hi,
just saw this in greencarcongress.com:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/03/calcars-weighs.html#more

"Since each type of PHEV has its own advantages, disadvantages, costs, and optimum driving regimes, our expectation is that during the first few years

I believe that is true. In the near term, some will be willing to buy mild hybrids that improve mileage from 20 - 40 percent, while others will be willing to pay more to avoid the gas pump significantly. Still others will just buy a Honda Civic, or other conventional high mileage tech.

I think the next 5 years wont be about adoption numbers, but about production numbers. The side that can reduce costs and/or depending on the cost of fuel will eventually determine the winner. But right now, its about getting all the options on the table and out to the market place.

I liked the table in the article. I was wondering, though, about the effective EV range, 32 miles. The footnote says:
"The Volt

I liked the table in the article. I was wondering, though, about the effective EV range, 32 miles. The footnote says:
"The Volt’s advertised 40 mi range is on the UDDS, not the US06, cycle!"
So is there some GM sophistry involved here, or is he just taking his assumption, 4 miles/kWh, and the (assumed?) max DOD of 50%, and coming up with 50% * 16 kWh * 4 = 32 miles?

I'm assuming that this fellow HAS to be assuming, based on the physics of the at-wheel energy assumptions he's made. After all, he can't be actually gathering data from either the Volt or the Prius III.
Interesting article, but his conclusions sounded like a politician.

GM has not answered the question of the Volt's range at highway speeds. The range is based on the EPA city cycle Federal Test Procedure (FTP) which has an average speed of 21 mph.

GM has not answered the question of the Volt's range at highway speeds. The range is based on the EPA city cycle Federal Test Procedure (FTP) which has an average speed of 21 mph.

But hasn't the 40 mile AER been quoted as the battery capacity at the END of the battery's life?

"But hasn't the 40 mile AER been quoted as the battery capacity at the END of the battery's life?"

Yes, I believe it has been. Which I guess means we can expect about 48 miles at an average speed of 21 mph.

There is no chance that the Volt will do 48 miles on 8 kWhs of battery. That is 6 miles/kWh. In the "Driving the Volt" article graph the Volt was doing three, maybe a bit over, miles/kWh. I could see four in a government test drive with no accessories on. Even that would only be 32 miles.
I do not understand where the 50% cycle comes from, has GM stated that or is it only an assumption? I could see a 75% cycle, which would use 12 kWh before starting the ICE. That would give 48 miles at four miles/kWh.

Everything we have seen from GM up to this point has talked about the specs being that the battery pack would go from 80% to 30% and then the ICE powering up to sustain the pack at 30%. But from the 80% to 30%, there would be 40 miles of AER. And as Tagamet said, this was supposed to be the spec at the end of life for the battery pack, so we are all making the assumption that when the pack is new, the AER should actually be better that 40.

But until we see some "real" feedback from the test mules, it is all speculation.

In fact, I think the Volt is very useful for people whose journey is about 15 to 35 miles one way. With the ability to recharge at work, almost never the possibility of using the fuel comes into play. This has a real appeal for some people.