Recent Comments:
Is the Volt nothing more than bailout bait? {Autoblog Green}
Jul 3rd 2008 7:26AM Very poor article.
The batteries that GM is commissioning have a high rate of charge allowing for a higher rate of reclamation braking. What that means is that in City driving this car is going to get very high mileage even after the range extending generator kicks on.
The the guy wanting the EV-1, please get over it, the EV-1 was a bust from the start. GM should be considerered heroes because of the breakthroughs in EV technology and how much they spent to develop the EV-1.
If you restarted the EV-1 today it would still be a $60k car that would only sell to a select few with more money than brains. The loss of convenience was too high.
The Volt is a car that is more convenient. It has no range worries, because it can run on just gas with no charge. It has no performance issues, because of the variable voltage AC motor that GM developed, it has a long life because of the new batteries.
Solar power heats up. Government freezes projects. {Autoblog Green}
Jul 1st 2008 8:23AM Dejal, they had to submit plans, it wasn't just open the land and let people in with every crackpot solar plan.
The safety requirements and environmental impact requirements existed.
This is a total moratorium while the government beauracrats set up committees so that they can get more money.
Pure BS that we have to pay for.
Volt battery decision soon, and 20 mile EV option possible {Autoblog Green}
Jun 16th 2008 7:10AM The Volt is going to be a great car. The $40k is pure speculation. The original goal was well under $30k, that it's higher is no suprise.
Even at $40k it's going to save you quite a bit in gas. If you're the average driver then it's a pretty sure $1,000/yr, more like $3-5k with prices going up.
The car will be more convenient, saving you time at the pump, some people will go to the gas station once a month or less.
These options aren't good things. Neither pure EV or 20 mile range is good in my opinion. What I want to happen with the Volt is nothing less than changing the whole country's mind about EV's. I want people to WANT an EV for it's performance, convenience and savings.
The Volt the way it is delivers that. A pure EV and you'll see complaints by people that bought the EV option when they're stranded. It won't matter that it was their fault, the reputation will be ruined. Shorter range and it is the Prius, a car that people use as a status symbol that doesn't really do much good reducing oil.
I can't wait for the battery decision, and to see what they'll give the loser.
Enter the rumormill: LG Chem is winning the Volt battery contract fight {Autoblog Green}
Jun 9th 2008 6:25AM The release date for the Volt is Nov 2010.
People on forums considered the possibility of leasing batteries, but GM has said that they won't do that.
Right now there aren't any full size production pictures, there are some 1/10th scale mockups. They've said that the unveiling of a full size production prototype is imminent. This was in the last week, so I expect it will be in June.
This is exciting all the way around. I thought for sure A123 would win because I know that their small batteries have the capability. That LG/Chem does also means a larger supply base for conversions and batteries for EV's.
My next car will be electric!
Mythbusters take on electric vehicle misconceptions {Autoblog Green}
May 20th 2008 8:15AM The wrightspeed is plenty fast enough, the atom goes 0-60 in mid 2's the wrightspeed is 0-60 mph 3.07 sec in 117 ft.
That's not too shabby and beats most high end sports cars.
Continental says "good chance" to win Volt battery contract {Autoblog Green}
May 12th 2008 8:03AM Batteries are still where the kink in the hose is. I hope both teams get a contract of some type. If the batteries perform as well as they say they can, then I'm sure the loser will still get a hefty contract from another car builder.
Judging the Tesla Roadster and Chevy Volt by different standards {Autoblog Green}
May 9th 2008 8:12AM I love the Tesla, but they didn't even really build the car, not production build anyway. I appreciate that they put it together, and I think the reason GM is building the Volt is because of the Tesla's success.
The Volt will change the world, in my opinion.
20,000 people express email interest in buying a Chevy Volt {Autoblog Green}
May 8th 2008 8:30AM With just the generator on it's expected to get 50 mpg.
http://gm-volt.com/chevy-volt-faqs/
That's kind of misleading because you'd think if they can get 50 mpg why don't they make them without batteries.
The reason is that they have a very heavy regeneration system. Meaning whenever you brake most of that energy is converted to electricity and added back to the battery system.
The upside to that is city driving is going to get extremely good mileage. Highway will be less good, but still decent.
Performance will never suffer because the battery is never emptied. What that means is that it can accelerate at the same rate as with pure electric at any time.
I'm not on the list, but I'd love one if they made them for 6'5" people. Volt II will be mine.
For now, these are the Top Ten Automotive X entrants {Autoblog Green}
May 2nd 2008 7:57AM I like the Aptera, and I'm not into futuristic looking design.
To me the cockpit looks comfortablea and it looks like with the cameras you get a good view of your corners and it almost has to be more aerodynamic.
A123: History and Progress {Autoblog Green}
May 1st 2008 7:51AM There was no market for the EV-1. If GM came out with the EV-1, at it's best state, it still wouldn't sell to the masses today. GM would almost definitely still lose money on that deal.
It would sell more today because of higher gas prices, but it wouldn't sell 100,000 units a year consistently.
The cost was over 60k, go to the Volt concept site, people are complaining that the car will cost half that.
GM did nothing wrong, the people that are holding a grudge are hurting the environment because they're ignoring the very car that can change driving for everyone.
Your hero Toyota is pressing the parallel hybrid, and they're going to get a lot of ignorant buyers when the Volt comes out. The reason is that on the surface it will look the same as the Volt. It will have the range, and the MPG, and will cost a bit less. What it won't have is a sustainable pure electric range, and what it really won't do is push forward EV technology.
Take off the anti-GM goggles and see things the way they are. GM has spent more money and achieved more in the EV technology field than any car company. They should be the heroes of the environmental movement the second the Volt comes out, but instead people want to look smart and altruistic.
ACPropulsion, Tesla, Wrightspeed and most other variable voltage EV's that are in the news today owe their start to GM.
Instead of being right, look at the core of the technology that's presented, look at the life of the batteries and look at the mass appeal of the car. I hope that Toyota, Honda and the others get into the EV field, but only GM is right now.
