Bob Lutz: Volt will survive and prosper
Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt
According to the President's Task Force on Autos, GM has spent far too much time and money developing the technology that will one day underpin the Chevy Volt. As important as the fuel-saving technology is, the Task Force is keen to point out that it's a loss-making venture, at least to begin with, saying the following in the viability report that was submitted to the President:
"GM is at least one generation behind Toyota on advanced, "green" powertrain development. In an attempt to leapfrog Toyota, GM has devoted significant resources to the Chevy Volt. While the Volt holds promise, it is currently projected to be much more expensive than its gasoline-fueled peers and will likely need substantial reductions in manufacturing cost in order to become commercially viable."That sounds like bad news for the Volt, no? Naturally, some of the Volt's staunchest proponents are more than a little worried that the Task Force will put the brakes on the plug-in's development. Not so, says Bob Lutz, who on his very last day in his current role with the company wrote in an email to our friends at GM-Volt.com:
"Volt will survive and prosper. We know the numbers better than the Government...we furnished them! First-generation technology is expensive, but you can't have a second generation without a first generation. Common sense and intelligence will prevail, here!"
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
[Source: GM-Volt.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ronEbear 1:24PM (3/31/2009)
"Common sense and intelligence will prevail, here!"
ORLY? What common sense on GM`s part do you speak of Mr. Lutz? The common sense that is currently threatening the existence of GM as a company? The common sense that its former CEO had that helped drive GM into a death spiral?
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oollyoumn 1:41PM (3/31/2009)
Ditto!
Lutz has shown little if any intelligence at GM. Looses at GM started soon after Lutz started work there.
GoodCheer 1:53PM (3/31/2009)
I would think that if GM goes into bankruptcy, the Volt program is one of the chunks of the company that would be able to be sold, relatively intact. It would be a shame to throw away the $ billions that GM has put into R&D (even if Tesla, and ACPropulsion before them did a better job on a fraction of the budget).
So while GM might go belly up as we know it, I would have to think that the Volt will live on. Or am totally out to lunch on this?
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Chris M 2:34PM (3/31/2009)
I had the exact same notion. If GM does go into bankruptcy, the bankruptcy court would sell off some assets and reorganize the rest into a slimmer smaller GM, or sell off all the assets to satisfy debts. Either way, the Volt project has valuable intellectual properties and will continue, either under a reorganized GM or if sold to another auto maker.
oollyoumn 3:13PM (3/31/2009)
I don't think GM has spent billions. The last statement I saw GM claimed to have spent about $750 million on the Volt. At the time they talked that up like it was a big deal. I believe GM claimed to have spent over $1 billion on developing the Citation, and that was in 70s dollars. I hope they get more for their money this time around.
jharlan 2:01PM (3/31/2009)
Where can we buy a Volt? No? Then when? 2010? When in 2010?
There is a nitch for a PHEV right now that is dying for lack of a
showroom product. How many competitive PHEVs will hit the showroom
floor before we see the Volt?
It's an interesting concept, but pretty pricey for a Chevy. How much
premium will the masses be willing to pay for a car (that GM is losing
money on) that saves them a few hundred bucks a year?
GM dearly needs big volume in sales for the Volt. How many $35K+ cars
are sold yearly world wide?
A lot can happen in a year. This car is already a couple of years too
late to be salvation for GM. The numbers don't look that good. I hope
I'm wrong, but common sense has to come in here somewhere.
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Andrew*Debbie 8:16AM (4/01/2009)
>> How many $35K+ cars are sold yearly world wide?
Plenty. BMW Brand alone was about 1.2 million cars world wide.
harlanx6 10:41AM (4/01/2009)
How many of these 1.2 million Beemer fans would be willing to give up their fine German autos to drive a Chevy Volt?
Nick 2:48PM (3/31/2009)
I read GM is already earning $1 billionn+ a year from patent licensing fees. I suspect the Voltec technology and its intellectual property value at several $billions.
At least the money the invested isn't lost!
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Chris M 7:38PM (3/31/2009)
The basic concept of a series hybrid has long been in the public domain, so that can't be patented, and the battery cell design is owned by the battery maker, not GM.
Where GM does have intellectual property is in the design of the battery monitoring system, the algorithms to determine the battery state of charge, and integrating control systems to maximize battery lifespan and performance.
Yikes 9:34AM (4/01/2009)
I'd like to read that same article Nick, got a link?
Bill Max 2:53PM (3/31/2009)
Sorry, Bob. You should've read Thomas Edisson's "I'll never invent something won't make profit".
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Matt D 5:54PM (4/02/2009)
Good thing Toyota didn't read that when they were working on the early generation Priuses.
Joe B. 6:13PM (3/31/2009)
I hope Obama's administration fires Bob Lutz and his cronies. Let Tesla run GM. Mass produce the Tesla sedan. That car is sweet. That car, if it is priced in the $60 K, will kill Lexus.
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david cloud 3:23AM (4/03/2009)
lots of losses in volt's stupid complicated expensive drivetrain. won't average more than 30 mpg when juice runs out. die now with dignity. (volt) David Cloud
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Shamdiddly 12:33PM (4/01/2009)
Great. Spread rumors about a car that isn't for sale yet. Outstanding.
Who are you, so wise in the ways of science?
Eugene C. 1:17PM (4/02/2009)
You do realize that 30 mpg is still better than most cars that size today that are NOT hybrids??.
michael Hippenhammer 10:04PM (3/31/2009)
#11 Joe B. I agree with you 100% #5 oollyoumn, if the info is true about the Citation then that is a great clue to why GM is failing now that was one of the worst cars ever next to the Chrysler K car. I saw the Pontiac Aztec as a concept car at the Seattle Auto show and EVERYONE was agasp with horror at this vehicle. It seemed everywhere I went someone was talking about the Aztec ( in a negative way ) and I thought there is no way that it would make it to production. It failed it target and was canceled. ( I just remembered that it was the same year as the New Beetle concept ) Another clue that GM is out of touch.
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Sean 12:32AM (4/01/2009)
"Common sense and intelligence will prevail, here!" - what a provincial rube you are, Mr. Lutz. May your children be infested with the fleas of a million horses.
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Tohe 2:15AM (4/01/2009)
GM is getting what it deserves for allowing people Mr. Lutz run their operations and the like Wayne Cherry design their cars (think Aztek). That company is doomed.
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