You are here: Forums Hybrid Vehicles Chevrolet Volt Will the Chevy Volt Succeed?

Will the Chevy Volt Succeed?

544 messages,  Last post on Oct 28, 2009 at 1:11 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Volt Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Volt, Automotive News, Hybrid Cars, Coupe, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan, SUV

Messages Page 1 of 55 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 55 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

#1 of 544 Will the Chevy Volt Succeed? by pf_flyer HOST Sep 15, 2007 (3:35 am)
GM is still planning on the Volt coming to the market in 2010. Will the Volt actually be a practical vehicle or is it going to wind up being another step in the R&D process like the EV-1?   I'm leaning towards it being a step forward but nowhere near the completion of the journey. That will require some breakthrough in battery technology.   You can get a little more background on the current state of the Volt on Alternate Route and one of the newest addtions around here, Green Car Advisor Replies to this message: tpe (Sep 15, 2007 2:11 pm) toyolla2 (Sep 15, 2007 7:24 pm)
#2 of 544 Re: Will the Chevy Volt Succeed? [pf_flyer] by tpe Sep 15, 2007 (2:11 pm)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Sep 15, 2007 3:35 am) I don't think that you can compare the Chevy Volt to the EV1. While the EV1 was an impressive achievement it was somewhat mandated by the state of CA. GM's pursuit of the Chevy Volt is pure capitalism and image. They've seen what Toyota has accomplished with their Prius and they are attempting to leapfrog that effort. I hope they are successful.
#3 of 544 Not necessarily comparing the two by pf_flyer HOST Sep 15, 2007 (3:01 pm)
The Volt is going to have a tough enough time on its own breaking through to become a practical electric vehicle.   And GM seems to realize that the battery technology is still the biggest hurdle.
#4 of 544 Re: Will the Chevy Volt Succeed? [pf_flyer] by toyolla2 Sep 15, 2007 (7:24 pm)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Sep 15, 2007 3:35 am) Well, it seems the breakthrough on the battery system will be liquid cooling - reading from your new Green Car Advisor section. This will hold the overheat problem at bay - at a price. Hey, but it will get product out the door.    It parallels the liquid cooling of the Prius inverters. I remember thinking that particular Toyota solution was a bit over the top, purely from industrial experience with much larger drives. Obviously they were able to meet the harsher conditions of the automobile; from a population of several hundred thousands, failures of their power modules appear to be minimal.    Regarding the VOLT, using an HV battery together with a three cylinder engine is hardly something I would do if low cost were the aim, but this vehicle will provide a respectable entry into the hybrid arena.   Neither power hybrids nor two seaters proved to be volume sellers fior Honda. But the Insight was not promoted. I don't know how universal this was but I have never seen one either on the road or at the dealership. What did they expect ?   Actually even the Prius was not a fixture in the showroon either until 2003 and then only in the main dealership here.   Honda's system needed three things to be successful. Its introduction would have gone better with the following: 1. A well insulated battery pack. 2. A thermal warming blanket. 3. A trickle charger for the HV battery.   The latter two to have a convenient single plug-in if the car is to be left for an extended period. Lack of those items, IMO, bought them a heap of dissatisfied customers in the snow belt. Edmunds boards fill with complaints come November. That problem not going away, as those vehicles grow older I think we will be hearing more.   The VOLT'S system is also a scalable system like the Toyota HSD, and offers benefits as I've been propounding in the Advanced Hybrid thread elsewhere. I am sure that with this type of electrical transmission this vehicle is going to generate interest. It was said that the Prius was an enigma in that though its operation was straightforward its working was complex. The Volt on the surface looks simpler for troubleshooting you can seperate the genset from the induction motor transaxle so a mechanic's learning curve will be shorter.   One other thing, $30k is a bit high, I would hope they bring out a stripper version with a 1.3Kwhr battery like the Prius so that the genset can power the traction motor mostly and still have all the advantages of the Prius with a lower price tag. The three cylinder might be replaced with that 900cc 105Hp turbocharged two cylinder small gasoline engine (SGE) that's been just been announced by Fiat for the Panda Aria.   This car will generate traffic in GM showrooms and they could use that right now. And let's hope GM dealers are up to the task and start promoting them. T2   Chevy VOLT 1 litre 3-cylinder turbocharged gasoline 1500-1800rpm max 3200rpm 12 gal fuel. 53kw generator. Traction Motor 160HP/236lbs-ft Battery 16kwhr 320-350v 140kw peak. max mechanical 120kw Cont electrical power 45kw, continuous mech power 40kw limited duration 120mph top speed
#5 of 544 Cooling not really a breakthrough by pf_flyer HOST Sep 16, 2007 (3:42 am)
The batteries were overheating, they needed to be cooled. That's treating a symptom, not curing the disease.   It's possible that there isn't going to be much of a "cure" I suppose. A breakthrough would be finding a way to transfer energy to and from the battery without generating any heat (or significantly less heat), something like that.   I also agree the $30,000 price tag is too high. And if the goal of the Volt is to generate traffic in GM showrooms because they need that right now, then they're doing it for the wrong reason. Replies to this message: gagrice (Sep 16, 2007 5:33 am) tpe (Sep 17, 2007 5:50 pm)
#6 of 544 Re: Cooling not really a breakthrough [pf_flyer] by gagrice Sep 16, 2007 (5:33 am)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Sep 16, 2007 3:42 am) Many people paid $30k plus for the Prius II when it was in short supply. So I think they can get the money from those that have more than they need. I agree that cooling the batteries with water is just another complex system added to an overly complex vehicle. KISS is still my motto. I think it is all part of the push by industry to generate throwaway products. Hybrids are a big step in that direction. Most electronics are throwaway now. GM in hindsight sees the success that Toyota has with hybrids and want to try and capture some of that fake green color.
#7 of 544 Will it succeed?...................... by daysailer Sep 17, 2007 (8:55 am)
It is much too early to predict, since it is just a concept under development that won't be available until (at least)2010. The available info suggests that it at least is close to the ballpark, if not in it. $30K does seem a bit of a reach for a vehicle as described, but it's not otherworldly. I applaud GM for one of their rare forays into innovation, however, given their history, I wouldn't buy one 'til their reliability was proven.
#8 of 544 I certainly HOPE it succeeds by larsb Sep 17, 2007 (9:13 am)
Here's one vote hoping the Volt is a smashing success, with hundreds of buyers on waiting lists at every GM dealer in the country.   (Not for the sake of GM, but for the sake of the environment.)
#9 of 544 Re: Cooling not really a breakthrough [pf_flyer] by tpe Sep 17, 2007 (5:50 pm)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Sep 16, 2007 3:42 am) The batteries were overheating, they needed to be cooled. That's treating a symptom, not curing the disease.   ICE's would overheat if it wasn't for radiators, fans, and oil. Do you consider that to be treating a symptom? It would be nice if batteries generated less heat because this represents wasted energy, which is why ICE's are so inherently inefficient.   I agree that $30k is a little steep. However if the driver can expect to save $1k/year in gasoline he might start seeing it as comparable to a $25k vehicle. If states and/or the feds offer $3k tax credits, which is likely, then it really is getting into the affordable range.
#10 of 544 It's too early to tell by nedzel Sep 24, 2007 (9:21 am)
I sure hope that the Volt succeeds. The big question mark is the battery pack: how much will it cost, how long will it last, and what range will it provide in Minnesota during the winter, with the defroster running and the battery pack cold-soaked?

Messages Page 1 of 55 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 55 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

You are here: Forums Hybrid Vehicles Chevrolet Volt Will the Chevy Volt Succeed?