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Is This a Sign That General Motors Is Planning A Bolder Move Into Electric Cars?

5K views 30 replies 20 participants last post by  bro1999 
#1 ·
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#2 ·
I would love it. Much better looking than a Tesla.

Also, why not take the 2.0 T version of the Camaro and add a 150 HP+ electric motor to it. The only marketing trick is to make sure it is faster than the V8 model, whatever that takes. It is important to win over mainstream buyers.
 
#27 ·
I would love it. Much better looking than a Tesla.
"Tesla" is a name, which became famous due to Nikola Tesla. Just like "Ford" which became famous due to Henry Ford (and Gerald Ford, too). If you are comparing that concept, mention the exact vehicle, not just a "name".
 
#3 ·
I know, RIGHT? Yet, Ed Wellburn, recently retired design chief at GM said that the Buick Avista show car they
bandied about during auto show season would not make it to production - nor a version of it.

Doesn't it just make perfect sense that - with Tesla taking 400,000 pre-orders for Model 3... That GM, or any other
car company could profit from making EXCITING EVs? You know, ones that get your pulse racing by looking
at it ( i.e.: sexy cars instead of gas stingy econo ones ).

Not taking away anything from our beloved Volt... We think it's sexy in it's own right , because it looks sporty
and pinches the pennies - and keeps polar bears alive... But the mainstream car-buying world buys on
emotion...And Tesla has that wrapped up with it's Ferrari-beating 0-60s and all the free press. I'm saying
GM and other legacy automakers should slam out a couple of sexy, fast EVs and that Buick Avista would
be perfect --- to "halo" the brand, at the very minimum.

Tesla just wants you, me , your sister, mother and all their neighbors to drive electric - we get it...And I,
for one, applaud Musk and Co. greatly. Companies like Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota just
want to move metal at a high profit margin. OK - we get that also... GM ( Mary Barra and others ) have
also been pretty vocal that they'd like to show that little Silicon Valley upstart a thing 'r too, and they're
willing to go to court to try to snuff 'em...So why not partake in some good ole American competition
and put out a couple sexy, expensive and FAST Tesla alternatives?.....Right?
 
#4 ·
GM knows how to build sexy cars. Camaro, Corvette, CTS-V, ATS-V, ELR come to mind. Even a '70 Riv.

An electric ELR would get me to trade sooner. A 300mi CT6-EV with fast charging would do it as well.
 
#7 ·
I'd SERIOUSLY consider it.

If GM isn't going to build out a supercharger network, I'd need to see this with a Voltec range extender. The private charging infrastructure around here is non-existent. It would be VERY hard to justify if I'm limited to no further than 100 miles from my house.
 
#10 ·
"The Bolt is a small crossover SUV that was designed with urban environments and ride-hailing services in mind."

You have to believe GM is working on a sexy EV for Buick. Fast and sexy and expensive can sell an EV, says Tesla. Slow, sexy and expensive doesn't sell says Cadillac.
 
#11 ·
The Bolt is built on GM's new Class B EV-specific BEV II platform. The intent is that this platform can be used for other BEV configurations, which might include a small hatchback or sedan. Use the same basic skateboard base design, battery pack, FWD drive train. You can stick whatever body and interior you want on it. That's the power of the automotive platform design concept. But unless GM invests $$$$$ to design/develop s a larger BEV platform, any BEV in the immediate future will be more of a compact Model 3 type than a mid-sized Model S type. Given the markets GM targets, they probably will stick to compact size BEV's (class B) for the immediate future.
 
#13 ·
Very interesting take...Overall question, not just to you but everyone, realistically how long would it take for GM to produce a sedan (or coupe) body onto the Bolt's skateboard platform? Who knows, maybe they'll throw a curve ball and they have already been working on one for years...
 
#14 ·
I'd rather see an EREV Buick Envision. Definitely more practical than a BEV. Most likely though this would be imported from China.

Can't get too excited about a super sporty sedan. If you have Tesla performance and features you'll end up with a Tesla price. Very limited market.

The Buick Envision is built on the same platform as the Volt (D2xx) and the CT6 with a EREV type drive train is built on the Omega platform. Might be more possibilities.
 
#12 ·
From the article and the articles linked, it's just not convincing that they're going to build a sporty EV there...It speculates that it could be Buick EV; Buicks sell better in China and China has expensive tariffs for imports...It would then seem that it might make more sense to build a Buick EV in China...

The article states that the Sonic will be built there until 2019 & suggests "wake of Tesla's stunning success with Model 3 preorders" so while if the GM decision was made to make a TM3 competitor I would imagine that the earliest they could start producing it would be after the Sonic, 2019...Not to say it won't happen but I think they may produce another ICE vehicle there in the meantime...

The only other EVs that we know about the E-Ray...I hope it gets produced and is a fun car but doubt it would be as affordable as the Bolt...
 
#15 ·
My instinct is that the Volt and the EREV concept will not be expanded beyond its current compact format. It just takes too many kWh of battery to support the motor HP required to provide a full 0-100 mph EV experience with decent acceleration at sizes much larger than the Volt. That's why the CT6 is not a pure EREV. Too heavy and too much acceleration expectation for a 18.4 kWh battery to support, so you have to have reduced acceleration/max speed if you go pure EV, or bring on the engine to assist for full performance. Yes, they could expand the Omega platform, transfer the RWD Voltec drive train to the full size PU/SUV line. Lots of places to go. I'm thinking by 2020, GM will have electrified products wearing every badge and every GM dealer in the country will be selling electrified products.

Wouldn't be surprised if GM does build out a 4-door Voltish hatch-back on the BEV platform. Imagine what the Volt experience would be with a skateboard base, 200 HP, and no battery hump! They could match or beat Model 3 specs with a fraction of the development cost, as the Bolt covered a lot of it. Bolts for the families/taxis/Lyfts/delivery services of the world. 200 mile Volt EV for the drivers of the world.
 
#23 ·
Wouldn't be surprised if GM does build out a 4-door Voltish hatch-back on the BEV platform. Imagine what the Volt experience would be with a skateboard base, 200 HP, and no battery hump!
I am by no means an automotive engineer, but this strikes me as pretty unlikely. The skateboard battery base seems to me like it would make it pretty difficult to run fuel and exhaust systems from the front engine compartment back to the rear of the car. And that configuration is not easily changed since the battery pack provides much of the chassis stiffness and crash resistance.
 
#16 ·
I think the EREV concept will definitely expand to trucks.
BEV trucks just don't work for hauling heavy loads or towing for medium to long distances unless you get into really high costs.
EVEV trucks will allow light duty jobs to be done on electric, and then seamlessly switch over to gas.

I just really hope that GM can get their dealers on board sooner rather than later.
 
#22 ·
Motor Trend reports that the mysterious new product to be built at Orion will be a small Cadillac crossover utility vehicle, to be dubbed either XT1 or XT3. It attributes the report to "a source at GM." Such a small SUV would likely use elements of the next-generation Chevrolet Sonic architecture, just as the Bolt EV electric car will.
 
#30 ·
Congrats for solving the puzzle! "Expect the Cadillac small crossover to begin production in 2017, and arrive for the 2018 model year."
http://www.motortrend.com/news/cadillac-small-crossover-to-be-built-at-gm-orion-plant/

The fool article didn't make a strong enough case for why they're making room at this very moment for a TM3 competitor that the article eludes that hasn't even been developed (very possible GM has been working secretly on a sporty EV)...I believe they're now working to develop one and heck, if they can get these out by 2020 could actually beat the non-preordered Tesla's to market...
 
#24 · (Edited)
SN - I think I wasn't clear. I meant a Volt-ish body type EV on the BEV II platform. 4-door hatchback compact, with a relatively aero style, 5 passenger. Not an EREV. As you pointed out, that wouldn't work at all with the typical skateboard EV chassis, nor would a skateboard be required with only 18 kWh of battery. I think with the new battery chemistries and space-efficient bottom-plate-cooled pack formats GM/LG have evolved, they could do a Gen 3 EREV Volt without the skateboard and with the pack over the rear axle and the rear seat, freeing up more passenger compartment space and making it a true 5 passenger vehicle. Gen 2 Volt tee-format pack was conceived and locked into the design in 2012-1013, before the newest landscape pouch battery concepts were proven. But don't write off the idea that there could be a "Volt EV" as well as a "Bolt EV", both pure BEV's and on the same global BEV II platform.
 
#25 ·
What I need is a PHEV SUV/CUV (Tucson/Sportage class). My wife's and my parents have aged and can no longer drive by themselves and they have a very hard time getting in and out of my Ampera.
There is a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV available, it's refreshed, but I expected from Mitsubishi to increase the battery size from it's 12kWh to something bigger in these 3 years.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Wait until the Chevy Bolt EV arrives at your dealer, then have your parents check it out. It is taller (63 inch roofline), has a higher road clearance, has a new floor that is completely flat from edge to edge (nothing to stumble or step over), and has a full three-adult rear bench seat that allows easier entry and sliding across from any side. I bet they will like it.
 
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