Powering GM's Electric Vehicles

[zete]

Link: http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18054/


General Motors (GM) recently announced that it is developing two types of plug-in hybrid vehicles, cars designed to run exclusively or almost exclusively on electricity for daily commutes. (See "GM's New Electric Vehicle" and "GM's Plug-In Hybrid.") But the announcements came with this caveat: the battery technology isn't ready, and production will have to wait. In reality, the battery technology is actually quite close to being ready.

Indeed, GM's vehicle chief engineer, Nick Zelenski, says that individual batteries are already good enough. "We've got enough data at the cell level to feel that the technology is there," he says. What remains to be done is packaging the cells into large battery packs and testing them in actual vehicles. This will be a challenge, Zelenski says, since there is a big difference between using "a single cell and multiplying them all together to get the energy levels that we need for this type of vehicle." But according to development contracts GM recently signed with two groups of companies, such battery packs will be ready for testing in vehicles by the end of this year.


So experts and GM itself believes that battery chemistry and system design could lead to working prototypes of GM's electric vehicles by year's end. And from the article it seems GM is fully aware of that. I guess they're simply hiding the fact from their competition.

[plane]

Well not any more.

Thanks zete.



To your point - exactly. Why would GM show anything like this that is certain to be a hit with the public, without the ability to back it up with product?

[chakis24]

sounds good to me, so if everything goes as planned, we should be seeing the volt MY 010? batteries by the end of the year, testing next year, and then production. if it could be sooner the better, make it now so that only the batteries need to be put in and test right away and maybe we'll see it a little early? as long as it beats toyota im happy.

[Bggriffi]

this is really good news... i was under the impression that the batteries would not be ready for a couple of years. this is the kind of attention from the press GM needs.

[pinyon]

This is starting to look like the General is being a lot smarter than in the past. I don't want to get hopes up too much but maybe they are indeed managing this in their favor for a change. Let's hope so. I guess we'll see by year's end if there are indeed prototype running around and if there are periodic press releases showing progress towards production.

[91 s-10baja]

I have not been a hybrid fan since the begining, but thanks to GM this technology makes sense. Essentially never needing fuel? I am sold, I would buy one!

[Saturn69]

This is good. It won't stop the Toyotaphiles or naysayers, but it's better than thinking the batteries are 10 years away and having GM shoot its mouth off too soon. Again. I would seriously love to have a Volt. Throw some solar panels on my garage and presto.....nearly free transportation! C'mon GM, don't let us down.

[PA Dweller]

Now maybe people will stop bitching about GM killing the EV-1?

[01cavalier]

I'm not too surprised that it isn't that much of a stretch to get the batteries into a larger set for use in a vehicle. I also didn't realize how much power hill-climbing would require from a battery, though if they can handle that this would make a great car to drive around town.

[gotz_otto]

It is nice to hear batteries will be ready by years end. Like most of you I thought they would not be ready for years to come. I just wish GM would have waited until next year or so to release the Volt and have it the following model year to keep the idea fresher. I am afraid Toyota will produce one and some how make it seem like they saved the world.

[tholland]

With the ICE driving the generator, the engine should be pretty cheap to produce, wouldn't it? If it operates under narrow parameters (rpm, load), that should ease material/design requirements.

[Al465]

Originally Posted by gotz_otto

It is nice to hear batteries will be ready by years end. Like most of you I thought they would not be ready for years to come. I just wish GM would have waited until next year or so to release the Volt and have it the following model year to keep the idea fresher. I am afraid Toyota will produce one and some how make it seem like they saved the world.

I agree that GM has to give this project the highest priority possible and get manufacturing in high gear. This could once again get GM some respect and capture market share and then go back to their glory days. I hope it happens!! I'll be one of the first to buy the Chevrolet Volt.

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by plane

Well not any more.

Thanks zete.



To your point - exactly. Why would GM show anything like this that is certain to be a hit with the public, without the ability to back it up with product?

I don't know why they'd do this, either, but they've done it many times.

If the Volt is so revolutionary, and the competition isn't already working on something similar, and they thought it would be ready in 2010, then why show it now at all? If this is all true, GM would be stupidly tipping its hand. And they're not that stupid.

So, what gives?

Either...
--it's mostly a PR exercise
--it's not news to the competition, and they're working on the same thing
--GM was stupid

We didn't see any other potential 2010-2012 vehicles at the show, right? There's a reason for that.

[uboys]

Originally Posted by gotz_otto

It is nice to hear batteries will be ready by years end. Like most of you I thought they would not be ready for years to come. I just wish GM would have waited until next year or so to release the Volt and have it the following model year to keep the idea fresher. I am afraid Toyota will produce one and some how make it seem like they saved the world.

So am I.

Originally Posted by tholland

With the ICE driving the generator, the engine should be pretty cheap to produce, wouldn't it? If it operates under narrow parameters (rpm, load), that should ease material/design requirements.

Yes. It will likely only have one RPM--which is good for longevity, NVH and reliability.
I am wondering whether or not it would be more efficient to use a turbine instead.

[paul3230]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

I don't know why they'd do this, either, but they've done it many times.

If the Volt is so revolutionary, and the competition isn't already working on something similar, and they thought it would be ready in 2010, then why show it now at all? If this is all true, GM would be stupidly tipping its hand. And they're not that stupid.

So, what gives?

Either...
--it's mostly a PR exercise
--it's not news to the competition, and they're working on the same thing
--GM was stupid

We didn't see any other potential 2010-2012 vehicles at the show, right? There's a reason for that.

Exactly. The competition is working on it, but GM probably has invested the most out of anyone. GM needs the take back the tech leadership from Toyota..and this is the perfect thing. If they have prototypes at the end of this year, I bet you that GM will have it in production early 09.