gm-volt.com: Chevy Volt Exact Launch Date Will be Mid-November 2010, Tens of Thousands in 2011
They talked with a program manager at GM about the launch date. The current expectation is mid-November 2010 for initial launch, with larger scale production in 2011.
I've dealt with Program Managers and when they say something like "There is a target date. In this program, every hour is scheduled." it means they have some kind of gantt chart or equivalent project schedule system where all the steps are lined up in a neat chart, and that the days required for each step add up to next November. It's likely they have a target of some large auto show e.g. IIRC the Los Angeles Auto Show is about then. The San Francisco Auto Show is in late November but somehow I think that's not as juicy a target for them as one in Los Angeles ;-)
David
Will the GM Volt be a Plug in Hybrid and capable of leaving plugged in with fear of over charging? Who will supply the battery pack? A123 of Boston area? Do you believe GM will actually sell these or do the way of EV-1's
Do you have any information of the technology of the battery pack? Cell size, module size? Battery balancers?
Rusty
KB1UKU
Having recently seen the movie "Who killed the electric car" I don't think I will buy GM products in the near future (take that GM)
I am more looking forward to the Nissan Leaf, which is full electric
Luther Burrell, Mesa, Arizona, USA
Rides: ZuumCraft from zuumcraft.com
Previous Rides: Blue Vectrix Maxi scooter
So far as I know ..
The Volt will be a plug-in hybrid - however GM has invented this new term, "Extended Range Electric Vehicle". I believe GM see's they need to reinvent their image of having murdered the electric vehicle, and therefore they need to call this an electric vehicle. On the one hand it could be called an EV because you can plug it in. On the other hand it's got a gas engine in it and .. well .. I prefer to call those "plug-in hybrid".
Earlier news was that GM == LG Chem && Chrysler == A123Systems. I made a post about that somewhere on this site. I did see a recent article that GM is doing some talking with A123. On the other hand a couple weeks ago there was this $2.4 billion grant program from the U.S. Government meant to build up EV business infrastructure, and it did include some grants for the Volt and LG Chem's part with the Volt project.
I suspect you meant to say "without" eh?
I would think that GM with their $billion sized R&D centers and engineering programs would absolutely be including proper battery management systems, battery balancers, etc. They are selling to the general public and have a reputation of vehicles that just work. Well, okay, this is GM we're talking about. But clearly the public expectation is vehicles you can drive around without thinking too much about the innards, right? Completely unlike the experience we have with some of the electric scooters and bicycles we're buying, eh?
- David Herron, The Long Tail Pipe, davidherron.com, 7gen.com, What is Reiki
I think GM employed the term "Extended Range Electric Vehicle" more to distinguish the Volt as an EV with a small, range extending, petrol engine, as opposed to the Toyota, Honda, etc Hybrids which are basically petrol cars utilising electric technology for fuel and emission reduction. Equally, the term distinguishes Volt from fully electric cars with short range limitations. While the impact of the wildly inaccurate and hopelessly biased film about GM 'murdering' the EV1, can't be discounted. GM shouldn't worry that the film made much of an impact with mainstream buyers.
Exactly so, the success or failure of Volt will be determined by its ability to provide the same level of ease of use and reliability as the petrol equivalent. It is a EV for the general public, not hobbyists.
Both GM and Toyota announced intentions to manufacture Hybrid cars in Australia. However this was in response to the incoming Labour governments enthusiastic green credentials and offer of subsidies. Since then the oddly named, troglodyte Minister of industry and Innovation, Senator Kim Carr,has announced his preference for LPG powered vehicles and (sic) " doesn't believe these electric thingies, will catch on in Australia". So the future of EV manufacture in the land of OZ, is now less certain.
marcopolo