[Jason_M._Hendler]

This is a good list, and it is good to hear GM is going after this at full tilt.

 

[Nick2]

More competition than I thought... Looking forward to competitive pricing when the Volt's roll out!

 

[josh4]

Good to hear!

 

[Jimmy1]

That a boy GM! You know you have got a winner on your hands. Keep going full speed and the brass ring will be yours.

 

[MetrologyFirst]

Sure GM's approach is risky. But the more you hang it out there the more you learn. I'm sure there will be some setbacks along the way, maybe even a delay. But no one else is as far as GM is right now, and everyone knows it.

The "fire under the butt of GM" I bet is what has the other companies worried a little. How often have you EVER heard someone say that about any of the Detroit three. It's about time GM showed what they can do if they put forth an over the top effort.

At the very least, they should be credited with jumpstarting the mainstream electrification of the automobile. No one else would be where THEY are in their development if GM didn't throw down the gauntlet with the Volt.

 

[big gumby]

The automatic transmission, the modern V8 engine, the starter, the Corvette, the Camero, the Toronado, the Corvaire and the EV1. The Volt is GM once again becoming the innovator and leader in the automobile industry. Go Lutz! Go GM!

 

[AES]

GM is either heavily criticized for going forward so rapidly, or heavily praised. When a lot of the criticism comes from the competition, you know you must be doing something right.

So...in a phrase probably culturally incomprehensible to the tortoises at TOYota

"Git er done!"

 

[Jim I]

I think the testing being done by GM in the labs and in the test mules will shake out any performance and safety issues, but the real conern for 2010 will be availability. If these companies are not able to produce and deliver thousands of top quality battery packs, that will really hurt this project. I think this is the reason that GM has reduced the initial quantity from 60K to 10K units for the first year.

They really need to get going, so they can ramp up to large scale production!!

This is another reason that GM should use packs from both companies, assuming that they both meet the required specs.

 

[Vincent2]

I'll buy a big fat expensive steak to place over Toyota's Black Eye.
"Moving Forward", NOT!
Go GM!!!

 

[pstoller78]

On a semi-related note it appears that some fears of limited lithium supplies may have been overblown.

http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1434

 

[Vinayababu1]

Lithium batteries for Automotive, though it is fairly successful in gadgets, are not yet a done deal. It is yet to prove that it can withstand the enormous stress of storing and discharging sufficient energy to propel a medium size car a minimum 40 miles in one stretch , undergo the minimum cycles of charge and discharge 3000 times and last a minimum 10 years. It is a very very tall order to expect this from a new product that employ a technology that is still evolving and set a time limit of two years for perfection. Toyota knows what it is doing.

 

[Vinayababu1]

An interesting article on Battery development

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10789409

 

[KenEE]

Whatever energy storage device ships in the Volt, I imagine that within 10 years there will be a superior and relatively cheap replacement.

For all of your other concerns the rigorous GM testing will identify any problems.

 

[Al122]

message to #9

"Toyota knows what it's doing" and I guess GM doesn't. The great Toyota can do no wrong. Are you American? Why don't you have a little more pride with our country. Toyota has contributed very little to the auto industry except for the Prius. Because of the Prius, some Americans think they are the greatest company on earth. If we had less of these pro Toyota nonsense, maybe the domestics would do better in terms of sales. I guess all those recalls last year don't mean anything. If GM had those recalls, the whole world would know about them and the journalists would be unrelenting.

 

[RRRB]

#9 Vin said "and set a time limit of two years for perfection" I agree with the challenges that Vin listed. Still, we are anticipating batteries in 2010 that are functional and useful, not perfect.

 

[jeffreykb]

Risk is the difference between first and second....I applaud GM.

On the other hand, why would Toyota pay for the initial risk (large battery pack) if it is not required? The Prius has been converted to a PHEV using several different battery technologies by folks in their garages and 3rd party companies.

In other words, the Toyota "test mules" have been in the field for a few years...and someone else is paying for it. When the Volt gets close to market, the ramp-up time and cost for Toyota will be small compared to GM.

 

[Vincent2]

To Jeff #14...
And "Toyota with test mules out for a few years"...They still don't have a Volt do they.

Thats because the Japanese invent NOTHING.

They COPY Everything. WE INVENT Here in the USA.

 

[RRRB]

Re GM moving fast: It's wonderful to see that the elephant tap dancing..