Detroit Auto Show: Live Reveal of the Chevy Volt EV
GM product chief Robert Lutz unveils the Chevy Volt EV concept. Click on the image for a gallery of high-res shots including the interior
GM Chairman Rick Wagoner and Vice-Chairman Robert Lutz just unveiled Chevy Volt Concept to the mass of press here at Cobo Hall. Although they didn't really reveal anything new that wasn't in the previous stories about the Volt, they did emphasize that they don't consider this car a hybrid. As far as GM is concerned a hybrid is a car that drive the wheels either electrically or via an internal combustion engine. Since this vehicle only drives the wheels via an electric motor, they call it an EV.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Laurie Mayers 3:15PM (1/07/2007)
In case you're interested, you can add or embed the video of the reveal to your blog:
http://gmtv.feedroom.com/bounce.jsp?url=%2Findex.jsp%3Fi%26rdm%3D38837.171576852445
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Paul Berg 6:40PM (1/07/2007)
Consept here and consept there....stopp giving us all theese consept cars and come on with a REAL Buyable Car. The Global Warming is in FULL effect RIGHT NOW and is making Winters to Summers and the Summers to Hot Saunas. You Americans, you are famous arond the World for Action Rignt Now. You invented The Extreeme Capitalism and have sold Millions of cars arond the World. Is All you can come up with now when the earth i heating up a CONCEPT CAR??? Please, show the world what you ar built of. Reguards. Paul Berg, Västerås, Sweden
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John Bates 4:09PM (1/07/2007)
I want a fuel cell car or truck. Did they present any at the show? I don't understand why they wouldn't use fuel cells to take us to the next level of breaking the dependence on oil.
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CM 6:05PM (1/07/2007)
GM isn't offering fuel cell vehicles for 5 simple reasons:
(1) Fuel cells suitable for cars require expensive platinum catalysts, thus are very expensive.
(2) High pressure 10,000 psi storage tanks must be made of many layers expensive carbon fiber composites, thus costs almost as much as the fuel cells.
(3) Hydrogen is still much more expensive than the equivalent amount of gasoline, and will remain so for decades, if not centuries.
(4) GM realizes that there is no market for half million dollar cars that cost much more to run.
(5) While fuel cell vehicles may never make it to market (in spite of the hype), there are better alternatives available now.
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Bill Guiffre 9:52AM (1/08/2007)
Is it just me or is a 3 cylinder engine a bit overkill for a glorified generator to recharge the batteries?
Bill
Charleston, SC
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Ron Hunte 8:47PM (1/07/2007)
How much will my electric bill go up if I plug this car in every night? I hope it is less than the $20.00 per week it costs for gasoline for me to drive about 180 miles per week.
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CM 3:11PM (1/08/2007)
GM isn't offering fuel cell vehicles because fuel cells are still too expensive, 10,000 psi carbon fiber H2 storage tanks cost too much, and H2 is pricy. Not much market for half million dollar cars that run on fuels twice the price of gas.
Electricity is more practical, at a cost 1/4 that of gasoline.
Lets say you drive average 180 miles a week, a daily commute 35 miles plus some on weekends. In the GM Volt that would be all electric, 1 to 2 cents a mile, for a weekly electric bill of $1.80 to $3.60
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James Good 6:31PM (1/07/2007)
The Volt looks amazing too me. I love the idea of it, and that it is so close. I just hope they can find a suitable LiPo battery source, and ensure those cells are safe!
I would also like to know how much the electricity would cost to fully charge the car every week day night. I assume power station pollution is not greatly increased due to reduced load at night? And that electricity cost is cheaper at night?
-James.
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amd 2:15PM (1/08/2007)
HA! an electric car from a company that has such crappy electical systems.
I hope they don't sub out the parts to the people who made the alternators, windshield wiper motors, and window motors in my old pontiac or that volt will be all volts but no amps :-)
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david forlano 10:05AM (1/08/2007)
You are right on target Paul Berg! I am the recent proud owner of a Ford Ranger ALL ELECTRIC TRUCK made in 2000! Proof that an American car company made them at one time. It works fine and is a great truck! Why did they take them away? We Americans need to get off this studip perpetuation of the need to burn oil!!! Battery tech is not that far off from improving driving range and SOLAR POWER is the perfect way to charge those batteries. Everyone should push to get this to happen! Time to wake up!
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Nathan 10:45PM (1/07/2007)
#5 and #6: you'd do well to re-read some of the previous articles on the Chevy Volt. This IS a production car, or at least it will be once they've sourced the batteries. The idea is that we see this exact car on the road by the end of the decade.
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Mike 11:03PM (1/07/2007)
I don't know the recharging requirements for a vehicle this size, but to fully charge my Segway HT which has approx 50lbs worth of LithIon batt costs less than 25 cents a charge. I think I read the Volt's Batt weight was approx 400lbs. Is it safe to assume it to be around $2 a charge or $14 a week? I know it is much more technical than this, but this should be a rough est.
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Jon 12:43AM (1/08/2007)
Cost of charge: The battery has a capacity of 16 kWh. If the battery is discharged every day, and you charge it every day, here are the costs (in Oregon, where our electricity is relatively cheap):
Energy Cost: 8 cents per kWh
Total Electrical Energy: 16 kWh
Electricity Cost per night: $1.28
Cost per week (assuming you charge EVERY night): $8.96
Cost per average month (again, if you charge EVERY night: $268.8
Mile driven per month on electric: 1200 miles
Of course, almost no one drives this way. But, these are the maximum electricity costs for this car.
Most folks will have much, much less energy usage.
-Jon
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Jon 12:51AM (1/08/2007)
Math correction: Monthly usages would be around $36.00 bucks. My bad.
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JonnyO 3:58AM (1/08/2007)
GM, please build this thing. Save us from dependence on foreign oil and annoying diatribes from the tree-huggers.
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Tim 3:43PM (1/08/2007)
Just makes my heart go pitter-patter! I feel like it’s my prom all over again. Yes, I have a long memory!! Anyway… Questions:
How much will it cost? Can I purchase, or will they only "lease" it to me? Can I take delivery in 2007? Can I have the option regarding all electric range (40-60-90-120 miles) at extra cost when I purchase. Can I have the option of which battery technology I choose? Is the APU gas, diesel or VegOil?
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MikeInNC 8:22AM (1/08/2007)
I don't know about you guys but this vehicle will be in my garage if it works as predicted. I drive about 50 miles a day round trip so, gas usage would be minimal. I'll also hang a solar cell on my garage for overnight charging. Looks to be big enough to carry 4 people and it will be quick enough with on-demand-torque provided by electric motors. on top of all that, it looks pretty nice to boot. Count me in.
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DKB_SATX 2:59PM (1/08/2007)
#13, MikeInNC: Ummm... that solar cell won't work very well at night, when you need to charge the car. Yes, you could charge some sort of storage system in the daytime that feeds back to the car at night (more expense and efficiency losses) but you're probably better off exploring whether or not your local electric utility offers peak/off peak rate differentials, maybe using the solar to offset your daytime usage and looking at making your house efficient than putting in a big rack of batteries to charge more batteries.
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Rob Morrison 3:32AM (1/09/2007)
This car could be a chance for the U.S. to actually sell some cars in Europe, for a change. Another way to help the U.S. deficit! Ship it now, you yanks.
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Derrick Williams 5:16PM (1/08/2007)
So we go from dependance on foreign oil to dependance on foreign batteries? I'm sure the U.S. can make them, but at what cost? Also, where are the majority of natural resources located that are required for Li-Ion's?
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