PHEV – HISTORY ON THE VERGE OF HAPPENING

Believe a TV ad? Apparently.

That commercial running during the Olympics says GM’s Chevrolet Volt, the history-making plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), is coming to U.S. auto showrooms in 2010. And GM execs say they are on track.

Andrew Farah, GM chief engineer, Chevrolet Volt: "At this point, there's nothing standing in our way of continuing to do what we said we're going to do…"

Potential glitches? There’s no news: It’s still all about the battery.

Getting the promised 40-mile range, getting a 10-year or 150,000-mile life, distributing the 400-pound weight on small-car suspension, dissipating the heat.

Two companies are still competing for the battery contract, Compact Power Inc. (working with parent LG Chem of Korea) and Continental Automotive Systems (working with GM and A123 Systems Inc.)

But ithe Volt is going to be more than “a battery on wheels.” It will be a five-door hatchback, slightly bigger than a Honda Civic.

If it is being hurried to market, will it be as thoroughly tested as other cars? Volt chief engineer Farah: "The program has all of those same things built in. We're just doing them faster because we have to…"

That’s good news to 33,411 people New York neurologist Lyle Dennis, the Volt’s number one booster, has signed up at GM-Volt to purchase the car as soon as it is available. Dr. Dennis also organized "Volt Nation" at this year’s New York Auto Show and brought together Volt enthusiasts and GM execs.

The car has turned into a movement.

The crucial thing: It’s got to be a good car. Especially because Toyota is coming out with a PHEV in the same 2010 new-car season. (Toyota reports its PHEV is also on track for the scheduled market intro.)

GM knows a thing or 3 about plug-in vehicles. It designed and built the EV-1 in the 1980s and 1990s, only to give up on it when low gas pump prices and government policy did not support their game-changing undertaking.

GM’s price for the Volt will be $30,000 to $40,000 (bet on the bigger number). The average “acceptable” price from Dr. Dennis’ subscribers: $31,261. The showroom salespeople can no doubt take it from there. GM says it does not expect to make money on Volt’s first year sales but expects to be selling 100,000 per year by 2012.

NewEnergyNews believes GM is intentionally setting the bar low. Toyota sold 180,000+ Priuses in 2007. If the Volt is a good car and not just a field test, it will outperform the Prius in the marketplace.

Why is NewEnergyNews so sure? Americans drove 53.2 billion fewer miles in 2008 than in the same period of 2007. Because of gas prices, they changed that fast. They’re ready for change they can drive in and they will be readier by 2010.

Volt chief engineer Farah: "It's an opportunity to change the way we consume energy without significantly changing our lifestyle…"

The Volt Olympics ad. From GM Volt via YouTube.

GM engineer says rechargeable car is on schedule
Tom Kirsher, August 13, 2008 (AP)
and
Over 33,000 buyers signed up for GM electric car
Kevin Krolicki (w/Phil Berlowitz), August 12, 2008 (Reuters)
and
Toyota making progress on plug-in car
August 15, 2008 (AP via The Age)

WHO
General Motors Corp. (Andrew Farah, chief engineer, Chevrolet Volt); Toyota Motor Corp (Justin Ward, powertrain design program manager); Ford Motor Corp.

WHAT
GM’s Chevrolet Volt is on track. GM has the lithium-ion battery it wants. It is working out other issues.

click to enlarge

WHEN
- 2010: GM says it will bring the Volt to market.
- January 2007: The Volt was first introduced as a concept car.
- Late 2007: GM fell 10 weeks behind when battery develop took longer than expected but the company’s team has made up the time.
- 2010: Toyota will bring its PHEV to U.S. markets.
- 2013: Ford says its PHEV will not be market-ready for 5 years.

WHERE
- Volt production will come from GM’s Hamtramck, Mich., plant.
- Compact Power Inc.: Based in Troy, Mich
- LG Chem: Based in Korea
- Continental Automotive Systems: Based in Frankfurt, Germany
- A123 Systems Inc.: Based in Watertown, Mass.
- States with most subscribed Volt buyers: California, Texas, Florida, Michigan.
- Subscribed Volt buyers: 46 countries outside the United States.

WHY
- The Volt, using a lithium-ion battery pack, will have a 40-mile all-battery range on its electric drive system and then switch to a gas-powered internal combustion engine. The combination is expected to create an average 150-miles/gallon performance.
- Toyota’s PHEV, using the same kind of lithium-ion battery pack, is expected to have the same performance capacity.
- Among the factors driving GM: failing sales of SUVs, skyrocketing gas pump prices, Toyota.
- Among the unresolved issues: The 400-pound battery weight distribution for handling, dissipating battery heat, transfer of battery power to wheels.
- Battery cost: $10,000
- Key for battery: 10 years or 150,000 miles.

Dr. Lyle Dennis, M.D., addresses his "Volt Nation." From GM Volt via YouTube.

QUOTES
- Andrew Farah, GM chief engineer, Chevrolet Volt: "It'll have a similar set of visual cues and some of the features that were on the concept car…All those things result in lots of other mechanical parts and bits and pieces that have nothing to do with electrical energy…So we've had some issues there."
- Justin Ward, powertrain design program manager, Toyota: "We have a lot of experience with lithium…We're pretty confident with which chemistries work and which don't work."
- Brett Smith, assistant director for manufacturing and technology, Center for Automotive Research: "It's an entirely different technology. It's an entirely different powertrain layout. It's a huge step forward…This and the other vehicles that are coming out in plug-in form…are in a lot of ways prototype vehicles being put on the market to test…"
- Lyle Dennis, M.D., founder, GM-Volt & Volt Nation: "If everyone who wanted a Volt could get one, that would be the dream…"
- Dave Darovitz, spokesman, GM: "I don't know if there is any other vehicle or any other technology that has generated this kind of interest because of the state of the market and gas prices…We know the demand is going to be there."