http://www.dailytech.com/Volt+Batter...ticle13181.htm

Thanks to battery tech the Chevy Volt could see an all-electric driving range of up to 80 miles

GM is readying its extended range electric vehicle called the Volt for production in 2010. The car promises to give the average driver a vehicle capable of at least 40 miles on electric power alone with a gasoline engine to recharge the battery when driving for longer distances is required.

The key component to the Volt and its ability to meet the promises GM has made is the lithium-ion battery the car uses. Applied Sciences Inc. is currently working with carbon nanofibers which could stretch the Volt's all-electric driving range to 80 miles.

Working along with GM and Applied Sciences to make the Volt a reality is another firm called Pyrograf Products. Pyrograf and Applied Sciences share a common owner, but separate investors according to Dayton Daily News.

Developing the technology to design a battery for the Volt using carbon nanofibers isn't cheap. The two Ohio-based firms received investments of $1 million from the Ohio Third Frontier program and $500,000 from GM.

Pyrograf says that its output of carbon nanofibers currently accounts for 25% of the global carbon nanofiber production. The reason the carbon nanofiber is such an important part of the Volt equation is twofold. First, the nanofibers allow for more efficiency form the battery. Second, due to performance that is more efficient the amount of overall carbon in the battery can be reduced. The total effect being less weight for the electric drive train to propel, equating to longer driving distances being attainable compared to other battery systems.

With any vehicle, reducing weight is a key component to improving performance. The original electric car from GM, the EV1, had a lead acid battery that weighed about 800 pounds. The Volt's current lithium-ion battery is about 400 pounds according to John Mackay, a spokesman for Applied Sciences.

Mackay said, "By making the carbon perform better, you can reduce the weight of that component in the battery. GM researchers say they have not seen any carbon materials that have performed as well as ours."

 

If this can work, GM will leapfrog everyone elses hybrid tech. If they spread this to their other drivetrains, I can see a huge bump in sales.

 

Why can't GM keep ANYTHING under wraps until it's released and catch everyone with their pants down?

 

The entire purpose of the Volt, from now until long after its release is to generate as much hype and positive publicity for GM, as a whole, as possible.

The image of the Volt needs to rub off on GM's other more profitable products for years to come until the Volt itself can become profitable... and at that point they'll likely be more reserved about what information the public gets their hands on.

 

Profound.

 

Through sarcasm, are you trying to claim that someone else here has previously made this same claim?



With regards to any competitive advantage siezed by GM through developments like this, it all depends on who paid for the research and technology development. If GM is asking its suppliers to develop technology on their own dime, then it's unlikely that GM will be able to secure an exclusive agreement to use that technology.

 

Just overstating the obvious, I guess.

 

 

So, anyone know how expensive carbon nanofibers are? I've had a chance to look at some nano stuff with an electron microscope at school, and I remember the tiny little samples we had were pretty expensive (like $40-$80 for something the size of a pencil eraser).

Granted, I may not have been dealing with whatever would be used in a battery; but making small stuff isn't easy or cheap!