FastLane

By Alan Adler
Biofuels Communications Manager

As the 2009 North American International Auto Show comes to a close this weekend, there’s no doubt it has been decidedly about electric propulsion this year, especially for GM with the production Chevy Volt, the concept Cadillac Converj and battery pack manufacturing in Michigan.

Which leads to a fair question of contrast with the 2008 auto show: Where is ethanol? Last year’s press days largely revolved around the promise of cellulosic ethanol with GM’s investment in Coskata.

But when you think about it, the technology news at the auto show rarely has the same emphasis in back-to-back years any more than the Super Bowl features the same teams from one year to the next. GM has multiple approaches to advanced propulsion, including improved internal combustion engines, flex-fuel, hybrids, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cells. All have significant dedicated engineering resources, and the best stories – like the best football teams playing on Super Bowl Sunday – are told at the auto shows.

In 2006, ethanol made it big with the “Live Green, Go Yellow” commercials that kicked off during Super Bowl XL, followed by heavy promotion of corn-based ethanol for flex-fuel vehicles the next week at the Chicago Auto Show.

In 2007, electrification was the buzz word as GM showcased the Volt concept for the first time with what we now call the Voltec electric propulsion system. The Volt concept highlighted both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell sources because both will be integral in the future. And the Volt production vehicle will also be available with a flex-fuel engine.

You’ve heard the GM mantra that “there is no silver bullet” for advanced propulsion. Technology is not forgotten because it doesn’t get a huge push during auto show season.

Removing the automobile from the energy debate will require multiple energy pathways because some propulsion technologies are simply better suited to certain types of vehicles and driving activities.

As for ethanol, most of the effort by producers today is focused on biomass – plants, grasses and wood waste that are not used for food. Two commercial plants are on target for 2011 startup and a handful of others are reaching the pilot stage. Corn is still the primary source for ethanol, which is blended at 10 percent into most gasoline and mixed with 15 percent gasoline to be sold as E85.

Despite the recent price inversion which has made wholesale gasoline cheaper than ethanol, the number of fueling stations offering E85 or installing pumps to handle it is growing – recently passing 1,900 according to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. In Illinois alone, there are 205 stations offering E85 compared with 166 a year ago.

By Larry Burns
GM Vice President, Research & Development

Amid growing concerns about the economy, our long-term energy security, driving cars that have less of an impact on our planet, and ever-expanding urban congestion, we all seem to be coming to the conclusion that the automobile as we know it — powered by a combustion engine — must eventually go the way of the horse and buggy. It is simply not sustainable.

Last Sunday at the North American International Auto Show, GM unveiled the Cadillac Converj Concept, which features our revolutionary Voltec electric propulsion system. While I am proud of this exciting step toward transforming the automobile, we still must look further ahead. We need to put this technology into widespread, high volume production. However, there are significant challenges. And that is why I make this plea: we must work together to overcome those challenges and make this technology a reality.

One major challenge we face is ensuring that U.S.-developed technologies are the industry standard when the demand for advanced technology vehicles reaches a commercial “tipping point.” The solution lies in sharing the public/private risks and rewards – possibly creating a partnership between the U.S. government, auto manufacturers and suppliers, the energy and infrastructure industries, and other key stakeholders focused on transforming the automobile.

The good news is that we do not need to invent anything for this to happen! We just need to act with a collective will to accelerate the use of the technologies we already have.

A new automotive technology partnership could help create these alternative-energy technologies as well as the next generation of high-efficiency vehicles. It could also set the framework for supply and demand in the early years of the market for these vehicles. Finally, the partnership could deliver a broad set of societal benefits, including enhanced energy security, sustainable mobility, increased competitiveness and significant economic and jobs growth.

I can’t help but be excited about this extraordinary opportunity to revolutionize the way we live in the United States. We must take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Most importantly – we must jump at the chance to lead what will be a global transformation by supporting the effort here at home.

For jobs, our economy, for technological advancement, for the environment, for national energy security and the way we live, this is the right thing to do.

For more information on this topic, take a look at the presentation I gave today at the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C. “Converging on Sustainability: The New DNA of the Automobile,” or read my remarks.

Here’s a cool video from the folks over at GM Europe showcasing the Saab 9-X Air concept. Sure, it’s only a concept at this point, but the design explores what the open-air Saab of the future might look like, featuring a canopy top (patent pending), four-seat accommodation and the close-coupled proportions of a sports car. – Will Stewart, blog editor

By Ed Peper
North America Vice President, Chevrolet

A few months ago, we showed you some official “spy shots” of the pre-production version of the new Camaro coupe.

To say the least, response to that post was overwhelmingly enthusiastic - something that was extremely gratifying to all of us here at Chevrolet, who have been hard at work testing and retesting the Camaro development models.

As a reward for your interest - and your patience - here’s a sneak peek of the convertible version of the Camaro, which is also undergoing a similar evaluation as we ready it for full production later next year. (Preproduction models shown. Actual production models may vary.)

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

This week we announced that the GM Board has approved the Chevrolet Volt program. Yes, development work has been going on in earnest, but now it’s official. In fact, recently, at GM’s Milford Proving Ground, I drove an official “engineering development vehicle” with the 16-kwh lithium-ion battery pack we’ve been testing for our E-Flex System and I have to say - pun half-intended - it was electrifying.

The first impression of the day, however, was made before I even got into the vehicle. It hit me on the drive out to Milford, as I passed gas station after gas station with prices for regular unleaded hugging the $4 mark: This makes the importance and potential of our all-electric glide through our proving ground roads even clearer.

Now, don’t run to the Chevy dealer and order your Volt yet: The “test mule” I drove - a previous-generation Malibu - wasn’t calibrated properly, and there are an awful lot of tests that this battery must pass before it’s cleared for production. Our battery teams in Warren and in Germany are working hard in our battery labs to determine that these batteries will work for the life of the vehicle. Still, the conditions in a real-world environment - where the battery is exposed to shaking, moisture and rapidly changing temperature conditions - are much more extreme than the controlled settings of the lab.

But I think it’s important to point out that in the six months since we’ve received the battery pack, we’ve tested it in the lab, then on the dynamometer, and now on the track. Eventually, if and when we settle on the right battery, our E-Flex System engineers will have a lot of integrating, tuning and tweaking to do before the Volt is ready for prime time. And we’ll keep you informed of our progress every step of the way.

Upon future drives, when the vehicle is closer to true calibration, I’ll have more driving details. But I will say that, while the car is still most definitely a work in progress, the thrill of driving electrically – that instant, silent torque – is certainly present and accounted for! Of course, as you can imagine, I miss the throaty roar of an engine. Once we get this whole battery thing perfected, our friends at XM Satellite Radio may have to start an Internal Combustion Channel.

Here’s some interesting footage courtesy of Volt Nation from a Q&A Bob Lutz did at last month’s VN conference in New York. - Will Stewart, blog editor.

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

This is a little late coming, but I just wanted to take the time and space to officially thank everyone who traveled to New York, some from fairly far away, for the Volt Nation event at the auto show there last month.

And I’d like to thank Dr. Lyle Dennis, the foundation of Volt Nation, for organizing such a great event, and for his boundless enthusiasm. In fact, all the attendees were rather enthusiastic, and we are very appreciative of that, and of their rabid interest in the Volt program.

As I told the group assembled there in New York, the Volt team feeds off their enthusiasm, it’s a great motivator for us.

Not that we need any extra push to get going on the project. The team continues to make progress, and we continue to be committed to seeing the program through. As I said in New York, we are going to get this done – we are not going to be beaten to the punch like we were on hybrids.

I told the Volt Nation audience that GM had the technology to do hybrids back when Toyota was launching the first Prius, but we opted not to ask the Board to approve a product program that’d be destined to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. In the end, it cost us much more than that; it cost us our reputation for technology leadership and innovation.

We made that mistake once. We won’t make it again. I think the whole company has learned when you step out and do bold things, you win and when you’re cautious and let other people do the bold things, you lose.

Many great ideas die every day because we value the safety of the tried-and-true over the risk that true innovation requires. This is not going to be the case with Volt; we are going for the brass ring.

Further updates to come, but thanks again to Dr. Dennis and Volt Nation for their support.