Hybrid News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Automotive X-Prize

Following Friday’s report of the agreement between GM and CARB on the status of the Volt, the Automotive X Prize took stock of the deal and issued its statement on the possibility of a 100-MPG rating for the highly-anticipated car. While praising what GM is doing with the Volt, the X Prize also recommended that the EPA, “consider adopting MPGe as a unit of measure that would more accurately reflect fuel consumption of alternative energy vehicles, and we welcome further discussions with them on this topic.” We all know that one of the X Prize’s big challenges is how to rate the many different fuel/energy types in the cars that will compete in the $10 million contest, and AXP executive director Don Foley said in a statement that, “Reliance on an MPG standard alone will soon be outdated and will not accurately reflect the need for higher fuel efficiency.” More details after the break.

[Source: X Prize]

Continue reading X Prize on 100mpge Volt: good, now let’s think of the big picture

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM

At an event in Flint MI today, GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm were on hand to officially announce that GM will be building its new 1.4L direct injected four cylinder engine in the city in new facilities on the campus of the Flint South Powertrain plant. GM will be spending $370 million dollars erect a 552,000 sq ft plant and tool it up. The company will start building the new factory immediately and full scale production is set to start in early 2010 in preparation for the North American launch of the Chevy Cruze. The Flint factory will also be the exclusive source of the range extending engines for the Volt. The plant will use 300 flexible machining and assembly stations so that a variety of four cylinder engines can be built without retooling. GM is planning to double global production of small four cylinder engines (1.0L to 1.4L) between now and 2011 and expects one-third of its North American volume to be fours by that time. The 1.4L is an all new engine that will produce 140 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. We’ll have more information on the 1.4L later today after a technical briefing.

[Source: General Motors]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

The big news of the day is obviously the unveiling of the production Chevy Volt. I mean, this is the car that you should be able to buy in two short long years and a few months. We’ve been following the development of this car for a long time now (since January 2007, for goodness sake).

But what if we were political pundits instead of bloggers with a thing for cleaner cars? Considering the amount of BS those pundits have spewed here in the U.S. during this seemingly endless presidential race, I can’t help but think of how today’s Volt reveal could have been, if people like Hannity and Colmes were here with Limbaugh and Olberman. My nightmare imagination runs wild after the jump.

Continue reading If we were political pundits covering the production Chevy Volt reveal…

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet

Click above for more high-res shots of the Chevy Volt

Oops. It seems that the General wasn′t quite ready to show the world it’s new Chevy Volt quite yet, and the pictures of the car with all the guys in the suits was nothing more than an accident. Maybe. Marty Padgett, editor of The Car Connection and the first person to notice the pics were up thinks that the Volt pics could have been GM playing a little game and teasing us with early shots. If true, that could help explain why the shots weren’t studio shots of the car only, but who knows? We′re not complaining, as it’s nice to get an early sneak peek at the car we are most looking forward to in the next few years. For what it’s worth, we expect to see the new Volt first hand when General Motors celebrates its first 100 years as an automaker later this month. You can bet we′ll get some proper shots with nobody in the way.

[Source: The Detroit News]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet

Just days after we got a hint of what the production 2011 Chevrolet Volt would look like from some folks who spotted one during filming of Transformers 2, we now have official photos of the actual car. Someone apparently leaked out a series of studio shots of Volt with some of the executives leading development of the car. Vehicle Line Executive Tony Posawatz, Chief Engineers Frank Weber and Andrew Farah, Design lead Bob Boniface and of course Maximum Bob Lutz are caught posing with GM’s new star. The car is expected to officially debut next Tuesday during GM’s centennial celebrations at the Renaissance Center. The basic shape we saw on the movie car appears to be the same but it varies in some details. The shoulder area at the bottom of the side windows is blacked out to replicate some of the look of the original concept. Given that the Volt shares its basic platform with the new Chevy Cruze, it’s no surprise that it appears to be about the same size. So far we haven’t been able to reach GM for a comment but hopefully we’ll have higher res images soon.

[Source: The Car Connection]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Green Culture, Chevrolet, GM, USA

We recently showed you the “leaked” photos of what could have been a production Volt on the set of Transformers 2. As our man Sam correctly noted in the comments following his post, the movie prop was exactly that - a fiberglass shell covering a pre-existing platform. What platform would you use to make a movie prop like this and who would you call to make it? We′ll put it this way: Friends, this is the worlds only Saleen Volibu (or Malibolt if you prefer) in existence. Yes, that famous re-builder of Mustangs crafted a very production-Volt-like shell of fiberglass and lovingly slipped it over the gasoline-powered drivetrain of a Chevy Malibu. No word if it was even a Malibu hybrid or what, if any, kind of noise director Michael Bay has decided a Chevy Volt should make. Hit the jump for a bonus slow-motion annotated video of the Saleen Volibu.

[Source: Edmunds via GM-VOLT.com]

Continue reading Transformers 2 Volt’s secret identity revealed!

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM, Green Daily

Now that we’ve seen at least a blurry vision of the Chevy Volt’s exterior and a Photoshopped front end (above), how about hearing a bit more about the inside, specifically the batteries? According to GM’s master of ceremonies vice chairman, Bob Lutz, the lithium ion battery packs that are powering the Volt mules around GM’s test tracks are “performing flawlessly.”

We heard already that GM has picked a battery supplier, and this has got to be good news for either A123 systems or LG Chem/Compact Power Inc. Lutz continued: “It’s almost scary we are not seeing any problems with the batteries.”

There is one big potential flaw, though: price. Durability and longevity predictions are showing that the batteries will work as hoped, but in their cost projections, GM is expecting each and every Volt will need a new battery pack while it is under warrenty. Thanks to Dave T.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Spy Shots

Click above to enlarge

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/design/Spy_Shot_of_Chevy_Volt_s_iPod_like_production_interior’; General Motors continues to eek out teaser shots of the production Chevy Volt, but it appears that an image of the production interior has slipped through the Empire’s net of control. All we have to go on for this image posted on the Motivemag.com forums is the image itself, which is part of a display panel at what appears to be a sneak preview of the vehicle for god knows who. What we see is a sleek, all-white center console with virtually no buttons. The controls appear to be touch sensitive instead, leaving the face of the console as smooth as a Frigidaire. Good luck installing an aftermarket stereo in this one. Completely flush air vents flank the console, which stands out in contrast to the black dash panel. On top of it all sits the information display, seen here showing the relationship between the “range extending” engine and lithium-ion batteries. What say you? We all know the production Volt isn′t going to be as wild as the concept, but does this innovative center console meet your expectations? Also keep in mind that this might not be the real deal, but it seems to be from all appearances. Thanks for the tip, Brandon!

[Source: Motivemag.com]

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Original post by AutoblogGreen Staff

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for more high-res shots of the production Chevy Volt

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/autos/BREAKING_GM_releases_new_shots_of_the_production_Volt′; General Motors has rather quietly released two new shots of the production Chevy Volt. We get a glimpse of both the front corner and the very rear of the game-changer, which is expected to be shown in production form at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October. Looking at the two new shots, it’s clear that GM designers have tried their best to make the new car recognizable as the concept Volt shown back in Detroit in 2007. Clearly, though, the car’s rougher edges have been smoothed over in an effort to cheat the wind and therefore improve aerodynamics and overall efficiency. We can also see the high-tech look of the headlights and fog lights, which glow a cool blue color. The rear gives an early glimpse into the production-ready badge.

Also released were ten shots of engineers doing their thing on the model’s chassis and stylists molding the production-spec bodywork from clay. We really aren’t sure why GM has released these early teasers, but we’re certainly not complaining. Take a good look at our gallery below and let us know what you think.

[Source: General Motors]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM, Legislation and Policy, USA

While it seems the public must wait until September to get a glimpse of the final production version of the Chevy Volt, GM is letting John McCain cut to the front of the line to take a good look at the architecture that the company hopes will propel them into the next decade. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was given a tour of the GM Design Center Dome at Warren, MI today where he later held a Town Hall meeting with hundreds of GM employees. We guess they′re not holding that “Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back,” line from the primaries against him.

McCain seems not to caved to the auto industry’s wishes on national emissions standards on this visit. Though last month he told the Detroit News that he would like a national standard that would make state standards unnecessary, today he clarified his position by saying, “I guess at the end of the day, I support the states being able to do that,[set their own standards].” He also recounted his earlier ideas for helping the industry get its groove back by giving $5,000 tax credits to low-emission vehicle purchasers and, of course, his $300 million battery challenge.

[Source: Detroit Free Press / The Detroit News via GM-Volt.com]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM, Legislation and Policy, USA

While it seems the public must wait until September to get a glimpse of the final production version of the Chevy Volt, GM is letting John McCain cut to the front of the line to take a good look at the architecture that the company hopes will propel them into the next decade. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was given a tour of the GM Design Center Dome at Warren, MI today where he later held a Town Hall meeting with hundreds of GM employees. We guess they’re not holding that “Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back,” line from the primaries against him.

McCain seems not to caved to the auto industry’s wishes on national emissions standards on this visit. Though last month he told the Detroit News that he would like a national standard that would make state standards unnecessary, today he clarified his position by saying, “I guess at the end of the day, I support the states being able to do that,[set their own standards].” He also recounted his earlier ideas for helping the industry get its groove back by giving $5,000 tax credits to low-emission vehicle purchasers and, of course, his $300 million battery challenge.

[Source: Detroit Free Press / The Detroit News via GM-Volt.com]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Vectrix

Click on the image above for more shots of Lutz and the Vectrix

Bob Lutz, GM’s formost Volt-pusher, loves himself some electric vehicles. As the owner of four (that’s right… dude’s got four!) Segways and a Vectrix Scooter, he’s surely gotten used to the charging ritual. Still, accidents happen, and Mr. Lutz apparently found himself stranded after a faulty charge gauge left him thinking he had nearly twenty miles left before his batteries were dead. A few miles later, though, the Vectrix rolled to a stop and would move no further.

“When you are out in the middle of nowhere with an electric vehicle, and you have no back-up powerplant, you are truly, truly screwed. You can’t go to the nearest wall outlet and bring back five gallons of electricity,” Lutz says. Of course, with the Chevy Volt, the driver would need to both run his batteries dry and continue to run his gas tank dry before being stranded, though that distance may come a bit quicker than was initially planned.

[Source: Auto Observer]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, Opel, European Union, UK

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Flextreme

The internal debate over whether the upcoming Volt will be badged as a Chevrolet or an Opel across the pond has been decided. The first Euro-bound EV’s from the General will be Opels, though we are not sure how much in common the vehicle will share with the Flextreme concept. Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, indicates that a Vauxhall version is also in the works (this would be nothing more than a right hand drive variant for the British market) and that all three of the vehicles will be quite similar in design. A gasoline range-extending powerplant will see shared duty in the trio as well, though we would expect a diesel option in Europe at least at some point.

For the forseeable future, all three E-Flex variants will be built at the same factory in Detroit, and Europeans should expect to see the Opel in 2012. Of course, the extended-range electric car will carry a price premium, with a €10,000 bump over a comparable gas engined vehicle currently being thrown around. We hope that the Volt and its clones will prove popular enough to see that cost premium dwindle somewhat as the cost of batteries drops and allow the General to make a few bucks in the process.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req’d]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, On Two Wheels, Green Daily, USA

The first installment of Transformers pushed some serious gas guzzling on movie audiences by way of the upcoming Chevy Camaro (with ͤ power, naturally) and a Hummer. Our esteemed Mr. Blanco was less than impressed by the movie’s lack of green credentials. After all, being nothing more than a movie, a perfect opportunity presented itself to introduce the movie-going world to clean transportation. It now sounds as if Mr. Bay and General Motors have seen the green-tinted light, as rumors now suggest that GM’s upcoming green poster-child will indeed make an appearance in the highly-anticipated Transformers sequel. We anxiously look forward to seeing the Chevy Volt in production form in the next Transformers movie, and it would be some serious icing on the cake if we witnessed it transform into some kind of awesome gas-guzzling-robot butt-kicker along the way.

Remember too that GM will be showcasing another gas-saving vehicle in the upcoming flick in the form of the Chevy Beat. For our two-wheeled fans in the reading audience, Mr. Bay will also be featuring a female robot in the form of a Pepto-pink Buell.

[Source: Reuters]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM, USA

The Wall Street Journal has been known to be a bit cynical when it comes to the Chevy Volt but does it really think GM is using a whole program just to angle cash out of Washington? That seems to be the what Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. is arguing in his article, “What Is GM Thinking?” According to the author, because GM’s stock is at historic lows and the idea that the public would change their minds about the kinds of cars they want because fuel costs are rising is “crazy,” the only reason GM would be pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into a car that is “guaranteed to lose money on every unit” is because the company can use the environmental cache of the Volt to give law-makers political cover to throw cash at the iconic American brand. We think that, while this kind of wild-eyed speculation is all very well and good for some amateur car blog to delve into, this is written up in the respected Wall Street Journal.

Although the main premise of the piece may be slightly awry, we can surely take heart that the writer knows a little about the vehicle he is writing about. Let’s look at a few of his facts assumptions.

• “GM is saying now the Volt may need a sticker price of $45,000″
• “The car will be lucky to get 15 mpg under gasoline power”
• “A car with the Volt’s narrow usability to sell would require an unlikely revolution in consumer behavior”

Hmmm, interesting. We know what we think of these statements but we’d like to know what you think. Try out our new and improved comments section to let us know.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney