNG-powered vans.

By contrast, a typical Class 8 operator could save $2,500 to $3,500 per month by switching to LNG. That means the ROI can turn positive in as little as a year or two despite the higher cost of the equipment.

Companies will line up for savings like this - provided the fuels are accessible. For example, there are only about 1,200 CNG stations nationwide and half of them are in just five states. LNG is even scarcer: there are only about 66 stations in 10 states.

It's very encouraging to see companies like Clean Energy Fuels take the initiative to build a nationwide LNG refueling infrastructure because it's going to encourage faster adoption.

But more work needs to be done to ensure that CNG and LNG aren't relegated to niche status.

That would be a tragedy because big rigs burn some 25 billion gallons of diesel annually, which require 2.5 billion barrels of crude to produce. That's an amount equal to about one-third of our total crude imports.

Everywhere you look there are opportunities to seize the energy high ground. Indeed, our leaders have been presented with an historic opportunity to create a national energy policy from a position of strength and abundance.

The pillars of such a plan must include energy diversity, so we do not become dependent on any one fuel or energy source. In other words, we must continue to develop all forms of domestic energy, including renewables.

Energy efficiency must remain a core component so we can absorb the impact of prosperity and population growth.

And we must continue to make meaningful, long-term investments in nascent technologies to drive CO2 emissions even lower.

GM's own experience shows these pillars work. Enshrining them in a cohesive national energy policy would help the United States build a sustainable, long-term competitive advantage, just like it's doing for GM.

How then should the country proceed?

I believe the President should immediately appoint a Blue Ribbon Commission to develop a 30-year energy policy framework with checkpoints every five years.

The commission needs to include a broad cross-section of energy producers and energy consumers, and they should be given a straightforward charge: Develop a plan to improve our standard of living by extending the duration of the natural gas and tight oil "dividend" for as long as possible.

In my lexicon, "standard of living" means affordable energy with certainty of availability... cleaner air and water... lower CO2 emissions... a significantly lower trade deficit... and balanced budgets.

As I have tried to stress here today, we are making progress on some of these fronts.

But imagine what could be accomplished if the oil, gas and mining industries... renewable energy companies... utilities... labor groups... and producers of consumer durable goods like GM worked together to negotiate the necessary trade-offs and emerged with clear targets and a timeline to advance our national energy agenda?

It would create our first sustainable consumer-driven energy policy, which in and of itself would raise the odds of success exponentially.

But even more than that, a 21st Century energy policy would give us the freedom to focus on the needs of customers... and the planet... under a high sky... where all things are again possible... and the wind blows free.

Thank you very much for your attention.​
 
#5 ·
GM developing electric vehicle with100-200 mile range

Sorry if this was already posted, but I didn't see it.

Note: "He said GM is developing two new electric models that would be able to run for 100 miles and 200 miles between charges, respectively. That would alleviate what he called the "range anxiety" felt by some drivers of its Chevrolet Spark, which can run around 80 miles. The development program includes a large charging pad that would sit in buyers' garages."

See full press release at http://www.nasdaq.com/article/gm-vehicles-to-shed-weight-to-meet-fuel-standards-20130306-01263
 
#14 ·
Note: "He said GM is developing two new electric models that would be able to run for 100 miles and 200 miles between charges, respectively. That would alleviate what he called the "range anxiety" felt by some drivers of its Chevrolet Spark, which can run around 80 miles. The development program includes a large charging pad that would sit in buyers' garages."
Odd, given that the Spark EV won't be available until first quarter 2014! How can there be driver with anxiety when the car does not yet exist?
 
#6 ·
Cutting weight is a good idea - it's been one of GM's problems for years.

I see they are still bringing up "battery fire", without including any details. Makes the average Joe read more into it than there actually was. Disappointing.
 
#7 ·
Here is Bob Lutz on why GM vehicles weigh more:

I said look guys, these vehicles are going to be robust, strong, I want a great ride, an absence of any noise, vibration and harshness, I want these things to be super-silent. So the guys put in heavy-duty components… also, Ed Welburne and I like big wheels, and the minute you say the minimum wheel size is 18 inches, you’ve automatically bought yourself an extra 50 lbs of weight. We willingly and knowingly made decisions in favor of design and appearance and noise, vibration and harshness… all the things that make a vehicle feel substantial. You know, everybody cries and moans that the Buick Enclave is 400 lbs too heavy, but it’s the last thing on the customer’s list. They don’t worry if it’s 400 lbs overweight or not, they love the way it rides and drives.

The reference to "battery fire" was totally bogus. To be accurate, the sentence should have read: "The Volt has been plagued by slow sales, based primarily on its high price, and secondarily on incessant attacks from right wing Republicans who tried to use a single fire on a Volt in a salvage yard to derail President Obama's re-election."
 
#8 ·
Great speech. Akerson/GM finally get it...I would caution Akerson to take the optimistic US oil-gas supply forecasts his hosts, CERA and Dan Yergin, dish out to him with a pound of salt. They have consistently been 180 degrees off from reality the past few years.

In fact, we expect to have an estimated 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by 2017
I wish GM would stop forecasting how many electrified vehicles will be on the road by a certain date. How many PR disasters do they need to learn that no good comes out of it if they hit the number, but a lot of bad comes out of it if they miss?
 
#13 ·
I wish GM would stop forecasting how many electrified vehicles will be on the road by a certain date. How many PR disasters do they need to learn that no good comes out of it if they hit the number, but a lot of bad comes out of it if they miss?
break that number down and it is conservative, Ackerman has defined "electrified" to include their eAssist technology, which will pretty much be available in their entire portfoilo of vehicles by 2017. The Volt alone, were it to maintain 25k in sales annually, would contribute ~150k of that number.
 
#12 ·
will these new vehicles also have ICE range extenders? In a few years Tesla may have a new less expensive vehicle but Musk refuses to put range extenders in his cars. Now, in a few years it may be easier to find places to plug in but I think GM should keep their range extenders as something that may set them apart from Tesla. That and GM should figure out how to seat five people.
 
#19 ·
I believe cars like Miev , Leaf , FFE , and Volt with small batteries of 25kWh or less really should have some sort of range extender.

Vehicles with larger battery packs of 50kwh or more should go solo because of the weight and other factors . IMHO , the model S with the 40kWh seems to not quite fit in either category . It's too small for leaving town and too big and heavy to add a range extender .
 
#16 ·
Green Car Reports is a daily read for me. I posted there:
Greatly improved energy density is only half the solution for electric cars. The other half is shortening charge time to allow cars to travel on longer trips, or alternatively, to make the batteries compact enough to make battery exchange practical. As a Volt owner I would welcome a combination of greater electric range (say, oh, about 100 mi....) and a smaller battery package while still retaining the range-extending ICE.
 
#17 ·
I'm curious. At what EV range does the range extender become unnecessary for inner-city driving? (IE everything except road trips to other cities) and at what EV range does the range extender become unnecessary for road trips?
 
#18 ·
I guess that's a matter of opinions (or usage cases.) To my mind, About 100-150 real all-weather miles and about 6-800 real world miles (assuming you can recharge overnight/fast charge where you stop.) A good fast charging network might lower the second number.

Actually, I think it's more likely that you'll see a fuel cell based EREV as a long term answer than a really long range battery - hauling all that battery around on normal days wastes an awful lot of weight/energy and money. Another possibility would be some sort of car ferry high speed train. Inductive charging lanes could happen, though it's pretty inefficient and a lot of infrastructure.
 
#22 ·
Really, my normal daily life is all EV even with the Volt's 25-30 winter miles. I put the 100-150 target up there to cover driving into Philly or to the limits of the metro area for events on evenings or (mostly) weekends.

When I'm serious about road trips, being forced to stop even every four or five hours is annoying (though stretching too much farther is hard on the bladder - and I had a TDI that routinely turned in 7-800 mile tanks.)
 
#24 ·
I will use a half gallon going back and forth across the metroplex . A Leaf would never do without better charging infrastructure .

However , I really would not want to drive more than 3 hours without stopping . I would also be willing to sacrifice and compromise if an EV required me to stop every two hours . My reasoning is because these trips are usually leisurely time on rare occasions were the extra hour in a day isn't critical .
 
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