Electric Cars Report » Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt Goes to China

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:46:23 +0000

General Motors announced the arrival of the first drivable Chevrolet Volt extended range electric car in China.

The Chevrolet Volt, which will be sold in the US from the end of this year, will go on sale in Chinese market next year.

Despite earlier reports–including ours–to the contrary, General Motors plans to sell the car as a Chevrolet, rather than as a Buick–a brand that carries far more prestige in China than the mass-market Chevy label.

GM delivered two Chevrolet Volts to the Shanghai Expo Bureau for use as part of its VIP transportation fleet at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The Volt will shuttle special guests to and from Shanghai’s Expo Park and demonstrate GM’s pathway to its vision of sustainable urban transportation.

The Chevrolet Volt will be available in China with the OnStar in-vehicle safety, security and communication service. Chevrolet and OnStar developed the smartphone application system that will allow Volt owners to set the charge time, start their vehicle, track mileage, unlock doors and much more from a smartphone or home computer on a 24/7 basis.

GM Increases Chevrolet Volt Production 50 Percent

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:32:21 +0000

General Motors today said that it will increase the production capacity of the Chevrolet Volt in 2012 from 30,000 cars to 45,000.

The announcement came as U.S. President Barack Obama toured the Detroit-Hamtramck facility, where the Chevrolet Volt is being produced now for sale later this year.

The expanded U.S. production capacity is the latest in a series of positive developments for the Chevrolet Volt.

This week, participating Chevrolet dealers in launch markets began taking customer orders for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, following the release of retail and lease pricing.

The brand also recently announced battery and vehicle limited warranties to bring value and peace of mind to Volt customers. And the number of U.S. launch markets for the vehicle recently was raised from three to seven. In the past few weeks, more than 25,000 people have joined the Chevrolet Volt enthusiast list.

The Volt offers a total driving range of about 340 miles and is powered by electricity at all times. For up to the first 40 miles, the vehicle drives gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered, engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank.

The Detroit-Hamtramck plant received $336 million in new investment to prepare for production of the Volt, part of more than $700 million GM has invested in eight Michigan facilities to support Volt production since 2008. This includes a 33,000 square-foot battery systems lab in Warren; a battery assembly facility in Brownstown Township; and supporting engine and stamping operations in Grand Blanc, Bay City, and three plants in Flint.

2011 Chevrolet Volt to Start at $41000

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:40:25 +0000

It’s official: starting this November, GM dealerships in select U.S markets will start selling the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the first mass produced extended-range electric vehicle, at a starting price of $41,000 (including a $720 destination charge).

The effective purchase price with a federal tax credit worth up to $7,500 for the Chevrolet Volt, the price drops to $33,500. Car buyers will have to finance the $41,000 and get the credit back on their next tax return.

GM will also offer leasing option for the Chevrolet Volt available on a 36-month term which will set you back $350/month with an initial payment of $2,500, which is about equal to the Leaf’s.

The carmaker announced the Chevrolet Volt pricing at noon today at the Plug-In 2010 conference in San Jose, Calif.

GM is making the pitch that the Volt’s longer driving range on a single charge and tank of gasoline will make it a better buy for most drivers than Nissan’s Leaf.

The Chevy Volt price tag is considerably larger than the electric Nissan Leaf, which is expected to sell for $32,780. Both cars, however, will qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit and there are several states offering additional tax credits that could lower the cost of owning a Volt even more.

The Chevrolet Volt can travel 340 miles on a tank of fuel, with the first 40 in electric drive before a gasoline engine starts to recharge the battery. The Leaf is pure electric and can travel about 100 miles on a charge.

Over 600 Dealers to Sell Chevrolet Volt in Launch Markets

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:49:47 +0000

More than 600 Chevrolet dealers in launch markets have applied to sell Chevrolet Volt when it goes on sale in December, but Chevrolet won’t reveal a full list until later.

Chevrolet dealers in California, Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas, the New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut were invited to join the Chevy Volt program earlier this month.

The dealers are required to take part in an extensive training program focused on the sales and service elements of the vehicle. Participating dealers also are required to have a Chevrolet Volt on their lot for potential customers to test drive.

“About 90 percent of our Chevrolet dealers in launch markets to date have requested to become participating Volt dealers,” said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt product marketing director. “The response exceeded expectations given the extensive training requirements. There’s obviously a lot of enthusiasm for the Volt’s arrival later this year.”

“As soon as we got the final word, we signed on,” said Steve Waersch, general manager of Pohanka Chevrolet in Chantilly, Va., near the nation’s capital. “Our waiting list compiled over the last year and a half to two years has no less than 50 names on it. In the last month and a half, we’ve been getting four or five inquiries a week.”

The Chevrolet Volt can operate in pure electric mode for up to 40 miles powered by its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine switches on to drive a generator that powers the electric motor to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank of gas.

GM Offering 8-year Warranty on Volt Battery

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:26:26 +0000

General Motors will provide an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the battery and electric drive system in the Chevrolet Volt, a three-year boost from its standard warranty, to ease concerns about battery longevity.

The warranty will be transferable at no cost to other vehicle owners and cover all 161 battery components, GM said.

In addition, the warranty also includes the battery’s thermal management system, charging system and electric-drive components.

GM already offers a 100,000 mile, 5 year warranty on the engines and transmissions in all of its other models, so this warranty adds a small degree of greater protection for the Volt’s battery pack and related parts.

The Volt’s gasoline engine, which generates electricity should a driver want to travel beyond 40 miles after charging, will be covered by the standard 5-year, 100,000 mile warranty.

The Chevrolet Volt will go on sale later this year in California, Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas, and around New York City. Additional Volts will go on sale next year in Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut and the rest of New York and Texas.

GM plans to produce 10,000 Volts by the end of the 2011 calendar year and an additional 30,000 in 2012.

The automaker has provided some additional specifications on the battery pack. Key battery features include:

– Thermal management for durability and reliability: The Volt is the only mass-market electric vehicle with a battery that can be warmed or cooled. The battery is designed to provide reliable operation, when plugged in, at temperatures as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 C) and as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (+50 C). In cold weather, the battery will be preheated during charging to provide full power capability. In hot weather – the most challenging environment for a battery – the Volt’s battery can be chilled during charging. The Volt’s liquid thermal management system can also be powered during driving by the battery or engine/generator.

– Diagnostics for safety and performance: The Volt’s battery management system continuously monitors the battery real-time for optimum operations. More than 500 diagnostics run at 10 times per second, keeping track of the Volt’s battery pack; 85 percent of the diagnostics ensure the battery pack is operating safely, while the remaining 15 percent keep track of battery performance and life.

- Cell design and chemistry for performance and efficiency: GM’s selection of a prismatic cell design and LG Chem’s manganese spinel lithium-ion chemistry is designed to provide long life and high power output, with a properly maintained temperature. This enables better vehicle acceleration and increased regenerative braking capability for improved vehicle efficiency.

- Energy management for durability: Fully charging or fully depleting a battery shortens its life. The Volt’s energy management system never fully charges or depletes the battery. The Volt’s battery has top and bottom “buffer zones” to help ensure long life.

GM to Build 10000 Chevy Volts by End of 2011

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:11:56 +0000

General Motors Co. will build 10,000 Chevrolet Volts in 2011 and another 30,000 in 2012, Chevrolet Volt Marketing Director Tony DiSalle said during an online chat.

The first Chevy Volts will be sold in California, Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas and the New York City metropolitan area later this year. The Chevrolet Volt should be available in all 50 states 12 to 18 months after its initial launch, the company said.

GM has told Chevrolet dealers that they are all required to certain guidelines in order to sell the Volt.

Before receiving Volts for retail sales, dealers will be required to complete specialized sales and service training, and install 240-volt charging stations at their dealership.

The price has yet to be decided.

GM Includes NYC and Austin to Initial Volt Launch

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:12:49 +0000

Customers in the New York and in Austin, Texas, will be among the first to have a chance to own a Chevrolet Volt when General Motors begins delivering the electric vehicle with extended-range capability.

New York and Austin joins California, Michigan and Washington D.C. as the initial retail markets where Chevrolet will sell the Volt.

GM’s chairman and chief executive, Edward Whitacre Jr., is expected to announce those plans today at a speech at the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The Chevrolet Volt is expected to go on sale in November in limited numbers. GM expects to sell about 10,000 to 11,000 Volts in the first year of production. The automaker expects to sell 50,000 to 60,000 annually afterward.

The Chevrolet Volt is an extended range electric vehicle with a gasoline engine. It is geared for drivers and commuters that travel 40 miles or less a day. If the battery becomes depleted, the gasoline engine kicks in to give the Volt an additional range of about 300 miles.

It can be recharged using a conventional household electrical outlet and is a cornerstone of GM’s efforts to recast itself.

The Chevrolet Volt is a key part of GM’s strategy to position itself publicly as producing state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly products.

First 4,400 Chevy Volt Owners Eligible for Free Home Charging Stations

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:38:03 +0000

Buyers of the first 4,400 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids are eligible for free home-charging stations, the company said today.

The program will provide Volt owners with a 240-volt charge station from either ECOtality, Inc. or Coulomb Technologies. In many cases, it will include the cost of home installation. The projects are made possible with a grant of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Energy Department.

The Chevy Volt can be charged from either a standard 110-volt home outlet or the 240-volt outlet: the upgraded one is much faster in recharging the car. Volt runs on electricity, then can switch to a backup gasoline engine. It has enough range that Chevrolet says most commuters may never need to buy much, if any, gas. They will just plug in instead.

“Many owners will plug their Volt into a normal 120-volt electrical outlet, charge overnight and drive to work in the morning using only battery power,” said Tony DiSalle, Product and Marketing Director for the Chevrolet Volt. “For Volt owners who want to install a faster 240-volt charge station, we expect the Department of Energy project to save $1,000 and $2,000.”

To encourage consumer purchases of electric vehicles, federal grants and other funds have been awarded to install more than 15,000 home charge stations. That total includes 4,400 home charge stations for Volt owners; 2,600 as part of The EV Project from ECOtality, and 1,800 as part of the ChargePoint America project from Coulomb Technologies.

At the time of purchase, Volt buyers will receive a portable 120-volt charge cord, and will have the option of installing a 240-volt charge station available from Chevrolet. Volt buyers that live within the program cities may apply for a free 240-volt home charging station through the Coulomb or ECOtality programs if they are willing to share their charging information. Additional consumer information on eligibility requirements and the application process will be available when the Volt goes on sale later this year.

Chevrolet and OnStar to Train Emergency Responders on EV Technology

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:29:45 +0000

Chevrolet has joined with OnStar and leading national first-responder organizations to announce the first automotive manufacturer-sponsored training program to educate first responders nationwide on electric vehicle technology.

Chevrolet will sponsor a series of special training events for first responders over the next several months to ensure that everyone understands the unique features of the Chevy Volt.

The training sessions will feature the Chevrolet Volt and will begin at the IAFC’s Fire-Rescue International Conference, Aug. 23-27 in Chicago. Together with OnStar, Chevrolet will also display the Volt at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials conference Aug. 1-4 in Houston, and at the NENA conference, June 5-10 in Indianapolis. Chevrolet and OnStar will host first-responder sessions in Volt retail markets later this year including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington, D.C.

The training will include animation and illustrations of the Chevrolet Volt, highlighting locations of high-strength steel, cut points for extrication, first-responder labeling, automatic and manual electrical shut-off and more.

The Chevrolet Volt’s safety features include safeguards before, during and – thanks to OnStar — after a crash. Before a crash, the Volt’s safety technology includes standard anti-lock brakes with traction control, StabiliTrak electronic stability control and daytime running lamps. In the event of a crash, the Volt uses occupant protection features such as high-strength steel, crash sensors, eight standard air bags and safety belts with dual pretensioners to reduce the risk of injury. After a crash, the Chevrolet Volt has the added protection of OnStar, which uses built-in vehicle sensors to automatically alert an OnStar advisor in certain types of collisions. The advisor is immediately connected to the vehicle and can request that emergency help be sent to its location.

Chevrolet expects the Volt to achieve high safety ratings in government tests. More than 50 crash tests at various speeds and angles have been conducted in the development of the Chevrolet Volt to date, including front, side and rear impacts as well as rollovers. The Volt’s body structure is made up of nearly 80 percent high-strength steel and includes optimized restraint systems.

OnStar to Tap Google Maps for Chevy Volt Navigation

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:11:18 +0000

Chevrolet Volt drivers whose smartphones use Google’s Android operating system will be able to use their phones to pinpoint their vehicle’s location on Google Maps.

The public will get a peek at what OnStar is working on at the Google I/O conference May 19-20 in San Francisco, CA, where OnStar will debut and demonstrate new functionalities they’re developing for the Chevrolet Volt mobile application leveraging the AndroidTM platform.

Back in January, General Motors announced that OnStar would release a smartphone app to be used in conjunction with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

A new “navigation” tab has been added to the home screen of the existing Chevrolet Volt mobile app on the Android smartphone. When a Volt owner presses this tab, they will be able to see the current location of their Volt pinpointed on Google MapsTM, as well as their location relative to it.

From this map screen, owners can use Google search by voice to vocally search for a destination with their Android handset, and see where that destination is related to the Volt’s current location. They can then elect to send the destination from their Android phone to their Volt and have OnStar Turn-By-Turn directions to their destination waiting for them when they start the vehicle. Additionally, the owner will also have the option to get voice-guided directions to their vehicle from their current location, using Google Maps Navigation.

The new functionalities won’t be available on the Volt mobile app at launch, but are planned for a 2.0 version.

The smartphone mobile application for the Chevrolet Volt made its debut at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show and is planned to launch in tandem with the Volt this fall. Launch features include:

· Charge status display – plugged in or not and voltage (120V or 240V)

· Flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing

· Display percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges

· Ability to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest

· Send text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge

· Display 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

“These two new features add to the suite of mobile application features for Volt that given Volt owners a personal connection to their car,” said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt marketing director. “Connecting customers to their cars is one way we’re using technology to provide value and a real useful benefit to the Volt owner.”