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Lutz: no reasonable doubt that Volt will be on-time

Lutz: no reasonable doubt that Volt will be on-time

Nelson Ireson June 16th, 2008 Nelson Ireson By Nelson Ireson Author June 16th, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 The grand venture that is the Chevrolet Volt (concept pictured) has appeared at alternate times to be almost certainly doomed and almost a sure thing. The latest pronouncement from GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz leaves an 'almost' in the car's future, but is the most positive statement in recent times that the Volt will be on-schedule and as expected. Testing for the car's drivetrain has been underway for some time as last-generation Chevy Malibu mules outfitted with the Volt's batteries and motor have been seen driving in and around Detroit. Those tests are apparently going well, according to Lutz, reports Automotive News. "I would say there's almost no reasonable doubt in our minds anymore that this is going to work," he said. The test mules have been driving in all-electric mode for mile ranges in the "high 30s, [and] low 40s" according to Lutz, "and they go up hills with it and everything" he noted. Thirty to 40 miles per charge puts the engineering prototype powertrains very close to the Volt's target range of 40mi on electricity alone, although sourcing the battery for mass production is another hurdle to clear. The company is reportedly close to naming a supplier, but it has not yet made an official announcement.
Lutz: no reasonable doubt that Volt will be on-time

Lutz: no reasonable doubt that Volt will be on-time

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The grand venture that is the Chevrolet Volt (concept pictured) has appeared at alternate times to be almost certainly doomed and almost a sure thing. The latest pronouncement from GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz leaves an 'almost' in the car's future, but is the most positive statement in recent times that the Volt will be on-schedule and as expected.

Testing for the car's drivetrain has been underway for some time as last-generation Chevy Malibu mules outfitted with the Volt's batteries and motor have been seen driving in and around Detroit. Those tests are apparently going well, according to Lutz, reports Automotive News.

"I would say there's almost no reasonable doubt in our minds anymore that this is going to work," he said.

The test mules have been driving in all-electric mode for mile ranges in the "high 30s, [and] low 40s" according to Lutz, "and they go up hills with it and everything" he noted.

Thirty to 40 miles per charge puts the engineering prototype powertrains very close to the Volt's target range of 40mi on electricity alone, although sourcing the battery for mass production is another hurdle to clear. The company is reportedly close to naming a supplier, but it has not yet made an official announcement.

Tags: General Motors

Posted in: Chevrolet, News, Hybrid


Comments (7 total)

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  1. By Paul #1, Posted: 6/16/2008

    I will still be impressed if they can pull this off. The Tesla has (as I expected) failed to meet the standards they set for themselves. Just a week or 2 after the Car and Driver article was printed about the Tesla (in which they never drove the distance claimed by Tesla) the transmission problem was revealed. Of course they don't have the resources that GM does. Buying an electric car now is like buying a personal computer in the early 80's. Give it another 20 years and the progress made will be astounding. But I wish GM the very best, and I'm pulling for them.

  2. By Gus #2, Posted: 6/16/2008

    You gotta start somewhere... :)

  3. By chris #3, Posted: 6/16/2008

    I think the resources is key here. you're talking about tesla, a small start-up that didnt really know how to make cars... they had the electric technology. GM's got 100 years of making cars, all they need is a battery. and that's easy when you just buy the company that has all of that knowledge.

    trust me guys.. the technology in these cars is nothing new. I work with similar equipment day in and day out. there are DC motors, which could run directly off of batteries, there are AC motors which require an electronic device to take the DC power from the battery and give you an AC line to the motors, you vary the frequency with the required speed... these systems are used in industry every day.

    I hope like hell that they engineer the crap out of this car out of fear.. it should be an amazing vehicle.

  4. By amac #4, Posted: 6/17/2008

    “and they go up hills with it and everything” Whoop-dee-do. GM should use that brilliant quote in the new Volt brochures.

  5. By NCyder #5, Posted: 6/17/2008

    “and they go up hills with it and everything”

    Forgive Lutz his ignorance thinking that the people paying attention to the Volt are privy to the problems inherent in EV or PHEV design. Evidently high electrical current modes or sufficient motor size has been an issue in the past with this development.

    Major car companies do "engineer the crap" out of their cars. They test. They design for repair. They do all the right things from an engineering POV. And at some point their marketing and accounting people put their heads together and decide just how much to take out of the car and still have it sell.

    The Prius is a juggernaut and nobody wants to go head to head with it right now. Look for the Volt to target a slightly different market.

  6. By burke #6, Posted: 6/19/2008

    Long before Tesla and Fisker were even a drawing on a piece of paper, GM put an electric car on the streets that proved without a doubt that it could run: The GM EV-1. We saw the EV1 going out of production even when consumers wanted a lot more of them. And transmission issues were not the problem back in the day. I think the Chevy Volt, as is, has all the ingredients to succeed and create an entire market for itself. The volt works like the diesel electric locomotives that have been hauling cargo for about a century "up and down hills" and today can run at speeds of up to 100mph. If the Volt were in the dealers as is right now, you can rest assured the Prius would not be the jaggernaut to deal with

  7. By tom #7, Posted: 6/24/2008

    Isn't the VOLT to be priced at almost TWICE the Prius price? It BETTER be good!

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