Any thoughts?

 

Low rolling resistance tires?
Lightweight body parts / chassis components?

 

Smaller, lighter, more efficient accessories?

 

the volt isn't anywhere near finished yet

 

Less power hungry electrical accessories. Stuff like lighting, radios, A/C, heat, defrost, power steering will matter greatly this time.

 

The big thing will be the use of lightweight materials, although I also think that items like electrically-driven accessories (coolant pump, AC compressor, etc.) have a lot of carry-over potential to start-stop/micro hybrids.

I also see the combination of lithium batteries and ultracaps as being very attractive for start-stop/micro hybrids (or even conventional starting systems). You could take perhaps 20-30 pounds out of a vehicle with such a battery, and save some space as well.

 

Lith Ion batteries for two-modes to help extend range.
Light weight equipment and electric components...everyone touched on it.

 

Actually, the Saturn VUE Two Mode plug-in will get lithium batteries, and it launches before the Volt.

 

Are we sure about that? It's been pushed back more than once...

 

Smaller engines and FWD?

 

This is based upon my conversation with a JCI/Saft representative at NAIAS (in other words, what I'd call "public information"). If there's news that it's been delayed, I'm not privy to that - I don't have a dog in this particular fight

 

Me either. I was involved in the original hybrid and whew was it a struggle. There is a different mentality over there now though. Nonetheless, the 319 hybrid has been delayed before, but not recently that I know of.

 

My concern is that this system ends up being a dead end on GM's hybrid/EV roadmap. The stuff I've seen displayed by GM at industry trade shows doesn't indicate that there will be any Two Mode applications beyond the VUE and the GMT900 trucks. Everything in the future will supposedly be some sort of extension of the E-Flex architecture.

We'll see how long those plans hold up.