SHANGHAI SHOW: GM shows fuel cell Chevrolet Volt

23 April 2007 | Source: just-auto.com editorial team
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GM has shown a fuel cell powered version of the Chevrolet Volt, which it describes as the next iteration of its E-Flex electric architecture.

The Volt on show at the Shanghai_Auto Show is fitted with GM's fifth generation fuel cell and a lithium-ion battery to provide up to 300 miles of electric driving.
GM says the fuel cell E-Flex is a true Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and operates all-electric from both hydrogen fuel cell-generated electricity and grid electricity. It is plug-in capable, adding up to 20 additional miles (34 km) each time it is charged, further reducing trips to the refueling station.
The E-Flex system is a flexible all-electric production vehicle_architecture that can be configured to run on electricity from a number of sources. It was first shown in January at the North American International Auto Show in the Chevrolet Volt concept vehicle. The Volt is a battery electric vehicle with 40 miles of all electric-range and uses a small bio-fuel engine with a generator to extend its range to 640 miles (1030 km).
"The beauty of our E-Flex strategy is that it allows us to package various propulsion systems into the same space depending on what energy is available locally," said Larry Burns, GM's vice president of Research and Development and Strategic Planning. "It also provides flexibility in the sources of energy. We can obtain hydrogen or electricity from a myriad of renewable sources - wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric and biofuels - or from traditional sources such as natural gas, clean coal, nuclear or even gasoline.
"E-Flex provides flexibility in two ways: in the propulsion systems that can be used, and in the sources of energy that can be commercialized to compete with oil and meet global transportation growth in a sustainable way."
GM's fifth-generation fuel cell system is half the size of its predecessor, yet it provides the same power and performance. The fourth generation currently powers the Chevrolet Sequel concept vehicle. The Sequel stores 8 kg of hydrogen and delivers a range of 300 miles (483 km). The fuel cell Volt will also deliver 300 miles of range, but with only 4 kg of hydrogen (75 miles / kg).
GM says its advancements in fuel cell technology mean that it has the potential to be a competitive alternative to the internal combustion engine - in size, performance, durability and cost.
"Our progress has made us increasingly confident that our fuel cell propulsion system will be automotive-competitive," said Burns. "But before this technology can be made widely available, governments, energy suppliers and infrastructure companies around the world need to collaborate with GM and the auto industry to develop a market for fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuel."
A variety of technological advancements and lightweight materials contribute to the efficiency of the Volt. With an estimated curb weight of 3,500 pounds (1,588 kg), it weighs 30 percent less than the Sequel. The fuel cell propulsion system is packaged entirely under the hood and is equivalent in size to a four-cylinder engine with automatic_transmission. The Volt also features molded GE plastic panels on the fenders, window glazings, instrument panel and steering wheel, which offer between 30 percent and 50 percent weight reduction per part.
The E-Flex fuel cell variant also showcases GM's third-generation wheel hub motors, packaged inside the rear wheel to add considerable torque for all-wheel electric drive capability. The new coreless motor technology reduces mass and produces more power compared to the first generation shown in 2003.

Fire away.......

Peace,

Martin

 

none of the volt iterations will ever see any production. GM is blowing smoke as usual. They don't know how to do anything else. All the way back to the early days through buying up and destroying transit and now making a load of cars that no one wants.

I have all but written GM off. Especially after learning about how they actively destroyed trolley service in the US.

They (GM) needs to do an about face. Stop making concept cars with no intention of making them then acting like they are pursuing new technology. They always go out of their way to sabotage their own efforts. They just don't want them to succeed

When GM releases something close in technology to what they sold about 10 years ago in the EV1 I might be swayed. Until they stop getting in their own way I will continue to actively encourage people to dismiss them as an option for a car manufacturer. Now with the new tundra they don't even have an advantage in the full size truck market.

 

Why announced the series hybrid Volt in Detroit, and then announced the fuel cell Volt in China??!!??!?

If not their intention, it is certainly making the casual reader and follower of the Volt, like myself, skeptical suddenly...I shook my head at this, and my hope sunk a notch at the hope that GM might be able to redeem itself.

 

i saw that car in detroit and it was very obvious there was never any intention of producing that car. They would have never made it so over the top if they planned on marketing it as a production vehicle. The technology they were "showcasing was laughable. There was nothing special about it.

there are no technical hurdles to making a battery electric hybrid. They produced a pure EV nearly 10 years ago, it was awesome i even got to drive one way out here in indiana. Anything short of an electrically driven hybrid where the hybrid is only used if going more than 300 miles on a charge is simply selling itself short.

GM has made it obvious that it has no intention of breaking this barrier. They better get their act together or when toyota and honda release their plug ins and eventually a plugin truck they will have no where to go competitively.

historically GM has refused to move forward unless legislation or prosecution forces them to.

 

Possibly because hybrids are a hot commodity in the US.

Possibly because China is one of the fastest growing auto markets in the world, will be number 2 to the US by the time the Volt goes into production, and China will likely have even more stringent fuel economy standards than the US. This is not the same China of 20 years ago.

Peace,

Martin