Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
#1
01-06-2007, 11:51 PM
Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Well, actually, it's less of a plug-in hybrid and more of an EV with on-board generator.
Here's their press release...
The Chevrolet Volt concept sedan, powered by the E-flex System – GM’s next-generation electric propulsion system – could nearly eliminate trips to the gas station.
The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. The Volt draws from GM’s previous experience in starting the modern electric vehicle market when it launched the EV1 in 1996, according to GM Vice Chairman Robert A. Lutz.
“The EV1 was the benchmark in battery technology and was a tremendous achievement,” Lutz said. “Even so, electric vehicles, in general, had limitations. They had limited range, limited room for passengers or luggage, couldn’t climb a hill or run the air conditioning without depleting the battery, and had no device to get you home when the battery’s charge ran low.
“The Chevrolet Volt is a new type of electric vehicle. It addresses the range problem and has room for passengers and their stuff. You can climb a hill or turn on the air conditioning and not worry about it.”
The Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the Volt can deliver 40 city miles of pure electric vehicle range. When the battery is depleted, a 1L, three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at a constant speed, or revolutions per minute (rpm), to create electricity and replenish the battery. According to Lutz, this increases the fuel economy and range.
“If you lived within 30 miles from work (60 miles round trip) and charged your vehicle every night when you came home or during the day at work, you would get 150 miles per gallon,” Lutz said. “More than half of all Americans live within 20 miles of where they work (40 miles round trip). In that case, you might never burn a drop of gas during the life of the car.”
In addition, the Chevrolet Volt is designed to run on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per petroleum gallon.
In the event a driver forgets to charge the vehicle or goes on a vacation far away, the Volt would still get 50 mpg by using the engine to convert gasoline into electricity and extending its range up to 640 miles, more than double that of today’s conventional vehicles.
A technological breakthrough required to make this concept a reality is a large lithium-ion battery. This type of electric car, which the technical community calls an “EV range-extender,” would require a battery pack that weighs nearly 400 pounds (181 kg). Some experts predict that such a battery – or a similar battery – could be production-ready by 2010 to 2012.
Jon Lauckner, GM vice president of Global Program Management, said the Volt is uniquely built to accommodate a number of advanced technology propulsion solutions that can give GM a competitive advantage.
"Today's vehicles were designed around mechanical propulsion systems that use petroleum as their primary source of fuel." Lauckner said. Tomorrow's vehicles need to be developed around a new propulsion architecture with electricity in mind. The Volt is the first vehicle designed around GM's E-flex System.
“That’s why we are also showing a variant of the Chevrolet Volt with a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, instead of a gasoline engine EV range-extender,” said Lauckner. “Or, you might have a diesel engine driving the generator to create electricity, using bio-diesel. Finally, an engine using 100-percent ethanol might be factored into the mix. The point is, all of these alternatives are possible with the E-Flex System.”
The Volt concept car is built on a modified future architecture, Lauckner said, similar to the one GM uses for current small cars, such as the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR.
According to Larry Burns, GM vice president for research and development and strategic planning, the world’s growing demand for energy and its dependence on oil for tr ansportation is the common theme behind today’s headlines.
“Whether your concern is energy security, global climate change, natural disasters, the high price of gas, the volatile pricing of a barrel of oil and the effect that unpredictability has on Wall Street – all of these issues point to a need for energy diversity,” said Burns. “Today, there are more than 800 million cars and trucks in the world. In 15 years, that will grow to 1.1 billion vehicles. We can’t continue to be 98-percent dependent on oil to meet our transportation needs. Something has to give. We think the Chevrolet Volt helps bring about the diversity that is needed. If electricity met only 10 percent of the world’s transportation needs, the impact would be huge.”
GM’s E-flex System enables multiple propulsion systems to fit into a common chassis, using electric drive to help the world diversify energy sources and establish electricity from the grid as one of those sources.
“The DNA of the automobile has not changed in more than 100 years,” said Burns. “Vehicles still operate in pretty much the same fashion as when Karl Benz introduced the ‘horseless carriage’ in 1886.
“While mechanical propulsion will be with us for many decades to come, GM sees a market for various forms of electric vehicles, including fuel cells and electric vehicles using gas and diesel engines to extend the range. With our new E-flex concept, we can produce electricity from gasoline, ethanol, bio-diesel or hydrogen.
“We can tailor the propulsion to meet the specific needs and infrastructure of a given market. For example, somebody in Brazil might use 100-percent ethanol (E100) to power an engine generator and battery. A customer in Shanghai might get hydrogen from the sun and create electricity in a fuel cell. Meanwhile, a customer in Sweden might use wood to create bio-diesel.”
The Chevrolet Volt is just the first variant of the E-flex System. The Volt uses a large battery and a small, 1L turbocharged gasoline engine to produce enough electricity to go up to 640 miles and provide triple-digit fuel economy. GM will show other variations of the propulsion systems at future auto shows.
“GM is building a fuel cell variant that mirrors the propulsion system in the Chevrolet Sequel (fuel cell concept),” Burns said. “Instead of a big battery and a small engine generator used in the Volt, we would use a fuel cell propulsion system with a small battery to capture energy when the vehicle brakes. Because the Volt is so small and lightweight, we would need only about half of the hydrogen storage as the Sequel to get 300 miles of range.”
Future concepts might incorporate diesel generators, bio-diesel and E-100.
With exterior proportions associated more with classic sports cars, the Chevrolet Volt conveys an immediate message of agility and sophistication. Twenty-one-inch wheels and sheer, taut surface relationships reiterate the statement. The Volt’s athletic design challenges the notion that an environmentally conscious vehicle can’t be beautiful and possess an aesthetic spirit that matches its driving characteristics.
“We leveraged our resources around the globe to develop the design aesthetic for the Volt,” said Ed Welburn, vice president, GM Global Design. “It was important that the design capture the face of the Chevrolet as it’s recognized around the world.”
True to the heritage of its Chevrolet bowtie, the Volt’s exterior design suggests spirited performance and is wrapped in a stylish package, with classic Chevrolet performance cues that hint at both Camaro and Corvette. On the inside, near-term technologies and innovative materials combine with ingenious use of ambient light for an interior environment that’s light, airy and thoughtful.
“First and foremost, this is an advanced technology vehicle that uses little to no fuel at all. But we didn’t see any reason why that should compromise its design,” said Anne Asensio, executive director, GM Design. Asensio led the design team that created the Volt concept, with designs solicited from GM’s studios around the world.
“We wanted a size that connected with everyone, so we designed a small car,” said Asensio. “In the end, the interior design team from England inspired the final interior execution, and the exterior is the work of the Michigan advanced design team.
“Our job was to design a vehicle people could easily imagine,” said Asensio. “It couldn’t be a ‘science project,’ because that’s not what this car is all about. It had to be realistic, executable and carry the essence of the Chevrolet brand.”
--------
From AutoblogGreen...
EV1 Volt
Battery type: Lead Acid LiIon
Battery volume: 300L 100L
Charging voltage: 220V 110V/while driving
Charging Time: 8 hours 6-6.5 hours
QuickCharge Capable NO YES
Passenger capacity: 2 passengers 4 passengers
Acceleration (0-60) 8-9 sec 8-8.5 sec
Top speed: 80 mph 120+ mph
Pure EV Range: 60-90 miles 40 miles
Total Range 60-90 miles 640 miles
Curb weight: 3084 lbs 3140 lbs
The 161-hp electric motor is the same as the one used in the Equinox FCV, but this is quite a bit lighter.
E-Flex with ICE/generator, electric motor, li-ion battery, and gas tanks...
E-Flex with fuel cell, electric motors, and hydrogen tank...
Here's their press release...
The Chevrolet Volt concept sedan, powered by the E-flex System – GM’s next-generation electric propulsion system – could nearly eliminate trips to the gas station.
The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. The Volt draws from GM’s previous experience in starting the modern electric vehicle market when it launched the EV1 in 1996, according to GM Vice Chairman Robert A. Lutz.
“The EV1 was the benchmark in battery technology and was a tremendous achievement,” Lutz said. “Even so, electric vehicles, in general, had limitations. They had limited range, limited room for passengers or luggage, couldn’t climb a hill or run the air conditioning without depleting the battery, and had no device to get you home when the battery’s charge ran low.
“The Chevrolet Volt is a new type of electric vehicle. It addresses the range problem and has room for passengers and their stuff. You can climb a hill or turn on the air conditioning and not worry about it.”
The Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the Volt can deliver 40 city miles of pure electric vehicle range. When the battery is depleted, a 1L, three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at a constant speed, or revolutions per minute (rpm), to create electricity and replenish the battery. According to Lutz, this increases the fuel economy and range.
“If you lived within 30 miles from work (60 miles round trip) and charged your vehicle every night when you came home or during the day at work, you would get 150 miles per gallon,” Lutz said. “More than half of all Americans live within 20 miles of where they work (40 miles round trip). In that case, you might never burn a drop of gas during the life of the car.”
In addition, the Chevrolet Volt is designed to run on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per petroleum gallon.
In the event a driver forgets to charge the vehicle or goes on a vacation far away, the Volt would still get 50 mpg by using the engine to convert gasoline into electricity and extending its range up to 640 miles, more than double that of today’s conventional vehicles.
A technological breakthrough required to make this concept a reality is a large lithium-ion battery. This type of electric car, which the technical community calls an “EV range-extender,” would require a battery pack that weighs nearly 400 pounds (181 kg). Some experts predict that such a battery – or a similar battery – could be production-ready by 2010 to 2012.
Jon Lauckner, GM vice president of Global Program Management, said the Volt is uniquely built to accommodate a number of advanced technology propulsion solutions that can give GM a competitive advantage.
"Today's vehicles were designed around mechanical propulsion systems that use petroleum as their primary source of fuel." Lauckner said. Tomorrow's vehicles need to be developed around a new propulsion architecture with electricity in mind. The Volt is the first vehicle designed around GM's E-flex System.
“That’s why we are also showing a variant of the Chevrolet Volt with a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, instead of a gasoline engine EV range-extender,” said Lauckner. “Or, you might have a diesel engine driving the generator to create electricity, using bio-diesel. Finally, an engine using 100-percent ethanol might be factored into the mix. The point is, all of these alternatives are possible with the E-Flex System.”
The Volt concept car is built on a modified future architecture, Lauckner said, similar to the one GM uses for current small cars, such as the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR.
According to Larry Burns, GM vice president for research and development and strategic planning, the world’s growing demand for energy and its dependence on oil for tr ansportation is the common theme behind today’s headlines.
“Whether your concern is energy security, global climate change, natural disasters, the high price of gas, the volatile pricing of a barrel of oil and the effect that unpredictability has on Wall Street – all of these issues point to a need for energy diversity,” said Burns. “Today, there are more than 800 million cars and trucks in the world. In 15 years, that will grow to 1.1 billion vehicles. We can’t continue to be 98-percent dependent on oil to meet our transportation needs. Something has to give. We think the Chevrolet Volt helps bring about the diversity that is needed. If electricity met only 10 percent of the world’s transportation needs, the impact would be huge.”
GM’s E-flex System moves automobile toward new electric age
GM’s E-flex System enables multiple propulsion systems to fit into a common chassis, using electric drive to help the world diversify energy sources and establish electricity from the grid as one of those sources.
“The DNA of the automobile has not changed in more than 100 years,” said Burns. “Vehicles still operate in pretty much the same fashion as when Karl Benz introduced the ‘horseless carriage’ in 1886.
“While mechanical propulsion will be with us for many decades to come, GM sees a market for various forms of electric vehicles, including fuel cells and electric vehicles using gas and diesel engines to extend the range. With our new E-flex concept, we can produce electricity from gasoline, ethanol, bio-diesel or hydrogen.
“We can tailor the propulsion to meet the specific needs and infrastructure of a given market. For example, somebody in Brazil might use 100-percent ethanol (E100) to power an engine generator and battery. A customer in Shanghai might get hydrogen from the sun and create electricity in a fuel cell. Meanwhile, a customer in Sweden might use wood to create bio-diesel.”
The Chevrolet Volt is just the first variant of the E-flex System. The Volt uses a large battery and a small, 1L turbocharged gasoline engine to produce enough electricity to go up to 640 miles and provide triple-digit fuel economy. GM will show other variations of the propulsion systems at future auto shows.
“GM is building a fuel cell variant that mirrors the propulsion system in the Chevrolet Sequel (fuel cell concept),” Burns said. “Instead of a big battery and a small engine generator used in the Volt, we would use a fuel cell propulsion system with a small battery to capture energy when the vehicle brakes. Because the Volt is so small and lightweight, we would need only about half of the hydrogen storage as the Sequel to get 300 miles of range.”
Future concepts might incorporate diesel generators, bio-diesel and E-100.
Environmentally conscious vehicles can be aesthetically appealing
With exterior proportions associated more with classic sports cars, the Chevrolet Volt conveys an immediate message of agility and sophistication. Twenty-one-inch wheels and sheer, taut surface relationships reiterate the statement. The Volt’s athletic design challenges the notion that an environmentally conscious vehicle can’t be beautiful and possess an aesthetic spirit that matches its driving characteristics.
“We leveraged our resources around the globe to develop the design aesthetic for the Volt,” said Ed Welburn, vice president, GM Global Design. “It was important that the design capture the face of the Chevrolet as it’s recognized around the world.”
True to the heritage of its Chevrolet bowtie, the Volt’s exterior design suggests spirited performance and is wrapped in a stylish package, with classic Chevrolet performance cues that hint at both Camaro and Corvette. On the inside, near-term technologies and innovative materials combine with ingenious use of ambient light for an interior environment that’s light, airy and thoughtful.
“First and foremost, this is an advanced technology vehicle that uses little to no fuel at all. But we didn’t see any reason why that should compromise its design,” said Anne Asensio, executive director, GM Design. Asensio led the design team that created the Volt concept, with designs solicited from GM’s studios around the world.
“We wanted a size that connected with everyone, so we designed a small car,” said Asensio. “In the end, the interior design team from England inspired the final interior execution, and the exterior is the work of the Michigan advanced design team.
“Our job was to design a vehicle people could easily imagine,” said Asensio. “It couldn’t be a ‘science project,’ because that’s not what this car is all about. It had to be realistic, executable and carry the essence of the Chevrolet brand.”
--------
From AutoblogGreen...
EV1 Volt
Battery type: Lead Acid LiIon
Battery volume: 300L 100L
Charging voltage: 220V 110V/while driving
Charging Time: 8 hours 6-6.5 hours
QuickCharge Capable NO YES
Passenger capacity: 2 passengers 4 passengers
Acceleration (0-60) 8-9 sec 8-8.5 sec
Top speed: 80 mph 120+ mph
Pure EV Range: 60-90 miles 40 miles
Total Range 60-90 miles 640 miles
Curb weight: 3084 lbs 3140 lbs
The 161-hp electric motor is the same as the one used in the Equinox FCV, but this is quite a bit lighter.
E-Flex with ICE/generator, electric motor, li-ion battery, and gas tanks...
E-Flex with fuel cell, electric motors, and hydrogen tank...
Last edited by empowah; 01-07-2007 at 12:01 AM.
#2
01-07-2007, 08:51 AM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
AT LAST!!!!
There are a few 'rough edges' but the architecture is solid! Although it is not announcing a product on the showroom floor (it could be a 'feel good' release,) it reads like the Precept updated to reflect updated technologies only six years late. Still, it sounds better than what is on the showroom floor today.
This is not meant as a criticism as much as some of the rough edges of a press release essay that can be easily fixed if the vehicle is on the showroom floor:
The Precept press release in 2001 described a turbo-diesel and I would have expected a computer controlled diesel to have resolved any latent problems. Also, driving to battery depletion may not be the best answer for battery life. I could see a system that 'learns' a common route and begins running the engine as needed to maximize battery life. Still, better late than never.
From a total energy standpoint, I don't buy this claim until we see cellulose or other liquid fuel sources coming online. It is a fraud to claim there is only a petroleum shortage but it is a start.
This architectural change is really revolutionary and long over due:
This could be the first step to reducing 'planned obsolescense'. If it ain't broke, don't fix it but do fix the broken parts with an upgrade. We keep throwing out the majority of a vehicle because a smaller fraction needs replacement.
The challenge is to get these cars on the showroom floor and NOT FOR LEASE and NOT JUST A PRESS RELEASE and NOT JUST DRIVING AROUND WASHINGTON DC. The EV1 taught a valuable lesson about 'leasing.' As for press releases, they are as believable as GM's past commitments to clean air (hydrogen fuel cell demos driving in DC) and energy efficiency (Chevette.) It will take product on show room floor before I'll believe it is much more than a 'feel good' essay. But it does read nice.
Bob Wilson
ps. Is this the first Democratic Congress change? At last we are seeing sensible engineering in GM press releases?
There are a few 'rough edges' but the architecture is solid! Although it is not announcing a product on the showroom floor (it could be a 'feel good' release,) it reads like the Precept updated to reflect updated technologies only six years late. Still, it sounds better than what is on the showroom floor today.
This is not meant as a criticism as much as some of the rough edges of a press release essay that can be easily fixed if the vehicle is on the showroom floor:
Originally Posted by GM_press_release
. . . When the battery is depleted, a 1L, three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at a constant speed, or revolutions per minute (rpm), to create electricity and replenish the battery. . . .
Originally Posted by GM_press_release
. . . designed to run on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per petroleum gallon. . . .
This architectural change is really revolutionary and long over due:
Originally Posted by GM_press_release
. . . The Volt is the first vehicle designed around GM's E-flex System. . . .
The challenge is to get these cars on the showroom floor and NOT FOR LEASE and NOT JUST A PRESS RELEASE and NOT JUST DRIVING AROUND WASHINGTON DC. The EV1 taught a valuable lesson about 'leasing.' As for press releases, they are as believable as GM's past commitments to clean air (hydrogen fuel cell demos driving in DC) and energy efficiency (Chevette.) It will take product on show room floor before I'll believe it is much more than a 'feel good' essay. But it does read nice.
Bob Wilson
ps. Is this the first Democratic Congress change? At last we are seeing sensible engineering in GM press releases?
Last edited by bwilson4web; 01-07-2007 at 08:57 AM.
#3
01-07-2007, 09:49 AM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Well... I like the idea of the Volt. My drive to work is only 4.1 miles, so I could pretty much buy gasoline only for going to church (a 30 mile drive) and for visiting relatives in Pennsylvania (a 184 mile drive).
My big skepticism is: 1.) GM said it. 2.) They're still obsessed with FCVs. 3.) It depends on a battery technology that Chevron just purchased the rights to and will probably bury. 4.) GM killed off the original EV1, despite the fact that it was well-received and generally liked, despite its limitations.
But I would buy the Volt is it was available and if I could afford it.
My big skepticism is: 1.) GM said it. 2.) They're still obsessed with FCVs. 3.) It depends on a battery technology that Chevron just purchased the rights to and will probably bury. 4.) GM killed off the original EV1, despite the fact that it was well-received and generally liked, despite its limitations.
But I would buy the Volt is it was available and if I could afford it.
#4
01-07-2007, 09:53 AM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
The other thing that cracked me up was another related article had Art Spinella (of CNW Marketing infamy), happily declaring that the Volt would spell the "doom of hybrids".
FOOL!
The Volt *IS* a hybrid. It's a very advanced hybrid, but it's still a hybrid. I also doubt someone interested in a Lexus "power hybrid" is going to suddenly drive a Volt either.
The Volt would be a very nice addition to the available selection of hybrids, however.
FOOL!
The Volt *IS* a hybrid. It's a very advanced hybrid, but it's still a hybrid. I also doubt someone interested in a Lexus "power hybrid" is going to suddenly drive a Volt either.
The Volt would be a very nice addition to the available selection of hybrids, however.
#5
01-07-2007, 10:04 AM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
The other thing that cracked me up was another related article had Art Spinella (of CNW Marketing infamy), happily declaring that the Volt would spell the "doom of hybrids".
FOOL!
The Volt *IS* a hybrid. It's a very advanced hybrid, but it's still a hybrid. I also doubt someone interested in a Lexus "power hybrid" is going to suddenly drive a Volt either.
The Volt would be a very nice addition to the available selection of hybrids, however.
FOOL!
The Volt *IS* a hybrid. It's a very advanced hybrid, but it's still a hybrid. I also doubt someone interested in a Lexus "power hybrid" is going to suddenly drive a Volt either.
The Volt would be a very nice addition to the available selection of hybrids, however.
#6
01-07-2007, 11:53 AM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Bob Wilson
#7
01-07-2007, 12:17 PM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Yeah, Mr Spinella's quote hit a lot of nerves.
It would be interesting to honestly explain how the electric/gas Volt is not a hybrid.
If there is ever a new TV episode of Star Trek, I propose an anti-Vulcan race that prefaces such irrational self-serving statements with "BS dictates....".
It would be interesting to honestly explain how the electric/gas Volt is not a hybrid.
If there is ever a new TV episode of Star Trek, I propose an anti-Vulcan race that prefaces such irrational self-serving statements with "BS dictates....".
#8
01-07-2007, 02:27 PM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
I wish they would stop talking about it and build one. It's not unheard of for companies to make these kind of anouncements as a misdirection or distraction. A company with GM's financial problems is desperate to build consumer (and investor) confidence. This is a great propoganda piece, and I really, really want to believe it. Although as written, it's claiming that in 3-5 years it will not only overcome the 7+ year gap in this technology with Honda and Toyota, but surpass them. Bold words, and I hope they're true.
I wonder if GM knows that to the hybrid community (at least this one), Spinella is not an endorsement, he's a punch line.
I wonder if GM knows that to the hybrid community (at least this one), Spinella is not an endorsement, he's a punch line.
#9
01-07-2007, 05:16 PM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Bob,
Don't go there. You're better than that.
Peace,
Martin
#10
01-07-2007, 05:23 PM
Re: Chevrolet Volt concept... plug-in hybrid
Actually, I had figured DaimlerChrysler as being the culprit, since they are the only ones with absolutely no hybrid offerings and no hybrid plans.
