General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

I still want one. They make it sound like the battery is the ONLY thing holding it back.
I hope it happens.

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

Now....this is newsworthy!

I want one too but I definitely need to test drive this on the a steep climbing highway first to be sure it can get me to and fro work with only a single charge!

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

I hope Honda and Toyota have theirs out with GM- still can't trust GM for developing something that is roadworthy for the long-haul.

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

I hope GM really does make this car. I'd love to see that PHEV-10 Prius come to fuition as well.

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

to quote an old Seinfeld "More of everything"...more plug-ins from more mfgs. C'mon, the world is chomping at the bit for these. If it's GM, then I'll wait. If it's my Prius, I'll take 2. But at least let's get them out in the showroom for sale.

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

hmm,,

Imagine where GM would be with this technology today if they hadn't killed the ev-1 and kept improving what they already had.

Rent the movie who killed the electric car, it's a great watch.

Shame on you GM, but it's good to see you are finally listening to the people.

08FEH

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

Yes, I agree. Killing the EV-1 and then hailing the Chevy Volt as the future of alternative fuel vehicles? Ohhh the irony.

I'll buy the battery issue though: enough public worry has already surfaced over lithium-ion batteries exploding, warping, etc in laptops and cellphones that manufacturing quality and safety is a critical issue here. In addition, with Civic Hybrid battery packs dying after 130,000 miles in some HCH owners in this forum, I'll give GM the benefit of the doubt for them to work out their battery "issues." Hopefully they can pack more power, faster charging, and longer life into the next generation of hybrid batteries..

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

I'll bite my lip on the "Who Called The Electric Car" bit. I've said enough on that one already and I'll assume my remarks are searchable for anyone who cares.

Regarding the current (no pun intended) status of the Volt, Automotive News had a nice, very balanced article yesterday......

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../70809008/1129


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http://www.autonews.com/graphics/articles/zoom.gif GM product chief Bob Lutz touted new battery technology for the Chevrolet Volt concept shown on the screen.
Photo credit: JOE WILSSENS
GM boosts work on lithium-ion batteries for hybrids
queryvar="gm,boosts,work,on,lithium-ion,batteries,for,hybrids";Dale Jewett
Automotive News
August 9, 2007 - 12:18 pm EST
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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- General Motors is expanding its work with A123 Systems Inc., a maker of lithium-ion batteries, to develop battery packs for the automaker’s E-Flex hybrid powertrain architecture.

“I’m convinced that electrically driven vehicles is the next paradigm shift in this industry,” GM product chief Bob Lutz said today at the Management Briefing Seminars.

Today’s hybrid vehicles use nickel metal-hydride battery packs. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in cellular phones and laptop computers, offer more power from a smaller, lighter package.

The deal with A123Systems will help GM get vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt concept on the road sooner, Lutz said.

GM expects to begin road tests of the Volt next spring, Lutz said, and looks to have it on sale in 2010.

The Volt, which GM unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January, uses the E-Flex powertrain architecture. E-Flex uses electric motors and battery packs, and can be adapted to a variety of power sources, such as internal combustion engines or fuel cells.

GM’s announcement of its deal with A123Systems came on the same day that the Wall Street Journal reported that Toyota Motor Corp. was delaying the launch of hybrid vehicles that use lithium-ion battery packs by at least two years due to problems with the battery packs overheating and posing a fire risk.

Toyota now is expected to start using lithium-ion batteries in 2011, the paper reported. Toyota’s lithium-ion battery packs use different chemistry than the packs made by A123Systems.

Overheating and fires have been a problem with lithium-ion batteries — last year Dell Inc. recalled laptop computer batteries due to overheating problems.

A123Systems is working with German supplier Continental AG to develop integrated lithium-ion battery packs for GM. The automaker is also working with Korean battery maker LG Chem and its subsidiary, Compact Power Inc., for lithium-ion battery packs.

GM said in January it was working with a venture between A123 Systems and Cobasys, and Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC to develop lithium-ion battery packs for the Saturn Vue hybrid.

A123Systems, based in Watertown, Mass., builds lithium-ion batteries with its nanophosphate technology. Its batteries are currently used in power tools.

You may e-mail Dale Jewett at djewett@crain.com

Peace,

Martin

Re: General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington
 

Funny how that article basically cites the same concerns I have with the batteries. Next generation batteries must exceed lithium-ion's capabilities. It's good Toyota is taking precautionary measures - perhaps also to observe how Ford and A123 Systems fares with its technology first. :)