UPDATED: Engineering the Chevy Volt for Maximum Efficiency
By Andrew Farah
Chevy Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer
I’m sure that many of you have seen today’s news from GM, and have questions about the job cuts we announced today. I don’t want to pretend that it didn’t happen or not acknowledge the elephant in the room. But at the end of the day, GM’s future success rests first and foremost with our vehicles — like the Volt, which I work on — and that’s what I’m here to talk with you about today.
I read the newspapers and blogs frequently, and as many in the media have reported, the auto industry is “all charged up” about electric vehicles – fuel cells, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles and especially, extended range electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt. It’s easy to understand why – electric vehicles represent a tremendous opportunity to free our industry from its petroleum dependency and improve the environment.
But just like when I worked on the EV1, the success of the EV movement boils down to advanced batteries, and our ability as engineers to maximize the value of the battery packs and the vehicle’s efficiency for the customer.
At GM, our team is engineering the Volt to maximize its electric range. Every system and component on the Volt is being scrutinized so we can offer the most efficient vehicle possible.
One way to achieve these efficiencies is through innovation and great partnerships with our suppliers.
When the Volt debuts next year, it will include energy-saving Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires and the Energy Efficient Series sound system by Bose. Both components will play a role in helping the Volt achieve the maximum electric-only range. Be sure to look at the bottom it this post for videos we took at the Chicago Auto Show about both of these partnerships.
Let’s talk about Goodyear’s Fuel Max tires, internal tests have shown the low rolling resistance Goodyear tires will get about one more mile of electric-only range under certain driving conditions when compared to other tires of similar performance. A special energy-saving tread compound helps reduce energy loss, so less effort is required to keep the tires rolling.
And Bose’s Energy Efficient sound system is 30 percent smaller, 40 percent lighter, and uses 50 percent less energy than conventional Bose sound systems, which basically translates into us removing about 50 lbs. of mass from the Volt.
The smaller, lighter amps will use less energy and will generate less heat. These new speakers deliver the acoustical output of heavier speakers, and thanks to their innovation, consumers will hear concert hall volume using half the energy typically required.
All of our vehicle engineering, from aerodynamics to the vehicle’s internal design, is aimed at ensuring the Volt gets up to 40 miles of electric driving range. When it comes to fuel efficiency, every little bit counts. In this case, I believe the whole is definitely greater than sum of all its parts.
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Mr. Farah,
Will the Volt have a external power outlet so that homeowners can plug into that big battery in event of an emergency power outage from hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards, thunderstorms, etc?
If I had a Volt parked in my garage with that big 16kwh battery, I could power my house for a couple of days or more whenever my house got knocked off the grid.
There was an example in New England several weeks ago of an enterprising Prius owner using the battery in his car to keep the lights on in his house during an ice storm power outage. There are no doubt many people in Kentucky who recently wished they had a Volt they could plug into to keep the lights on in their houses during the ice storms there.
It seems like a capability you could easily build into the Volt for little cost, and one that would offer a high marketing payback.
“And Bose’s Energy Efficient sound system is 30 percent smaller, 40 percent lighter, and uses 50 percent less energy than conventional Bose sound systems, which basically translates into us removing about 50 lbs. of mass from the Volt.”
If it saves so much energy and weight, wouldn’t it make sense to put the same sound system in ALL GM cars?
Blue Wing,
“If it saves so much energy and weight, wouldn’t it make sense to put the same sound system in ALL GM cars?”
It might if the cost was equal… Which is unlikely.
“It might if the cost was equal… Which is unlikely.”
Ah, you have perhaps hit on part of the reason the Volt will be priced so far out of the normal Chevy demographic.
Redd Nuckles,
There’s no reason not to especially if the Volt has a full tank of gas it can act as a generator as well. It could probably power several houses at full load. Though I wouldn’t want it to be parked in the garage while running….
Andrew Farah,
My main question for you is why GM doesn’t seem interested in bringing the Opel Ampera over. I find its exterior much more appealing then both the Volt and the Concerj.
Additionally there were some safety concerns raised on one of the other blog sites regarding crashes and Li-Po batteries. It would be interesting to hear more about the safety of the batteries.
Another question is whether the Volt will be offered as a high end small car with premium options?
My last question is how GM has worked with utility providers to make this utopian electric car vision feasible in the future considering the immense energy demands such a fleet of vehicles has placed on the current (fossil fueled) grid.
Mr. Farah:
I hope you can answer a question that keeps coming up regarding the Volt. I apologize if this was discussed previously here, but I haven’t seen this explained yet. How will the Volt’s passenger compartment be heated in cold weather? A resistive-type electrical heater would drain an awful lot of power, wouldn’t it? Will a heat pump or some other means be used? Or, will the coolant from the gasoline engine/generator be used, as in conventional cars, requiring operation of the engine at startup in cold climates?
Thank you in advance for any details you can provide.
“…aimed at ensuring the Volt gets up to 40 miles of electric driving range.”
Please expand upon what you mean by “up to 40 miles.” Frank Weber reportedly said the Volt will go 40 miles on a single charge only if all power equipment such as sound system, air conditioner, heater, defroster, and headlights are turned off.
What will be the realistic usable range of the Volt under normal driving conditions with power equipment turned on?
Nate said: “Another question is whether the Volt will be offered as a high end small car with premium options?”
The answer is “no” simply because, unlike offerings from Honda and Toyota, the Volt isn’t a small car. It looks to be in the same size category as the Malibu, which is actually a much better size for the typical American family of four.
I like the idea of using the Volt as an emergency power source. It would be a great selling point even if most of it’s owners were never unfortunate enough to have to use it like that.
“Let’s talk about Goodyear’s Fuel Max tires, internal tests have shown the low rolling resistance Goodyear tires will get about one more mile of electric-only range under certain driving conditions when compared to other tires of similar performance. A special energy-saving tread compound helps reduce energy loss, so less effort is required to keep the tires rolling.”
* Low rolling resistance?
* Energy-saving tread?
* Less effort to keep tires rolling?
As with Bose’s energy efficient sound system that uses 50% less energy, it sounds like these tires should be standard on all GM cars ~ if for no reason other than what they’d do for your CAFE numbers.
Dave I was thinking the same thing about heating and defrosting in the winter. Then again a 50K cal would probably see the garage more than sitting outside, but either way we have to accomodate it. Perhaps it will have that electric pulse thing discussed on autoblog.com yesterday……stand back…..Im also very interested to see how the battery performs in cold climates. Currently cold weather just kills batteries, especially when used. Just leave your cell phone outside, you’ll see. Keeping the battery protected from elements is a must for conistency, how is that handled?
“Every system and component on the Volt is being scrutinized so we can offer the most efficient vehicle possible.”
Don’t you do this on all the cars you build? If you have to go out of your way to say you do it on the Volt, it could make one think trying to be efficient is not a standard practice at GM.
” “It might if the cost was equal… Which is unlikely.”
Ah, you have perhaps hit on part of the reason the Volt will be priced so far out of the normal Chevy demographic.”
All the more reason to badge it as a Cadillac, not a Chevy.
Cadillac Volt. Cadillac Converj (words fail to describe how much I dislike that name). Cadillac Ampera.
The Cadillac brand is more consistent with the potential customer base.
For Chevy buyers, replace the rear wheels of a Cruze with 10 hp hubmotors and fill the trunk with 40+ LiFePO4 cells. Electric drive replaces 1st gear of a 5 speed manual trans. Now, THAT’s a hybrid.
Two questions
1. If I drive my Volt less than its battery range every day, will the gas go bad?
2. If you could wave your magic wand and reduce the weight by a thousand pounds, how much further would the car go on a charge?
Yeah look Andrew,
I said this years ago on this blog.
A company has to tear down, grow and be unchanging, constantly, consistently, and all at once.
The example I used years ago was with GE.
The unchanging – was they always wanted subsidiaries that were either #1 or #2 in a field which had prospects for long term growth.
The changing – was they would always purchase valuable assets and companies that met such criterion.
Tear down – they would sell divisions that did not have prospects or meet the standards they set out.
Bottom line is, even in good times cuts, retrenchment, and efficiency efforts are ongoing.
In times of trial like this, investment in important technology like the Volt is ongoing.
And in times like these, the unchanging, the fact that you do not compromise a brand’s standards over the long term nor diminish their name and quality is something that at GM should never change.
Detroit to have a product like the Volt and the technological knowhow and prowess surrounding it will be worth 100’s of billions of dollars over the coming decades.
No less than the shift of wealth from ExxonMobil, the Silicon Valley, Toyoda City, Google, OPEC, and Microsoft is what is at stake.
You will not get all of that capital of course, but innovation and technology is to investment and capital what design and quality is to the consumer.
I have to wonder what would be if EV1 were on its 4th or 5th itineration right now, how much capital and positive press it would have garnered for GM and Detroit.
It could have been perhaps to the 90’s and 2K’s what the Taurus and Sable were in the 80’s.
Bottom line…
Volt is wonderful, but just like Saturn, it has to change not just the showroom but the inherent culture of GM.
We are still awaiting the jury to see the final decision. To see if GM changes Saturn or if Saturn will save GM. Waiting to see if design and technology, innovative and strong brands will be allowed to save GM and bring it prestige and investment.
We did not get into this mess overnight or with a single product.
It will not be a single product that will deliver us.
What will deliver us is if porducts and brands like Saturn and the Volt hang on, live on, and continue to make invaluable contributions to Detroit, GM and the industry.
Let me tell you, I am on that jury and I am still awaiting the evidence that GM has truly changed.
I would like to see these weight-saving technologies made available on other GM cars.
So what’s the good news? President Obama is willing to help the auto industry succeed.
And the bad news? Sadly, none of the GM vehicles on the horizon attracts me. I’m now interested in lightweight vehicles, and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, with a curb weight of slightly less than 3500 lbs, is my favorite. With a low price tag to boot too. And the Honda Insight. And the BMW X1.
You are still wasting your energy on how to shut down your brands, whether Impala should be RWD, etc etc. Stop wasting your time. I’m surprised Jim Press still has a job at Chrysler. He won’t meet my pent-up demand. My next car may not be a union car after all, since no Big 3 product can fulfill my desire. And do you know that all German cars are union cars made by IG Metalls workers?
But the big difference is, the German cars have high resale value. They have good quality and reliability. Besides, the Germans love their German-made cars. But for me, I don’t care whether it’s American, Asian or German, as long as it’s a car I want.
Everyone knows the Volt is touting its 40 mile electric only range, but the questions I want answered are:
1. What size gas tank will the Volt carry?
and
2. What is the range once the gas power kicks in?
40 miles is great on a charge, but what if you want to take it on an extended road trip?
“Everyone knows the Volt is touting its 40 mile electric only range.”
MRB,
Reports are that is “…up to 40 miles” and then only if the driver drives with all auxiliary power equipment such as the sound system, A/C and heater, defroster, headlights, etc turned off.
Todd Fleming said: “Currently cold weather just kills batteries, especially when used. Just leave your cell phone outside, you’ll see. Keeping the battery protected from elements is a must for consistency, how is that handled?”
Todd,
Like me, don’t you kind of have a hunch the Volt will end up being a Sunbelt Car?
Blue Wing,
You seem to think that you get something for nothing. As already noted, the sound system probably costs more than a typical one. For people buying a Volt that want maximum gas milage/electric range, paying more for a light weight stereo probably makes sense. For me, I couldn’t care less how much the radio weighs and if it hurt my fuel economy .1MPG because a typical stereo is going to save me money up front. Same thing with the tires. They are probably more expensive and probably have a very hard tread compound which will hurt overall grip. Again, for a Volt buyer that is going to nurse the gas pedal and brakes, overall grip isn’t as much of a concern. For me, I want maximum grip and don’t care how much fuel it takes to turn the wheel. I remember when the Honda Accord came out a few years ago and a magazine test said “the tires do everything well…except grip” and it was because of the same reasons. Honda wanted reduced noise and reduced rolling resistance, at the sacrifice of traction. That’s why they don’t put them on everycar. Plus, they’re tires…replace them if you want lower rolling resistance ones.
MRB,
If you want to take a long trip, it’s no big deal. The gasoline engine will kick in and will push your much further. I don’t know the exact range, but I think I remember them saying it would go at least another 400miles or something on the gasoline engine. As for the size of the tank…it may not even be settled yet, but there will be enough that you don’t have to worry about running out of battery power and getting stranded.
Blue wing,
“As with Bose’s energy efficient sound system that uses 50% less energy, it sounds like these tires should be standard on all GM cars ~ if for no reason other than what they’d do for your CAFE numbers.”
folks everything that offers some sort of benefit comes with a compromise. Low resistance tires are used on models designed specifically for fuel efficiency. Why? They offer compromises in stopping distances and noise levels. GM isnt going to use them on EVERY model because some people might need tires that offer outstanding grip and others need tires that are extremely quiet. This is why GM offers more than one or two vehicles. The comments on here suggesting that every technology showcased in the Volt should be standard on every GM vehicle are just silly.
Doug,
When you consider GM is using 6 speeds and direct injection more than their key competitors I would say that efficiency is definitely being considered for every new model they debut. That’s probably one reason why the Malibu gets better mileage than the Accord and the 2010 Equinox will get better mileage than the Rav4 or CRV.
“All the more reason to badge it as a Cadillac, not a Chevy. Cadillac Volt.”
Beaugrand,
Not Cadillac Volt, they should instead rebrand the Chevy Volt the Buick Electra as someone suggested a few days ago.
If people think its a Buick, a more upscale demographic would be willing to pay its high price; plus, what name could be better for an electric car than “Electra?”
Possible advantage of using a 4 (or more than one) electric motors setup:
An electric motor for each wheel could provide a better stability control system.
It could not only brake wheels, but could accelerate other wheels at the same time.
When understeering, it could not only block the inner rear wheel, but could accelerate the outer wheels.
With 4 electric motors the car could do 360 degrees turn in place – easy parking
“For me, I want maximum grip and don’t care how much fuel it takes to turn the wheel.”
Tim,
What kind of driving do you do in our cities and on our highways that requires “maximum grip?”
I understand adjusting the tackiness and grip of the tires they use in F-1, NASCAR, and IRL, but I doubt you fit in any of those categories.
Mr Farah,
I am not sure if I read that Volt will have small photovoltaic pannels to help charge Volt bateries when parked during the day. If not, why not ? And congratulations for the great effort and very good ideas.
Bleu Wing,
You don’t think grip is an important thing for tires to have? You should just drive without tires. Just drive on the rim, metal has much lower rolling resistance than an inflatable rubber tire ever will.
I love how you just latch onto one thing and that’s your whole argument. I don’t drive in NASCAR (which by the way actually uses less grippy tires on purpose to keep speeds down) or IRL. However, I want a tire that provides the most grip that’s streeable in all conditions I drive in. And to answer your question, I do drive spirited, and occasionally accelerate as fast as my car will do and take turns faster than the posted “suggested” speed limits (the yellow and black signs, not the white and black ones). I do also run some drag races on a track. So, like I said, I don’t care how much fuel it takes to turn the wheel, just give me maximum grip for the conditions I drive in.
I also would rather have shorter stopping distances in case I need to avoid an accident. Paying a little more for gas weekly pales in comparison to A) having an acident which can costs thousands or B) dying in a car accident because I wanted to save a few pennies every week. But again, for the people who buy a Volt or people who care about nothing else expect FE, let them have their low rolling resistance tires. Just make sure not to rear-end me.
Del, yes the car will run better in conistent climates, theres no way around that. Unless we can make a miracle.
Quoted:
If people think its a Buick, a more upscale demographic would be willing to pay its high price; plus, what name could be better for an electric car than “Electra?”
How about “Carmen Electra” the CE Edition- comes with special paint colors and very attractive “enhanced body work”
“Paying a little more for gas weekly pales in comparison to A) having an accident which can costs thousands or B) dying in a car accident because I wanted to save a few pennies every week.”
Surely you are not of the opinion that GM could be compromising safety by installing low-rolling resistance tires on the Volt, or are you?
Tim, it sounds like you probably aren’t in the market for a Volt, the Volt isn’t being designed for the type of driving you do. But that’s OK, there are a lot of different cars out there for all kinds of consumers.
The idea that crops up from time to time about the Volt being used for emergency power is, frankly, retarded. You can do this with the very car you own right now, for crying out loud, it’s called an inverter.
How about GM just worry about getting the Volt in the showrooms for now, and then add all those other features that everyone says they want now but will bitch and moan about it being so expensive later?
My opinion is that the Volt should be kept as simple as possible, you know, KISS? I’m sure the Volt will get bigger and heavier each model year like every car does anyway, whether we like it or not.
Stew.
Given the Sandia Labs ethanol report mentioned in another blog entry, could you please make the next Volt a flex-fuel?
“The idea that crops up from time to time about the Volt being used for emergency power is, frankly, retarded.”
Stew,
Respectfully, it is not retarded. That big 16 kWh battery in the Volt could keep a house powered for several days without needing to start the engine. All it needs is a socket into which to plug an extension cord, plus an on board inverter to convert DC to 120AC. GM could build that capablity into the Volt for next to nothing, and what a marketing tool that would be for those subject to annual ice storms, blizzards, T-storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
True, you can do the same with a car having a regular ICE ~ but you would have to keep the engine running for hours on end. That’s not necessarily good for the engine, and you certainly wouldn’t want to do it with the car in your garage.
“I do also run some drag races on a track.”
Tim,
But you don’t use street tires for your drag races do you?
It seems to me that low-resistance rolling tires would be adequate for the vast majority of commuters I see of the road each day. They are all rolling along at the same speed like a stream of lemmings, not trying to take advantage of each other.
Unless you are a particularly aggressive driver who presses the edge of the envelope and does a lot of rapid lane changing, accelerating, and sudden braking while trying to gain a slight advantage that might allow you to get somewhere 60 seconds sooner than everyone else, you can safely make do with more efficient, low-rolling resistance tires.
When you consider the tens of millions of cars on the road each day, the cumulative effects of all using low-rolling resistance tires far outweighs your individual perception that you must have “maximum grip” tires.
In other words, when it comes to energy efficiency, your perceived individual needs are on the losing side of the overall cost-benefit ratio.
Stew,
Being able to plug in to the Volt’s battery as a power supply would have benefits beyond emergencies such as ice storms.
Where I live, we do a lot of camping, deer hunting, and ice fishing. For the last two months it would have been nice to drive a Volt out on the ice and park it alongside my ice shanty. I could have plugged in my TV and watched the Packers and Vikings games while out on the ice, all without needing to have the noise of a portable generator.
It would also be nice at deer camp in November, and when going camping ~ especially when GM finally builds a pickup truck version of the Volt. A steady source of electricity without the noise of a portable generator would be nice when out in the woods.
In my opinion, GM is missing a marketing opportunity if they don’t build into it the capability of plugging into the Volt’s huge battery in order to use it as a portable power supply.
“…could you please make the next Volt a flex-fuel?”
Please don’t waste the time and resources.
Until we can take corn out of the equation for making ethanol, there is no benefit to E85. In fact, using E85 made from corn consumes more TOTAL energy in the form of fossil fuels than the E85 returns.
Ethanol from corn is nothing more than recycled natural gas ~ and in spite of what Nancy Pelosi said recently, natural gas is a fossil fuel.
First natural gas has to be recycled into synthetic nitrogen fertilzer without which corn won’t grow. Then more fossil fuels are used in planting, cultivation, application of fertilizers and farm chemicals, and harvesting. Finally more natural gas is used at a distillery to turn corn into alcohol.
There is a future in biofuels such as bio-butanol and bio-gasoline made from the syngas that bio-reactors produce, but corn ethanol is a dead end, and would have died long ago without the support of Corn Belt politicians.
“The idea that crops up from time to time about the Volt being used for emergency power is, frankly, retarded. You can do this with the very car you own right now, for crying out loud, it’s called an inverter.”
—————————————————————–
Perhaps ‘retarded’ was not the best choice of words. I guess I’m a little frustrated because it seems that getting the Volt in showrooms is going to be enough of a challenge without side distractions like this.
I could see having this be optional equipment in a few years, but I really believe the usefulness of this would be extremely limited. For starters, you only have access to half of the Volts 16kw battery; next, if you just drove more than several miles to go camping (as Buddy Dean Del Rio commented) then you would be in charge-sustaining mode anyway and have no usable battery capacity for powering your TVs.
It’s warm and fuzzy to think of how cool it would be to power your house for a day or so from your Volt, but folks who live in area’s where this actually happens more than once every few years likely already have a no-power contingency plan, for the rest of us it’s just one more bit of complexity (read cost) that we don’t need.
Stew
Perhaps ‘retarded’ was not the best choice of words. I guess I’m a little frustrated because it seems that getting the Volt in showrooms is going to be enough of a challenge without side distractions like this.
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Stew,
Whether a good idea or not, it’s a moot question. Apparently there is no sign that GM has even considered putting that capability into the Volt. If they have, they are keeping their cards close to their vests. But it’s an intriguing possibility.
Perhaps it will have to become an after market, third-party retrofit ~ if GM’s warranty will allow.
Best Regards,
Redd
Stew,
Using the volt as a generator makes a lot of sense. Do you know how much generation capacity the Volt has? (probably about 60 KW). Do you know how big an inverter would need to be to handle that kind of power? Not to mention the inverter would damage the alternator at that high an output (which isn’t even possible with a normal alternator).
You could always get a belt driven generator for your car but why bother when the volt is a rolling Generator?
No you are wrong there Volt doesn’t need to be as simple as possible. It needs to have the features people want and multiple price points. That IS simple.
Stew and others,
Flex Fuel for the Volt is a no brainer… right now we use corn but who is to say that won’t change in the future? Why not put the equipment there. What does that really cost to develop another computer program, have a few extra sensors and special O-Rings and lines. big deal add it and be done.
Secondly the Generator idea is a great one. The only thing it made me wonder is why the Volt goes electric first. Wouldn’t it make sense on long trips to run pure gas? That way you save on cycles of the battery.
If you know you have more then 40 miles to go just run the gas engine (you know you’ll need to anyway) and the cut it off for the last 40 miles…. the issue I suppose is how to end up with a full battery at the end of the trip.
Secondly 16Kw-h is quite a bit of power for a few lights/laptop/LCD TV… on the other hand with the volt’s generator (and engine) on it can give you more power then the battery AND run more then just a few lights (think A/C, Refrigerator, Washer/Dryer and Oven).
Sorry to be out of contact for a week – Much development work to do on the Volt. We had a drive this morning at the Warren Tech Center to demonstrate the mules… and we are only 100 days to the start of build of our next generation of development vehicle. I’ve tried to quickly answer some of the questions I’ve seen since our activity last Tuesday….
Jock, Karen, et al. – The Volt will travel up to 40 miles EPA city or highway cycle on all-electric power, then the range extender will generate electricity to propel the vehicle for another several hundred miles – more than 300 miles combined without plugging in to recharge or refueling. It will also have a flex-fuel option (E85).
Doug, Blue Wing, et al. – Class-leading fuel efficiency is a goal for every vehicle we develop; it’s why vehicles like a Chevy Corvette with 430 hp get 26 mpg highway and why a 7,000 lb. Chevy Tahoe Hybrid gets the same city fuel economy as a 4-cylinder Toyota Camry. We engineer to get the best fuel economy possible while also maintaining the personality and driving characteristics expected from a vehicle. As Tim and Sheth pointed out, different vehicles have different uses too, so we wouldn’t use the same components on every GM vehicle. Some parts and components make sense for some vehicles, and some don’t.
Never using the fuel in the tank is a great problem to have, Tom. We are developing various solutions, but his issue does not concern me too much for a couple of reasons. First, in a 6 month time frame most people in North America will take a number of trips exceeding 40 miles (e.g. weekends). If a person drives only 15 “excess” miles a week, then this will consume the tank of fuel. Second, in order to meet strict evaporative emissions requirements the Volt has a fully sealed fuel system. This will cause the fuel to age slower. The real issue is seasonal fuel blends that can affect starting and driveability as outdoor temperatures change. Rest assured we’ll have a solution by launch.
Volt has a dual cabin heater system, Dave. We have an electric heater that can heat the engine coolant, and the engine can as well. We will get as much as we can out of the electric heater while in EV mode. However, in extremely cold weather climates, the engine may have to be used to clear ice & snow from the windshield. The battery has a separate heating system.
As far as battery safety and protection Nate, the LG Chem cell uses manganese-based cathode chemistry with additives to improve battery life under high-temperature conditions. There are primary and back-up battery pack controls to regulate voltage, current, and temperature. Plus, we’ve taken numerous measures to help prevent the safety issues – namely short circuiting and overheating – that have occurred in lithium-ion batteries used in consumer electronics. There are also advanced on-board control systems which prevent the battery from deep discharges and other abuse.
We’re working with the Electric Power Research Institute, Electric Drive Transportation Association and other industry, government and academic experts to address the power needs required by the influx of electric vehicles. We also revealed a strategy to prepare “plug-in ready cities” around the country, including San Francisco and Washington D.C.
And finally Nate, we’re in the middle of a restructuring process where we will be reducing the number of brands in North America, not adding them. Appreciate that you like the Ampera design better, but trying to establish the Opel brand in the U.S. market is really not in the best interest of the company right now.
Mr. Farrah,
Thanks much for taking time from what must be a extremely busy schedule to answer. We do appreciate it.
Two interesting ~ and intriguing ~ questions popped up that you weren’t able to address. If you can fit it into your schedule, could you please briefly address them?
1. The use of the Volt as an emergency power supply for houses, if you provide the car with an outlet socket into which to plug an extension cord. The bloggers here presented several theories ~ pro and con ~ about the possibility and usefulness of such a modification, but it would be nice to hear it directly from someone who knows.
2. How robust is the battery case, and what happens if it bursts open during a high-speed crash? Are there any environmental concerns if the contents of the battery get scattered about? How will first responders be trained to handle a crash involving a car with a Li-ion battery? Will they need to use any special fire-fighting techniques if the contents of the battery catch fire? How will the tens of thousands fire departments around the country be able to identify quickly a car involved in a crash as having a Li-ion battery?
Mr. Farrah,
With everything going on that has the potential to impact the Volt’s continued development and scheduled release, there are things you should be working on right now and things you can safely wait until the whole economy thing has stabilized.
The issue of gasoline getting stale in the Volts fuel tank is an example of something that needs attention now.
Working with various institutes, associations, industries and cities to prepare America for the influx of electric vehicles can safely be put on hold until your more pressing problems are worked out. Let’s not kid ourselves, the number of EV’s that will be on the road in the next 5 years will be but a fraction of a percent of all vehicles sold. I think we can squeak by on this problem for now.
Respectfully,
Stew
“There are things you should be working on right now and things you can safely wait until the whole economy thing has stabilized.”
Stew,
One of the things they can’t defer addressing is the issue of what happens to the Li-ion battery and its contents in a high-speed crash and how will first responders be trained to handle that.
If there are potential safety or environmental concerns, they need to know that NOW and find a fix.
Anytime when I am reading about the latest enhancements, related to the Chevy Volt, I am wondering about the shortsightedness of some Opel-workers, who prefer a separation of Opel from GM. I think, the formula might be quite simple: Without being a subsidiary of GM, there won’t be any GM-technology anymore accessible, i.e. no Opel Ampera.
Blue Wing,
I do use street tires at the track. I personally don’t understand why people have two sets of tires. Wow, your car can run a 12.00 1/4 mile with slicks, but you’ll never get that time anywhere else because you aren’t using those tires. I want to know what my car would run, exactly how I run it all the time.
You are right that low rolling resistance tires would work for most people, but I don’t consider myself one of them. Plus, how many accidents occur in the US everyday? I bet some of those could be avoided with tires that have more grip (granted, if people would pay more attention to driving, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue, but still, shorter stopping distances, and faster lane changes could save a few lives). Plus, why do you care so much about what or how I drive? You can have your low resistance tires. I want my grippy tires. Or like I said, just drive on the rim, those have a much better rolling resistance than a tire ever will.
Colin,
EVERYTHING is a compromise. Cost vs. safety, cost vs efficiency, safety vs efficiency etc. So yes I would say that GM is compromising a little safety for FE. Could GM make a tank that you could hit a wall at 70MPH and live? Probably, but it would cost $1,000,000 and get 2 MPG. So, in order to make it affordable and get better FE, they reduce the safety. All automakers do this. Again, EVERYTHING is a compromise. The computer you’re using had compromises made (cost vs. speed). The planes you flew on last year had compromises made (weight vs. strength etc). The house you live in had compromises made (strength vs. cost etc). Comprimises…they’re life.
I think it would be wise to equip the Volt’s IC engine with an electric oil pump to give the engine a shot of lubricating oil at startup.
Such systems are available for most cars from aftermarket sources, so this isn’t something that would require much engineering. Considering the very small cost of such a parallel system and the fairly steep retail asking price for the Volt, I think such a system would be well worth the very small added cost, both for the consumer and for GM’s reputation.
Andrew,
The current recession and its impact on the Detroit 3 has seemingly brought about a resurgence of “Made In America” and protectionism of our auto industry. My next car will very likely be a GM car because I can’t stand to see the continued erosion of every major product in this country and especially our auto manufacturing industries being displaced by outsiders. I’m also very disappointed that GM chose to work with a Korean company rather than MASS based A123 Systems on the batteries. Must every decision be based on cheapest cost, or are the Korean taxpayers going to be loaning you money too? Can you comment on proactive steps that GM is taking to protect other US industries who like yourselves are also in survival mode? I realize that GM is a global company, bla bla bla, but it’s time that the US industries band together, with GM taking a leadership position. If other countries are allowed to thrive at our expense, the US will never again be a market leader, and GM will cease to exist. I want my GM car not only to be Made in the USA, but made with US-made parts.
“I do use street tires at the track. I personally don’t understand why people have two sets of tires. I want to know what my car would run, exactly how I run it all the time.”
Tim,
Why? You seem to be letting your car’s performance define your quality of life. Car’s are transportation ~ no more, no less.
In fact, my one piece of advice to GM is, “Never forget, you are in the transportation business.” The key to success is to build cars that people will want to buy for more than it costs to build them.
Taking the charge out of Chevy’s Volt
Interesting study from Carnegie Mellon about the Volt and the heavy batteries it must carry: A new study casts doubt on the benefits of the automaker’s much-hyped plug-in hybrid
* “GM made some unusual decisions in designing the Volt. It decided that it wanted the car to go 40 miles on a single electrical charge because that was the maximum distance that it said most Americans travel on their daily commutes. Trouble is, configuring the car for all that electric driving means installing lots of big, heavy batteries.”
* “it said that large capacity hybrids like the Volt that go 40 miles or further on a charge are never cost-effective, because the batteries cost and weigh too much.”
* “A car with the Volt’s range, according to the study, would also be extremely uneconomical traveling fewer miles as it hauls around battery capacity it doesn’t need.”