What is missing in the profile is martinjlm is with GM and in a position that could make a difference. He has also taken some criticisms well - definitely better than I would. This is coming from a person that is frustrated Ford, GM, and Chrysler Group that has not done a lot more on hybrids and 40mpg+ vehicles so far. I beleive Martin sincerely wants GM heading in the direction most at GH desire - why would he come back for the beatings?

My understanding of the Chevy Volt is it's a matter of getting the lithium batteries produced in quanity and inexpensively. GM is no stranger to serial hybrids as they owned the Electro-Motive Co. from the 1930's thru 2005.

I'd like to see the Volt in whatever form it takes to be a hit, if for not other reason to see the American auto industry recover from the losses they have taken lately.

 

Bob and Delta,

I sincerely appreciate the support. I am inferring from the tone of your statements that some interesting statements have been made. Probably by someone on my ignore list, (only 2 or 3 on there) since I never saw what prompted your statements.

As for Volt....GM is very serious about building and marketing the Volt. At the same time GM has been very careful in pointing out that the Lithium Ion battery is the long pole in the tent. If it doesn't materialize in time with the vehicle development, the vehicle could be delayed.

Peace,

Martin

 

Well there you have it. Straight from the official voice of GM with respect to hybrid issues.






Seriously though. I think it's cool you're here, Martin. Given the hostile nature of this board towards GM and American auto manufacturers in general. GM has been a large part of this country's economy for a long time and it would benefit all of us for GM to be successful. High fuel economy vehicles are once again in demand and can be a profitable part of a manufacturer's fleet. It will take the domestic automakers a few years to catch up, but many American's will be there to buy them when they come. This Honda is the first foreign vehicle I've ever bought. I hope it's the last.

 

Well, at least this Business Week writer agrees with you that GM is serious about the Volt:

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/au...TOKEN=23393643

 

I was foolish enough to be a believer until GM said that the Volt would now be a fraud-cell (fuel cell)vehicle.After all, why market a $30kcar that can be fueled with gasoline or ethanol when you can market a Million-dollar car that can't be refueled at all?

 

Actually, there will be two versions. One a gasoline - electric hybrid, the other a fuel cell electric vehicle. Either way, they both get 100% tractive effort from electrical operation. The ICE or Fuel Cell (whichever you choose for your particular garage) would only be called upon to recharge the batteries.

Peace,

Martin

 

I realise that GM are going with A123, but it's still encouraging to note that Altair have been giving their lithium-ion batteries to impartial 3rd parties for testing recently.

Aerovironment are confirming their incredible cycle life at 10-minute charges and at a recent press conference, Altair charged a 30 kWh pack to full in just 5 minutes.

That's 150 miles range in 5 minutes and the pack was barely warm at the end of it!

A123 are similarly advanced in testing, so I think GM will have their battery in time.

 

Aerovironment makes chargers (they made chargers for the EV1) and it's great that they are the one to test and verify Altair's battery. This will make it easy to market and install chargers at "any" retail stores, restuarants, businesses. Once this happens, and there are Phoenix', Tesla, Volt, out there, there's no reason for Hydrogen fuel any more.

Altair really needs to get their cost down, and GM will have no reason left to delay the Volt.

 

Latest pertinent news.......

GM awards lithium ion battery contracts for Volt plug-in

queryvar="gm,awards,lithium,ion,battery,contracts, for,volt,plug-in";Jack Herman
Automotive News
June 5, 2007 - 11:48 am
UPDATED: 6/5/07 2:47 p.m.

document.write ('');
General Motors said today that it has awarded two development contracts for the lithium ion battery in the e-flex propulsion system to be used in its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.

The proposals of Compact Power Inc. and Continental Automotive Systems were chosen from 13 submitted, GM officials said today. The contracts were announced at GM’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Wilmington, Del.

Rob Peterson, GM's manager of powertrain communications, would not reveal the value of the deals. One or both of the suppliers may eventually receive a production contract, he said.

“Both of them have offered uniquely different solutions for pack integration and for cell development,” Peterson said. “We’re looking for solutions.

“It doesn’t make sense to throw all of our eggs into one basket. We want to see what LG Chem (Compact Power’s parent company) has to offer and what Continental has to offer.”

Compact Power, of suburban Detroit, is headed by former Ford Motor Co. engineering veteran Prabhakar Patil. The company will develop and test the battery cell/module -- the battery pack and in-car integration -- during a 12-month development program that begins immediately. The cells will be developed by LG Chem, a Korean battery manufacturer.

Continental will work with GM to develop lithium batteries that it plans to use in a production vehicle next year. It will use cells provided by A123 Systems, of Watertown, Mass.

The Volt could be ready by 2010 if suppliers produce a reliable lithium ion battery, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has said.

Executives from both suppliers have said the lithium ion battery will be integral to the automotive industry’s future.

“It is absolutely clear that lithium ion is the next thing,” Karl-Thomas Neumann, Continental's executive board member responsible for the automotive systems unit, told Automotive News Europe in March. “We don't know what comes after lithium ion, but in our plans, lithium ion will be the name of the game.

“All the other batteries are going to disappear because the advantages of lithium ion are so big.”

Said Patil in a statement: “This development contract further vindicates that lithium ion is the preferred battery technology for the automotive industry.”

Continental Automotive, of Frankfurt, is a subsidiary of Continental AG -- which ranks No. 12 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 global suppliers, with worldwide original-equipment automotive parts sales of $11.45 billion in 2006.

Douglas Bolduc of Automotive News Europe contributed to this story

You may e-mail Jack Herman at jherman@crain.com

 

That's terrific news! I'm very excited to see the prospect of full pledge electric cars back on the road, esp from a major auto manufacturer...that will spur other auto companies to do the same!

Here's a good podcast on the Altair battery from Dr. Alan Gotcher...one of the question is whether they are talking with auto manufacturer, and the answer is yes from the man himself.

http://www.podtech.net/home/2343/alt...ionary-battery

So if not GM, this battery will give the next auto manufacturer (besides Phoenix) a leg up to compete.

Also, I think the prospect of this battery for Plug-in Hybrids is tremendous....and V2G applications! Exciting times...!