Lutz: Chevy Volt will be road-tested in early 2008
After his dismissive comments about the Chevy Volt's styling at a dinner with bloggers the night before the LA Auto Show got started, Bob Lutz saddled up to reporters from larger news organizations and talked up the Volt by mentioning that the concept vehicle will be road-tested early next year, with Job 1 still on track for November 2010. We figure parts of the Volt are already out there, but we'll keep our camera phone shutters ready in case we see Volts cruising the streets in the Detroit area (most likely) in the next six months.
In a Reuters article out today, writer Kevin Krolicki says that a senior GM executive (Lutz) sees the General in a "showdown" with Toyota to build and sell a mass-market, rechargeable electric vehicle. The main factor that will determine the winner will be - surprise - who can best safely harness the power of lithium ion batteries (or other advanced technology batteries) for automotive use. While I'm not discounting the fight these two giants will engage in, let's not forget little Mitsubishi, which might be two years away from selling an EV. The i MiEV might not win over everyone, but it will give Mitsubishi bragging rights to say "first!", kind of like people who leave the initial comment in web forums.
Gallery: Chevy Volt Concept
[Source: Reuters / Kevin Krolicki]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Domenick 10:21AM (11/15/2007)
First!
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Domenick 10:39AM (11/15/2007)
Sorry, couldn't resist.
It seems like Chevy has the PHEV "contest" pretty much wrapped up. It's sometimes hard to tell if Toyota even wants to get in the game.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi will soon have stiff competition from Nissan/Renault and Subaru (which, interestingly, has an engineer swapping arrangement with Toyota).
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Dave Schmetterer 10:59AM (11/15/2007)
They only have the public perception contest in the bag. And only until a rival beats them to the punch. While I'm rooting for The General I think we need to be realistic.
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kert 11:19AM (11/15/2007)
The first to get a clue about properly mass producing large format lithium phosphate batteries will win.
Otherwise, Subaru/Mitsu/Nissan are targeting the urban commuter market, which has a way easier barrier to acceptance to overcome than family sedan.
You only have to convince them that the total cost of ownership is lower, its quieter and less maintenance, and you beat the existing options. All of them are easy to achieve with pure EV, especially in european cities taxing the emissions etc.
Whereas sedan has to have the comforts, the looks, utility and some performance to gain acceptance.
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steven 12:32PM (11/15/2007)
I don't think camera phones actaully have shutters...
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Sebastian 2:29PM (11/15/2007)
Domenick,
Thanks. I was wondering who would, um, be first.
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Domenick 7:01PM (11/15/2007)
Hey, at least now you know someone read the entire article. ^_^
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