[paul12]

i applaude you GM for finally developing this type of vehicle. it's been a long time coming, but hopefully you will begin a treand of creating vehicles that use little to zero fuel at a cheaper and cheaper pricetag. and if you can do this, the people will come back to you in droves.

 

[Right-Winger]

I'm not into the green movement, nor do i care so much for global warming theories. That said, i'm excited about what the volt could mean for the auto-industry, here are my right-winger thoughts on the volt..

People should stop saying it should come out immediately, those SAME PEOPLE who want it as is and now will talk about what a piece of garbage it is if it breaks. It's key for the volt to take it's time coming out so when the first car that GM (perhaps any manufacturer depending on it's time frame) comes out, it leave a positive impression that can be built on. The volt isn't just a car, it's a new way of doing the whole car thing.. GM better not mess that up.

To me there is a niche that the volt appears to be able to fill that no car sold in America does for me (i do NOT like the interior or exterior of the prius). That is a car that gets good mileage with luxury features. As it is now, to get things that i like (HUD, comfy leather seats, attractive styling) you have to buy the car with the big engine (my long distance car is a grand prix gxp, not for the engine but for the GXP only items). With the volt i get styling that *I* think is wonderful, a nice hatch-back that doesn't look like an 80's ford escort. and hopefully a wonderful interior with comfy seats.

As for the price being over 35k? fine by me. Let people like me who are willing to pay a premium for a quality vehicle help pay for the initially expensive batteries. after 2 years or so when the price for them drops, you can have your little 19k egg-shaped thing.

another thing that excites me about the volt are the possibly infrastructure changes do to the platform it's creating. In my local airport they have covered parking. I bet they'll sell solar panel ones with plugs at a clightly higher price, hell, i bet a ton of places in Cali (remember they put EV1 chargers in hotels and other places there) will have those. While i think that the greenies are going way over-board, i think everyone can agree that cleaner air is a good thing. So while i would NEVER support an EV only car (trapping people within a certain distance of their home) an EV with a generator i am VERY keen on, not to mention all the things that will go along with it.

Think about the prius modders, they do some impressive stuff with that thing.. Imagine what they could do with this FAR FAR better platform, i certainly see solar panel roofs being an after-market add-on right quick (imagine fighting for the SUNNY SPOT rather than for the shady spot in the summer?) when this car comes out and sells a good number of vehicles (or a different one with the same sort of tech) i think we will see some serious changes for the better just because of this type of vehicle

sorry for rambling

 

[Dan_Petit]

While an extra 6 or 7 miles range more than the 40 (if I understand the context correctly for the "August" commentary time frames as compared to now, October 16, 2008), there is a vast difference in the net National Benefit for those 6 to 7 more Miles range!!
We have heard the term "penny pinching" when a person is very efficient with their money,
But GM is "BILLION PINCHING" in saving us our domestic dollars available to circulate here in the US by merely adding that extra range from aerodynamics. Why? Because that little bit of range keeps a far higher percentage of our transportation dollars here in the US for those of us who must drive 50 to 6o miles a day.
Energy independence is also Carbon Independence. Greatly reducing in ANY way the production of carbon dioxide, I predict, will have GM Execs, engineers, and employees as National Heroes although they may not fully realize this yet, nor may many others not agree with me yet. I'll bet anyone a hundred bucks right now that this will be generally accepted as true by the year 2012 (01/25/2012).
Dan Petit Austin, TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

Advertising suggestion:

How about a spin off of the country western song
"Rub it in, Rub it in,"
where the guy's girlfriend rubs in the suntan lotion,

"PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN"....."PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN"
"LET THE HEALIN' BEGIN, WITH THAT GAS-SAVIN' GRIN"
"PLUG IT IN, PLUG IT IN....


Dan Petit, Austin, TX.

 

[Dan_Petit]

I read in a previous post a few minutes ago about someone who seemed to have skepticism about warranty aspects for the Volt.
While new technologies come with risks, those risks for those of us who drive our vehicles normally if not conservatively in the acceleration department ought not to be fearful about warranty coverage.
When I teach shop techs diagnostics, the most wasteful of all wasteful things for our time, diagnostic energies, and bay-time, are when either of two things happen;
1. The vehicle is so abjectly abused by someone that the owners are "cornered" into not disclosing the abusiveness,
"My son/daughter would never do that", (then attempt to hold the shop to "fixing 'it' ", when in absolute-fact the PCM reports the abusiveness). (All I would need are event times and dates).
2. The vehicle is "serviced" by a friend of the owner who has no business touching anything whatsoever. Why? Because technology is so compound-complex, HE IS JUST FLAT GOING TO DO SOMETHING WRONG 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME, and has somehow grossly compromised not only the vehicle, but your otherwise professional trust for factory or independent shop personnel who have hundreds-of thousands of dollars tied up in their facilities. The vast investments shop owners have tied up in buildings, personnel, equipment, etc, means that they mean business in the most serious and consistently-professional ways.
Warranties do not mean you have the "right" to abuse "your" vehicle because of three things: 1. You likely have not paid cash, so therefore, your financing agency is part "owner" until you paid it off. (Fair Isaac ought to consider somehow the carefulness a person has into their credit rating algorithms).
2. As long as an OEM is somehow responsible for executing warranty considerations, the vehicle in that sense is still partly their responsibility.
(I recall a customer who lent her 3.8Litre turbocharged vehicle out which had a special warranty. The many abusive borrowers routinely abused it by blowing clutches, tranny's, the turbo, you name it. The OEM paid out $28,000 in "claims" for a vehicle that cost $24,000. All because the owner thought that abuse was a "right".)
So, why would I want to pay another dime out for my AC Delco oil filter because some "Motor" tv show has motivated people to abuse vehicles, then, the abusers hound the Dealerships to fix it or that they'll "Call their Lawyers" when it was their own son's or daughters' abuse?
All I need are dates, times, number of events, and one more thing:
Front Passenger Occupant (in SRS Data Freeze Frame) present.
(A complicit witness). That is how badly abusiveness wastes our time in the service bays of independent shops, that I would ask OEM's to let us have these several additional datastream Freeze Frame Items.
Thank you for your considerations.
Sincerely,
Dan Petit. Austin, TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

Maybe instead of a tax credit, we could apply for a 7 year mortgage at 3 percent or so (if I can "pass through" a retail sale of my current vehicle with my own buyer for that and save a little sales tax), and get the financed balance below 25k or so. That may end up as a 350 a month payment. That sure would be nice.
Dan Petit Austin, TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

While scanning a hybrid vehicle the other day, I was reminded of another idea that I wanted to contribute for the Volt charging system.

By having the 120 volt or 220 volt charging cable suspended all along the ceiling of the garage from, say, either the circuit breaker 120 volt plug area, or, from the clothes dryer 220 volt plug area, the charging cable would not be a hazard on the floor. Instead, a sprung swing arm could come down from the ceiling of the garage to plug into the Volt. That way, you could not miss it when leaving in the morning if you are in a hurry.
Also, while scanning a hybrid, there was a Parameter Identifier (or Datastream item) that described the way that particular traction battery pack was to be cooled with an indication of what the cooling temperature of the incoming cooling air was sensed to be:
"Inhale Air Temperature" (for especially when charging back up at the faster rate of 220 volts which makes the battery array get a lot hotter), the next idea that I want to contribute is that here in Texas, where in the Summer, garages often are still at 95 degrees by morning, the suggestion is to adjust the top panel of the garage door so that there is a one half inch crack all along it (times 18 feet equals about a square foot), then, even though there will be electricity used to run an attic exhaust fan to vent the garage air into the attic, (which my garage has in order to reduce peak garage temps, but also it seems to have extended the life of the roof asphalt shingles), but anyway, the battery charger processor monitors the intake (or "inhale") temperature of the air, and adjusts the charge rate accordingly. By venting into the attic, the exhaust fan in the ceiling of my garage cuts on at 100 degrees, where the garage interior stays at 95 or lower when the outside temp is 95 or lower. This may help in maintaining the peak maximum charge temperature of the batteries to a very comfortable margin in maintaining their longevity in the hot Summers of the South.
Dan Petit Austin TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

I'm thinking of several more approaches for us to be able to finance a Volt. Lots of folks are using their home's equity to finance major improvements to the home as well as for other things.
Since most home values tend to go up somewhat every year, and, since second mortgages often can be financed easily at very low interest rates if you have sufficient equity, the first idea is to have a national standard for the very very lowest fixed interest loan with a second mortgage in conjunction with the purchase of a Volt.
Current guidelines as I understand them prohibit the use of two sources of security regarding second mortgages. However, for those folks whom are great at calculating the real benefit in reducing the fixed interest rate to possibly an even lower rate than the 3 percent "conventional loan" that I proposed earlier, if there were a way to "double-secure-for-one-percent or one-half percent" fixed Federal Loan with Federal protections, where there is available a better than 50 % equity in a home, and, the addition of a Volt purchase would not bring the net available equity lower than 40 % equity, then the purchase of a Volt with it's own anticipated depreciation as the loan retires, and, the second security of, say, no more than 85% (15% cash down), of the depreciated value of the Volt as a second security, then maybe the Volt could qualify for a 1% or a half-percent Federal Loan wherein the Lender makes the 1% or the half-percent when utilizing the home equity second mortgage. The Volt title would be part of the equity or not part of the equity of the home.
Dan Petit Austin TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

I just saw on the news (12-10-8) that the loans to GM were blocked. Supposedly the reason was to force Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The problem I have with that is that since GM is entwined with literally thousands of companies, that this may trigger a Chapter 11 bankruptcy cascade and possibly an immediate layoff of perhaps tens of thousands before Christmas. I doubt that those opposed to the loans to GM have thought about that possibility.
I agree 100 percent with what seemed to be the story line on the local news (if true) that the White House would direct part of the 700 billion bank "bailout" (which bank bailout I do not think will yield as good a return on taxpayer investment as well as a formal loan to GM). Directives from the White House in this regard would impress me if those opponents were not just staging all of their opposition.
Dan Petit Austin, TX.

 

[Dan_Petit]

If there will be an SUV version of the Volt, maybe there could be a "Science and Educator Edition" (SEE), which would not have all the distracting luxuries that most people may want. Not having carpeting is a good thing if you don't want a harbor for molds, dirt, etc. Just a quick wiping-clean of a vinyl floor has always worked great. (Stepping on greasy service bay floors would have ruined the carpet in the vehicle I am now driving, as I teach shop techs).
A single in-dash CD, power windows for a 2 door model, possibly with remote mirrors would be good. Less (options) sometimes being "more" regarding retention of value and cost of ownership very-long-term.
Maybe there could be a special program where key individuals who would be providing educational content to the public regarding the Volt would be desirable, in some form of reduced-cost program.
Dan Petit Austin TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

One of the techs who I have taught waveform diagnostics suggested that he would put in a 220 volt recharge plug if I "were to get a Chevy Volt". That brought about several ideas that might have some merit.
How about a smart outlet system which is sensitive to the following conditions:
1. There happens to be a lot of surplus energy in the grid, and that could light a green LED on the 220 plug authorizing a "go ahead" if there is an energy request.
2. There is not a wattage surplus on the grid, but if there are these subconditions present, a limited charge can be authorized:
*Ozone action day, and, I am going home preferably on electricity only based on my distance and AC request and traffic conditions.
*There seems to be some difficulty with the ICE or, I do not want to buy gasoline today.
a Yellow LED would be lit on the 220 outlet, and, the energy used will be at a higher cost per kilowatt, say 25% more.
3. There is a shortage of energy on the grid, and, a RED LED would be lit. Only if there is an emergency where there must be a recharge of the traction battery in order to get the vehicle operable, the owner could plug-in three to five times successively, and, a restriction-of-energy-request could be manually overridden based on conditions and even a cellphone call. A RED LED could go flashing and be charging up the vehicle to a minimum required charge and the cost of that energy would be 50% to 100% more than the regular cost of electricity in addition to an operators cost for manual override.
This is absolutely necessary to prevent brownout potentials, which greatly overload EVERYONE'S HOME AND BUSINESS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS.
While most recharges could be overnight, there actually could be a significant "buffering" effect when a "Green LED" request is in progress if the outlet were able to be turned off momentarily by the grid authority.
While the switching mechanism (or a "Contactor"), in addition to the necessary electronics would be necessary, these types of smart outlets would actually really be necessary (at very high production scales by, possibly 2012, for apartment and condominium residents, and also for the use of their guests. When charging, the charge authorization request could be a limited-watt-hour or partial charge authorization where a Yellow LED could be flashing in addition to the Green LED or the RED LED.
(No commitment toward any set Kilowatt Hours to be delivered).
Composite carbon energy production of the grid will always be far less than to run an Internal Combustion Engine on an Ozone Action Day.
Dan Petit Austin TX

 

[Dan_Petit]

I was having a conversation with very good friend today , and the subject matter came up about my being opposed to the retrofitting of "anything with 4 wheels" with electric assist propulsion. I had previously written about my opposition to anything which was not carefully engineered in a proper Original Equipment Manufacturers developmental program. While the gist of the conversation seemed to not allow me to explain why OEM designs are the only ones likely to be economically-feasible for the motoring public, I am glad for this space to explain it here.
In diagnosing the most difficult advanced systems compromises, (really messed up processor communications), for the 92 local Austin Texas shops whom I support, it is absolutely clear that when expensive computers/processors & their internal software become damaged, the causes are from the very slightest and simplest deviations in electrical wiring, servicing errors and omissions.
Every day, simple errors are causing also the nearly-immediate (over the course of 2 days to 30 days) destruction of not only processors and their internal software systems and subroutines, but as a result of that, the destruction of automatic transmissions as well as other electronics such as Instrument Panel Cluster, ABS systems, and on and on.
Do It Yourself unskilled servicing ALWAYS causes damage-risk, if not in the short run, then always in the long run. Non-factory add on equipment not grounded at the 12 volt battery (for one example out of about 75) is a really gross error as simple as that concept is. These are damages that range in the $400 to $4000 range.
Yet the attempt at the re-engineering of an extremely wide variety of "anything with 4 wheels" with anything as powerful as assisted propulsion while expecting Internal Combustion Advanced Systems to remain able to communicate reliably is just not casually-realistic. While anything going onto the road with an Internal Combustion Engine (with a drive-assist), is still subject to the annual emissions tests, longitudinal field studies over both Summer heat and Winter cold driving conditions with extensive recording of baseline datastream ranges for a wide variety of operating conditions (before as well as very extensively afterward), would be needed.
While there are highly qualified organizations in Austin who can do this extremely well as properly-equipped, my objection is where unskilled "Do It Yourself" "incorporated" or "LLC" *marketing* may cause severe public safety risks, without any clear recourse against insufficiently-skilled set-ups. Electrical-Automotive design skill which is sufficiently thorough is EXTREMELY RARE, and, once discovered, such dedication ought to be *highly* compensated.
This is one of the reasons why I am relentlessly supporting the openness that GM has, so that we can all understand the extremely important things that are required for GM to set the Industry-standards for safety, value, reliability, and environmental improvement that are very critically required of us all.
Dan Petit, Austin, TX