Comments on: GM Nears Moment of Truth for Chevy Volt as Green Halo

By: Hybrid Espionage! GM Takes Couple to Court Over Tech Secrets

Hybrid Espionage! GM Takes Couple to Court Over Tech Secrets — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:01:37 +0000

[...] Based on “preliminary calculations,” GM estimates that the information in documents allegedly stolen by the couple is worth more than $40 million, according to the FBI. John Voelcker over at Green Car Reports notes that the automaker sells only around 10,000 vehicles per year with its two-mode hybrid system, which was designed for large SUVs and trucks. In December, the company plans to roll out the Chevy Volt, an extended-range electric sedan that by some estimates has cost well over a billion dollars to develop. [...]

By: The Next Google-Microsoft Rivalry: Electric Vehicles?

The Next Google-Microsoft Rivalry: Electric Vehicles? — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:02:00 +0000

[...] will take shape in the nascent market for electric vehicles, which many automakers are are positioning as evidence of their capacity for innovation and technology leadership. GM’s initial move to use Google services like voice search, maps [...]

By: Marketing Partners Blog » Blog Archive » Want winning PR? build a better vehicle!

Tue, 18 May 2010 18:20:39 +0000

[...] improving economy and government-managed restructuring that allowed it to slash costs. Now comes the quest for a green halo, as part of GM’s efforts to sustain profits for the long [...]

By: GM: First Profit in 3 Years, Chevy Volt in the Wings

GM: First Profit in 3 Years, Chevy Volt in the Wings — Tue, 18 May 2010 06:05:50 +0000

[...] improving economy and government-managed restructuring that allowed it to slash costs. Now comes the quest for a green halo, as part of GM’s efforts to sustain profits for the long [...]

By: GM Details Volt Rollout Plan Amid Tumult Over CEO’s Sudden Exit

GM Details Volt Rollout Plan Amid Tumult Over CEO’s Sudden Exit — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:02:02 +0000

[...] Motors wants to tell today is about the Chevy Volt — the extended-range electric vehicle that symbolizes the company’s efforts to emphasize innovation, advanced technology, fuel efficiency and a new [...]

By: Doug Korthof

Doug Korthof — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:20:25 +0000

I would have a lot more confidence in Obama if he had forced GM to resume production of the Saturn (for years, they’ve been rebranded German Opel imports — a stupid idea). Killing Saturn means that the OLD GM has snowed and deceived the new Board of Directors, and that the “team” of Fritz and Bob is as inept (or worse) than the former “team” of Rick and Bob. How about getting that guy OUT of the business?? Aren’t three failures (Chrysler, Exide and GM) enough, for pete’s sake??

By: Doug Korthof

Doug Korthof — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:17:46 +0000

Tony does NOT have a good reputation for supporting Electric cars. A part of the OLD GM. GM hasn't changed, it's just blowing OUR money down the toilet as it shrinks into its DEATH SPIRAL.

By: Doug Korthof

Doug Korthof — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:16:30 +0000

Let's hope so; it's after all just a 40-mile-range EV. Even GM can do that. But they are using the WRONG BATTERY; the 400 lb. Lithium battery uses 16 kWh but only yields 8 kWh of useful power.

In the Toyota RAV4-EV, the battery pack weighs 900 lbs. and powers the RAV4-EV over 100 miles; so 400 lbs. would be equivalent to 12 kWh of USEABLE energy, not 8 kWh!!

The same battery (now of course a smaller battery wears out sooner, so ceteris parabus) if it were NiMH would yield a range of 60 miles!

And we can take our 30 kWh Toyota RAV4-EV pack from 100% to 0%, we don't have to screw around with using only half the pack, nor with "cooling systems" to avoid Lithium fires.

So ironically, the MORE EXPENSIVE and SHORT-LIVED Lithium is HEAVIER, in practice, than NiMH!!

You won't see many $40,000 VOLT with a $30,000 battery pack...and, Lithium is just discarded, it doesn't recycle like lead or NiMH. GM will lose money on each one, even if they bring a few copies out. Once again, there will be a waiting list, and you will have to apply to get one, just another scam-job.

By: Doug Korthof

Doug Korthof — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:09:34 +0000

LOL! Study before you write this stuff. GM received the EV1 prototype "impact" for a budget of $3 million in 1989; Roger B. Smith committed to it at the L.A. Auto Show and then on Earth Day in April; by August, he was FIRED or LET GO as CEO.

GM then spent MILLIONS trying to kill the EV1! GM "consultants" and "experts" appeared, year after year, claiming that it was impossible; GM spent millions creating barriers and problems for the EV1 (for example, buying control of NiMH and then suppressing it!!).

GM might have spent $1 billion, but it sure wasn't on the EV1!! It was on KILLING the EV1.

By: Jeff R

Jeff R — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:57:07 +0000

As one of those "young environmentalist" consumers my whole life, I agree that nothing GM has ever made had any interest to me. (EV1 excepted.) I would basically have to defend my purchase of any GM car to friends and family, who all drive European and Japanese. For the first time I'd be happy to do that with the Volt, though. (Although I wish it had more European styling.)

The only other brands I would've been interested in from GM are ironically the Subaru, Saturn, Opel and Saab! Oh well. I always thought Subaru should've been the first one out with an AWD hybrid, for all those enviros who drive them to the mountains despite their mediocre MPG.

By: News roundup: Electric cars « Global Change

News roundup: Electric cars « Global Change — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:34:43 +0000

[...] GM Nears Moment of Truth for Chevy Volt as Green Halo [...]

By: Mark Boslet

Mark Boslet — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:13:45 +0000

With all the excitement behind the Volt, it is interesting to know what GM thinks about Better Place’s battery swapping plan. I ran into a GM manager who had a somewhat upbeat outlook. I posted his comments on TechPulse 360. You can find them here:

http://techpulse360.com/2009/10/13/the-better-place-battery-swapping-scheme-could-work-says-gm-manager/

By: Josie Garthwaite

Josie Garthwaite — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:18:02 +0000

fixed!

By: RSBaker

RSBaker — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:36:30 +0000

This is ridiculous! GM did spend about $1 billion in 1990s dollars to make the EV-1 and were only able to sell, or rather, Lease about 800 cars. EV-1 did exactly what GM said it would do. It went between 60 and 90 miles on a charge. Conspiracy theorists like yourself forget that Gasoline was $1.50 a gallon and the public was buying SUVs and Pick-up Trucks like crazy and avoided the 2 seater EV-1 and all other electric vehicles of the time like the plague. Even the best batteries were not as good as the Lithium Ion batteries of today. That's why GM as well as Ford and Toyota abandoned All Electrics back then.

Now GM has developed the Volt, an "Extended Range Electric Vehicle". It is an electric car that completely eliminates the Range Anxiety of a pure electric car. For longer trips the 1.4L gasoline engine will kick in to provide electricity for more than 300 miles. 70% of Americans drive less than the 40 miles a day. This is Volt's electric only range so if all of your trips during the week or the month or the entire year are less than that between charges, then you can actually drive Gasoline Free. THIS IS NO HOAX!

I refer you to; http://gm-volt.com/

This site is not run by General Motors. It is run by People interested in Driving a real world electric car. as of today, 50,450 people have signed up on the Volt interest list. there are also Photos of Volt and Future derivatives like the Opel Ampera and the Cadillac Converj as well as hundreds of articles about the development of Volt and detailed Technical analysis of the Voltechnology.

Time will ultimately tell if volt is a success or not but you should read this before judging Volt's merits. This is a reality and Pre-production starts in March 2010

By: John Suh

John Suh — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:17:36 +0000

Correction to a typo: Tony Posawatz is the Vehicle Line Director of the Volt, not the vehicle line engineer.

By: Darryl Siry

Darryl Siry — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:22:28 +0000

There is no way they pull the plug on this one (pun intended). It is only a matter of whether there is demand for 3000, 10000 or 100000 a year. They will be the only series hybrid on the market within reach to a "mass market."

It depends mostly on how they price the car, which of course relates to short term profitability. My guess is that they price it aggressively to drive volume and improve their manufacturing economics.