Production Volt could be the guest of honor at GM Centennial party!
by Sam Abuelsamid on Jul 7th 2008 at 5:21PM 
Right now hardly seems like the time for General Motors to be planning a celebration. Its market share has dropped below twenty percent and it's burning through cash at a rate that has financial analysts everywhere warning of bankruptcy. Nonetheless companies don't turn 100 years old every day. With that in mind, GM is apparently planning something special for the big birthday party this September. In a bid to get people looking forward to the future rather than focusing on the apparent financial meltdown of the present, the guest of honor at the birthday party may be the production version of the Chevy Volt.
We all know that the design team lead by Bob Boniface has had to rework the Volt in order to get some decent aero numbers. The big question is how much will the design have to change from the original concept? However, even while looking ahead another two years to Job 1 for the Volt, the question of financials still can't be ignored. With battery packs that are expected to cost upwards of $10,000 per car at start of production, GM has already acknowledged that the price of the car will be higher than they hoped at launch and they are still likely to sell it at a loss. Unfortunately, GM doesn't have the luxury of profits elswhere in the company to subsidize the Volt the way Toyota did when they launched the Prius a decade ago. Regardless of the cash situation, this remains probably the most anticipated GM car in decades. Hopefully, it won't bankrupt the company in process of coming to fruition.
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ignatius 5:38PM (7/07/2008)
Here's a reason to look forward to their party. Too bad it's two months off...
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a.brien 5:47PM (7/07/2008)
I don't think gm is competent enouph to build anything that stand the roads, they even put faulty wheel bearing even if it's been invented some 120 years ago. A battery, a gasoline electric charger, new electric motors, high current electric wirings, new body and suspention, battery monitoring and recharging, new system for air conditionning, regenerative breaking, so on. They will introduce many design and manufacturing errors.
Just honda seem to be able to really get rid of petrol nightmare
with their fcx.
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tankd0g 9:18AM (7/08/2008)
I keep thinking this is the company that is making late model trucks that have $600 speedometers that break within warranty and they call it a wear and tear item. I'm going to trust them to build this thing? F - THAT.
smitastic 5:16PM (7/08/2008)
Just another American car hater. If you like Honda's so much, move to Japan so you can be closer to them, we won't miss you. American car reliability is just as good as Japanese and has been for about 10 years. Just remember the Japanese took all of their car building techniques and ideas from us!
Mr E 7:10PM (7/07/2008)
I’m all for EVs, REEVs, and Volt success, but the volt looks like its going to miss the mark. Its not shocking that the Volt Prototype has poor air specs, look at it. Its tires are huge, its wheels are not very aero, the pressure recovery looks average and its cross-section looks too wide.
I know they are going for the “I want to get laid” –look, but what is with the bubble sides and the “I cant see” - hood?
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BillySharps 7:54PM (7/07/2008)
I guess it's good the prototype is just a prototype and that they're spending lots of time in a wind tunnel to better the aerodynamic profile of the car.
jpm100 7:17PM (7/07/2008)
Japanese fanboys are sound nervous.
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DJL 8:19PM (7/07/2008)
Perhaps GM needs the Volt for P.R.
But they could have released a two mode Cobalt and a two mode Malibu by now with the R&D money they've spent on the Volt. And that would make a lot more sense than a $40,000 Volt.
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rev0lver 8:40AM (7/08/2008)
More BS from GM.
The volt will not reach production for at least 3 years. By then its likely GM will no longer exist.
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CMiller 9:27AM (7/08/2008)
Hey, what about those EV-1s? :)
GM is got the right idea with the Volt, but taking WAY to long to get it out. Once again GM, how about we look at getting the EV-1s back on the road, or even look at making an EV Cobalt till you can get the Volt out or like DJL stated, get some two mode cars on the road instead of trucks. You got the research from the two mode Tahoe, lets figure out how make a two mode transmission for a front wheel drive car that could get over 50 MPG.
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Dave T 9:42AM (7/08/2008)
My gut tells me GM is milking this for all the free publicity they can get out of it. I think they will keep pushing out the projected launch date for the Volt until they know it can be produced at a cost and volume in which they can make a profit on each unit. Also think they will just take the current Volt mock-up and push it to the Cenntenial Celebration.
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Sam Abuelsamid 9:47AM (7/08/2008)
Actually GM has never changed the projected launch date of the Volt. When they unveiled the concept in January 2007, they said it could be built by late 2010 and that h has remained consistent ever since.
rev0lver 10:12AM (7/08/2008)
But the price has gone from $30,000 to $48,000 and the electric range has also decreased from 40 to 30.
Its only a matter of time before the release date changes.
Or, in true GM fashion, they may release an incomplete, unreliable product.
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Sam Abuelsamid 10:17AM (7/08/2008)
While the price will likely be higher than hoped for initially, the range target has not changed. It will be 40 miles on battery power. No one has said anything to the contrary
Wise Golden 5:37PM (7/08/2008)
Range remains 40 and they (GM) have hinted that it might be closer to 45. Highest number EVER discussed for price was "under but near 40k."
rev0lver 11:11AM (7/08/2008)
Considering they don't have batteries yet I have no idea how they would know the range anyway.
A target is great, but without a bullet, its just a piece of paper with circles on it.
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Sam Abuelsamid 11:26AM (7/08/2008)
First of all they know enough about the characteristics of the battery and car to create a simulation model that will give them a reasonable estimation of what to expect. Beyond that GM now has about twenty prototype battery packs from the two suppliers, LG Chem/CPI and Continental/A123, several of which are running in pre-prototype "mule" vehicles. The first packs arrived for lab testing last November and vehicles have been running with the batteries since late April
Wise Golden 5:44PM (7/08/2008)
Sam's correct.
rev0lver 11:41AM (7/08/2008)
I guess you'll believe anything GM says or are you under their employ?
Anyway I choose to be skeptical of their constant PR cheer leading.
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Bill 8:38AM (7/09/2008)
You obviously missed the videos of batteries beng tested in the lab and in "mules" on the road.
The big question now is who wins the battery competition?