Nissan and Toyota had Better Worry About the Volt Fires And So Should You

You have to be wondering how closely Toyota and Nissan are watching the NHTSA investigation into the Chevy Volt fires.  Actually, all car makers should be watching for fallout very carefully.  But specifically, Toyota just started taking orders on the Plug-in Prius.  And the Nissan Leaf has been competing (sales-wise) with the Volt from the beginning.  And consumers are not going to make a distinction between any of the car makers when it comes to battery fires.

They've seen too many cases in laptops and phones now of spontaneous combustion to ignore the issue.  Mind you, the opposite argument could be made, that they have gotten used to the risk of having batteries that could overheat near them on a constant basis.  But I doubt it.  There's something different about the batteries in electric and quasi-electric cars (the size!).

Imagine if consumers stop trusting large battery packs.  What will the automakers do when it comes to the new fuel efficiency guidelines if they can't sell at least some electric or extended range electric vehicles?  They are all working on them.  Imagine if all the research investment, time and money, has been wasted in the effort as they have to pull up and wait for a new generation of batteries to come forward?  Imagine what that will mean when they lobby for a postponement to the new fuel economy laws?

I can see it now.

"I'm sorry senator, we really would like to build and sell electric cars, but we just can't yet.  The technology isn't there.   I'm sure you understand why we can't put voters, err... I mean drivers at risk just to meet these fuel economy guidelines." - any car maker lobbyist in D.C.

In case you're not familiar, the NHTSA was conducting crash tests on the Chevy Volt (5-stars!).  They put one through it's paces (i.e. smashed it up, really good!) and then placed it into storage.   A few weeks later, a fire broke out in the battery pack (the coolant line had been severed) and burned up the Volt, plus several nearby cars.  Since then, in cooperation with Chevy (General Motors), they have subjected several other Volts to similar circumstances in an effort to start more fires.  They were successful (smoke and sparks, at least).

GM says this is a known factor when dealing with these battery packs.  One of the safety measures they've outlined is to discharge the battery pack after an accident to keep a fire from starting.  But the NHTSA didn't follow their guidelines and that's why the fire occurred.  In the meantime, they emphasize their cars are safe (noting the 5 star rating they received) but just in case anyone's nervous, they will let them drive a loaner for free while the investigation continues.  A 'handful' of customers have done just that.

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Volt Testing 40 Mile Range

GM says testing of the pre-production Chevy Volt is going well. The Volt batteries are averaging about 40 miles of all electric driving, but of course, your mileage will vary. After the initial all electric range, drivers can expect very high fuel efficiency from the small gas motor.

In the call this morning Andrew Farah, Volt Chief Engineer, had some interesting things to say.

Farah did explain that consumers will experience about a 20% variability in electric range depending on four variables in the following order of importance:

“Driving aggressiveness is number one, terrain is number two, weather and terrain is number three,” he said. Bly noted in cold weather a car consumes as much energy to keep its occupants warm as it does to travel down the road.

Farah also said that he uses 50 mpg as his 'bogey' when driving in charge sustaining mode (when the gas engine is recharging the battery pack). And that "So far I haven’t been disappointed.” But don't expect the EPA numbers to reflect that.

Also, GM is hoping battery costs will drop drastically as each successive generation enters production. Given the overall cost, it's the battery pack that is putting early estimates into the $40K range. So, if each successive generation can halve the cost, that's going to make the Volt into a contender against even the Prius.

But then, GM may just end up relying on smaller battery packs, with less electric range.  That would certainly cut costs, but it would also make the Volt less attractive to buyers, who may just opt for the Prius.

GM has recently completed a round of cold weather testing in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, and will undergo additional hot weather testing in Yuma, AZ, in June and July.

The Volt is set to launch in November, with little chance the date will move either way at this point. As the date gets closer, GM says it is beginning to ramp up its production capabilities, with an additional $8 million to double the size of its automotive battery lab in Warren.

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Converj is Dead, Long Live the Volt

Cadillac Converj is on hold

GM has killed off work on the Cadillac Converj, a variant on the Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV). The Cadillac variant was said to be a good fit, allowing GM to charge more for the plug-in Volt which is supposed to be coming later this year at around $40,000. GM expects some of the cost to consumers ($7,500) will be covered in tax breaks from the federal government.

But GM has killed it off according to sources (BusinessWeek, Reuters)

Apparently, all the luxury items they could include just wouldn't be enough to create a profit on the vehicle. The battery pack, which is going to be one of the most expensive parts of the Volt, is supposed to give the Volt 40 miles of all electric power. But the range in the Converj would have to be lower, given the extra weight of the luxury items, making it less appealing to consumers.

"As we took a look at our available capital and engineering resources, we decided that there were things that were more urgent than doing a Cadillac version of the Voltec architecture," General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

"We had originally had a time slot for the Converj and that has been put on hold," Lutz said.

The upcoming competition from plug-in vehicles (essentially pumped up full hybrids, rather than electric vehicles with range extending gas engines) is forcing their hand. They expect plug-ins to cost less, since the battery packs will be smaller. So, if the all electric range comes down, so does the appeal.

Throw in the added weight, lower range (20 miles) and cost (up to $30,000 more) and GM came to the conclusion they couldn't compete with the Converj right now. The decision to end the Converj work was made in January.

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Audi e-tron in the Coming Years

Audi will be launching the Q5 Hybrid in late 2010 (maybe early 2011), but that's just the beginning. The A8 hybrid concept is being debuted along with the A1 e-tron in Geneva. A small series of the e-tron (E-REV) will be built and sold in limited numbers by the end of 2012.  And it's the e-tron name Audi wants you to remember.

Audi A8 pictured

"Just as “quattro” has become a synonym for all-wheel drive, so “e-tron” is to be the Audi brand name for electric mobility." said Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG in a statement.

Audi has been creating an e-performance project house since 2009, with support from the Federal German Ministry for Education and Research. They have been working on the development of a new overall electric vehicle concept, including the body, battery and power electronics.

A1 e-tron
The A1 e-tron concept is an E-REV with 50 km (31 miles) of all electric range, followed by a range extension powered by a single-rotor Wankel engine of about 200 km (124 miles). 

The average fuel consumption is 1.9 liters per 100 km (1248 mpg) with CO2 emissions of 45 g/km (72.42 g/mile).

Audi A8 Hybrid.
The A8 Hybrid combines a 2.0 TFSI engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque.  That's about the equivalent of a six cylinder engine, but the fuel efficiency has been raised significantly at the same time.  Average fuel consumption was rated at 38 mpg or 232 g/mile.

The hybrid engine is set in parallel, with the electric motor and gas engine capable of moving the vehicle in certain situations.  The electric motor can move the car up tot 60 mph and can last for more than 2 km (1.2 miles).

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Chevy Volt Will Launch in D.C.

The Chevy Volt, the extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV), will be launching in Washington D.C., California and Michigan later this year.

Like the Nissan Altima Hybrid, the locations GM has chosen to roll out the Volt have immediate and obvious reasons. If anything, Michigan may be the most surprising location, even though the Volt will be made there.

With a limited production GM had to decide where to sell the Volt at first. D.C. has obvious political value, while California has obvious 'green' and PR potential.

Read more about it from the press release by GM.

WASHINGTON – Chevrolet announced that greater Washington D.C. will be an initial launch market for the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range. The nation’s capital and its suburbs join California and Michigan as the initial retail markets where Chevrolet will sell the Volt to consumers.

“The Chevrolet Volt demonstrates our commitment to the electrification of the automobile,” said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. “So far, we have invested more than $700 million in the U.S. to reinforce our leadership in this new technology.”

Chevrolet also announced a development and demonstration program with D.C.-area utilities Pepco and Dominion to introduce customers to electric vehicles and establish vehicle charging programs.

“Concentrating Volt sales in these three key initial markets allows us to give our first customers a high-quality experience,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet general manager. “In addition to geographical considerations, each market also has progressive local and state government leaders and utility partners who are crucial in bringing electric vehicles to market.”

Chevrolet will deliver more than 100 Volts to several utilities across the U.S. – including Pepco and Dominion, which serve Washington D.C. and its suburbs – as part of an extended demonstration program. The overall program includes 500 charging stations that will be installed for residential, business and public use. They will be used to learn more about the installation process, vehicle charging and to gauge customer feedback.

The program is made possible with a grant of more than $30 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. Chevrolet has announced similar partnerships with several utilities in California and Michigan, as well as the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range if there is no access to an electrical outlet to recharge the battery, providing peace of mind by eliminating range anxiety. Volt production begins later this year, and pricing has not been announced.

Testing in real conditions

The Chevrolet Volt has already logged more than a quarter-million test miles on pre-production vehicles, some of which are in service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Accomplishments include:

* Chevrolet is using OnStar technology to refine the development of the current fleet of about 80 pre-production vehicles
* Testing under extreme climates and conditions, including hot-weather testing in Death Valley, cold-weather testing in northern Canada; and mountain testing at Pikes Peak
* The building of more than 300 pre-production battery packs

Technology beyond the battery

Chevrolet is expanding the Volt ownership experience with a smartphone (Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and BlackBerry Storm) application by OnStar that gives Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of vehicle function and OnStar features remotely.

Through Volt’s mobile application, drivers can set or check charging, manually set grid-friendly charge modes for off-peak times, pre-condition the interior temperature using electricity and not gasoline, check EV range and more.

Other driver-friendly technologies include touch-sensitive controls on the center stack and screen; a fully digital interface that allows two-way interaction, personalization and access to information; and real-time feedback that provides guidance on how to drive more efficiently.

Chevrolet grows its family of small and compact cars

Chevrolet presents its family of fuel-efficient small cars at the auto show – including the Spark five-door mini car, Aveo RS show car and Cruze compact sedan. Revealed earlier this month in Detroit, the Aveo RS show car features a European-inspired hot hatch design that strongly hints at the upcoming Aveo production car.

Here’s a deeper look at the cars:

Chevrolet Spark : The five-door Chevrolet Spark, the smallest member of Chevrolet’s family of cars, brings style, roominess and versatility to a segment of extremely fuel-efficient small cars. Spark will provide great fuel economy, and its trim size makes it very agile in all kinds of driving conditions while still feeling substantial on the open road. The U.S. production version of the Spark will go on sale in early 2012.

“This small vehicle makes a big statement,” said Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars. “With its fresh, youthful approach, we believe Spark will appeal to customers who want excellent fuel economy, functionality and style at an affordable price.”

More details on the U.S. version of the Spark will be announced at a later date.

Chevrolet Aveo RS show car : The Aveo RS show car provides a glimpse of what designers have in mind for the future production car. Its electric Boracay Blue finish, motorcycle-inspired exposed headlamps and taillamps, low roofline, fender flares, large wheels and tires, and dual-cockpit interior hint at the next-generation Aveo.

“The current Aveo is a major player in Chevrolet's global small-car portfolio,” said Campbell. “Our intent with the Aveo RS show car is to demonstrate Chevrolet's vision and design potential for a small car we think customers will love.”

Focusing on Aveo’s target audience of young buyers, Chevrolet gave the show car a sporty appearance inside and out. An aggressive front fascia; clean, uninterrupted body side lines; an integrated rear roof spoiler; wide stance; and large, 19-inch, five-spoke wheels with a gun metal metallic Chevrolet logo and Boracay Blue brake calipers suggest upscale style and dynamic handling.

The Boracay Blue continues inside, with accent stitching in the instrument panel dual cockpit, front and rear door panels, gear shift boot, parking brake and seat bolster.

The Aveo RS show car features the same small-displacement 1.4L Ecotec turbocharged engine that will be available in the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. Delivering 138 horsepower (103 kW), it performs like two powerplants in one, with the fuel economy of a small engine and the performance of a larger one. In the Aveo RS show car, the 1.4L turbo is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Chevrolet has previously announced the new Aveo will be built at Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Mich., in 2011, a move that will restore 1,200 jobs to Southeast Michigan. Plant retooling is scheduled to begin later this year.

Chevrolet Cruze : The North American production version of the 2011 Cruze compact sedan makes its first visit to Washington show-goers. Already on sale in Asia and Europe with strong market acceptance, the Cruze has been refined for America, bringing a midsize car presence to the compact sedan segment.

Cruze will deliver many segment-leading features, more interior room and more cargo capacity than the competition, as well as upscale amenities such as Bluetooth, USB and navigation. It offers midsize roominess, safety and amenities with the fuel economy and expected price of a compact car. Cruze features 10 standard air bags and has achieved five-star safety ratings in every market where it is sold.

Cruze is expected to deliver segment-leading fuel economy with a new Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo with variable valve timing – including up to 40 mpg on the highway with a high-efficiency model. The all-new Cruze will be built in Lordstown, Ohio beginning in the third quarter.

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Volt Coming Sooner Than Planned?

GM may launch the Chevy Volt a couple of months early, just don't expect to be first in line for what's going to be a limited production in the beginning.

Whitacre has pushed a lot of changes throughout the company, including a discussion about bringing out the Volt early in a limited fashion, so long as GM can ensure it's up to quality standards, according to two people familiar with the talks.

"It could be late September, October," a person familiar with the planning said.

Source: FreeP

GM has already started producing the battery packs for the Volt, and production facilities are getting set for April test vehicles.

An earlier release at limited numbers would basically allow for more customer feedback earlier.  It would also be a great PR move.

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GM Confirms Cadillac Volt on the Way for 2013

Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman, has re-confirmed the Cadillac Converj (or something like it) would go into production for 2013. The Converj will be built using the Volt Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV) base.

But the Cadillac variant will be built for those "Who don't mind paying a large price for a luxury vehicle."

Lutz was speaking at a SAM event in Detroit. Back in November, the GM board approved the Cadillac variant.

Building a luxury Volt will certainly help everyone. By expanding the base of cars being sold, more will be made. That will bring costs down, allowing GM to make a profit off of a car that is supposed to cost $40,000. That means, if the Volt is a big hit, GM will eventually be able to build more every year.

Lutz re-iterated the price tag estimate and the production (40-50,000) per year to start. But also pointed out "First Generation vehicles are hard to make profitable."

But one word of caution. At $40,000, I'm betting buyers are going to be expecting at least some luxury.

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Chevy Volt App

Despite being months away from production, Chevy unveiled a Volt App for the Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm smartphones. The coolness factor is high, if you have a smartphone.

• displays charge status – plugged in or not, and voltage (120V or 240V)
• provides flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing
• displays percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges
• allows owner to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
• sends text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
• displays miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings
• shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime
• remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature

A reminder to plug your car in could be extremely handy,  but just knowing how much of a charge you have left can be good, too.  I have to wonder how well the car can keep track of your mpg (the displays in car can be off by several mpgs and most people who keep track know to keep their own log).

The remote start and door unlocking capability work through OnStar, but you can do so through the application, rather than calling into OnStar directly.

Using the remote start to heat up your car in the winter allows you to do so while you are still plugged in (a little bit wasteful, but still understandable).  By doing it while you're still plugged in, you can get the most range out of your battery charge.


The application was developed by engineers in the OnStar EV lab, and its been in use by the development team in the prototypes to gather real-time data on the prototypes in use.

Demonstration applications for the Motorola Droid and Blackberry Storm will be available at OnStarMobileDemo.com beginning 10 p.m., EST, January 5. The demonstration application for the Apple iPhone will be available on the iTunes store on January 6.

Hybridcars.com points out other car makers are working up their own applications:

Similar smart phone applications, and remote charging controls, are expected from Nissan for its all-electric Nissan Leaf, and from Toyota for the plug-in version of the Toyota Prius. In August 2009, Ford introducted of an “intelligent” system for drivers to manage charging of its planned electric and plug-in hybrid cars. That system is being installed in 20 Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid demo vehicles.

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Opel Sets Aggressive Hybrid Goals

GM Europe Head, Nick Reilly told Reuters he would be pushing to refresh the Opel line-up with hybrids over the next five years.

"We will have hybrid engines in our programme, in the next five years, Reilly said. Its first electric car with range-extending technology -- the Ampera -- will hit the market at the end of 2011.

"We expect (to sell) 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles a year at the start. Later it could quickly become substantially more," he said

The E-REV coming before the hybrid is a new approach, but makes sense with the limited hybrid production available in Europe. It may make complete sense to skip over the interim hybrid technology and go straight to the plug-in hybrid.

Although, Toyota may end up having a big advantage there since they have so much experience already with working on two engine types in the same vehicle. The plug-in Prius may be coming after the Volt (and Ampera), but I'm expecting it to be more finished than the Volt will be right from the beginning.

The new Opel head is also talking about an all-electric vehicle in under three years.

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GM Invests $700 Million into Michigan to Produce Volt

GM outlined their costs associated with updating the Detroit-Hamtramck plant to build the E-REV Chevy Volt. So far, the general is spending $336 million to re-shape the plant.

GM went on to note they've now invested $700 million in Michigan for the Volt. The Volt will be assembled using tools from Grand Blanc, lithium-ion batteries from GM's Brownstown Township battery pack manufacturing facility, camshafts and connecting rods from Bay City, and stampings and the Volt's 1.4L engine-generator from Flint. All that will be brought together at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

The other investments made by GM include:

• $37 million in Bay City, Mich. to produce cam shafts and connecting rods for the Volt’s engine generator. You know, that generator that will allow the Volt to travel more than 300 miles in addition to the initial 40-mile, all-electric range when the Volt won’t use any gasoline or produce any tailpipe emissions.
• $23 million in our Flint, Mich. Tool and Die facility to build the dies to stamp metal parts for the Volt.
• $202 million at our Flint Engine South plant — this is where we’ll build the 1.4-liter engine generator that provides Volt an extended-range capability of more than 300 miles.
• $1.7 million at the Flint Metal Center, in presses to stamp parts.
• $30 million in the Weld Tool Center, in Grand Blac, Mich., to produce the robotic weld tool cells that were installed at our Detroit/Hamtramck plant.
• $27 million in the Alternative Energy Center at the GM Tech Center in Warren, home of our new, state-of-the-art battery lab where we test and refine the Volt battery pack.
• $43 million in Brownstown Township, Mich., to open the world’s first OEM-owned, high-volume, lithium-ion battery pack plant. We expect battery-pack production to begin there early next month.

"We expect the Detroit-Hamtramck plant will be the first facility in the U.S. owned by a major automaker to produce an electric car. It is the hub for the wheel that we began rolling in 2007 when the Volt debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit," said Jon Lauckner, GM vice president of global product planning in a statement. "Since then, the field of challengers and partners has grown significantly. This competition will expedite the development of electric vehicle technology and infrastructure."

Some equipment for the Volt is being recycled from other GM facilities. Also, the existing track at the plant will be used for assembly. Prototypes will begin production in the spring, with regular production set to commence in late 2010.

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Volt Production Numbers, the Early Years

Bob Lutz laid out the initial plans for the Chevy Volt at the LA Auto Show. He once again confirmed the Volt will be launched next year in California, followed by other select regions of the country.

That makes sense given his other remarks.

In the first few months, Chevy will be producing 4,000 to 5,000 Volts, with 8,000 to 10,000 total in the first year.

That's not a lot of units to go around, especially if they opened up sales across the country.

Nor will the Volt turn into a top 10 model any time soon. Full production capacity is set at 50,000 to 60,000 Volts per year.

“We are going to ramp it up slowly becasue it is all uncharted terrain for all of us once we start turning out (battery) packs in very high rates,” he said.

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Plug-in Prius in LA

Toyota brought the plug-in Prius they are working on to compete visually with the Chevy Volt that is also appearing at the LA Auto Show. But, Toyota is once again emphasizing their feelings that the plug-in is not ready for prime-time.

The batteries are the key. Lithium-ion battery packs are big, heavy and very expensive. Thus, Toyota is restricting the plug-in Prius to testing over the next few years. 350 plug-ins will be sent out in Japan and Europe, with 150 coming to the States.

This will allow Toyota to build up user feedback, as well as technical data to refine the technology. It will also give them time for the battery packs to become smaller and cheaper.

GM, in the meantime, has already announced they will be launching the Volt in California next year.

Major differences between the Volt and the Prius showcase the differences in approaches taken in the plug-in race so far by GM and Toyota. GM is pushing forward on the Volt, while Toyota has so far relegated itself to 'testing.' GM is requiring 40 miles of all electric range, before the gas motor kicks in to keep the vehicle running. The plug-in from Toyota is a hybrid, but with larger capacity. More efficient in the long run, but starts using gasoline sooner. That means the Volt has a bigger, more expensive battery pack, while Toyota can get away with a smaller (still expensive, just less expensive than the Volt's) battery pack.

Read more on the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle in the Press Release:
TORRANCE, Calif., December 2, 2009 -- The 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle (PHV) will make it’s North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Built specifically to support a global demonstration program that begins this month, the Prius PHV is based on the third-generation Prius. The vehicle expands Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology with the introduction of a first generation lithium-ion battery that enables all-electric operation at higher speeds and longer distances than the conventional Prius hybrid. When fully charged, the vehicle is targeted to achieve a maximum electric-only range of approximately 13 miles and will be capable of achieving highway speeds up to 60 mph in electric-only mode. For longer distances, the Prius PHV reverts to “hybrid mode” and operates like a regular Prius. This ability to utilize all-electric power for short trips or hybrid power for longer drives alleviates the issue of limited cruising range encountered with pure electric vehicles.

Beginning later this month, a total of 350 vehicles will begin delivery in Japan and Europe in support of model programs with business and government partners aimed at raising societal awareness of, and preparedness for, this important new technology.

Beginning early next year, 150 vehicles will start arriving in the U.S., where they will be placed in regional clusters with select partners for market/consumer analysis and technical demonstration.

On the consumer side, the U.S. program will allow Toyota to gather real world vehicle-use feedback to better understand customer expectations for plug-in technology. On the technical side, the program aims to confirm, in a wide variety of real world applications, the overall performance of first-generation lithium-ion battery technology, while spurring the development of public-access charging station infrastructure.

All vehicles will be equipped with data retrieval devices which will monitor activities such as how often the vehicle is charged and when; whether the batteries are depleted or being topped off during charging; trip duration, all-EV driving range, combined mpg and so on.

“This program is a necessary first step in societal preparation, in that it allows us the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology,” said Irv Miller, TMS group vice president, environmental and public affairs. “When these vehicles come to market, customers must understand what to expect and if this technology is the right fit for them.”

In October, Toyota announced its first regional program partnership with Xcel Energy’s SmartGridCity program in Boulder, Colo. Ten PHVs will be placed with Boulder residents who will participate in an interdisciplinary research project coordinated by the University of Colorado at Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), a new joint venture between the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

RASEI, Xcel Energy and TMS will use this program to gather data on vehicle performance and charging patterns, consumer behavior and preferences, as well as electric utility/customer interactions. The locale offers the additional benefit of monitoring high altitude, cold climate performance of Toyota’s first generation lithium-ion battery.

Additional partners will be announced soon. Regional programs are currently slated for California, Washington D.C., New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Each placement scenario will have a variety of ‘use cases’ or driving conditions to gain maximum input to vehicle performance and customer needs.

To assist with customer education, Toyota has launched a PHV demonstration program website – www.priusphv.com. At the site, visitors can learn more about the technology, follow the program’s progress and, once the vehicles are deployed, track the performance of the demonstration program fleet. This transparent communication of vehicle performance and real world data will allow customers to make informed decisions when considering the purchase of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

It’s All About The Battery
The battery powering the Prius PHV is the first lithium-ion drive-battery developed by Toyota and its joint venture battery production company, Panasonic Electric Vehicle Energy (PEVE). In early November, PEVE began producing the first of more than 500 lithium batteries on a dedicated assembly line at its Teiho production facility in Japan.

PEVE is the world’s leading producer of nickel-metal hydride batteries for automotive drive applications, having surpassed two million units in total production volume. Nickel-metal batteries are ideal for mass producing affordable conventional hybrid vehicles due to their low cost, excellent quality, high reliability and moderate-demand charge-sustaining operation. Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, are more promising for pure electric and plug-in hybrid applications which require higher energy density to meet the higher demands of charge-depleting operation (large swings in charge/discharge). And, although lithium-ion batteries are less expensive in terms of materials, they are more expensive than nickel-metal in terms of production costs.

This first-generation lithium battery has undergone more than three years of coordinated field testing in Japan, North America and Europe in a wide variety of climatic environments and driving conditions. Using approximately 150 conventional hybrids (mostly Prius), the field test vehicles logged well over a million combined miles. In the end, the battery was deemed both reliable and durable, confirming that it could indeed be used in conventional hybrid applications in the future, depending on further developments in cost reduction.

The battery will now be placed into service in the 500 Prius PHVs dedicated to Toyota’s global demonstration program which begins in December. Operating in a more severe charge-depleting mode, the battery’s overall performance in a broad range of vehicle-use applications will be confirmed.

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Volt Sales Limited to California

Update: Chevy makes it official.  The Volt will be launched in California, with other markets to follow.  The press release does not make it clear when or where the Volt will be available after it is launched in California next year.

Will sales of the Chevy Volt, like the Nissan Altima Hybrid, be limited to certain states? According to a Bloomberg.com report, GM will restrict sales to California next year when they introduce the Chevy Volt.

That limitation may just be the starting point, but Nissan has kept selling the Altima Hybrid in just the states with California emissions standards. I would be surprised if GM followed that lead, but ...

GM is hoping to break into the California marketplace, where the Prius has done so well over the past decade.

Detroit-based GM has a 9.8 percent market share in Los Angeles, compared with 19.8 percent nationwide, based on data from researchers Experian Plc and Autodata Corp.

GM also announced the winner of the Volt Color contest. David Thomas, 40, of Sanford, Fla., has won Chevrolet's national contest to name the Volt's lead paint color and the opportunity to be the first consumer to test-drive a pre-production Volt. Nearly 3,000 people cast their votes at chevroletvoltage.com for Thomas' "Viridian Joule." Voting ended at 8 a.m. ET and Chevrolet announced the winner in Los Angeles.

"I looked at the photo of the Volt on the contest web site and thought it looked emerald in color, which led to jewel and then to an alternate yet appropriate play on that word - joule (a unit of electrical energy)," said Thomas.



LOS ANGELES – Chevrolet announced today at the Los Angeles International Auto Show that the Volt electric vehicle with extended-range capability will be available late next year in California – the nation’s largest new-car market – with other lead markets to be named later.



Chevrolet is also partnering with three California utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as part of an extended, real-world demonstration and research program to introduce customers to electric vehicles, advance vehicle electrification and establish vehicle charging programs to pave the way for consumers. General Motors is leading the program with a grant of more than $30 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Energy.



“It is natural that California is the lead market for Volt. Not only is it the largest automotive market, Californians are known to be leaders in adopting groundbreaking new technologies,” said Brent Dewar, GM vice president, Global Chevrolet Brand.



Volt production is scheduled to begin in late 2010. Pricing has not been announced. The initial Volt launch markets, including California, will play a vital role in validating the retail market readiness for electric vehicles. GM is working with key utilities across North America to prepare each regional market in advance of the retail market deployment.



Three California utilities participating in the demonstration project are Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utility District. They join EPRI, an independent, nonprofit research organization based in Palo Alto, Calif., and seven other utilities in the project. EPRI’s utility members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States.


As part of the research and demonstration program, Chevrolet will deliver more than 100 Volts to program participants to use in their fleets for two years. Chevrolet will also utilize OnStar telematics technology to collect vehicle performance data and driver feedback that will be reported to the DOE and used to improve customers’ experiences with the new technology.



Because the Volt is designed to conveniently charge anywhere, the program also includes installing more than 500 charging stations for residential, business and public use. The charging stations will be used to learn more about the installation, the vehicle charging process and to gain customer feedback on the experience.

The Chevrolet Volt is designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery runs low, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles before refueling or stopping to recharge the battery.



The Volt is more than its advanced electric propulsion system. With technology beyond the battery, the Volt takes personalization, feedback and interaction to new levels.



The Volt’s “Efficiency Meter” in the digital instrument cluster gives the driver real-time feedback on driving efficiency. The heating and cooling system has three efficiency modes, while activating the Volt’s “Green Leaf” button provides access to vehicle Power Flow, Charging and Energy information. The driver will be able to set the charging schedule inside the vehicle or remotely, based on time of day or cost. And the Volt even has audio and visual cues to alert the driver when the car powers on, off and when charging is activated.



The Volt has been keeping a high profile in and around Los Angeles in the days leading up to the auto show. It has visited notable L.A.-area restaurants, the Westlake Century City Mall in West Los Angeles and was featured at a nationwide school assembly based at the Harvard-Westlake preparatory school. Chevrolet will also introduce a new Volt song designed to educate and entertain consumers during the auto show’s public days.

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Cadillac Converj Becoming a Reality

Speaking of building off of the Volt platform, the Detroit News is saying Cadillac will build a Converj. The Converj was a concept build off of the Volt idea, an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV).

Cadillac included the Converj in a presentation made to the board on November 2.

It would be years before a Converj could be built, and it would most likely look very little like the concept vehicle presented at the NAIAS, but it makes a lot of sense.

The plug-in hybrid technology built into the Volt is going to be very expensive for GM and the consumers who choose to buy it. The battery pack alone is supposedly going to cost 10 grand. The vehicle is expected to have a price tag around $40 thousand. By building a Volt-like Cadillac, you can expect the customer is OK with paying that much for a car.

"Cadillac needs as much excitement in its portfolio as possible, so I think it's a good strategy for them," said Rebecca Lindland, director of auto industry research at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.

As long as you're not looking for stupendous sales numbers, the luxury hybrid can do well.  None of the luxury hybrids sold so far can compete with the production of the Prius, but they do very well by luxury car standards. 

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GM Already Thinking of Taking Volt Tech to Other Vehicles

GM will be 'taking the Volt technology to other vehicles,' not attempting to brand the Volt the way Toyota is looking to expand the Prius brand according to GM officials. Source: Reuters.

But, I disagree with the author of that news story. Toyota hasn't expanded the Prius brand, but has taken the hybrid synergy drive and placed it into many of its vehicles (and even in other automakers vehicles... see the Nissan Altima).

There have been rumors to the affect that Toyota will be building on the Prius name and creating a Prius line of cars, but it hasn't happened yet. And GM could end up following the same tack if the Volt becomes iconic in the way the Prius has.

"Our thought is to take the Volt technology to other products," Brent Dewar, chief of global operations for Chevrolet, told the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit.

"The Volt was the original vehicle that we started, but I wouldn't see that as a brand marketing direction for us," he said.

We'll see what happens a decade from now when the Volt has become established.

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Suzuki Swift Plug-in Hybrid

Suzuki will be presenting the Swift plug-in hybrid at the Tokyo Auto Show.  The Swift is not available in the US.

The plug-in is an electric range extended vehicle (E-REV), which drives on all electric power for a given range powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.  After the battery gets low, the small 660cc gas engine recharges the battery pack until you can get back to a plug.

The battery pack runs down the center center of the car and the electric motor can produce 55kW, while the gas engine can produce 40 kW.

The small K-car (mini-car or 660cc) is targeted at city commuters and shoppers.  But really, not a lot of details are floating around, yet.  The all electric range, size of the battery pack, etc...

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Fisker Plug-in Hybrid Wake Up Call For GM

Earth2tech caught an investor who let the cat out of the bag on Fiskers future plans.  It seems they want a plug-in hybrid in production by 2012.  The kicker is, they want to price it at $39,000.

That's very significant.  The Chevy Volt is supposed to go on sale at around $40,000 a pop.  GM will also have the Volt out 2 years sooner than the Fisker model will appear.  And it looks like none of the other major automakers will have their own plug-in on the road sooner than GM will.

Which, I'm sure, makes GM very happy.  After noting the success of the Toyota Prius, and realizing that like everyone else, they can't beat or match the price/fuel efficiency/image of the Prius, GM looked to leapfrog the competition by building up the Volt.

But it looks like that leapfrog is going to be a lot smaller jump than they wanted.  If Fisker, a small niche automaker can get a plug-in hybrid in to production at about the same price range, what does that say for the possibility that Honda, Toyota, or Ford could do the same and possibly for less?

And, while GM should be happy they are going to be first, that doesn't give them the head start they wanted.  Look at the Insight and the Prius.  One took off, while the other stagnated.

No, if I were GM, I'd be a little bit worried about the Fisker plug-in.

If they are to succeed with the Volt, they are going to have to look at the plan Toyota followed to make the Prius a success.

One, they need to take the long view.  The Prius was not an overnight success.  It took a decade for it to really catch on and become a cultural phenomenon.

Two, they have to keep the price tag down as much as they can.  The Prius was not sold for a profit for years.  Can GM afford to wait until they can sell even one Volt and say they made money off of it?  Can they afford not to?

Three, push hard to make the Volt as good as they can at first, then push hard to simplify.  The Prius was made as fuel efficient as they could using the technology they could.  It was also made as well as they could.  You didn't hear about massive battery failures, or the electronics failing or the brakes failing on huge numbers of cars.  Toyota also included some luxury and tech items which, I'm sure, kept the losses up for Toyota, not down.  But the buyers who eventually made the Prius a success wanted those items.  Prius buyers were older, more conservative and more affluent than you might expect.  GM should expect Volt buyers to be the same, if not more so given the price they're going to have to pay.

Four, diversify the product, but at reasonable levels.  Use the research and technology and place it into other vehicles.  Test out some options.  Toyota now has more hybrid models than anyone else.  Not only does that help to spread out the cost, it also helps you test out different types of models.

But don't do it like Honda has done it.  Honda deliberately tries something very different every time, while Toyota looks to try subtle differences each time.  They focus on fuel efficiency, but after that anything goes but only in small doses.  Luxury, power increase, etc...  Honda has emphasize in each of their hybrid models extremely different things.  The first was a two-seater, but very fuel efficient.  Then the Civic was the mainstream model.  Then the Accord was the muscle car, with not enough muscle.  Then the Insight II was the cheaper version of the Prius.  Two of those models are already gone by the wayside.

Or GM could model itself after Ford and spread the Volt across the same model, just different brands.  Ford created the Escape Hybrid, rolled it out to Mazda (barely) and Mercury, and left it at that.  They continued refining the process, but at the same time, they limited the number of sales and production.  That kept them from losing too much at any one time.  Then, once they got the cost down, they rolled it out to the Milan and Fusion.  But that's a cautious approach and one that will leave GM in second or third place in the new plug-in hybrid world, something they seem desparate to avoid.

And finally, focus in on fuel efficiency at a practical size.  The Toyota Prius wasn't the most fuel efficient vehicle.  Nor was it the most luxurious hybrid.  Nor was it the largest hybrid.  No, it's just the most fuel efficient hybrid at just the right size.   That's why the Prius has beat out all the others.  That's how it became the image of fuel efficiency, despite not being the most fuel efficient.

So, can GM do all that in the post bailout world?  Can they afford to lose money on the Volt for years?  Can they figure out fuel efficiency first?  Can they spread out the technology even as it loses money?  Can they keep the price down as much as they can, while still building the Volt as well as they possibly can?  We'll just have to wait and see.

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Lotus Range Extender Engine

Lotus Engineering is bringing an all new engine to the Frankfurt Auto Show. The new engine was specifically designed to be used in an extended range electric vehicle (E-REV).

You can think of E-REV as a plug-in electric vehicle with a built in gas motor used not to move the car, but to recharge the battery when it gets low. This extends the range the electric vehicle can go on one charge.

The Chevy Volt, for instance, will be able to travel 40 miles on all electric power after being plugged in (overnight). Once the battery gets low, the gas engine will kick in to keep the battery charged until you can plug the vehicle in once again.

The Lotus Range Extender engine is a three cylinder 1.2 litre capable of producing 15 kW of electrical power at 1,500 rpm and 35 kW at 3,500 rpm via the integrated electrical generator. The aluminium monoblock construction, integrates the cylinder block, cylinder head and exhaust manifold in one casting. This results in reduced engine mass (56 kg), assembly costs, package size and improved emissions and engine durability.

The engine uses a two-valve port-fuel injection combustion system which reduces cost and mass. It can also be used with alcohol based fuels.

The Lotus Range Extender engine reduces cost in design and mass, allowing for the inclusion of the large (and heavy!) battery packs necessary in an E-REV. Lotus expects the engine offers a fast route to market for original equipment manufacturers wanting to source a dedicated range extender for series hybrid vehicles.


Technical details:
Technical specification of the Lotus Range Extender engine

General - 1.2 litre 3-cylinder with 2 valves per cylinder, SOHC
Belt driven
Construction - Monoblock with Integrated Exhaust Manifold
All aluminium
Balance shaft (optional)
Direct-coupled generator
Bore and Stroke - 75.0 mm x 90.0 mm
Compression ratio - 10:1
Maximum power - 35 kW (47 bhp) at 3500 rpm via integrated electrical generator
Peak torque - 107 Nm at 2500 rpm
Maximum BMEP - 11.2 bar
Maximum Engine Speed - 3500 rpm
Fuel System - Port fuel injection, Lotus EMS
Fuel - 95 RON ULG / ethanol / methanol
Dry weight - 56 kg

Key features of the Range Extender engine in detail:
Monoblock
The Range Extender features a novel engine architecture incorporating a monoblock construction that blends the cylinder head and block together eliminating the need for a cylinder head gasket, improving durability and reducing weight. Approximately 17 parts are eliminated using this approach and the water jacket is better optimised.

Integrated Exhaust Manifold
Lotus Engineering designed and developed a new advanced cylinder head design featuring an integrated exhaust manifold. The production-ready technology can significantly reduce manufacturing costs, emissions and weight. An integrated exhaust manifold has potential to:
o Reduce parts count: 18 fewer components resulting in lower inventory, production, logistics and aftermarket costs
o Weight reduction: total system mass reduction resulting from elimination of separate exhaust manifold
Improved engine durability


Generator
Attached to the engine via the crankshaft, the generator sustains vehicle operation beyond the range provided by the batteries.

Additional Benefits
The Lotus Range Extender engine generates a reduction in emissions through faster light-off of the close-coupled catalytic converter with a reduction in heat loss between the exhaust port and catalyst inlet. Engine operating range is optimised to deliver more efficient running, which also aids underhood thermal management.

Utilisation of the monoblock construction results in an assembly cost reduction, while there is also a reduced catalyst loading requirement because less heat is lost on engine start-up between the exhaust port and catalyst inlet.

Increased vehicle integration flexibility is achieved because of the reduction in mass and the reduced package size leads to reduced space requirements. Particular emphasis has also been placed on the coupling of the generator and NVH signature.

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Fisker Expects Karma Rated at 67 mpg

Fisker Automotive will be bringing the Karma plug-in hybrid electric sports car to the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Fisker expects half of all their sales will occur in Europe.

Fisker expects the Karma to be rated at 83g CO2/km and 3.5L/100km (67 mpg), but take those numbers with a lot of salt. The EPA and European equivalents really need to work on a different standard for range extended electric vehicles (electric vehicles and plug-ins). If you put in a gallon of gas into your car and expect to go 67 miles on it, you're going to be way off.

Even in the long run, that number is meaningless. If you drive under 40-50 miles a day (the all electric range for the Karma), you're going to use a lot less fuel, if any, than if you drive 60, 70 or hundreds of miles between plugging in. The gas engine will recharge the battery after it is depleted, so how much fuel you use will be completely up to the driver.

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Nissan Laughs at Chevy Volt 230 MPG Rating

Nissan, either to prove a point or to just steal GM's thunder, pointed out the Nissan Leaf, their new electric vehicle due out in 2010, will get 367 mpg by the EPA rating.

Too bad they're not going to use any gasoline.

In the meantime, the EPA won't back up GM's claim to 230 mpg since they haven't tested the Volt and won't for a while.

Of course, both numbers are ridiculous on the face of it. Rating an electric vehicle (which won't use any gasoline) or a plug-in hybrid (or E-REV which may never use any gasoline) for 230 mpg or 367 mpg is foolish in the extreme.

The EPA needs to come up with a different rating system for the plug-in and electric vehicles that are coming. Whether it's 230, 367, or 99,999 mpg, they still aren't using fuel the way they used to and those numbers tell you absolutely nothing about what you're going to get from the vehicle.  How many people are going to buy the Chevy Volt and be really disappointed once they realize their car really gets only 40 mpg or less once the gas engine kicks in?

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