First Pre-production Chevrolet Volt Charges Ahead … of Schedule
By Andrew Farah
Chevrolet Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer
Nearly two years ago, we put plans in motion to begin building the first pre-production Chevrolet Volts in May 2009. Back in February of this year, I hung a countdown clock on my office wall. It read 99 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes. The countdown had begun to the start of the first Chevrolet Volt pre-production vehicle – May 27, 2009. At the same time, I set a personal goal to be driving in one of these vehicles by the Fourth of July.
Yesterday, I drove the first Volt pre-production vehicle – more than a week ahead of schedule, and due in no small part to the commitment and enthusiasm of a great design, engineering and manufacturing team.
To this point, I’ve only experienced the Volt through the virtual world of computer aided-design and concepts, as pieces and components scattered about on tables during meetings, and as engineering development “mule” vehicles during test drives.
But yesterday, I was able to sit in, touch and drive an early version of the real thing. The mules demonstrated the potential drive experience of the Volt’s chassis and powertrain, but the pre-production vehicles bring together the complete Volt experience into one dynamic vehicle.
I adjusted the seat and mirrors, pressed the POWER button, moved the shifter to D, and then took it on a few laps around our Technical Center campus in Warren, Mich. This was the moment I’d been looking forward to and it was exhilarating. And when I was done, I pulled it into the garage and charged it with the production intent equipment.
These vehicles are being built by our Pre-Production Operations (PPO) organization in Warren – the birthplace of all GM cars and trucks in North America. We’re producing a few Volts per week now, but we’ll quickly ramp up to 10 per week and will have approximately 80 pre-production vehicles built by October.
Most of these vehicles will be used for testing and validating the production intent design as well as developing the final vehicle software and controls – we’ll also use them to tune the vehicle’s overall driving experience. Some of these Volts will have very short lives as they’ll be used in safety and structural integrity testing.
By exceeding our own pre-production deadlines it allows us additional time to refine the vehicle. We’ve already discovered a few small tweaks we need to make, but nothing out of the ordinary for this stage of development.
The Volt team is getting accustomed to beating deadlines. Earlier this month, GM’s Global Battery Systems Lab came on-line almost six months ahead of schedule. It’s easy to explain why, there’s a solid commitment by our leadership to lead in the electrification of the automobile and a contagious enthusiasm within the team to bring this vehicle to market next year on time and beyond expectations.
While there’s a still a long way to go, after driving the Volt yesterday, I’m increasingly confident we’re on target to deliver. I’ll be back here on FastLane tomorrow at 4 p.m. EDT to chat live with you about my drive experience this week. I look forward to answering your questions since I’m sure many of you are very curious.
- Posted in Volt
to this comment On June 24, 2009 at 5:07 pm László Steiner said:
“The Volt team is getting accustomed to beating deadlines.”
Let’s hope the Volt team can do as well when it comes to setting the car’s retail price point. The rumors of $40-45k floating about would indeed be a major obstacle to the car’s potential success. At that price point, the main value of the car would be for those few rich people wanting to make an environmental statement as opposed to those wanting or needing practical transportation.
What is the Volt team doing to bring the price down to something more realistic that will be in proportion the capability the car will offer?
to this comment On July 15, 2009 at 8:08 pm iRoc said:
Fuel and maintenance savings will easily pay for the difference in price.
Also, when fast-charge high-energy batteries are available (capable of 300+ miles and recharge in 5 minutes) the Volt can easily be converted by replacing the Range Extender ICE with the new battery pack. All those vehicles with a non-electric drivetrain will be stuck at the pumps.
to this comment On July 16, 2009 at 6:00 am iRoc said:
I found this statement under “Volt Technology”:
“GM estimates that the Chevy Volt will save about 500 gallons (1,892 liters) of gasoline based on 40 miles of daily driving and 15,000 miles annually. For drivers that commute 60 miles (96 km) per day or 21,000 miles annually, about 550 gallons (2,081 liters) of gasoline could be saved.
As a baseline comparison, GM estimates that the cost per mile to operate an E-REV like the Chevy Volt is approximately two cents per mile electrically versus 12 cents per mile using gasoline priced at $3.60 per gallon.”
I’ve done the math:
* $0.10/mi. = $10K/100,000mi.
* At 400,000mi the $40K Volt is free !!!
to this comment On August 12, 2009 at 3:04 pm Sebastian Arboleda said:
i can see the Volt simply owning the taxicab and delivery markets with their plug-in series hybrid technology. Good for GM for pushing the envelope and leaping ahead with the Volt, it’s about time Toyota and Honda got a run for their money!
to this comment On June 24, 2009 at 5:22 pm Augie Churchill said:
Mr. Farah,
Any preliminary projections yet of what the “Mean Time Between Failure” will be for the Volt’s battery?
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 6:00 am Martin said:
Excellent!
Black console option = Big Yes – as I’m not an White IPod’er
Now please GM make it handle on and off the power like a Europeon car OR
have GM Holden suspension engineers give you some pointers.
It’s a great time at GM with the VOLT and it will be very fantastic moment when production starts and
again for us here in Australia when the day arrives that we will be able to buy a Voltec equipped vehicle!
Go VOLT !
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 9:44 am Mark Daniel said:
Chevy Volt is great car. Electric car for 60km… But if I look in history, I see GM EV 1.
EV 1 was can go 250km and time of charge for 250km were only 20 minutes. So why Volt can go only 60 km? Why GM must begin making electric car again and this new electric car can go only 60 km and old electric car EV 1 250km? I know that EV 1 was cx=0,19 and he was very lightweight. But I think, that he was cx=0.30 and weight as Volt, despite this fact he was can go more that 60 km.So why from the most sophisticated electric car on the world is today only wreck? Do you can answer, react on this questions, Mr Farah? Thank You!
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 10:26 am Robert Sprayberry said:
Mr. Farah,
The only thing that I see missing from the operating cost of the Volt is what the lifespan of the batteries are, and the cost of replacement. This is an issue with the hybrid cars from various manufacturers as well. As a case in point, the Toyota Prius battery cells are only good for 100000
miles before they have to be replaced. The cost of a new battery is between $5000 and $6000. Also, depending on which state you live in, you have to pay a hazardous waste diposal fee for the removal of the old battery cells that range from $1000 to $3000. With all of these hidden future costs on top of the car’s expected price tag that is more than half my gross annual income, I will not buy one no matter how good the quality is.
to this comment On July 17, 2009 at 9:31 pm Larry Enoksen said:
Prius batteries must be Warranteed for 100,000 miles in states other than California. In CA, they are warranteed for 150,000 miles. There is a Prius cab in New York that has passed 200,000 miles on its original battery pack.
My Camry Hybrid has the same warrantee in CA.
I have not read anywhere the battery pack has to be Replaced at 100,000. Toyota is reportedly offering a repurchase of the packs in those involved in accidents and totalled.
Now, what will really be interesting is the fast charge, long life, light weight flat batteries that are being developed. Layers of paper thin material holding the charge of current cells. Imagine the weight reduction and the potential range extension resulting from powering a lighter car.
Better yet, imagine replacing the current battery packs with the smaller lighter flat batteries and the improvement in performance we would get in current hybrids!
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 10:37 am edvard said:
I realize that this is still a pre-production car, but I recall seeing details of the interior design on some of the concepts that were very impressive. The version that was made of hard shiny plastic and flush controls. What I saw in the video sort of looked like the interior of a Chevy Cobalt. Please tell me you all aren’t going to put another GM hard rubber/plastic interior in this thing.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 11:17 am Eric P said:
Andrew-
Congrats that is great. I am sure most of the 80 are used by GM staff for testing, but I would certainly volunteer to be a tester for the car for everyday driving. I will soon moving to Ohio, close to Lordstown, and have a keen interest in seeing that the Volt is world class. Let me know if you need some testers!
Eric
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 11:32 am Chris R said:
Mark, the Volt will actually go well beyond 60km. the 60km is how far it goes before the engine turns on to provide additional electricity. EV1 was electric only, and as such had extra batteries instead of an on board generator. The Volt is a much better design, but GM did need the information that they learned from the EV1 to make it work. The EV1 did not die in vein.
That said, the Volt looks like a hatchback. I hope it is. Modern hatches don’t rattle and it would add huge amounts of utility by enabling people to put items in it that are normally to large to fit in a vehicle that size.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 1:51 pm bluebaby said:
GM is to late because toyota has stolen the looks already on its new venza, GM always too late!
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 1:59 pm Bob England said:
Are there plans for a Buick or Cadillac version of this car?
If not, do those divisions have plans for any electric vehicles of their own?
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 2:00 pm Gene said:
I will be in the market for a 2010 car. The Volt is in my sights.
questions.
A.The battery is in series. If one cell fails is the whole car disabled.
B. How will it handle upstate NY winters? Will cold affect the performance?
C. Will it be a 5 seater?
D. Will Chevrolet have a list of approved electricians that one could hire to set up the electric service in a persons house?
E. Can the vehicle be towed either for repair or behind a recreational vehicle?
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 2:06 pm Joe said:
The Volt shown in the blog does not look as good as the Volt that has been shwon shown in shows for the last 2 years. The EV1 looked much better and with a much lower Cd. I don’t understand why they just don’t offer the all-electric EV1 with a lithium battery or Nickel-Cad pack.
The NiCd batteries of Toyota are going way beyond the 100,000 mile range — just ask my buddies who have used the Prius since 11/2003. Consumber Reports (or some other Mag) were able to get a replacement NiCd battery pack for a Prius for $4,000, which is an acceptable amount given the about 45+ mpg my friends have been achieving.
I feel GM does not know what they are doing because their leadership has been poisoned from living in the mid-west. They should be building these cars in CA where the market for these cas exists.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 2:26 pm Bill R said:
I’m not sure why GM continues to market and talk about the fact that this car has a 40 mile range (on battery power). Why not take the fuel capacity, and divide it by the full range that the car can be driven for in city and highway driving. Then just market it, for the sake of argument, as a 150 or 200 mpg car, which it will be. So many people are confused and think that this car can go only 40 miles or so. Wise up GM, talk about the full range of a fully fueled vehicle, you’ll be much better off. I’m sure an advertising executive would be happy to charge you millions for that tidbit.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 2:26 pm Rashida Fearrington said:
I have been following news of the Volt for years and I am so excited that the battery issues (in regards to overheating) have been worked out. I believe this car is going to help us to secure the future of this nations security by decreasing our reliance on foreign oil and eventually lowering the deficit. I see the loans that GM is using to retool factories as an investment in our collective future. Best wishes. It is my only wish that the ‘cash for clunkers ‘ program authorized by congress would still be available by the time the car is mass-produced. All things being equal, when I trade in “Bessie’, the family Caprice, bought brand-new in 1986, maybe I’ll be blessed enough to get an Impala. By the way, Bessie has been the most reliable, safest and most comfortable car I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. So have faith, your product speaks for itself. I am a faithful GM fan.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 2:28 pm Victor M said:
This is so rediculous, most likely a high sticker price and yet only 60km. Where is the EV-1 – with it’s greater range? That car was partical, was already produced and yet GM destroyed them as soon as the Califorina emission standards were modifed… and guess who pushed for that!
Victor
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 3:30 pm Charlie H said:
Robert Sprayberry misinforms us with, “As a case in point, the Toyota Prius battery cells are only good for 100000 miles before they have to be replaced. The cost of a new battery is between $5000 and $6000.
Prius batteries have done over 300K miles in various vehicles. So far, they last “the life of the car,” which people can expect to be 200K or more.
If you do require a Prius battery replacement (they can be damaged in an accident, for example), the cost is $2300 at a Toyota pars counter.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 3:39 pm Sheth jones said:
“With all of these hidden future costs on top of the car’s expected price tag that is more than half my gross annual income, I will not buy one no matter how good the quality is.”
What a pointless comment.
Victor:
The EV1 was not practical and had a limited range. The thing about conventional electric vehicles is that you have to get back home before the battery runs out. The EV1 would not have been practical for 200 mile trips. On top of that it was a two seater and was only available for lease. It was a great technological acheivement but it was not a great car by any stretch.
BillR:
To be frank, anyone who thinks this car ONLY goes 40 miles hasn’t been paying attention. They have been saying since Day One that the car would be an EXTENDED RANGE electric vehicle and that it will feature a gas engine. I’m pretty sure once formal advertising starts they will make it clear that the car can go several hundred miles without a charge.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 4:45 pm MM said:
Guys, I really want this car to succeed, but why am I going to pay $40k for a car that looks as boring as this? I thought the prototype body looked sporty, at least. This looks like a Honda Insight got married to a Pontiac. Let’s just say, any purchaser is going to throw down an extra $10k for a Tesla Model S on looks alone. It’s never to late to get a new body on this thing, because this body is not going to sell cars. Like I said, I really want this car to kick butt, but I’m not feeling it right now.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 5:17 pm Jeff said:
MM,
I think a better question is why anyone would you pay an extra $10k for a car that you have to stop every 200 miles or so (depending on which battery pack you get) and charge the vehicle for at least 45 minutes? Where are you going to stop to plug it in? In all honesty, the Tesla is pretty useless once you leave your home right now.
Regardless of the looks, which I think are much better than the Prius or Insight, I would much rather have a vehicle that I know is going to get me to my destination, and with a gas tank that charges the battery as you go down the road, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck. You may not like the looks of the Volt, but I know many people who do.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 6:29 pm Robert Sprayberry said:
Charlie H.
I do not misinform you on both the life of the battery and the price. In Alabama with the extreme heat in the summertime, the life of the battery is tremendously shorter than say the midwest or the northeast, or even the West Coast for that matter. The price tag at the parts counter at the local Toyota dealers around the state varry from $5000-$6000. We do not have a hazardous waste disposal fee here, but many states like California do, which adds to the total price of battery replacement.
Sheth Jones
While you think my comment is pointless, I don’t make a six figure income and can ill afford to invest large sums of money to a car. There is no reason on earth that to get a car with good gas mileage and can seat five adults comfortably, that you have to spend over $40k. One of 9 GM cars that I have had was a 1992 Pontiac Bonnevile SE. It had plenty of room, great features, acceptable gas mileage for the time, all priced slightly below $20k brand new. If you look at the percentage rise in median income versus the percentage rise in car costs it is shocking. The average percentage median income since 1985 to present is only 20%, while the average percentage of car prices have increased over 400%. Cars have to be made affordable for GM to sell large numbers of them.
I like the Volt and hope it is very sucessful. But GM must realize to be able to sell large numbers of these cars, they will have to be affordable by the common Joe or else they just need to give it a Buick or Cadillac badge that justifies the high price.
to this comment On June 25, 2009 at 8:17 pm myriad said:
I am looking forward to beating deadlines and would like to see the mass production version of the Volt asap. EREV would be a curious item in the World Automotive Market. I assure it.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 7:57 am Sheth jones said:
MM:
i think the Volt looks better than the Prius or Insight. In addition, the price after tax rebate should be $32,500. The much talked about Model S (which may or may not be here in 2011) is $50k AFTER THE REBATE. the real cost of the car is $58k. At least that is what’s being projected. I would say its a little early to announce a base price for a car that is more than 2 years away and isn’t even funded yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if the price comes in higher, especially when you consider the SMALLER roadster is about $80k before options.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 10:53 am Wendell Mercantile said:
Robert Sprayberry ~ “But GM must realize to be able to sell large numbers of these cars, they will have to be affordable by the common Joe or else they just need to give it a Buick or Cadillac badge that justifies the high price.”
That’s a good point Robert. It is a bit perplexing trying to understand why GM gave the $40k+ Volt a Chevrolet badge. That price point puts it out of reach of traditional Chevy buyers (except for Corvette, and they aren’t traditional Chevy buyers anyway.)
I’ve always said they should have branded it as just the “GM Volt” and then let all GM dealers (Chevy, Buick, GMC, or Caddie) take a crack at selling and servicing them.
The traditional Chevy demographic is not the right one for introducing an expensive technology breakthrough such as the Volt. And many in the Buick and Caddie demo, will not want to buy a car badged as a Chevrolet.
GM needs to rethink why they call the Volt a Chevy, and consider rebranding it so its price point and the targeted demographic are congruent.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 12:20 pm Hank Jedburgh said:
<>
Sheth jones,
That’s a purely personal opinion and is pointless to this discussion.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 12:20 pm Hank Jedburgh said:
>> I think the Volt looks better than the Prius or Insight. <<
Sheth jones,
That’s a purely personal opinion and is pointless to this discussion.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 1:48 pm Nate said:
Wendell Mercantile,
You are totally right the Volt price seems off unless it delivers quality beyond what a current Chevy has. Even at that I agree that Buick or Caddy would be better off with it. Personally I’d be more inclined to buy a Buick branded Volt then a Chevy one.
I really do like the Converj Concept. I think GM’s price point should be around 35K for this car though not 40K… 40K is a lot unless they are selling it specifically to the well off as a status symbol. If they Buickized the styling it’d be great as a Buick. Oh and of course I still want to see a diesel so 50-60 MPG is possible….
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 1:56 pm Nate said:
Sheth,
“They have been saying since Day One that the car would be an EXTENDED RANGE electric vehicle and that it will feature a gas engine.”
Yes but GM has been touting its energy savings and all electric range and “Zero Fuel Use” as a MPG and carbon neutral car. I find fault in that. If they use electric it still requires energy made from carbon (at present).
Additionally again I’m disappointed at the lack of a diesel engine in such a engine-generator configuration. a 15% gain in mileage would be nice….
Gas engine or not there are many people who only care about electric range. Otherwise it is nothing more then a hyped up version of a Prius made by Chevy.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 3:38 pm joey joe shabadoo said:
Its seems that a lot of the concerns surrounding this car are the price and the style. Many of the comments blame gm for making this car too boring and not comparable to Telsa offerings. However, there is speculation that GM will be able to lower the cost of this car by using the Voltec Technology and platform in other models; particularily the Caddilac Converge and perhaps a small Buick Crossover. With the use of these models, GM will have covered the practical car, the people hauler, and the sports car, all the while reducing the intial price point. Also keep in mind the relatively substantial governmental incentives.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 4:12 pm Loboc said:
Marketing Volt as a Chevy puts it squarely in the middle-class of cars. This means that it is also for the middle-class worker. Sounds like a good strategy to me since the middle-class buys 90% of all (retail) cars and trucks.
I don’t know if it will be $40k or whatever, but, the price of a vehicle is rarely what sells (or doesn’t sell) the car. Heck, a lot of SUVs and trucks are way more than 40k and a bunch of those were sold before gas went crazy.
I am thinking that most of the early ones will be leased. Nobody wants to buy a new technology (unless they are just rich geeks) on the first run. I am also thinking the demand will be so high that the dealers will sell all they can get for the first couple of years at whatever price they want. Remember last summer? Prius’ were on a waiting list at sticker price plus.
GM will probably lease the battery. GM will need to buffer the battery cost somehow and leasing the battery (while selling or leasing the car) would help do that. GM is spending way too much time and money making the battery last the lifetime of the car. That’s nuts. Make it last 3 years and renew my lease with a new one!
The other thing to consider is that electricity at $1 will get you 40 miles. Or you could use $5 worth of gas in your current car. At 5x the cost for the consumable, it would pay for itself before the lifetime. After that, it’s gravy.
The EV1 was a design demanded by a very restrictive law on California’s books. Sure, GM could make them again, but, they would cost 100k a piece. GM lost money on each and every EV1 ever leased just to comply with the goofy law at the time. They had to smash them all to keep from having to support the parts source for this very small fleet. It’s just economics, don’t get all bent about it people.
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 4:19 pm bluebaby said:
Hey Bill your point is great too bad GM is NOT listening because they are afraid of bieng bashed by toyota or honda, they should not have to worry now GM can say and do whatever they want now just like this current administration is doing, after all don’t they own 70%.
bluebaby
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 5:30 pm Gerry said:
If the price of the Volt drops down to $32,500.00 with rebates, I’d sure consider this car for purchase. It is a very sharp looking car, the front end in the picture above actually looks like an Acura (I drive an 06 TSX).
I’m not that hung up on the range of the batteries, 80% of my trips would allow me to run in battery mode, and get home for a recharge. I could live with a 30 mile range, and hey, if the batteries go flat, the engine is there as backup.
Now if they put a good interior in it, and if it handles well, maybe there will be a GM car in my future (already have an ‘05 Avalanche truck).
to this comment On June 26, 2009 at 11:33 pm Unni said:
How aerodynamic is Volt (Drag coaff of Volt. )
to this comment On June 27, 2009 at 11:12 am tom gray said:
Given the cost of li ion batteries and their limited recharge capabilities, the Volt design is the only practical electric car around.. The Tesla, for example, claims a 220 mile range. Even if that is met, that means the driving radius is probablt no more than 100 miles or so. Who can live with a car that can’t get to and back fom palaces only 100 miles awy? That’s not a replacement for our cars. It’s nothing more than an expensive symbol of greenwashing. And using the DOT commuter mileage charts (and assuming 50MPG during range extedned mode) I have calculated that a fleet
of commuting Volts would average roughly 250 MPG. That would eliminate way over 90% of gas consumption for commuting. Any small percentage points beyond that achieved by a battery-only electric like the Tesla, would be totally insignificant. You only need Volt-type cars to eliminate virtually all of the oil currently used for private transportation. The non-commuting MPG, while unknown due to lack of statistics about auto trips, would obviously be way beyond the 50MPG the Volt obtains during range extended mode – certainly it would far exceed 100 MPG, meaning the overall MPG (since gas consumption for non-commuting is roughly 50%) would have to exceed 175 MPG. Personally, I’m certain it would go well over 200 MPG. Quite clearly , there is no logical reason to prefer battery-only electrics if your objective is to reduce gas consumption/CO2 – the differences between it and a Volt-type vehicle are trivial and insignificant. They only seem large, which is completely due to the gross ignorance of the media and the public of what the range extended vehicle with a 40 mile range can actually accomplish. I note that those who trumpet the differences the loudest are those companies that cannot make a range extended vehicle, at least not anytime soon, and are rushing to market with an existing gas powered chassis that has had its
gas powered drivetrain ripped out and replaced by an electic one – such as Tesla (modified Lotus Elise gas car) the Mini Cooper, etc.
to this comment On June 27, 2009 at 6:22 pm David said:
It’s not very attractive and does not seem to look like the prototype!
to this comment On June 28, 2009 at 12:00 am John said:
Why the car doesn’t look like the concept car I want this car to look different then all other cars I want to know everybody that I am driving electric car I am upset with looks… loosing one customer
to this comment On June 28, 2009 at 10:08 pm Grady Gorongosa said:
“Marketing Volt as a Chevy puts it squarely in the middle-class of cars. This means that it is also for the middle-class worker. Sounds like a good strategy to me since the middle-class buys 90% of all (retail) cars and trucks.”
That’s not correct Loboc. At more than $40k, it will be out of range of most of the Chevrolet demographic, and with a Chevrolet bow-tie on the front, many in the Buick, Lexus, Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, demographics won’t even consider it. With that Chevy bow-tie, it will be too far beneath their perceived class level.
to this comment On June 29, 2009 at 9:42 am Rocky Carrefour said:
“Why the car doesn’t look like the concept car I want this car to look different then all other cars I want to know everybody that I am driving electric car I am upset with looks… loosing one customer”
John,
You have to be more open minded. The reason this iteration of the Volt doesn’t look like the Volt concept car is aerodynamics. Even Bob Lutz realized that. He is on record as saying the Volt concept car had all the aerodynamics of a brick — flying backwards.
Like it or not, aerodynamics will control more and more of future car design. And since a rain drop is the most aerodynamic design, more and more cars will resemble rain drops. You’ll see blended curves, no mirrors sticking out, severely sloped-back windshields, no rain gutters, blended headlamps, aerodynamic dams under the front end, etc. All cars will eventually look about the same in the fight for efficiency and high mileage.
to this comment On June 29, 2009 at 9:46 am Grady Gorongosa said:
“If the price of the Volt drops down to $32,500.00 with rebates…”
Gerry,
You do realize I hope that a rebate or tax credit for one person means an added tax on someone else. Government cannot give something to someone without first taking it from someone else.
If GM’s business model for the Volt is dependent on a rebate or tax credit, it is a bad business model.
to this comment On June 29, 2009 at 10:27 am Chris R said:
In regards to the final size of the fuel tank, and the Volt’s ultimate range. Is it possible for the Volt to equal the Jetta TDI for range on the highway without having to use a large fuel tank from a vehicle like the Suburban?
to this comment On June 30, 2009 at 9:55 am irieblue said:
Let’s not forget about what goes into the User experience inside the car. Lets make sure it has a top notch navigation system and ipod integration. Let’s do something equally as revolutionary as the idea of the volt itself. Since this is an electric car, how about incorporating an electric/magnetic Active Body control system to keep the car stable and bouncing around (as seen in the video clip). Forget about spring rates, add Active Body control to this car
to this comment On June 30, 2009 at 1:05 pm Gerry said:
“Gerry,
You do realize I hope that a rebate or tax credit for one person means an added tax on someone else. Government cannot give something to someone without first taking it from someone else.
If GM’s business model for the Volt is dependent on a rebate or tax credit, it is a bad business model.”
Welcome to the imperfect world.
If our government chooses to enact legislation that allows for a rebate, and it gives me access to a vehicle that lowers my total cost of ownership, I’ll be right there to purchase it with no qualms about it. I like the looks of the Volt at the top of the page, and if the car is well executed, the sale is made.
Whether or not it is a bad business model is debateable. Toyota has been selling a Prius for over eight years, and I don’t believe that they have ever been able to turn a profit on that car. What they did get out of the experience, however, is a “green” image, an image as in innovative car company, and provide an alternative form of transportation that gets better mileage than the average North American vehicle by a factor of two. While Toyota isn’t in bankrupcy like GM, they are at least treading water. Something in their business plan made sense.
If the Volt fits my needs, and given the battery life, would allow me to reduce my consumption of gasoline by 50-80%, then we as a country should also be considering the impact of what reduced oil consumption does for us as a nation. If we weren’t so dependent on offshore oil, our international trade balance wouldn’t continually run up huge deficits, which are bankrupting us as a nation. Maybe we could cut the amount we spend on our military by 50% if we didn’t have to participate in “police actions” such as Iraq (THAT war was all about democracy and the American Way, yea……..right).
Assuming that GM doesn’t outsource all the components that go into this car to offshore suppliers, purchasing this car could actually put significant amount of people back to work.
No, I get it quite fine.
to this comment On June 30, 2009 at 1:22 pm Grady Gorongosa said:
“Welcome to the imperfect world.”
Yes, welcome to the imperfect world ~ a car whose price can be lowered to an acceptable level only because of a rebate that is really a tax imposed on other American workers. You really don’t get it do you? Any rebate or tax credit you get is nothing more than a tax on the backs of some other poor American worker. As long as the politicians give you want you want, you’re happy ~ yes, I’d say that’s an imperfect world.
to this comment On June 30, 2009 at 10:33 pm Rick Rohde said:
I think you screwed up by not bringing this to production as a Buick and not using the new Astra to replace the Cobalt; skip the Cruze and bring the Astra. It looks much better. Price wise, the Volt would give a big boost to the Buick Image and could command the high price.
to this comment On July 1, 2009 at 11:18 am Rocky Carrefour said:
Rick,
You are no doubt correct. The Volt’s price point will be at a tier well above the typical Chevy demographic. And who in the Buick and Cadillac demographics will want to own a Volt? It’s an unfortunate trait of human nature that the strata of people who visualize themselves as “Buick” and “Cadillac” people won’t want car with Chevy bow-tie on the front.
GM really should rethink how they brand and market the Volt.
to this comment On July 1, 2009 at 1:47 pm Charlie H said:
Gerry: “Toyota has been selling a Prius for over eight years, and I don’t believe that they have ever been able to turn a profit on that car.”
I imagine you’ve seen reports that the Prius is profitable (has been since 2002 or so – maybe earlier) but managed to ignore or forget them. Here’s another report for you to roundfile:
http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1020336_hybrids-are-profitable-for-honda-and-toyota-3100-profit-per-vehicle
Nikkei reports that Toyota and Honda make about $3100 per hybrid. Any green image is a bonus, not the point of building the car.
to this comment On July 1, 2009 at 2:49 pm Nate said:
Rocky Carrefour,
I totally agree… the Volt (especially the prototype picture) looks sharp. But I don’t think as a Chevy it will offer the kind of features I want. I think as a Buick or Caddy it’d be better. Ironically though the Converj is going to be offered as a Cadillac. To bad I think the Converj should be a regular car not a hybrid….
to this comment On July 2, 2009 at 10:14 pm GEM M said:
Well, I’ve seen “Who killed the Electric Car” from 1990’s, and “Who killed the Electric Street Cars anbd Buses”, so I expect the worst from GM. The CV1 got the same milage per charge with the old batteries from the 1990’s. I won’t hold my breath.
to this comment On July 4, 2009 at 7:22 pm Alex Stepanski said:
You have no idea what you guys are doing. Your building a car that will be too expensive with batteries that are not all that much better to delay the release of this doomed project car. There are many hybrids out there already, chevrolet is late to enter the game with this “plug in hybrid” which most people will compare to a standard hybrid. Chevrolet already has the technology from the EV1, tested, proven, already done. If they would modify a chevrolet aveo into a full EV and offer it to the public at a cost of 20,000 they would be much more sucessful. This failing car company has already been bought out by our government, the controlling share of their stock that is, so we the people should start having a say in the company’s future goals. I recently read a comparison where the chevrolet hybrid was defeated by nissan, toyota, and ford in mpg figures. A real embarrassment was when critics reported you could buy any midsize car Toyota or Honda that got better MPG than the horrible chevrolet hybrid. I will never forgive chevrolet for the destruction of the EV1.
to this comment On July 9, 2009 at 4:49 pm petra butler said:
This thing looks like the Hyundai Tiberon. What’s up with that? And the new Camaro’s look like old Chargers. What’s up with that? Come on GM, try something new and innovative! Still stuck in that ‘old’ mindset!
to this comment On July 10, 2009 at 2:44 pm Daniel Harvill said:
Hmmmm…. I think I like it.
I like the look.
I like the idea.
I like the fact that my commute is just about 40 miles.
If the following occurs:
a. The reviews on this vehicle turn out to be as good as the sales-talk,
b. If it is priced below $40k (or $40 k gets me some really kick *ss options)
then GM/ Chevy may have found themselves a customer for this new vehicle.
to this comment On July 10, 2009 at 6:19 pm Richard Stewart said:
They should lease the batteries separately. That way GM is responsible for disposition of depleted batteries, and if someone other than GM comes up with a better battery, you can cancel your lease and get one.
Car and Driver published a price of $16,000 for the battery, good for 150,000 miles. If they sold the car without the battery, and leased the battery as though it was your monthly fuel bill, that would be a $24,000 car for about $390 a month (20% down and 60 mo. at 8%) and a “fuel” bill of about $194 a month plus whatever the plug-in costs are to keep them charged. That’s if the charger engine never runs.
Battery costs, then, work out to the equivalent of a gas fillup every 1.25 weeks. At $3.50 a gallon, that’s as though you had a car that averaged 22 mpg (about $0.16 per mile) and you drove it 1220 miles a month. It works out to 146,433 miles in ten years, just about exactly what the batteries are good for.
Add $0.016 per mile for the 8kWh of the16 kWh of electricity the car uses every 40 miles, for a combined “fuel” cost of $0.175 per mile. That’s a gasoline equivalent of 20 mpg. To make it a viable economic proposition, gas would have to climb to $3.85 a gallon, a near certainty.
to this comment On July 13, 2009 at 8:07 pm Franklyn said:
This is so much waffle, the Volt is not like the Prius the prius is a parallel hybrid that requires the ICE for any acceleration or speed over 40Kmh wheras the Volt runns electric all the way with the genset handling the range required , yes I would also like a diesel opttion and some info on the capacity for climbing something like a 10% slope but everthings looks positive so far
to this comment On July 16, 2009 at 5:52 am Franklyn said:
Continueing on from my last comment another weird thing is the “pure electric”lobby thinking that decries a practical vehicle because it is a hybrid, in the US and AUS total range as well as drivability are paramount although GM need to address one problem they have created, the ICE should be switchable so that it can act as a range extender at all times but be cut out for suburban driving
to this comment On July 22, 2009 at 3:41 pm Paul Brooks said:
I plan to sell my 2000 vette and 2006 rsx and buy the volt, probably in the 2nd production year. Disruptive tecnology often starts at a high price, but we need to reduce our carbon footprint. I like the government help. My grandkid’s grandkid’s will thank us for our courage and foresight.
to this comment On September 20, 2009 at 2:00 pm Joe Schmo said:
Reduce the carbon footprint….Plant a tree.
The issue is not what we put in the air but the fact we’re not filtering it out.
It comes down to the economic viability. Most people don’t have the insane money of Cal and Massachusetts to be so environmentally conscious. This car will only succeed if there’s a perceived “in my pocket now” monetary benefit despite the consequences.
GM should have a market plan focused on the lower maintenance on top of the fuel savings to get people to want one. Electric drive means less moving parts and less things to break. It might not play out exactly that way but it’s certainly a selling point to counterbalance the high price tag.
to this comment On July 26, 2009 at 4:34 am Carz said:
It just is great to know that the Chevrolet is already opening itself to the challenges of Global Warming and reformatting their production styles to make it more electric-based and fuel-efficient.
to this comment On August 2, 2009 at 7:54 pm Darian Miller said:
Why don’t they have a pre-release sign-up form? They could be getting people to pay a down payment today to reserve their 2011 Volt.
to this comment On August 5, 2009 at 1:39 pm Dan Sew said:
As a GM retiree living in Florida, I am looking forward to purchasing one. With the new solar technology available, this is a win-win thing. I have been to two dealers trying to sign up for one and had no success.
to this comment On August 5, 2009 at 3:06 pm Del Gallagher said:
Dan,
If GM runs their early purchase program for the Volt as they did for Camaro, you don’t want any part of it.
to this comment On August 12, 2009 at 12:11 am rob p said:
Have you started doing safety tests yet? I’m assuming that one of the compromises you have made in order to gain efficiency is in the weight of the vehicle. What assurances can you give consumers that they will be no worse off in a collision in a Volt than they would be in a heavier, non-hybrid car?
to this comment On September 20, 2009 at 2:04 pm Joe Schmo said:
Not necessarily, electric power is drastically more efficient. It’s more in the fact that weight to power ratio that batteries can store is the problem. It’s possible (I emphasize the possibility not the existence) to have a car that weighs the same better power output.
to this comment On October 7, 2009 at 4:01 pm john ayala said:
My ideas on the electrc car are that their not all that great. It really doesnt slove anything. The whole idea hasnt been mastered yet. It has tits pros and cons. Its a start, i give them that. I dont see it going anywhere. At the moment its going in the same path as just using gas. If it were a good car that work great and made everyone happy, it wld be on the market today.