Automotive News / Industry / Future Vehicle Discussion Automotive news and discussion about upcoming vehicles

GM Awards 2 Contracts For Volt Battery Development

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 02:50 PM
  #1  
Josh452's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,496
From: Roseville, MI, USA
GM Awards 2 Contracts For Volt Battery Development

General Motors Corp. has awarded two contracts to companies that will help speed up development of its plug-in electric car called the Chevrolet Volt, GM Chairman Rick Wagoner said Tuesday.
"Given the huge potential that the Volt and its E-flex system offers to lower oil consumption, lower oil imports and reduce carbon gas emissions, this is for sure a top priority program for GM," said Wagoner, who added that the company is trying to produce the Volt as soon as it can. No production timetable has been announced.
.

http://www.chevyvoltforum.com/index.php?showtopic=75

This car is starting to have me more excited than the next generation Solstice. Once the Solstice is paid off the Volt may very well be my next new car purchase. Unless I can get a Pontiac with a hybrid power train that delivers nearly the same efficiency.
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 03:19 PM
  #2  
2000GTP's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 12,312
From: Aurora, IL
Its nice to see that they are trying to get off to an aggressive start with the development of this car.
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 03:36 PM
  #3  
Caps94ZODG's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,748
From: New England
The thing is this car needs to be pushed like the Camaro is right now. Its still 2+ years away but keeping it freshi n the minds of people. It will blow the Prius POS away in every aspect.

GM you need to get this car out last year. No lag in time. It has to be a 2 year car.

But is it possible??
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 03:46 PM
  #4  
2K1SunsetSS's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 649
From: Clinton TWP, MI
Happy to see this car getting the push, GM cannot screw this up.
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 04:00 PM
  #5  
Caps94ZODG's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,748
From: New England
I hope it is the push like the Camaro is. They got the go now go green.
ohh wait thats already a commercial??

Imagine the Volt and the Camaro side by side at dealers?
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 06:42 PM
  #6  
DvBoard's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 940
From: Southern Indiana
GM needs this car out AS SOON AS the battery technology hits.
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 06:58 PM
  #7  
JB'z 94's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 664
From: Hanford, CA, USA
I agree it needs to come sooner than later, for image as much as anything else, but will the aggressive styling remain?
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 07:20 PM
  #8  
SFireGT98's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,232
From: Orlando, FL USA
Originally Posted by JB'z 94
I agree it needs to come sooner than later, for image as much as anything else, but will the aggressive styling remain?
I hope so. Would be nice to see a "green" car thats got style vs all the hybrid family cars and weird looking ones (Insight and Prius)
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 08:59 PM
  #9  
Chrome383Z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,043
From: Shelbyville, IN
Watch gas prices crash...
Old Jun 6, 2007 | 10:06 AM
  #10  
jg95z28's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,705
From: Oakland, California
Bummer. I was hoping GM would be talking to Tesla Engery Group.

http://new.marketwire.com/2.0/rel.jsp?id=733892
Old Jun 6, 2007 | 07:58 PM
  #11  
Eric Bryant's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,400
From: Michigan's left coast
Originally Posted by jg95z28
Bummer. I was hoping GM would be talking to Tesla Engery Group.
Telsa's solution is one that's, uh, interesting for a low-volume application. When it's time to actually produce a high-volume mass-production vehicle, simply tying together a bunch of small cells ain't gonna cut it.

Looks like some earlier posters in this thread need to understand the difference between "development contract" and "production contract". Furthermore, a realistic understanding of lead times would be of benefit. I'd love to see this thing in production ASAP, but even well-known powertrain technologies take a long time to bring from concept to production.
Old Jun 6, 2007 | 09:07 PM
  #12  
Todd80Z28's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 439
From: Northern VA
They've got a big hill in front of them. They'll need to start with "Free Tibet."

When it's time to actually produce a high-volume mass-production vehicle, simply tying together a bunch of small cells ain't gonna cut it.
Isn't that essentially what Toyota and Honda's packs are? C or D-size NiMH strung together? Obviously, Volt requires a significant scale-up of this, but the concept's been done.
Old Jun 6, 2007 | 10:00 PM
  #13  
Josh452's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,496
From: Roseville, MI, USA
The Volt is making a bunch of noise now and will continue to do so. I have some news on the LG company that GM gave the Volt contract to (as well as the other).

Plus.....Cobasys is not out of the running for battery tech for General Motors. However, GM has made a HUGE step forward in producing the Chevrolet Volt and everything I've seen, been told and have read is that the Volt will be made and we shouldn't expect it before 2010.
Old Jun 7, 2007 | 12:09 AM
  #14  
Maximum Bob's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 178
Anyone seen the documentary "Who killed the electric car?" from '05? The EV-1 that GM leased in Cal. from '96 to about '01 seemed to show that they already could make a practical battery powered car. But then it seemed that GM went out of their way to kill it. They bought controlling interest in the co. that made the batteries they used, then sold it to Exxon! Talk about throwing them to the sharks! They also sued Cal. to get them to repeal the law that forced GM to make the car in the 1st place! They also refused to sell the cars to the people who wanted to keep them when their lease was up. In fact it looked like GM couldn't haul them off to the crusher fast enough! In short, if a vehicle like the Volt makes it to production at all in say, the next 10 years, it will surprise the hell out of me! I think the concept was just a publicity gimmick so GM could show everyone that they could be just as green as Honda & Toyota. But without any real intention of producing it.

Last edited by Maximum Bob; Jun 7, 2007 at 12:11 AM.
Old Jun 7, 2007 | 04:00 AM
  #15  
JB'z 94's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 664
From: Hanford, CA, USA
Originally Posted by Maximum Bob
Anyone seen the documentary "Who killed the electric car?" from '05? The EV-1 that GM leased in Cal. from '96 to about '01 seemed to show that they already could make a practical battery powered car. But then it seemed that GM went out of their way to kill it. They bought controlling interest in the co. that made the batteries they used, then sold it to Exxon! Talk about throwing them to the sharks! They also sued Cal. to get them to repeal the law that forced GM to make the car in the 1st place! They also refused to sell the cars to the people who wanted to keep them when their lease was up. In fact it looked like GM couldn't haul them off to the crusher fast enough! In short, if a vehicle like the Volt makes it to production at all in say, the next 10 years, it will surprise the hell out of me! I think the concept was just a publicity gimmick so GM could show everyone that they could be just as green as Honda & Toyota. But without any real intention of producing it.
Let me guess, you're not much of an optimist?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:27 PM.