[larry4pyro]

I think the Voltec transmission in the 2016 Volt is intended to do just that. This new transmission can be used in a pure electric vehicle, as a range extended plug-in or as an ordinary hybrid. It also appears that it, or at least a transmission based on the Voltec2 design can be used with more powerful ICE which opens the possibility of it bringing electrification to just about any car or truck. The ICE in the current Volt was used mostly to run the generator. In the new Volt the power from the ICE is sent directly to the wheels. The electric motors are used to provide additional torque, particularly for launch and acceleration and to provide continuously variable gear ratios.

I suspect the Voltec electric transmission is cheaper to build than a conventional transmission. If that's true the cost of electrification over an ordinary power train is governed by the battery. If a small battery is used in a straight hybrid configuration it is possible that the vehicle would not cost much more to build, but would be more fuel efficient and a lot more fun to drive.

We should have a better picture of the direction GM is going when the Cadillac CT6 Plugin is introduced, hopefully towards the end of thermal the month.

 

[GSP]

GM has promised a plug-in version of Cadillac's CT6 flagship.

I would like a full EREV Impala to complement my Volt. The Volt is perfect for local driving, but an impala would be nicer for long trips.

SUVs seem like a natural for plug-ins as well, maybe an AWD EREV Chevy Traverse would be even better than an Impala for a second car, for people that need high ground clearance and AWD.

GSP

PS. Why isn't there already more GM EREVs? I would guess that GM is not making lots of profit selling Volts, and needs to get that problem fixed before expanding their offerings.

 

[KNI]

My guess. Everyone high enough in organization chart to push Voltec to other cars left GM and the rest are just keeping the status que.

 

[Loboc]

ELR is a small 2+2 yet weighs over 4,000 pounds. Scaling to Impala would yield a 6,000 pound car. Weight and cost makes it difficult to go Voltec in larger vehicles.

 

[volt1430]

Well I guess i gotta tell the daughter to stop making such big grandsons, so they can fit in the car!
Excuse me while I go fire up the marauder V8 to go pick them up!

 

[El Dobro]

From the little acorn the mighty oak grew, it just takes time.

 

[Nuclearboy]

I think it is a business deal. Lets face it, the Volt is not selling like hot cakes.

GM sells around 20 thousand or more Chevy Cruzes per month.
Spend a ton on developing a more advanced version with Voltec, call it the VOlt and sell 2 thousand a month.

This is not something you want to replicate over and over with Malibu and Equinox, and Silverado.

I would love to see Voltec with those three larger vehicles but it is not hard to understand why GM is not doing it quickly.

In the grand scheme of things, GM is doing a great job compared to some of the other automakers. It is not fast enough for me right now but I am counting on slow and steady progress to continue until some critical mass is reached and electrics become mainstream.

In the end, it is a business and they are probably making the correct decisions based on that.

 

[Raymondjram]

I have an Equinox, which is GM second best vehicle sold (after the Silverado), and I have posted multiple times that GM is losing sales from not offering an EREV Equinox. Many here need more space or carry five, and the Equinox can do both. GM did produce a Fuel Cell version in 2008 and that had an electric drive, considered to be the FIRST electric CUV, yet didn't follow up with a BEV or EREV model.

 

[volt1430]

I see more Teslas than volts or leafs could that indicate buyers that can afford EVs will buy
The car that fits their needs. If they can't they will buy the gas equivalent. The cost of fuel
Will mean less than the flexibility of the vehicle, I know I'm heading that way..
Wish I could afford a Tesla I would have a better fit for my needs..

 

[volted2012]

Did Toyota make money on the PRIUS I (you know, that ugly first gen Prius)?

I don't think so.

 

[Ziv]

I think the reason we don't see any other EREV's other than the ELR is simply that GM was losing a little on each Volt sold at $40k in 2011 and is barely breaking even on Volts sold now at $33k. GM doesn't have Tesla's cachet so trying to go upmarket probably won't work, as we saw in the dismal sales of the ELR.

The question is how low can GM put the MSRP on the Gen II Volt and still make money? Because if they have to keep the MSRP at $34k, the Volt will see a couple months of decent sales and then it will sink into undeserved sales mediocrity. The chances of seeing other EREV's from GM will be slight if that is what happens. We love the Volt on this site, but that love isn't shared very widely. Chevy sold too many mediocre to bad cars over the past 30 years for people to accept just how good the Volt really is.

If the MSRP is around $32k and GM can make a decent profit at that price point, they may start building the North American inventory up and see fairly decent sales. But if they can make money on the Volt with an MSRP under $30k, then we might see the Volt really sell well. That is my fervent hope, but I think the chances of that happening are slight.

I really like the EREV idea, and I wish it well, but it may be a technology that comes close but falls just short of true success.

 

[doctorq]

Because silly, when Fox News reported that GM was losing $250,000 on each Volt do you think they could afford that over their entire line?

 

[volt1430]

The price point on the volt or the ELR wasn't an issue I liked and wanted an erev. I bought the volt
Because I believed in the concept and when it was most expensive. But the ELR went the wrong way
Why would I spend more for a two door. I have always bought four doors- mid sized or pickups.
If you don't suit my needs, no sale! I like the car and the concept, even the four seats was ok!
The size of the rear seats was the issue, they haven't addressed that they're losing me.
A cheaper volt won't get me in the show room. They have the platform for a great car..
Expand on it, really!

 

[Ziv]

Volt1430, they are giving us a 3" longer car in the Gen II! But, only 0.5" more legroom in the back... And to add insult to injury, they reduced the amount of headroom in the back by half an inch.
That is the main reason I will probably not get a Gen II to replace my 2013MY Volt. I don't mind a compact car, if the Gen II Volt had as much back seat room as a Honda Civic I would be all over it. But it is more like a Fit in size in the back, uh, scratch that. The Honda Fit hatch is much, much roomier than the Volt even though the Fit is 17" shorter than the Volt.

The price point on the volt or the ELR wasn't an issue I liked and wanted an erev. I bought the volt
Because I believed in the concept and when it was most expensive. But the ELR went the wrong way
Why would I spend more for a two door. I have always bought four doors- mid sized or pickups.
If you don't suit my needs, no sale! I like the car and the concept, even the four seats was ok!
The size of the rear seats was the issue, they haven't addressed that they're losing me.
A cheaper volt won't get me in the show room. They have the platform for a great car..
Expand on it, really!

 

[Henry_FL]

Any thoughts?

Sure, GM won't make money on it, if they would, they would do it, its really as simple as that. VOLTEC is a Rube Goldberg machine, highly refined but ridiculously complex for moving people around and is not mass market solution, its an interim technology to BEV, nothing more.

 

[Billtphotoman]

I think Voltec is less mechanically complex than ICE vehicle power trains with start/stop engines coupled with 8-10 speed transmissions. I think low gas prices, high battery prices and relatively low energy density in batteries are the reason. In the mean time, a small but enthusiastic set of Volt owners is helping prove out the technology so that when market conditions are right GM can proliferate it with the confidence it will be durable and reliable enough for mass market cars. My view from under the bridge down by the river.

 

[AtomicPowered]

Battery energy density is not adequate yet. Volt required a new floor to fit the battery. The floor is the base or datum for the rest of the car. With a smaller more powerful battery existing floors (and the bodies build on them) can be used therefore lowering the cost of the vehicle. Energy density is improving rapidly. It needs to be about twice todays batteries

 

[Shivetya]

ELR is a small 2+2 yet weighs over 4,000 pounds. Scaling to Impala would yield a 6,000 pound car. Weight and cost makes it difficult to go Voltec in larger vehicles.

I seriously doubt that. The 2016 Volt weighs around 3500lbs and a Cruze ranges from 3000 to 3400 so there isn't that much weight to be gained doing an Impala with EREV. Likely it would have a smaller gas engine and fuel tank saving some weight. Figure at most 400lbs

 

[ClarksonCote]

I think part of the reason why their implementation is happening slowly is related to the EV tax credits and their expirations. It's a balancing act: Sell too many, and for the remainder of the credit, you have competitors that instantly beat you on price by $7500.