Hmmm. Automotive News [sub] gives us insight into GM Car Czar Bob Lutz's confidence in his not-yet stillborn baby, the Chevy Volt. An odd choice of words to be sure. But hey — this is Maximum Bob we're talking about. Speaking in Detroit, Lutz told his assembled fans reporters that GM is confident in the 2010 Volt launch date and that GM's close to picking a battery supplier. Lutz claimed that the Volt-drivetrain-equipped Malibu mules have been hitting the target EV-mode 40 miles and beyond. "They've routinely had it to the high 30s, low 40s and they go up hills with it and everything," said Lutz. Of course he also referred to global warming as a "crock of shit" and called yours truly a pinhead. (Full disclosure — we were picking out XL racing helmets and he commented that we both have big heads. "7 5/8" I told him and he yelled, "Ha! 7 3/4 — Pinhead!") As for the Volt, as far as we can tell, those batteries don't exist yet. But what do we know?
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That is what I don’t understand. If the batteries don’t exist now, how can any manufacturer claim that they are getting accurate data on range, driveability, etc. Is it me or do you have to live in Michigan to ‘get it’?
There’s a difference between engineering samples supplied by the battery makers and production batteries. While still difficult, it’s easier to produce samples in small quantities than it is to produce production volumes. Confidence in the ability of the supplier to meet quotas is a big part of the supplier choice.
It looks like GM will end up buying Cobasys back. What do you want to bet they end up with at least part of the production contract, regardless of who has the best product?
Popular Mechanics has an article about the Volt that gives quite a few details. Some of which I haven’t seen on TTAC yet. It sounds like they do have 2 battery packs competing for the final product and that they may use both in the production version. The article was posted in early April and stated that they were currently installing the new batteries in test cars then. It’s an interesting read.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4257460.html?series=19
Does that mean that GM will have access to the NiMH that they used in the last gen EV1 and the RAV-4EV?
jar527, thanks for the link. Most information I have seen on the Volt in a while and an interesting read.
That is what I don’t understand. If the batteries don’t exist now, how can any manufacturer claim that they are getting accurate data on range, driveability, etc. Is it me or do you have to live in Michigan to ‘get it’?
The battery technology exists, even if the specific batteries don’t. For any particular battery technology, most of the parameters are known (voltage, power, density). The engineering is in other things like packaging, placement and heat dissipation (ask Tesla about that). So they could run tests for a particular battery type to get data without having to have the final product. A bit like designing a 10 gallon gas tank for a new car, a barrel in the trunk will suffice until the final shape of the car is known.
GM will use the Cobasys NiMH batteries for their next gen BAS/mild hybrids and two-mode hybrids. The Volt will use a Li-Ion battery from either A123/Continental or LG.
GM have had a couple of so called “Fuel Cell” Cars running around the City of Toronto today, anyone know what they are about? June 17th 2008
It might work… but it’s not going to sell:
Lutz on the $40K Volt