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New Electric Car Company Head Count 2007-10-27 12:30:12 Michael Kanellos of CNET published a list of electric car making companies he knows of (LINK).  Here is the list: Tesla Motors Wrightspeed Fisker Automotive Zap Miles Automotive Zenn AC Propulsion Phoenix Motorcars Aptera Porteon Lightning Reva Ultramotor Myers Motors Th!nk Venture Vehicles To these were added by her commenters: Brammo Silence PT2 Universal Electric Vehicles Commuter Cars Hybrid Technologies Bricklin’s Visionary Vehicles Intentionally the major carmakers weren’t mentioned.  If you know of more feel free to mention them in the comments.  Also note we have started a new section on our GM-Volt forum  about Chevy Volt competitors.  If you find one of these companies/cars interesting feel free to start a thread about them or any other EV/PHEV (LINK). Of course, not that any of these companies actually have production models yet, but if or when they do, will any really have the wherewithal to compete with GM and it’s Volt? ...

USABC Battery Contractor Comparison 2007-10-27 10:07:20 One of our regular GM-Volt.com readers Alex S. has done an academic comparison of the 5 battery companies awarded research grants by the US Advanced Battery Consortium (see previous post). Alex was able to derive estimates of what each of the battery makers lithium-ion cells attributes may be.  This is not verified but an interesting starting point for discussion. More details on his analysis may be found on his site: Futuredrive ...

Mitsubishi i-MiEV to Use Wireless Charging System 2007-10-26 12:32:50 We’ve mentioned before that Mitsubishi was planning an EV. It is on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, and more details have emerged. Among them, the car is to be on sale by 2009 and using lithium ion batteries, with a 100 mile driving range. The car uses three electric motors, 2 in each of the front wheels one in the back, giving it all-wheel drive. More interestingly, in a proposition commenters here have previously contemplated, the car will come equipped with a wireless microwave charger that will fill the batteries over 17 hours. Make sure you keep grandma and her pacemaker out of the garage! Source: carconnection ...

The Facts on Timing of Automotive Battery Mass Production 2007-10-26 04:00:34 As we discussed in our previous post, the NY Times reported an experts opinion that unless ground is broken on a new battery factory very soon, GM won’t make the 2010 deadline for the Volt (see post). We here reasoned that didn’t sound right, for many of the reasons commenters noted.  I decided to get the facts straight from the sources; the two major companies vying to make the Volt’s battereis, A123, and Compact Power. Here is what they said: Ric Fulop, co-founder and marketing director A123: “I would be surprised if the expert has ever seen a Lithium Ion factory. If you started from scratch and you know what you are doing you’d need less than 2 years, however, we are not starting from scratch and already have very large Lithium Ion factories in Asia (+300,000sf of mfg space). We are now expanding our plants to support our different automotive programs. We announced a $30M financing to start this process a few days ago. http://www.a123systems.com/n ...

Are Chevy Volt Components Being Tested on Roads of Detroit? 2007-10-25 12:41:12 In an article about GM ramping up Chevy Volt production, Bloggingstocks author Gary Sattler has quoted layperson sources as claiming that mechanical components of the Chevy Volt are currently being road tested on the streets of Detroit. We do know that GM planned to have mules up and running by year end, and that they were to have battery packs in hand in the month of October. When I last asked a few days ago, GM told me they did not have the packs yet. We would love to talk to one of those quoted layperson sources.  If any of you are out there, let us know. Source (Bloggingstocks) ...

Project Driveway Begins: GM-Volt.com Test Drive of the Chevy Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Car 2007-10-25 03:00:34 As we have reported, GM has started it’s Project Driveway program in which 100 hydrogen fuel cell cars will be loaned to 100 U.S. drivers in NY, LA, and DC. Here in NY, I had the chance to drive off in one of these Equinoxes and recorded the experience in the video below the post. In speaking with GM fuel cell executives, it seems clear they are serious about getting hydrogen cars on the road. Project Driveway will last 3-1/2 years, they then hope to use the consumer feedback to begin a production process which could lead to getting the cars on the road in 2013. GM argues that substantial hydrogen can be generated from natural gas (CH4) with a net effect of less energy expenditure and less CO2 emission than petroleum use. They feel it could work in highly populated areas by building a few strategically located filling centers at a cost of $2 million each. It won’t work in large low-population density regions. About one half of the hydrogen already produced in the U.S. is cu ...

Does Construction of a Battery Factory Need to Start 2 Years Before the Volt Gets Mass-Produced? 2007-10-24 13:58:15 In the New York Times today, Mary Chapman published a piece discussing the unusual fact that the Volt is being advertised years before it exists as an actual car (LINK). We have discussed this before (LINK). Ms. Chapman actually interviewed me for an opinion for this story. I was very bullish and optimistic, but as you can see, I didn’t get mentioned in the final story. Anyway, she did mention a semi-pessimistic professor of automotive economics named Walter S. McManus who said he is convinced GM needs to build the car. He goes on to say, though, “the battery technology is still not ready. I would say, when they break ground on a plant to make batteries, two years later the Volt will come out.” And, (for the car to be built starting in 2010), “a factory has to be built soon, and it doesn’t look like the batteries are that near production.” She also quoted Bob Lutz as saying “I would be surprised, shocked and dismayed if we decide not to do it” . Are these crac ...

GM-Volt.com Named Among Top 10 Green Car Websites by New York Times 2007-10-24 08:04:28 Our efforts have been recognized. Today the New York Times has published an entire section (H) (LINK) devoted to the green car revolution. Amongst the articles is a piece by Ray Wert, senior editor of the quintessential car blog Jalopnik.com. The segment (on page 18) lists the top 10 green car websites notable for avoiding the hybrid hype and keeping the facts straight. GM-Volt.com is listed 6th from the top. A special thanks to Ray, our readers, and hats off to all the others on the list. There are also several other interesting pieces in this section, so go out and get a copy.And to any new visitors arriving here after reading the Times today, a heartfelt warm welcome! Jump in and ride with us through the transportation revolution, and help make sure the Volt gets on the road. ...

Honda Says Chevy Volt Makes No Sense 2007-10-23 09:50:58 Hot on the heels of Toyota’s negative comments about the Volt which we reported in our last post, Honda has taken it one step further, and right from the top. Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui told the Wall Street Journal that when lithium-ion batteries become available for them, a pure electric car would be the way to go.  He feels a gasoline range extending engine, like the one planned for the Chevy Volt, was an unecessary addition. He also said Honda could easily make a plug-in hybrid within 2 years, but wouldn’t do so because  “I don’t think that would contribute to the global environment, to reduce [global warming gas] emissions” . These are very big automotive companies going headlong into maligning the Volt.  Either they know something GM doesn’t, or they are jealous ( I favor the latter).  We shall soon see. Source (WSJ) ...

Toyota Hybrid Manager Says Even His Wife Wouldn’t Plug-in Her Car 2007-10-22 19:37:12 Toyota continues to expose its weaknesses whenever their hybrid program is compared to GM’s E-Flex effort. In today’s report by Joe White in the Wall Street Journal, Toyota was portrayed as taking a more “cautious” approach into hybrid development than GM. They continue to describe lithium-ion batteries as still not being ready for them. Toyota hybrid project manager Yoshitaka Asakura went so far as to say that consumers might not be ready to accept plugging in their cars, and even admitted his own wife wouldn’t do so. He also expressed skepticism that the Volt could drive electric only for 40 miles noting that the batteries would have to “fill up the trunk” to do so. (true, if they were NiMh). This guy may not be a top Toyota exec, but he sure can put his foot in his mouth with the best of them. His wife might not be ready to plug-in, but are you? Source (WSJ) ... Hybrid

Under What Conditions is the Chevy Volt’s Quoted 40 Mile Electric Range Modelled? 2007-10-22 06:58:22 We have had substantial discussions about how the Volt’s 40 mile electric range is calculated. Since the car only exists in models, the 40 mile range isn’t real road conditions, but was arrived at using computer models. People often question whether that 40 miles will be “downhill with a tailwind” and no AC or headlights, or whether it will be true in real-world driving situations. As this number is very significant from a marketing and PR standpoint, I would think GM is likely being pretty conservative in this estimate, although some commenters suspect they might be putting their best foot forward. I decided to ask those people at GM who are integral to the E-Flex program and here is their response: GM-Volt: Is the 40 mile all-electric range a MAXIMUM, or is it based on one of the EPA driving profiles? GM: The 40 mile range is modelled on the EPA city cycle (federal test procedure) - and the 40 miles is our target for battery END OF LIFE. The EPA city cycle in ...

Bob Lutz Insists Chevy Volt is Not a Plug-in Hybrid 2007-10-20 20:00:29 A video sequence in two parts from Autoline Detroit surfaced on YouTube. It was recorded at the time of the Traverse City, MI CAR meeting when GM annouced the A123 contract. Lutz discusses the Chevy Volt, and among other things makes it clear he does not see the car as a plug-in hybrid, but as a range-extended electric vehicle. He indicates that a hybrid is by it’s nature parallel in design. Each segment is about 5 minutes and not-so-great in quality. Part I: (Either JavaScript is not active or you are using an old version of Adobe Flash Player. Please install the newest Flash Player.) Part II: (Either JavaScript is not active or you are using an old version of Adobe Flash Player. Please install the newest Flash Player.) Thanks to Rashid for the tip. ... Hybrid

New Bill Requesting Funds to Support Plug-in EV Research Has Been Introduced to Congress 2007-10-20 08:44:43 On October 9th, congressman Bart Gordon introduced bill HR3776 to Congress. This bill is the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007. As we’ve discussed previously Denise Gray, battery czar of GM gave testimony to Mr. Gordon’s science committee in support of this research funding (previous post). We also were able to get a comment from the congressman (previous post) The bill, in addition to static energy storage systems, includes funding for energy storage systems for vehicles. It includes provisions for basic and applied research as well as demonstrations of vehicular applications. The funding request is to run from 2009 - 2014, in the amounts below : basic research $50 million per year (static and vehicular) applied research $80 million per year (static and vehicular) vehicle energy storage demonstration $30 million per year This amounts to $800 million dollars of total funding. From this link you can read the whole bill (LINK) If you wish to write yo ...

GM Expands Chevy Volt/E-Flex Leadership Team 2007-10-19 09:25:33 The Chevy Volt/E-Flex leadership team has consisted of Frank Weber as vehicle line executive and Tony Posawatz as vehicle line director. Next in line has been Nick Zielinski as Volt chief engineer. In fact I’ve had the chance to speak with Nick on two occasions (POST 1), (POST 2). GM has also previously posted a video of Nick answering enthusiasts’ questions (VIDEO).What I have now been told is that a new position has been created. Nick has now become the chief engineer of the fuel-cell Volt, and the fuel-cell Equinox. The new position is for the ICE-range extender Volt chief engineer, and has been filled by Andrew Farah. This apparently signifies that GM plans on producing both the fuel cell and ICE versions of the Volt, and likely working towards expanding the E-Flex program into a suite of vehicles It is clear that GM is developing the Volt/E-Flex program using a parallel approach, we know both development and production are occurring in parallel rather than in serie ...

E-Flex Surprise Coming in Detroit Auto Show 2008 2007-10-18 09:17:39 We have some reliable but unverified information that GM is planning an “E-Flex surprise” for the world at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. You will remember Detroit 2007 was where GM announced the Chevy Volt to the world. Since then we have seen the fuel cell Volt unveiled in Shanghai, and the Opel Flextreme in Frankfurt illustrating a different body type and the possibility for a diesel range-extender. Now what does GM have up their sleeves? Let your fantasies run away with you. I’m sure we could come up with a lot of possibilities. As for me, I’d like to see a working prototype in the production form factor. How about you? ...