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2016 Chevy Volt Question: What's Under The Roof Camouflage?

13K views 39 replies 34 participants last post by  mikmak 
#1 ·
carscoops.com

October 17, 2014

Article Quotes:

Our spies, who had a closer look at the car, told us that particular attention was paid to covering the roofs of these prototypes "leaving us to wonder if there is simply another glass roof underneath, or some sort of solar panel".

Photo Credit: carscoops.com
 
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#2 ·
Glass roof? Solar panel (but that would cover the entire roof surface area, no?), simple design (allowing additional head room for a rear middle seat) - or just a prop by a GM engineer???

I have to say as a Volt owner, and potential NG Volt owner; I am curious.

Here is what the (optional) solar sunroof looks like on the Audi A8. Note how the cells are built in to the glass - no bump.


Image Credit: Car & Driver magazine.
 
#7 ·
Well on the Volt forums there have been a fair number of people that were not pleased that the current Volt did not have a sunroof option.

A few even moved to have aftermarket ones installed.

So it would not suprise me if it were some type of glass feature.
 
#22 ·
the Prius MK III has a concave roof for aerodynamics and a lot of people complain about the LACK of a sun roof option

and for solar panels I believe the Prius offers one and so does the leaf both are for ventilating the car when parked to lesson the LOAD on the AirCon NOT to charge it

I could see charging the 12V system Battery but TOTALLY pointless for charging the traction BATTS
 
#8 ·
Rebate checks to make it sell.

Total Recall Motors really blew it with the VaporVolt - off the shelf inefficient direct drive engine that doubles as a generator - should have been smaller and biodiesel tuned to a specific and efficient powerband and not tied to driving wheels in situations.

Also TRM should have priced this thing at the price of a Prius - yes, they would have lost money, but the more these products sold, the greater the economy of scale would have been dropping the breakeven point as Toyoduh did with the Prius.

Of course the styling was rancid - high belt line with horrific gimmick of black paint to make it seem lower. Interior looked like a child took his apple discard pile and threw it at the dash and saw what stuck. Looked cheap and felt it.

The sooner that this vehicle sells over 7,500 units per month the sooner it makes money. The problem is that it will never sell that many as long as TRM plays around with it as it has. Over at Cadihack, that VaporVoltless thing should have stickered at $39,995 which would have helped to build volume and then slowly the price could have been raised - same thing with the VaporVolt. Now both are being heavily discounted and the price point is a complete and utter joke.
 
#19 ·
Even if you dressed the whole top side of the car in solar panels, it wouldn't provide a significant change in driving range. What would be helpful, however, is in extremely hot climates it could ventilate the interior when parked to limit the highly parasitic draw of cranking the A/C upon return. This could also come in handy to cool the battery pack, or heat it in cold weather to improve performance. That is, if we are in fact looking at a solar panel.
 
#29 ·
Dind Ding, the wimnner.

Exactly what I was going to say had you not done so already - although only the cooling part. Heating the battery pack would be insignificant. The cooling though leverages the small energy collected by the cell because it uses it to physically move thermal energy in air out of the vehicle. That is a very cost effective use of minimal energy.

In heating on a cold day you get no such leverage.



;)
 
#26 ·
As a Volt owner I realize that panels wouldn't help charge the main battery and I've been thinking this is aerodynamics. But I will say that on a sunny winter day parked at work with no plug in that having panels to keep the car warm would be welcome as well as ventilation on a hot summer day.
 
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