Help Us Make a Chevy Volt FAQ
It has recently became apparent that we need a FAQ here at GM-Volt.com to help newcomers answer basic questions about the car. I could write one myself, and I certainly don’t mind doing it, but since we have so many bright, articulate, and enthusiastic community members here, I figured we should throw it out as a community project.
Social media at it’s best.
In the comments, write a simple question about the car that a person new to it might ask. Then write your simple answer to the question. You can take one question or many if you choose. Be sure to look at the previous comments so as not to repeat questions.
I will then then compile and edit all of your work into a final FAQ to be published at the header.
This is a bit of an experiment, hopefully it will work out.
Thanks.
Popularity: 2%
(7 votes, average: 4.14 out of 5) 
Loading ...
October 16th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Q: What is the range of the Volt
A:
40 mile range on batteries
635 mile range on gas engine
675 mile total range
50 mile per gallon on gas engine
October 16th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
First, really basic question that I encounter a lot:
Q: Won’t plugging into the power grid just shift the pollution to the coal-fired power plants, and not solve the emissions problem?
A: First, not all power comes from coal. The GM-volt cost of operation page has a really good graph showing what percentage comes from where. Taking into account that nuclear, hydroelectric, and “other renewables” such as solar and wind account for ~29% of all power, and do not produce gaseous emissions, that alone reduces the pollution by 29%.
Secondly, and more significantly, even if all plug-in power came from coal, electric motors make far better use of that energy than a gasoline engine. For example, 1 gallon of gasoline weighs about 14.3kg, and at an energy density of 12,700 Watt-hours per kg, that’s about 181,610 watt-hours per gallon. Even the most fuel efficient cars (Prius, Civic hybrid, etc) average less than 50 mpg - and that puts consumption at 3,632 watt-hours per mile. By contrast, electric drivetrains use a paltry 200-300 watt-hours per mile.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Q: How does the Volt work?
A: The Volt is basically a plug-in battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a 40 mile range, but with the addition of an internal combustion engine (ICE) that drives an electric generator to extend the range when necessary. The ICE runs on either gasoline or E85 ethanol. Unlike current hybrids, the ICE is not connected to the wheels, but rather just provides electricity to power the electric motor. This type of design is called a “series hybrid”.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Another thing to address is how efficent the power plant is at producing electricity, and figure that into the efficiency equations.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Q: Since the gas engine connects to the wheels only through electricity, doesn’t this waste energy?
A: First, the idea of the Volt is not to use gas that much. More than 80% of the U.S. population drives 40 miles or less. But to answer the question, there are several reasons why the indirect connection of series hybrid works efficiently.
1) Transmission Losses: Electric motors have high power and torque across a wide range of RPMs, so there is no transmission required in a series hybrid. This eliminates transmission losses.
2) Gas Engine Efficiency: The series hybrid allows for a much more efficient ICE design. This is because:
- When you step on the “gas”, the electric motor provides all the peak horsepower. The gas engine only has to deliver average horsepower, which is 1/3 to 1/2 of peak.
- In series hybrids, the ICE doesn’t need to have much power and torque at low RPMs, so the engine design can be optimized to take advantage of this.
3) Electric Motor Efficiency: As I understand it, larger electric motors are both more powerful and more efficient. This is the opposite of gas engines.
4) Electrical Conversion Efficiency: The electric motor and generator are both around 93% efficient, so the total loss here is only 13.5%.
5) Total Weight: With the same 40-mile range, a parallel hybrid would have a heavier gas engine, plus the added weight of a transmission that ties 2 motors to the driveshaft.
October 16th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Q: Is this like the Prius ?
A: No (insert answers from questions 1 through 5).
October 16th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
What would be the 0 to 60 mph time in seconds?
October 16th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Q: What does PHEV stand for?
A: Plug-in Electric Vehicle.
Q: How is a PHEV different from a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)?
A: The main difference between a PHEV and an HEV is the size of the vehicle’s battery and the ability to plug in a PHEV’s battery into an electrical outlet for recharging.
Q: Why should I support PHEV technology instead of hydrogen fuel cell technology?
A: Hydrogen fuel cell technology has tremendous technological hurdles that have to be solved before even basic levels of production can be attained. The technology behind PHEVs is here today and is ready for mainstream adoption.
Q: What is E-Flex?
A: E-Flex is a drivetrain being developed by GM that relies solely on electric engine(s) to power the vehicle’s wheels. It is a very flexible design that can be easily scaled to accept different power sources for the electric engine(s).
October 16th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Q: When the battery is depleted down to 30% SOC (state of charge)after 40 miles, why is it maintained there instead of the generator recharging it?
A: Powering the electric motor directly from the generator is more efficient than repeatedly charging and discharging the battery.
All batteries have some internal electrical resistance. Whenever the battery is charged or discharged, some energy is lost in the form of heat due to this resistance. By powering the motor directly from the generator, this resistance is bypassed. Energy is lost in this manner when charging the battery and when utilizing the electric range, but this is unavoidable and the energy loss is small compared to the energy wasted by an internal combustion engine.
A: If the generator recharged the battery, this would prevent taking advantage of the main feature of the Volt, which is to recharge it with grid electricity.
A: Cycling the battery more often would reduce its lifetime.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
This is a wonderful site and a joy to read.
My only comment is to think about what you want the QandA to accomplish - this involves what you want the web site to become.
How much do you want to duplicate the efforts and content of Calcars.org? Calcars has a very rich site with a lot of help and support.
You may decide your biggest possible contribution, given your other commitments, would be to point to Calcars basic QandAs, and keep your site focused on Volt and E-Flex developments, including QandAs.
The site has been getting off into other areas recently, such as the article on new ways of generating hydrogen, a topic that sites such as GreenCarCongress typically cover.
So for me, your continuing in-depth focus on Volt and E-Flex is a unique value. I vote for not duplicating the basic education focus of Calcars, but rather pointing to it in your QandAs. As other carmakers announce and deliver PHEVs, you may want to tightly focus on them as well, but avoid duplicating the efforts of others - simply point to them.
Again, thank you for your valuable, unique efforts.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Make that “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.” Sorry, it’s been a long day.
Also, some other wording could be improved.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Q. When will the Volt be available for purchase?
A. According to GM, the Volt will be manufactured in 2010.
Q. What is the estimated cost?
A. GM has stated that the retail cost will be less than $30,000.
-Captain Obvious…
October 17th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Q: Will I always get 40 miles of all electric range?
(This will be a work in progress and new information becomes available)
A: No. The 40 mile range is based on the EPA city cycle (is this the new one as of Dec 2006?). The actual range acheieved will be based on many factors including speed and weather. As the car goes faster, a larger percentage of the energy goes to overcoming wind resistance. By driving at 60 mph instead of 50 mph the range would decrease by about 10%. (The details and actual numbers for the Volt are not available yet) Weather factors such as temperature and wind direction will affect the range as well.
October 17th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Why is the Volt not a ‘hybrid?’
The Volt is an Electric Drive Vehicle with a range-extender. An official shorthand has yet to be established for this type of vehicle. The term ’series hybrid’ is the current standard, but due ‘hybrid’ cars around the world already having the moniker, it can be misleading. In current usage hybrid does not refer to the power plant, but to the power train. Parallel hybrid, such as Honda Integrated Motor Assist, or GM’s Belt Alternator Starter, are vehicles powered by both the gas engine and electric motor, with no linkage between the engine and eletric motor. Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, Ford’s Full Hybrid System, and General Motors’ 2-mode Hybrid System are parallel/series hybrid, or full hybrid systems. There are two motors in the drive system, one for drive power only, and the other acts as a generator. But it is a hybrid because there is a linkage of both the gas engine and electric motors to the drivetrain of the car. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are usually full hybrid systems with larger batteries that can accept a direct charge from a secondary source, usually the wall socket connected to the electrical grid. The current available plug-in Priuses are examples of this design. General Motors is planning to introduce a Saturn VUE with a 10-mile electric-only range in 2009. Though many of the plug-in Priuses have larger electric only ranges have 30 mile or so ranges, the coming standard supported by US Department of Energy development grants is 10 miles. That is because the electric-only range is mainly to get the vehicle to highway speeds where it is most efficient, and then using the gas engine to power the vehicle. EDV’s with range-extenders are pushing for 40 mile electric only ranges because the cost of batteries, weight of batteries, and the common driving conditions of most people establish that as an optimum range. That too is being supported by Department of Energy development grants as the coming standard.
What will be the effect of having so many plug-in vehicles?
Research indicates that there will be many benefits of mass usage of plug-in vehicles. That includes reduced pollution, and a stabilization of demand in the electrical markets. Also a reduction in the consumption of liquid fuels is expected, to the point of energy independence for the United States. Electrical demand management schemes are in development by a number of utilities in the United States, including Austin Energy and PG-n-E. The concept of vehicle to grid technology is also in development, with Google as participating in the development. There is an expected “changing economics of the car” where the use of the vehicles battery can be used to provide services to the grid in exchange for discounts on electricity, electricity credits, as well as revenue. This will allow increased renewable enegy usage, reduced pollution from power generation, optimization of power-sourcing, as well as cost mitigation for the vehicle owners. This would be done with surplus capacity in the vehicle fleet.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I can’t believe no one is asking the really important question!
What colors will it come in?
October 17th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Any color you want, as long as its silver!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Q> Will the Volt be equipped with a vehicle to grid (V2G) system.
A> No. There is not even a currently agreed standard for V2G (as of Oct 2007).
Once there are enough plug-in hybrid vehicles third party after market options for this may appear. This is more likely to happen in the generation of cars after the Volt.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Q> Do I need a special charging station to charge the car?
A> A regular three prong 110V outlet will do. There may be an option to charge at 220V for faster charging.
Q> How long does it take to charge.
A> The battery can be charged to ?% of capacity in ?hours. A full charge will take ?hours. Plug it in at night when you get home and you’ll have a full charge in the morning.
October 20th, 2007 at 9:57 am
An ICE choice of multiple fuel types is advanced thinking.
Will that choice include the ICE runnig on Hydrogen?
October 26th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
How many amps would it use to charge it? Basically how many watts is required to charge it if I wanted to use a solar panel.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Can the car be charged while being parked by ICE
engine/range extendor?
If so how fast can the range extendor charge the batteries?
If the car is pluged in at my garage will it still move? In other words is there a safety item to make sure I don’t dirve away while pluged into an outlet.
Is the power performance of the car different from miles 0-40 and 40+.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
November 11th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Would the mileage improve if the ICE was the blue-tec diesel engine? Since 1 gallon of diesel fuel has more energy than a gallon of gas the ICE generator would be more efficent.This would be the best of both worlds.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:17 am
What is the projected life of the batteries and what will the replacement cost be?
November 12th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Will the car be available in Europe and when? Maybe under the Opel brand?
November 12th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
I have been watching this forum closely. I currently use an electric bike using lead- acid batteries. I would like to know why GM could not release a few “enhanced” EV1s with the old technology and adding the newer technology? I don’t understand why a car built by them can go 100miles between charges and yet the newer lithium can only go 40miles. If it is cost, perhaps Tesla motors has shown we consumers are willing to spend a few extra bucks. As a consumer suspicious of GM after EV1 crushing - I want to see something tangible and real.
And focus on gasoline or diesel. We want these cars now! Have you seen the $3.20/gallon cost?
Rush these cars into production before a Toyota Prius is sitting in my driveway. I have no brand loyalty anymore.
You know even a computer began at room size and after years of upgrades we now have cell phones capable of doing what my laptop does.
Shouldn’t our cars do the same? Plus, think of all the people buying your vehicles as they are upgraded to ourperform (distance) than their predecessor.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Once the battery pack is chosen, GM should test and provide an onboard program readout that calculates remaining battery driving range before generator recharge given the full set of factors including external temperature (batteries tend to die super fast when it’s
-20F), wind resistance, uphill climb, average speed, vehicle load, etc. Plug-in battery warmer for us northerners with unheated garages as an option?
November 13th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
How will heating and cooling be provided and what is the expected decrease in range ?
November 13th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Is the Volt a concept car?
No, it’s a production vehicle, which is still in the planning stages.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Will the Volt use the same kind of batteries used in cell phones and lap-tops?
No. The li-ion batteries being evaluated are related, but they aren’t the same chemistry, and do not have the same vulnerability to overhearing.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
When will the Volt be available?
November, 2010.
Where?
Around the world.
How many?
100,000.
All tentative.
November 15th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
I agree 100% w/ Richard Yeager-Stiver… I have no plan loyalty anymore — make these cars appear as fast as possible … or I may have a prius in my driveway as well.
November 18th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
At 6′ 2″, lots of cars have to be squeezed into. They just don’t have the headroom. Will the Volt fit drivers my height?
November 20th, 2007 at 10:18 am
I also agree with an efficient diesel to run the generator if possible but I’m thinking the cost to benefit ratio would not be enough to sway to diesel unless one were taking this car on an extended trip? Obviously this car is perfect for the 100mi/day around town going from jobsite to jobsite. What happens if you run out of gas? you fill up and let the generator run for a while, then go since that gas motor is not connected to any drivetrain? Any cargo space for a toolbox or two?
My biggest concern is just like my laptop and cellphone, when any batteries despite being nimh or not are being switched back and forth from charge to no charge over and over they tend to wear - their range begins to weaken? How does GM plan to address that issue and what is the estimated lifetime of the battery packs before replacement?
Awesome forum I must say - obviously GM is trying to capitalize on a demand that has arrived prior to the industry being ready - I can’t imagine Japanese automakers aren’t making the same thing? I think GM should prioritize this timing to make sure they are the first if they’re to sell their estimated 100,000. The faster they get a few working models out in each big city with an ad campaign and someone connected starts taking their friends around in it your waiting list will explode me thinks.
November 20th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Hello. First of all I would like to say this a great site and I truely want to be an owner of one of the first Volts that hit the dealerships. I live in Canada where there is a temperature range from +27 C to -40 C. Could there not be some way to incorporate a section of solar panels into the hood or roofline that could provide a “trickle” charge while the car is parked. Or have an outlet whereby you could plug a portable panel into. I do not have a garage but for the most part, there is a lot of sunlight here for days at a time. Would this not be a benefit in keeping the battery (s?) topped up while away from home? I realize that the small solar panels do not provide a huge amount of charge but every little bit would help. And as with the other comments read…. the sooner the better… I just purchased one of the “last” Malibu Maxx’s as this is their last year. (my second one as I “trade” up every 3 - 4 years). I am going to get a “hybrid” in 2010 / 2011 reguardless of who makes it… I just hope GM gets the Volt out there in time….
December 4th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Hey, just wanted to say that the site is great! I have trouble fitting in some smaller cars, I’m a larger man, not really large or anything, but larger than normal. Will I be able to fit in a volt, comfortably? Also I wanted to ask what kind of colors does this baby come in? Thanks Guys!
your frequent reader
Joey
December 5th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
When will GM release it’s final shell design for the Volt?
Clearly wind tunnel performance is important for range. But, if the production Volt is significantly different in appearance than the Volt we’ve all come to love… Well, I think a lot of interest would be lost. I’d take the present Volt design with a plug in range of 30 miles. Though, that’s my average daily use. -Craig
December 7th, 2007 at 4:55 am
After being shocked at the movie Who Killed the Electric Car months ago, what reassurance will owners get that their cars won’t be reclaimed by GM?
Also, what would you do if you park your car in a parking garage, ever changing spots in densely populated areas, or an apartment complex lot? I’m interested but highly doubt I will have my own house and driveway three years after graduate school.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I too am wondering how heating and cooling will be accomplished. I know that current cars have electric power steering so I know they can take care of that, but I wonder about an air conditioning compressor and heating. Maybe seating will have climate control built in and electric elements in the windshield.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
I don’t see what it could hurt (other than expense) to have solar panels built into the body panels facing the sun. A whole lot of cars sit in the sun all day, such as when people are at work or parked in their spaces at home. It wouldn’t be enough to completely charge the battery pack, of course, but it might be enough to give a few extra miles before needing the gas engine or less charging at home.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
The answer to question 2 is erroneous. A gallon of gasoline weighs approximately 2.84 kg, not 14.3 as stated. (How could anyone lift a filled 5 gallon gas can if it weighed 72 kg?!) Also, the energy density figure for gasoline I found is 12200 watt-hrs/kg, not 12700. Recalculating, a 50 MPG Prius would thus expend about 693 watt-hours per mile. That’s a lot better than the 3,632 number that was stated, but still not as good as the all-electric drive’s figure of 200 to 300, which averages out as 2.8 times more efficient than the Prius.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Will the Volt have the more standard safety features such as front & side air bags and side door reinforcement? Will the battery pack have heat sensors to disconnect a battery that’s overheating and fireproofing technology like the Tesla? What about remote start for winter?
December 13th, 2007 at 3:56 am
When will the Volt be available in Europe?
How well does it work on temperatures below zero degrees celcius when batteries start losing their capacity and you will need to warm the air inside the car? How badly will this effect to efficiency?
December 14th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
A lot of people seem to be hung up on the fact that the majority of our electricity is produced from burning coal. To combat this fact, I think that GM could take actions that would not only create a sustainable revenue stream, but also show that the US automaker actually cares about the Volt’s power source and renewable energy.
Much like Chrysler, GM should petition our government to help them errect solar panels and solar towers to offset the Volt’s consumption of electricity. The US government could give GM some desert land and/or a few grants or loans to help subsidize a massive solar project. The electricity generated could be sold by GM back to power companies throught the country.
Just an idea since GM could use the positive publicity (and revenue) and so could the US government.
What does everyone think?
December 16th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Jimmy-
I agree. We need to do so much more….at least as much as we and technology are capable of doing in order to combat global warming. Climate change has already started. I am of the opinion that most, if not all, commercial and public builings (at a minimum) should have photovoltaic or solar roofing using the new nano technology in order to generate as much energy as possible. Lots of technology is there already; what’s our excuse. Are we really supposed to let big oil and gas companies control our government, patent use, and influence the market at a cost to the earth? Seems ridiculous that this is what it’s come to and our current government seems to condone that.
December 19th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Will the Volt have a heads up display for current speed, blinkers, radio station, etc? I really like this feature on my Pontiac Grand Prix, and I plan to buy a Volt to replace my Grand Prix.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Will ultra capacitors play any part in capturing or reusing energy from regenerative braking?
December 23rd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
1) With ice, wind, and tornadoes causing extended power failures in the American mid west, how about a PHEV that can also port out electrical power for human survival in a home? Obviously additional line disconnect circuitry would have to be added to homes so that workers wouldn’t get electrocuted. A standard 240V connector from the PHEV car could replace the power companies connection to the main home circuit breaker box
2)A standard 320 V three phase AC motor may weigh too much. Have you considered CHORUS brand motors which match the load curve with different frequencies? CHORUS motors have pulled commercial aircraft with no tug. The CHORUS motor is mounted along with the retractable wheel.
3) Ultra capacitors may be better than your batteries and have no reduction in power at freezing temperatures. Test some from Maxwell Technologies.
4)Standard GM ONSTAR, noise reduction glass, chrome wheels, GPS, navigation system, XM radio, and other safety features would be nice. A self diagnosis program would be nice.
December 24th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I haven’t seen any mention of performance, and maybe that’s because it’s too soon to know, but it strikes me that the main problem with existing hybrid cars like the Prius is that they are deadly dull to drive, as well as being quite unappealing from a design standpoint. The concept Volt, by comparison, looks like the Batmobile. But will it drive like the Batmobile? Will it contain a sports suspension and other features that will make it act like a sports car in addition to looking like one?
December 26th, 2007 at 12:04 am
My understanding is that substituting batteries with ultra capacitors is a long way off. Ultra capacitors hold great promise with near infinite recharging cycle life and no harmful chemicals like lead acid batteries. Currently the charge densities are way to low and current investigation by MIT and others into using carbon nanotubes are a long way from producing anything that can be of practical value in the near term. Right now you would need to pull a trailer load of ultra capacitors to do the same job as lead acid batteries.
To get the performance most gas guzzling drivers want (me included) will require a significant breakthrough in energy storage technology. Weather it be ultra capacitors, batteries or hydrogen, we are at that infant stage in this development. Many see some hope in Moore’s law of microcircuit’s that drives the microchip industry in doubling computer speeds every 18 months. We need that same sort of drive in energy storage technology, doubling the energy storage capacity in the same fashion. But is the technology there yet?
December 27th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Living in Dallas, I will need to use the HVAC and I drive 50+ miles daily. Will the generator be required to meet state inspection standards?
December 28th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Questions:
1) Will the 40 miles electric range be affected by how fast it is driven or by terrain?
2) Does “regenerative braking” only refer to what happens when one releases the accelerator (similar to “engine braking” in ICEs except that the energy is recovered) or does it also occur when stepping on the brake?
December 30th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Well, shouldn’t there be some improvement over the EV-1. It uses an old battery pack, it haven’t the brake generators in the volt and lasts over 2.2 times longer on the road..
I just don’t understand that..
January 2nd, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Question:
How much will the battery packs weigh and can the same engine design be applied without the use of expensive heavy batteries and just have the fuel engine power the generator. Just wondering if the vehicle would/could work without the batteries, maybe a provision made for a small regular battery to start the fuel engine only. Would the savings in weight allow for greater extended mileage savings in fuel? Just a thought.
January 8th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Another answer to the question about pollution from coal burning is that it’s a lot easier to control the pollution from a single large source like a coal-burning power plant using harder coals, stack scrubbers and the like, than it is to control pollution from millions of gas-burning cars.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Will GM Extended The Range of The Volt?
January 11th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I guess not directly a question, but I’d like to know more about how the electric motor powers the wheels. Is there a central electric motor which applies power through a conventional drive train? Or is it at the other end of the spectrum with an electric motor on each wheel? Something else? Is this undecided/proprietary information at this point?
January 12th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
To add to EA’s question - will there be a 4WD version?
great concept GM - good luck.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Will cold weather effect the battery pack of the volt? I have li-ion technology in some tools and they dont work well in cold temperatures.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I understand that the volt uses a single 320V AC motor. I assume that the motor is coupled to two wheels and a four wheel drive system is not available.
Is GM looking at an intelligent wheel design where each wheel would include a smaller motor and a regenerative braking system? This concept would significantly simplify the mechanical linkages and improve efficiency. Offering a four wheel drive feature would open up many more potential customers.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:21 am
What is the expected life span of the battery or batteries? And, what is the projected cost to replace the battery(ies)?
Isn’t this something that has to be factored into the cost of operation?
January 31st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Will there be a four door version?
Does GM plan to build other models, maybe more family friendly, on the same platform?
February 13th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I saw the PV question a couple of times - but no answer. My car is parked in the Florida sun for 10 hours a day. I have seen $29 14×6 inch solar panels that plug into a 12V adapter to trickle charge the battery. If I had a wind shield sized panel (like the size I use to keep sun out now) - would that charge the battery at all? That would be about .5 amp at 12v - nothing compared to 10 amps at 110v home voltage - but enthusiasts would relish even an extra mile or 2 on electric only.
February 16th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
1. Great car. Can’t wait till it’s on the showroom floor!
2. Please disregard comments from ICE-heads claiming to want a high performance race car to drive to the grocery store. Real families want a reliable vehicle that will hold the entire family (and maybe the dog) along with a bunch of toys/gear/groceries. Just making it the right size for families would increase the potential market. All the gadgets like GPS, ipod, xm and video screens for the kids would be great as available options but don’t force them on everyone, making it an expensive showpiece that no actual family could buy.
3. Produce the “hybrid” version as well as an all-electric with increased range to shut the critics up (electric-only version would hopefully be cheaper because of lack of the ICE and all that goes along with it like tanks, gaskets, wires, hoses, fluids, etc.).
February 29th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
1. Why not make bateries easy to be replaced. For exemple aying a anual subscription I could go a point of sale and change the bateries by other set. Or I could have two set one charging and the other in the car.
2. It will be possible to colaborate with you in testing the car ?
3. When can I have a car to make test drive. ??
regards
March 5th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Does it make some sense to keep the Volt’s electrical components in the vehicle DC as they are in today’s cars? I suggest it because going from household AC to a battery requires a transformer step which cuts into efficiency. Inverting battery power back to AC for the drive motor drops efficiency further. Solar panels and even simple DC generating wind turbines are growing in popularity and, if they’re located near the charging site, they could eliminate part of the need for tapping the power grid to run vehicles such as the Volt.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Q. How can i save the enviroment\domestic economy\ and bankrupt our enemies?
A. Buy a Chevy Volt
March 10th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Modern 3 phase induction motor controls are extremely efficient, and DC motors would mean commutator/brush maintenance. I think that the charger technology is very efficient too, and I am sure it will be specialized to monitor and self-adjust based on battery conditions.
A DC to DC charger should be possible…but I doubt the market is large enough at this point.
Everybody who drives has access to AC power…
March 12th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Is it possible that the drivetrain will change to one that runs off of a fuel cell?
March 12th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
As the engine is running on gasoline, is it recharging the battery. If so would it take the same amount of time to fully charge the battery?
March 20th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I have not seen any discussion about the possibility of a "robotic charger" (my expression). This would allow me to park my car in my garage and without my intervention, a robotic arm would plug-in at midnight and charge my car. Possible???
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:32 am
Will the volt be available for purchase or only available by lease?
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
Question 70…how about just plug it in and have the plug in on a simple timer. The simple solutions break down less.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Q 72, Jer……I am concerned that some people might find managing two fuels too complex. Let’s say I put my car in the garage at 5PM expecting to go out again at 7PM. My plans change, I don’t go and forget to go and plug in the car. Thus I have to run on liquids in the morning. Alternatively I routinely plug in and then forget to unplug on a quick trip I need to make to the store. It would be great if a user could just forget about the second fuel (electricity) except when looking at the savings every month.
March 29th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I see a lot of questions, but few answers. Nevertheless, I have a question. The Volt is described as an "an extended-range electric vehicle" that uses a small ICE to "extend" the driving range. My question is - what happens after you reach the limit of the ‘extended range’? Does the car completely shut down or will the small ICE allow you to creep along at 4-5 mph while searching for an electric outlet or will the ICE & generator supply enough power to actually drive the car normally?
April 1st, 2008 at 10:26 am
The EV1 got 100 miles to a charge years ago, why is it that years later you’re introducing a car that only travels 40 miles to a charge? Why not use the same battery technology from the EV1?
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:06 pm
What about overcharging?
If I charge it overnight for eight hours but it is fully charged in 6.5, won’t that hurt the battery? Will the charger automatically shut off?
April 4th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
For all the EV1 conspiracy buffs. The EV1 got 100 miles on a charge because it was stuffed full of lead-acid batteries. The Volt has a 600 MILE RANGE, of which 40 is ELECTRIC ONLY. Why would I want an EV1?
Also, the reason you can be assured GM won’t reclaim your volt, is because you will BUY it. Whereas the EV-1 was only leased. As the owner of the EV-1, it was entirely within GM’s right to take them off the road after the leases expired.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Q: How much will the Volt cost?
A: Originally the targeted price in early 2007 was at around $30,000. Just recently, April 2008, Lutz has confirmed with MSNBC that the Volt will cost upwards of $48,000.
“The company once targeted $30,000 as the price for a Chevy Volt. But the cost of developing the technology is making that an unreachable dream. Lutz now figures a more realistic price for the Volt would be about $48,000. He reckons that $40,000 might be possible, without making any profit. Only government tax incentives could take the price tag nearer to $30,000.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23793222/page/2/
April 7th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
i can’t wait to buy this car but i’m from quebec canada. do you plan to sell this car in quebec
April 21st, 2008 at 9:25 pm
CO2 Emissions: EV vs Prius — 4/21/08
Would use of an HEV such as the Prius cause more or less overall carbon emissions than an EV (or PHEV used only electrically) powered from the national electric grid?
Post 2, amended by Post 40, attempts to address that question, but compares apples and oranges (Prius total gasoline Wh/mile and EV electric motor Wh/mi). Below is a broad-brush calculation approach that takes into account the carbon content of fuels, plus the mix of electricity generation sources and their efficiencies. The calculation estimates the amount of vehicle energy sourced by carbon, which is what counts for global warming.
Inputs used here (use your own if you prefer):
- Post 2 data, (amended by Post 40), without verification
- National grid source mix (http://gm-volt.com/chevy-volt-reasons-for-use-and-cost-of-operation/ ): coal 51%, gas 17%, oil 3%, non-fossil 29%
- End-to-end grid efficiencies, incl transmission loss: coal, oil 30%, gas 45% (guessed)
- Carbon energy fraction (C-fraction): When oxidized, 1 carbon atom provides as much energy as 4 hydrogen atoms (approx). For example, for methane, CH4, half the energy would come from the C and half from the 4 H.
HEV/EV comparison metric:
Carbon-sourced watt-hours/mile (C-Wh/mi)
Calculation:
1. C-fractions for fuels:
Coal 1.0, gas (CH4) 0.5, gasoline (C8H18, approx) 0.64, fuel oil 0.66 (guess)
2. HEV Calculation:
C-Wh/mi = Gasoline Wh/mi (Post 40) x C-fraction= 693 x 0.64 = 444 Wh/mi
3. EV Calculation:
For each electricity source:
C-Wh/mi = Elec motor Wh/mi (Post 2 avg) x Grid fraction x C-fraction / efficiency
Total for all sources:
C-Wh/mi = 250 x (0.51×1/0.3 + 0.17×0.5/0.45 + 0.03×0.66/0.3) Wh/mi
= 489 Wh/mi
So, for these input data, EVs would source 10% more carbon emissions than HEVs, averaged nationally, though for the accuracy level used here, the numbers are essentially equal. Actual results would of course vary regionally. For example, EVs charged in Vermont, with all-green electricity (nuclear plus hydro), would source zero carbon emissions.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
There are other car companies, such as Tesla, who sell 100% electric cars that go 220+ miles per charge. Why is GM still ‘trying’ to develop a car that goes only 40 miles to a charge?
Sure the Tesla is more expensive, but it’s advertised as a sports car thats faster than most all Ferrari’s.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Top Speed?
April 25th, 2008 at 11:54 am
If the price is really going up to $48,000 it starts to get out of range for most of us. Although I’m sure they’ll still sell a bundle at this price. Toyota lost money on every Prius the first couple of years but now they make a healthy profit. GM should be able to do the same if they could keep the price for a base model under the $30K threshold.
If the price can be held at under $30K I’d be willing to put down a healthy deposit today to reserve a spot. Any chance of GM allowing us to pre-order this far in advance?
April 25th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I drive 42.5 miles (one way) to work each day. Will the Volt have an option to leave the engine running until the battery is recharged? (Huge parking lot, no plug ins available). If the Volt can drive off of the generator output, the Volt should be able to charge the battery quickly, then shut the engine off unattended, as an optional setting.
Also, is the engine liquid or air cooled? If liquid cooled, there’s your heat source (and more maintenance).
If would be interesting to read about the parallel development of the Volt components, like low voltage AC, stereo, wipers, heat (if engine is air cooled), lights, and tires (assuming low resistance tires are used).
April 25th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Volt’s selling price jacked up to $48,000.00? It was supposed to be in the $30,000.00 ballpark. Why? My best guess is, GM believes jacking the price up will cause the American people to turn to Congress for help (big, big electric car subsidy). GM lowers it’s price a little, Congress kicks in with a huge “incentive” to lower the cost further. Result: GM suckers Congress into filling GM’s pockets with taxpayer dollars, for a car they never intended to sell for over $30,000.00 anyway. Clever - some GM lawyer is getting a big bonus this year, for coming up with this plan.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
there is new battery that will replace lithium-ion.the new silver-zinc from vpower here the web site http://www.zmp.com/
who has 40 % more power
May 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Why cant the turning of the wheels generate electricity and charge the battery, similar to the windmills generating electricity?
May 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
87John - they do to some extent when you are coming to a stop - it is called regenerative braking. on the other hand, the battery pack runs the motors that turn the wheels so if the turning wheels then generated electricity to charge the batteries, well… that’s called ‘perpetual motion’ and i think it is against the law.
May 17th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Hopefully GM will make at least one of the batteries that is easily removable (and light enough to carry a short distance) and easily charged indoors. This way people can charge it when there’s no convenient outdoor electrical outlet (at work, in motels, apartments, etc). This type of battery already exists - see the MIRA article below.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/04/mira-introduces.html
Even better would be if GM combines this portability with a silver-zinc battery (assuming it works well long-term) and is used in place of lithium-ion batteries, as suggested by a previous reader. See this link.
http://www.zmp.com/about/index.htm
And I totally agree with a previous reader’s comments about how performance & power is vastly over-rated and over-hyped. Everyone would be immensely better off if we got much more efficient cars (higher miles per gallon/charge/other fuels). As has been said, everyone needs to drive locally and on highways - very very few of us need powerful cars or trucks to haul heavy cargo on a daily or even weekly basis. The main reason they’re bought is because of heavy marketing of formerly extremely profitable cars & trucks.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
If you cannot charge the car at home because you have to park on the street, how would one charge the batteries? Can they be removed and brought into a place to be charged?
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
That is a very good question. I spent about half of my adult life in apartments and would have not been able to plug in. I suspect as the number of plug in vehicles on the roads increase, available plugs will become a consideration when selecting living quarters much like air conditioning was many years ago. In the interim, you have very few options. Can’t use a long extension cord coz of meltdown. A small genset might work, but that would override the intent of the vehicle. I suppose climbing a power pole with alligator clips in hand is out of the question?
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I have another question to add: How can I look at the waiting list to see what number I am?
I know there must be a lot of guys wanting to know where they stand on the list!
Ron
May 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I’m in South Texas. A/C is a way of life. what effect will that have?
What about other equip: Heater, fans, radio, etc. all will deduct from the “fuel supply”.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Q. How big will the Volt be?
A. It will be a compact, about the length of an Aveo sedan.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Q. Are there any studies showing it won’t be bad for the environment and won’t crash the power grid if a whole lot of people start plugging in their cars?
A. Yes. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently completely an assessment of the issue which led to the publication of two reports.
http://www.epri-reports.org/
There’s a lot of technical information and the two reports combined are over 200 pages. However, if you spend an hour and read the Press Release, the Executive Summaries, the FAQ, and the Technology Primer then you will be very thoroughly informed on the subject and you won’t fear plugging in your vehicle.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
15 years of the battery life…how much is replacement cost?
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Q. What will be the total HP? Obviously the main goal is to have a vehicle that saves gas and depending where you live, you use no gas at all. But as proud American, I sure love cars that can kick the tar out of a Prius (which by the way is uglier than a baboons rear). So I hope that this Volt can provide the best of both worlds…a gas saver without sacrificing power.
And to answer Chris’s battery life question…after 15 years you mind as well just get a new car.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Why not build a similar car without the batteries if we already have the technology? 50mpg, no battery weight or expense, cheap small engine, might this be a cheap 50mpg car?
Are there any reliability concerns for those that will rarely use the gas engine for extended use? For example, try to go over 40 miles after a couple years of battery only use, will the engine start? Realistically there may be many people who only go out of the forty mile range a few times a year, any engine that sees that sort of intermittent use causes me to think about reliability, not to say it can’t be done. Good luck GM!!
June 4th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Q. Almost any concern about batteries.
A. The short answer, in many cases is, we don’t yet know a lot of very definitive things. However, one should keep in mind several things.
1) If you purchase a conventional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle today, and you ask the salesman “So how long before I have to get the engine overhauled?”, no honest salesman can say for sure. You might go 101K miles on a 100K warranty, or you might go 300K or 500K miles. It depends upon a lot of things. Many of them are unknown. This isn’t terribly different with batteries.
2) If you have owned a cell phone over the last 10 years, you probably already know that the ability of your cell phone to remain charged and retain a charge has only gotten significantly better with Li-ion batteries. My cell phone remains turned on 24/7 and I put it on the charger for a few hours about once every 7 or 8 days. Li-ion batteries are starting to dominate cordless power tools like drills because they are so much better than Ni-cad and even NiMH.
3) Toyota has been selling the Prius since 1997. No one to date has yet identified even one single instance of a hybrid battery having to be replaced–other than vehicles damaged in an accident. It might well have happened, if only once, but a lot of people have been searching and asking and there just aren’t a bunch of Prius owners lined up with dead hybrid batteries. Some Prius owners have gone over 100K miles and a few have gone over 200K miles. There are probably a few who’ve crossed over the 300K mile barrier.
4) There are a number of electric only Toyota RAV4 EVs still on the road today. These utilized NiMH batteries which are good, but Li-ion is generally better. Many of these RAV4 EV owners have put tens of thousands of miles on their vehicles, and a few have even gone over 100K miles. This is significant because an EV is going to be deeply charging and discharging it’s batteries much more frequently than a PHEV or E-REV vehicle.
http://www.evnut.com/rav.htm
5) Battery technology is evolving very fast these days. Newer and better batteries are being created all the time. As this happens, the batteries that GM will ultimately use in the Chevy Volt might be “outdated” the day you drive your Volt off the lot. This is a good thing.
Computer technology also evolves very fast, and that means the price of replacement parts falls rather quickly. Additional memory for your “old” (bought in 2006) home computer is likely much cheaper than it was just 6 months ago.
One can likely expect the same thing to happen with batteries. As such, replacement Li-ion batteries for a Chevy Volt, once the warranty runs out (likely 8 year/100K miles), are probably going to be a whole lot less expensive once they need to be replaced–should that day come.
June 4th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
@LB:
Q: Why not use the 50MPG genset in a regular gas-powered car?
A: 50MPG takes into account the availability of batteries to store charges from regenerative breaking and such. The Volt genset may also shut off when electric demand is low or non-existent, and rely on the remaining low charge to supply power to low-drain devices. In any event, “50MPG” is the best case scenario, as is “40-mile all-electric-range”.
Q: What if you are only driving a maximum of 40 miles per day, and the genset sees no use. Isn’t that bad for engines?
A: Home electric generators, which are fundamentally the same thing as a PHEV genset, rarely see but intermittent use throughout the year, only started as electricity is not available. Also, if you don’t plan on using your genset (and only drive 40-miles per day), perhaps a PHEV was a poor choice. EVs are available today and have a much longer all-electric-range than the Volt (a $38K 200-mile EV Ford Ranger by LionEV for example). But the reason people desire a PHEV is for the freedom of having extended range when needed (so most drivers will use their genset often enough that rust won’t be an issue).
Q: What is the replacement cost for the battery pack?
A: This will depend on cost after mass production. The standard 1.3kWh NiMH Prius pack costs $3,000 (OEM price). Aims are currently to bring the cost of Lithium packs down to $300/kWh, so a 16kWh pack may cost $4,800 in the future. It’s also likely that the Volt will be lease-only like the EV1, in which case, you won’t have the car long enough to worry about batteries.
June 4th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I have a question relating to charging overhead costs. As I understand it, the Volt has a 16kWh battery, but keeps the pack between 30% and 80% charge at all times. Thus, 8kWh are required for the 40-mile all-electric-range. But how many kWh are required for charging in addition to the standard 8kWh? in other words…
Q: How many kWh are lost in the charging process?
June 4th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I’d get one, but two questions need to be answered:
I. WILL THE BATTERY LIFE GET WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL IT DIES??
If you’ve ever had an old phone or laptop you’ll realize that the battery starts to SUCK at old age. My 3 year old phone’s ‘advanced’ lithium ion battery gradually degenerated and now has enough charge for about 1 1/2 calls. Will the same thing happen to the volt?
ii. WILL ANYONE KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT??
Chevy does NOT have a good record on reliability. Is this thing going to break/ be a pain in the a** mechanically? In that case, will it cost a ridiculous amount to repair it? *gasp* Will you have to pay to ship it off it somewhere every time??
June 5th, 2008 at 7:15 am
First, it’s about time an automaker is going to produce an electric car. This is the only future for the auto industry. The only roadblock I forsee is the purchase price, which at $30,000+ is not a wise financial decision for smart consumers.
Lets say In 2010, based on the average commute being 40 miles, an average gasoline vehicle getting 40 MPG, and the cost of gasoline being $10 per gallon, it would take over 5 years for the Volt to pay for itself in fuel savings. Here is my question:
Q: What is GM going to do to make the Volt an affordable alternative to the gasoline/diesel/alternative fuel/hybrid auto industry?
June 6th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Q. WILL THE BATTERY LIFE GET WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL IT DIES??
A. Li-ion batteries in cell phones, laptops, etc. get charged to full capacity and discharged fully. The current breed of hybrid vehicles use NiMH batteries. It is my understanding that the hybrid system regulates the battery charge level such that the battery never falls below about 40% charged and never rises above about 80% charged. It stands to reason that Volt engineers will have similar battery charge level monitoring and controls for the Li-ion batteries in the Volt.
It is therefore reasonable to believe that Volt batteries will be as durable as the NiMH batteries in existing hybrids. No one to date has yet produced even one instance of a hybrid battery failing and having to be replaced, other than for vehicles damaged in an accident. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, if only once, just that it’s not a common occurrence and no one has yet reported even one incident.
Q. WILL ANYONE KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT??
A. I have been extremely critical of GM in the way they handled the EV1 program. However, they did commit seriously to the training of service techs. Unlike the EV1, which I believe GM resisted since it was forced upon them, they appear about serious as one can be over the Volt. I would not be concerned at all over the availability of service.
As years roll by, and Volts get 5, 6 or 7 years of use on them, the automotive service industry will adapt and learn. Techs will become trained in the service and maintenance of HEVs, PHEVs, E-REVs and EVs. No doubt, some will resist. Many people resist change. Working in IT, I see that resistance in many of my coworkers. However, change will happen with or without the cooperation of individuals.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Q: What is GM going to do to make the Volt an affordable alternative to the gasoline/diesel/alternative fuel/hybrid auto industry?
A: The Volt is a completely different vehicle from any existing hybrid on the market today. The Toyota Prius, which gets the best gas mileage of any vehicle on the market in the U.S., and which is the best selling and best regarded hybrid on the market, should not be compared to the Volt. They are different classes of vehicle.
A Li-ion battery powered PHEV Prius would be the most likely direct competitor to the Volt. If both are priced around $30K to $35K, deliver 40 miles of electric only highway speed driving, and average 100+ MPG, then it’s going to be a close fight. However, demand for existing hybrids is so great today that the vehicles are commanding MSRP or more.
Increased battery supplies, more battery factories, more HEVs, better HEVs, the introduction of PHEVs and E-REVs, et. al. will only serve to give the consumer more choices and more affordable choices. Whether the Volt or PHEV Prius gets to market first, truly does not matter. Demand is so great, and supplies are so small, anything better that gets to market over the next few years is going to get gobbled up by the buying public.
Expect there to be greater choices based on price and fuel efficiency. Perhaps the breakout will look something like this.
Entry level hybrids - $15K to $22K - Likely small subcompacts - 40-60 MPG
Mid level hybrids - $22K to $30K - Compacts and mid sized vehicles - 40-70 MPG
PHEVs and E-REVs - $30K to $40K - PHEV Prius and Chevy Volt - 100+ MPG
June 6th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Q: If GM axes the Hummer line, what can they do with all those fancy Hummer dealership buildings they built in the past few years?
A: Change them into GM Hybrid dealerships. The standard Hummer dealership building has a big “H” on it already - just make it stand for Hybrid instead of Hummer. They could even replace the boring gray color with a nice earth-friendly shade of green. GM could then sell hybrids from all the different GM lines in one spot.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:20 am
Q: Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries are already proven to last the lifetime of a car, they are currently cheaper per kWh than Li-Ion, and they are available today and need no research and development. Why has GM decided to go with a completely new, unproven battery technology in the Volt, when they have something that works fine now, and could have been implemented years ago?
A: There are several reasons for GM choosing Li-Ion batteries over NiMH. They involve supply (GM no longer holds the patent on NiMH and must compete with others that use NiMH in HEVs), energy density (Li-ion has two to three times the density of NiMH), cost (the biggest unknown and largest risk for GM; but many estimate that with equal production, an equal capacity Li-ion and NiMH battery will cost the same to produce), memory effect (Li-ion has none), self-discharge (NiMH self-discharges as much as 10% in just one day), and consumer recognition (Li-ion batteries are the latest standard in battery technology- they are found in cell phones, laptops, PDAs, and even high-performance EVs like the Roadster and X1). There are many good arguments for NiMH, but GM is looking forward to make the technology in the Volt superior to anything else that is (or was) out there. So far, according to Lutz, the battery technology that they are testing now is exceeding their expectations, with absolutely zero problems.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:30 am
Lot of thoughts out there by people discussing where they live and the climate issues of temperature and such. Help me out with the whole snow thing. Can this thing handle a Chicago or Buffalo winter and make it through 2-4 inches of snow/ice with salt. Will anything in the new design not stand up to corrosion. I had a small car that was low to the ground and the pipe below corroded away every year is anything in the new electic system prone to this.
June 13th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Hi. I’m a bit confused by this format. It seems that after question #30 answers are no longer given. Anyway, Nick J. Szegedi asks in question #59 about the volt being available in four wheel drive. I currently own two 4Xs, a 1988 Samurai and a 2004 Grand Vitara. (Both Suzukis) Almost all of my friends own 4Xs. This is a very important feature to us and would directly effect whether or not we purchased a Volt.
I am very excited about the Volt becoming a reality, one that is long overdue. Please don’t cut us off roaders out of the picture. The SUV market is huge and you want to be a part of it.
June 14th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Updated battery pricing info according to Tesla Motors’ Andrew Simpson, PhD:
Q: How much do Li-ion batteries cost now?
A: Standard Large-Format Li-Ion batteries cost more than $500/kWh. A 16kWh pack would therefor cost over $8,000.
Q: What is the price goal for Li-ion batteries?
A: The DoE goal is $300 per kWh. It is assumed that at this price, manufacturers can produce PHEVs that most consumers can afford and will be willing to make the switch to. A 16kWh pack (like in the Volt), upon reaching this goal, would cost between $2,400 and $4,800. That means GM needs to find some way to shave about 50% of its battery cost in 2 years.
June 16th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
109 why don’t you just buy a hybrid SUV, there are several out. The volt is clearly not going to be a 4×4 vehicle. Maybe 5 years down the road after that they’ll start producing multiple models. You can’t expect them to start a whole new fleet of vehicles until they see how the public will respond to the Volt. That would just be stupid business. Same goes for all you people worried about it being a sports car (top end speed, torque, horsepower); not gonna happen, that’s not what it’s designed for. You’ll just have to wait or buy a tesla.
June 17th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
@91: Based on some #’s I read on the FAQ, if you can charge the batteries by 8kWh in 6.5 hours at 110 volts, thats only 11amps of current and you can get an extension cord that can handle that. If you have multiple extension cords to get to your car then maybe the Resistive heat loss will add up…
June 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Assuming that you need to charge the Volt with 8kWh every night for your 40 mile daily commute, you can get a solar PV power system that can store 8kWh during the daytime for $10k-$15k (depending on where you live and how much sun exposure you can get). That price includes the necessary PV panels, charging components, and batteries. Probably a little pricey and would take a while to make back that cost in terms of electric bill savings, but what if the government offered to pay to have an adequate PV power system installed at your house if you bought a Volt? Yeah there would be lots of details to work out like what about people that live in apartments etc, but I bet that would motivate a lot of buyers and really kickstart PV power production in the U.S.
Discuss.
June 18th, 2008 at 10:29 am
If your driving is mainly commuting a moderate distance (say up to 50 miles one way), a small all electric car is what you need. In a sunny climate/in summer an electric scooter would even do.
In addition:
If you go long distance a few times a year, rent an auto or keep your present (very old) one for this purpose.
If you go long distance regularly (say every weekend) buy a diesel (not any bigger than your real need) for this purpose.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
What efficiency can I expect of the VOLT with the air conditioner or heater operating?
June 20th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
What speed is used for the 40 mile distance that the vehicle can go on batteries alone? What kind of speed is the car capable of sustaining? Is freeway travel acceptable?
June 20th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
When talking about the cost of driving the Chevy Volt, shouldn’t you also figure in buying batteries every 2 to 5 years?
What is the life expectancy of the batteries?
How will the batteries deteriorate? If we get 40 miles in the beginning, will we get 20 miles after 2 years? And get 5 miles after 4 years?
If I used lead acid today I would probably be spending $3000 every 3 years. If you calculate that into the comparison…. it’s still cheaper to drive an electric vehicle. Question is, how much will lithium ion batteries be?
June 29th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
What is the output energy capacity of the lithium battery pack in KWH?
June 29th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
It would be useful to many to have a comprehensive engineering specification sheet for the gm-volt. (maybe it already exists)
June 29th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Found this:
“The Volt can drive for 40 miles on a single full electric charge of it’s battery pack. It is a known fact that the battery pack will be allowed to drain down from 80% to 30% before the gas-generator kicks in. Since the battery pack holds 16 KWH of energy, that means 8 KWH will get you 40 miles.”
(http://gm-volt.com/chevy-volt-reasons-for-use-and-cost-of-operation/)
A Saft Lithium 3.6v D Cell holds 16500 mah which is:
16.5×3.6 = 59.4 WH
OR with sag = 55 WH
16KWH/55WH = 291 D cells at $20/each
This amounts to $5818 for the batteries off the shelf.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
After I read about the VOLT I said to my wife. Hey this would be a perfect car for you. You only drive about 10 miles round trip to work. Her response was “will it have the same comfort features as my Lexus SUV?” Since we are talking about $40,000 which is what I paid for the Lexus SUV I think the target market will be an upscale market that expects: Air conditioning, advanced safety features (such as side air bags, ABS braking, traction control, etc.), and since we live in Minnesota it must operate in -30F temperatures and be able to drive on snowy streets. If GM plans to price this at $40K then it better have upscale features.
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
This is probably going to be a really ignorant question, but if they’re having trouble coming up with a battery that will power a car for forty miles, why can’t they just put in two twenty-mile batteries with a switching mechanism that changes over to the second battery when the first one gets low? Too much weight? Too expensive?
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
This site states the GM Volt is a plug-in hybrid car that seats four people and charges it batteries in 6.5 hours using 110 volt supply and 3 hours using 220 volt supply. What are the AMPs for these electrical services? 10amp, 15amp, 20amp, or 30amp?
What electrical wiring upgrades will be need to average american house build in 1960 with 100amp electrical panel and service?
Will an independent ground be required (ie some computer equpment and UPS recommend or requirer an independent ground wire, meaning that ground return wire is not to electrical suppled from power panel)?
July 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
How do I update my site profile. In particular, how do I update my email address?
I keep getting email to my old email address.
Thanks,
July 10th, 2008 at 10:24 am
All of the Volt’s features need to be included to make a proper assessment of price/performance. We need to know the space details for the 4 passengers (leg room, head room, etc.), the amount of cargo space, the 0-60-0 times, the maintenance costs, the depreciation costs (will you need to replace $3000 worth of batteries after 100k miles), etc., to understand whether it will be a reasonable vehicle to own and not just a eco-status symbol, like the Prius.
The point to be made is that if the car matches the size/performance of some gasoline powered vehicle but costs $10,000 more, at $4 per gallon gasoline, the equivalent gasoline vehicle can be driven 62,500 miles for the difference in purchase price (do the math). If it’s $8 per gallon you can still go half as far for that same price. Remember, improving mpg reduces the cost of fuel per mile, but doesn’t change the base cost per mile of buying the vehicle. True cost per mile, including the purchase price and maintenance, is the real cost of operating the vehicle not the cost per mile of fuel. On top of that, the remaining useful life of the vehicle correlates with the remaing worth (what you could sell it for) so if it depreciates precipitously you get screwed.
Environmental impact is also still up in the air since the li-ion batteries pose a toxic waste risk and manufacturing impact will undoubtably be more severe. On top of that only a percentage of the population really cares enough about the environment to actually pay for it, either in cost or performance. If the vehicle doesn’t make sense it won’t sell in the numbers needed to impact the world situation. I drove a Prius on a business trip and it is a fine vehicle for city traffiic, plenty of room but was a dog in terms of performance and it costs a lot more to buy than a comparable gasoline vehicle. Plus it’s ugly.
My point is not to knock the website or its goals, I am in favor of them, but to point out that the Volt will not be successful unless the whole package makes sense. (Ask the same questions for the EV1) What will happen if 1M vehicles are sold and then at say 110k miles every battery dies and they need a $3k replacement, or worse yet, the owner is charged $500 for toxic waste disposal fee? A horrendous exaggeration (probably) but if it happened you’d have sales tumble and electrics might be harmed irrevocably. Heck, my Suburban with 102k miles is still worth $6k, even with $4 a gallon gas. Do your homework GM, make sure it makes sense.
BTW - some arguments in favor that I really like
- the Volt looks cool
- no power grid issue if people plug in at night
- some reduction in emissions because of other electricity generation sources, but coal isn’t that bad from an efficiency standpoint
- 6.5c per kwh in my area
- reduction in use of foreign oil
GM - MAKE ITTOTAL-COST COMPETITIVE AND YOU GOT A WINNING IDEA!!!!!!
July 13th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I am writng a paper for school and had some questions regarding the development of the Volt.
Who are Chevy Partners in the development process?
What type of collaborative agreements do you have with these partners?
How is GM protecting new innovations developed for the Volt?
How did GM come to the conclusion the Volt could be commerically viable or not?
Thanks
July 18th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
You have not answered the questions about heating and A/C. You will not sell many if it does not have A/C and heat. How are you addressing these?
July 18th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Q.
What effect would the Volt have on the average cost of electricity? Would that not also fall under the rules of supply and demand? If everyone drove a car similar to the Volt, would the price of electricity increase from say, 8 c/kwh to maybe 12 c/kwh? (1.5 times the cost)
It’s still better overall, but I’m curious as to the extensive effects on the market for electricity.
Assuming someone has a monthly electricity bill of 80 dollars per month, from the standpoint of a consumer, would they be willing to pay 80*1.5 +cost of vehicle recharge…or perhaps $140 per month in electricity?
So lets say that I spend $100 on gasoline. With the Volt, is it more economical to spend maybe $20 a month on gasoline, but be paying extra in terms of the electrical cost + potential supply/demand markup?
I think this would be an interesting study.
July 19th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Q. What would it mean to be the first to travel across America on a single charge?
A. I’d like to say, ” That’s the ticket laddy.” a phrase used in Star Trek, The Movie, by the Scottsman, Scotty, when he shared technology to get what he needed.
Of course I still need to hear back from someone who would be interestied, and “yes” it is very cost effective. Also, it emitts ZERO emissions.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:08 am
I agree with several who have asked, without response, as to heating and a/c. Gotta have those things or this thing won’t fly. People in southern states will die in a non-a/c car.
July 29th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I hope that the great engineering minds at GM will take advantage of the fact that this car is plugged in at night and have a climate control option on the car that would bring the interior of the car UP to a particular temperature in the Winter and DOWN to a particular temperature in the summer so that either way the car is at a nice temperature when you get into it each morning and go off to work. This would shift the energy burden of this process from the batteries to the grid. This could be done cheaply by adding a simple timer circuit and would be a very innovative option that would help separate this car from all of the other ones out there. COME ON GM WE’RE ALL PULLING FOR YOU OUT HERE!
August 11th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Hi,
Can the volt be towed four wheels down behind an RV? Thanks in advance.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Question: If 4WD is not an option initially, will front wheel drive be available as standard?
Question: Is it possible for the car to “unplug” itself (some kind of automatic disengaging system that retracts the prongs of the plug, then retracts the cord into the vehicle)after a full charge thus eliminating the problem of forgetting to unplug the vehicle or having it sitting there fully charged but still plugged into an outlet?
August 13th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
For Jimmy, Tracy B. and others who are so worried about coal based power plant emissions, perhaps you can start by committing to install solar panels on your OWN home. We all have a personal responsibility to contribute to the solution rather than saying “why don’t they (government, industry) do something to solve the problem..etc.”
While you may be convinced that global warming is a man-caused phenomena, many, including me, are not. Despite what Al Gore tells you, there is too much contradictory data and the debate is ongoing - another “inconvenient fact.”
It took centuries and untold $billions to build up our present energy infrastructure. We are not going to eliminate fossil fuels overnight unless we want to crush the economy more than it is already. Small intelligent steps will get us where we want to be - low emissions and independent of foreign energy!
Let’s keep our focus here on getting the PHEV built and on the market! When a critical mass of plug-in vehicles are available and demand for clean power from the grid begins to soar, the market will make available environmentally acceptable solutions for providing clean power from the grid including wind power, solar and nuclear.
Nuff said.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I’ve solarized my house and I love it. Of course I live in the south west where its possible to rely on it most of the year. If you live in an area with lots of sun or wind its definitely a good idea.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Just curious, my electricity bill is way higher than my monthly gas bill already. What are the chances plugging in a Volt for my weekly 120 miles tops will not end up costing more in electric bill than a regular gasoline car?
Is this another too god to be true promises? We need equivalent 75 mpg for the same cost, no less.
August 14th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
will you be able to own this car? Or is it another ev1 that you can never own.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Fred #136 - I would not know how to make my own homegrown “petrol” - but I can easily make my own electricity - small turbine on the roof, solar panels, etc. PLus - I bet that most people could re-coup quite a bit from a few degrees on the thermostat - few lights and other power wasters tyrned off, etc. AND, you can bet that at least in the beginning places like Wal-mart and other stores will start offering plug-in while you shop. Companies may invest in solar parking lots for employees with PHEV (Google does now I believe). Lots of oppertunities - much more control over our fuel use than we have now.
August 14th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
To cataclysmo @125: You were worried about possibly having to buy a $3K battery at 110,000 miles. Let’s look at the numbers: at $0.12 /kilowatt-hour and 8 kilowatts for 40 mile range, the Volt will cost 2.5 cents/mile. Contrast that with a 20 MPG car and gas at $4.00/gallon - that costs 20 cents/mile, so the difference is 17 cents/mile. Round down to 15 cents/mile - maybe the gas car gets better mileage running around the city, or gas is a bit cheaper. That’s still $16,500 difference over 110,000 miles if you have to replace the battery pack - $3,000 looks pretty good in comparison. Since the gas engine is running a lot less than usual and there’s no transmission to speak of, maintaining those become cheaper over the life of the car, offsetting the battery cost. And Toyota reports very few first-generation Priuses have had to change the batteries at all: their number was something like 0.03%, or 3 out of 10,000, needed post-warranty battery swaps.
Long story short, you’re still way ahead even if every PHEV has to swap the batteries at 110,000 miles, which is extremely pessimistic with the on-the-road experience people already have.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
will the volt cause a significant rise in your electric bill?
August 20th, 2008 at 12:29 am
OK so I buy the concept, but here are my concerns beyond fuel.
1. Safety
2. Comfort
3. Luxury.
I drive a Mercedes for those reasons. I dont drive a Chevy because in 3 years its a beat up old used car. Why not throw some quality into the Volt too - or at least offer some luxury models that have lifetime. Lexus style, too you know…
Thanks.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Picking up on various comments about Europe, will the car be available in the UK (we drive on the right)?
I agree with HL (141) I rejected the Toyota Prius because the seating gave me backache on the test drive (25 miles trip to work).
I understand that Citroen are working on a diesel based hybrid. Diesel is popular in Europe because of its efficiency. Do you have any longer-term plans for this?
Will specifying the g CO2/mile for regulatory and tax (Europe) present a problem if the mpg is an equation rather than a single value? Presumably this may be addressed by an agreed measurement protocol.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I live in an apartment with no access to a plug can I use the on board generator to charge the bat