Understanding the Chevy Volt's place in today's world
The GM Volt is what I call an technology-enabled concept. We have a certain group of technologies that can fit together but we need mature, safe, and economical components ready at the same time to put the vehicle on the road in hundreds of thousands and then millions.
The Volt essentially removes petroleum or biofuels as the primary source of energy. They are demoted to a back-up source that is on call when needed. This is what we and the whole developed world need. It is a cure for petroleum depletion, emissions creation and greenhouse gas production. True, the missing energy would come from a mix of sources from solar and wind (most preferred), to coal and gas and nuclear, but still at levels that are basically more efficient.
I know Prof. Andy Burke of University of California, Davis, an early advocate of Plug In Hybrids like the Volt. He is a mild mannered researcher who kept coming to technical conferences reporting on the pluses and minuses (pardon the pun) of the different battery technologies and their use in plug in hybrids. It took a few years for the technology to catch on. Those technical and economic enablers are still needed. What if the perfected lithium ion batteries need a certain mysterious element known as "unobtainium" that is available only from the far side of the moon, or near where Osama bin Laden lives?
Remember also, that if battery storage is good enough, the Volt can be used without the engine at all. Keep the engine in storage for when you need it. You can take it out of the garage and plug it into the car for that trip to Aunt Ruthie's next weekend. During most weeks, keep it out, save the weight and do the "electric ride." Now, that is living large, 21st century style!
[Source: Mother Earth News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joseph 8:42PM (7/26/2007)
"What if the perfected lithium ion batteries need a certain mysterious element known as "unobtainium" that is available only from the far side of the moon, or near where Osama bin Laden lives?"
Funny!
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Tim 6:05PM (7/26/2007)
The Volt is the next logical step on the yellow brick road to all electric motive power.
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kballs 6:53PM (7/26/2007)
Why not take out the generator/extender when not needed? Logistics and practical issues.
While it's smaller than a regular car engine, it's still pretty big and heavy... how many people have a hoist to get it in and out, and room in their garage/carport to store it? How would GM handle the connectors and make them reliably plug/unplug dozens/hundreds of times (keeping in mind fuel and possibly coolant connections)? What about the fuel tank (it's also big and heavy and should be removed if the generator is removed)?
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AES 7:31PM (7/26/2007)
Just my two cents, but I think that a series hybrid like the Volt should have the backup generator at the rear. That would save the additional energy needed to pump fuel across the entire length of the car. Plus it would save weight by shortening the exhaust system.
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ug 8:10PM (7/26/2007)
We're getting ahead of ourselves. The Volt is 3 years away at least and Lutz wants to very slowly roll it out. The world could very well go to hell and a handbasket before then. So it could be too little too late. We need to keep pushing Chevy and elsewhere (battery technology in particular).
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Matt 12:12AM (7/27/2007)
Yes, the 'take the engine out' idea is the pie-in-the-sky out of touch-ness I see a lot in environmentalist types.
Removing the generator from the Volt will NOT be a practical task. It is not meant to be.
Don't try to make it into something it's not! ;)
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chris 8:50AM (7/27/2007)
I do not know about the US but in Australia most of the electricity generated is generated from Coal which is NOT "but still at levels that are basically more efficient."
Running cars on Electricity generated from coal generates more carbon dioxide than gas.
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Tim 9:18AM (7/27/2007)
chris- The Co2 from coal power plants can be more easily scrubbed, sequestered, or pumped into algae breeder reactors for producing biofuels. Plus it's MUCH easier to regulate, control and upgrade a coal power plant than it is to do the same with the hundreds of thousands of cars it would power.
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Tim 9:08AM (7/28/2007)
Here’s Mini’s Volt: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fbcv66k_cjU&mode=related&search=
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