Bob Lutz on Letterman's Volt dis: Stupid Human Trick
The common wisdom shaping up around Dave Letterman's smackdown of the Chevy Volt Wednesday night: not funny. The latest to chime in on Dave's dismissal of the work that GM has done with the Voltec technology is one of the Volt's biggest supporters: Bob Lutz. Lutz, GM's Vice Chairman, wrote a piece for the GM Fastlane Blog calling Dave's interview of Tesla Motor's Elon Musk a "Stupid Human Trick."
Lutz says that Letterman got GM workers, especially the Volt team, "up in arms." Lutz is right when he says that Dave didn't explain correctly how the Volt works (Dave implied that the Volt can only go 40 miles - watch the video here). To rectify the situation, Lutz invited Dave to come and drive the Volt himself and said he'd be happy to come on "Late Night" and set the record straight. Lutz wasn't all gracious and kind, though. He wrote, "Perhaps if we'd hired Drew Barrymore to be the spokesperson for the vehicle we'd have commanded more of his attention."
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
[Source: GM]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Tyler 8:18PM (5/01/2009)
I don't think David Letterman was too off point. Some 15 years after releasing the EV1 and finally the big new car gets 40 miles electric range? Considering the Tesla Roadster has an all electric range and with no gasoline range extender and the Toyota Prius will have the same EV range before this, it's truly not a game changer. GM finally got back into electric way after the demand blossomed and is now burgeoning with debt from overemphasis on SUVs and trucks. This vehicle manufacturer might not even survive and all they can shown is a 40 mile electric range. It's ridiculous.
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Nick 8:40PM (5/01/2009)
The EV1 was a huge failure for GM and a huge failure of a car. GM lost MILLIONS on that pile.
70% of americans drive less than 40 miles a day. For those that drive more, a range extender is available. The Volt has an unlimited range. This is better than Tesla and always will be for that reason. If you forget to plug in your car, or want to drive more than 240 miles, an EREV will be the only viable choice for many decades to come.
The chemistry of the batteries, it's ability to recharge, and making it last at least 10 years is why the car is setup the way it is. You should spend some time at www.gm-volt.com.
jpm 8:52PM (5/01/2009)
you work for GM?
Tyler 10:05PM (5/01/2009)
No, it's not the chemistry of the batteries. It's the motivation to do research. Instead of building larger SUVs they could have spent the development on hybrid technologies like Toyota did with the Prius. The Prius is out now and will have a plug-in hybrid at least a year before GM with the same EV range.
Tohe 12:51AM (5/02/2009)
@Nick
I understand you may not be aware of advances made in battery research, like that based on bacterial batteries. But come on, why would you come here and attest to the state of the Battery when A)Progress is being made, and B) Technology is more and more accessible every single day.
When people get to the point where they are considering and alternative to ICE, is because they don't want an ICE, they don't want to pollute, they are done with gas! People will make this hypothetical choice a couple years from now, and there will be choices available to them. Do you really think that you are going to be able to persuade them with Range fear? Republican style? lol I really don't think that will suffice, not now, not then.
Nick 3:19AM (5/02/2009)
JPM, I don't work for GM. I have never owned a GM car or an american car. The Volt is the first american built car I would consider. I have been following it for 5 years. It is the first practicle electric vehicle I have seen. No other electric vehicle has an unlimited range. If you get married and buy an electric vehicle and it is your only way to get to work and your wife was the last person to drive it, you will quickly realize why the Volt is the only practicle choice.
Tyler, the chemistry of the batteries was specifically engineered to get 40 miles range, last 10 years, and be able to drive the car with a certain amount of torque/horseposer. More range could of been had with the sacrifice of other things. The Tesla is not in the same class of vehicle as the Volt.
Tohe, what you develop today won't show up in a vehicle for 5 years. That is true with just about any vehicle you would trust to put your wife and kids in. And eventually the ICE will be replaced with a Fuel Cell, but that infrastructure is decades away.
Mitchell 4:23AM (5/02/2009)
How do you justify "unlimited" range? If anything electric power is more widely available than gas stations are. The whole idea that you may be left with no charge irritates me. This happens all the time with gas, have you ever seen somebody walking along the highway with a Gerry can? 40mi is nothing. I would prefer 200mi on electric than resorting to guzzling more gas. You make it sound like plugging something in is a chore. I do it everyday - my laptop, my cell phone.. If anything, plugging in a car will be easier.
We all know that the technology of the Volt is remarkable, sure. Nonetheless, it's 2009, just cut the b/s and make something great. They're playing the same old games and they are trying to keep the auto industry working the same way it always has.
Tohe 4:45AM (5/02/2009)
@Nick
Look I understand you feel you need "unlimited range" (even though such a thing does not exist), that sentiment is exactly what the Volt is aiming for, It is NOT about being "green", it is NOT about being efficient, it is about appealing to people FEARS. The battery technology as it stand today is more than capable to provide sufficient range to most people, add to it battery swaps and quick charges (80% in 5min for the Model S), and you can see how feasible BEVs really are. Battery costs decrease as batteries become common place, for instance, once Bolivia jumps in the commercialization of lithium, you will see far more competitive prices.
Fuel Cell is not a sustainable option, it only serves big oil in the end.
Tyler 3:21PM (5/02/2009)
I don't think the Volt is a horrible car. I think it's a step in the right direction. What I am saying is that it's piss-poor that only along the lines of bankruptcy are they finally pushing for the development of hybrid-electric vehicles. This is when foreign manufacturer have full electric cars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th!nk) and plug-in hybrids with further electric range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_F3DM). The Volt will cost more and be less advanced than the cars that come out by the time it finally reaches the showroom floor. So it may be great that GM is finally getting into the game, but it's too late.
brn 9:45PM (5/02/2009)
Please, the problem is simple and it's the same as it's always been. GM, Ford, and Toyota all know how to make EVs. They've all done it! The limiting factor for all of them has been the battery. Tesla got around that issue by charging six figures. GM got around that by providing a vehicle that will be EV for 90% of your driving and give you a range extender for the rest of it. Tesla still hasn't gotten around the refueling issue. GM got around it by adding a range extender.
The Volt is also a great transition vehicle until we have the battery capability and charging infrastructure to support mass produced EVs. Pure EVs for the masses can't succeed right now. The Volt? Maybe.
Nick 12:46PM (5/04/2009)
Mitchell,
It is unlimited in that Gas can be had anywhere in the United States. I speak about unlimited in the fashion that I may drive up to Vegas, or Lake Tahoe, or just about anywhere with a drive from 500 miles to 1000 miles. With the wife and kids and additional crap, the Tesla does not stand a chance. For one, it is a two seater. Two, with all that weight, it's range will be much lower. Three, when it runs out of juice, and assuming I end up somewhere that will let me plug it in, it will take more than 24 hours to charge up. The only time these vehicles can quick charge is when you have a quick charger available and a source that can put out the required energy to quick charge, basically no where.
If I run out of gas on the freeway, luckily I can carry a gas can, fill it up, and put gas in my car and be on my way. If I run out of juice in Tesla, what do I do? Your example is not a good on.
Plugging is a chore, not one that I mind. People forget to plug in when they should, and that was my point. These are reasons why BEV's are inferior to EREV's.
Nick 1:41PM (5/04/2009)
www.gm-volt.com response to David Letterman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLzO-bz0Tkc&feature=player_embedded
jpm 8:38PM (5/01/2009)
Dave was wrong about the Volts spec's but right about GM -- they're a half ass company who blew it. GM deserves the criticism for crushing EV1's and creating Hummers. Dave's take was a great contrast to every other member of the media kissing GM's ass and praising the lackluster Volt.
Also notable is that GM got a little taste of the crap Tesla has been putting up with -- ie, the negative press from the likes of Top Gear, NY Times, Business "Insider" ... etc.
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vipercookie 10:21PM (5/01/2009)
"media kissing GM's ass"
Since when? The only thing i ever hear about GM in the media is bankruptcy.
jpm 11:06PM (5/01/2009)
i'm complaining about media reviews of GM's volt, not necessarily GM itself, with no retrospect on their past actions.
sp 12:47AM (5/02/2009)
Toyota says 12 miles for their PHEV how is that equal to 40 miles? Hmmm
riles11 8:56PM (5/01/2009)
The Volt is not a serious contender because it's too expensive in the $40-$45K range. Should be in the $20K-25K range to be a viable product people really want. IN 18 months many manufacturers will have great products for the public, including China's BYD.
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Ignatius 11:44PM (5/01/2009)
What, and the Tesla at $110k is reasonable? Or the Model S at $50k?
Tohe 8:59PM (5/01/2009)
This comes from the man who think we are an uninformed hippie bunch (because what most Americans [like you] really want are big cars + trucks). Letterman knows exactly what he is talking about. The Volt is a crappy car for the amount of money they have thrown away. Companies with a fraction of the Volt's budget have delivered cars with better range, better speed, better design and which pollute far less than anything the Volt could dream of. I tell you what is stupid, it is stupid to listen to Bob Lutz! it will shrink your brain in time. There is no excuse for the fraud GM has become.
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dk 2:54PM (5/02/2009)
Better design compared to the volt? What cars are you talking about? I don't know of any electric car out there with the exception of the tesla raodster that is highway capable according to the NHTSA. So your claim that smaller companies have put out better cars than GM did is false. GM has chased profits with a short sighted focus but you would rather want them to fold and close because they dared to sell SUV's when people bought SUV's. You are saying all this while staying silent on the reported problems with the Tesla roadster. The cooling system for the batter pack is a big power drain as has been reported here on ABG. Are there any real world range numbers for the Tesla?