[SKH]

Mary Barra will announce the latest investments to the Volt program at a speech Tuesday at the Detroit Economic Club.

https://autos.yahoo.com/news/general-motors-doubles-down-chevy-040100807.html

 

[mchicha]

This is a the best technology they have going in the electrification of the car, why would they need keep it going? Even for good press purposes only, its vital to their image.

 

[MechEng]

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/...nt/Pages/news/us/en/2014/Oct/1028-voltec.html

Straight from GM.

Volt will use 1.5L 4cyl as range extender.

Personally I think it's a good thing. The current one can get buzzy under heavy load. Also with direct injection and a lighter platform it might eliminate the need for mountain mode and allow GM to tune the engine for great efficiency.

 

[jzchev28]

Looking forward to seeing some details!

 

[GHull3]

This is excellent technology. This needs moved to some type of MPV platform and/or the Equinox.

 

[Ed753]

Warren Transmission will build the GM Voltec Multi-Mode Electric Drive Unit, which allows the Volt to drive in pure electric or extended range electric mode.

Where is the drive unit made today, Mexico?

If they thought they were going to sell a lot more of them, why would you move production from a "low cost" to a "high cost" country?

If they thought it was going to continue to sell in low volumes and deliver sales in inconsistent "fits and starts" moving the drive unit to Warren would be a good move, much easier to manage inventory; reduce inventory and transportation lag.

Volt is the most successful plug-in electric vehicle in the United States, with cumulative sales of more than 69,000 vehicles.

Didn't "Coke Can" tell us they were going to be shipping 120K a year by now?

 

[ctsdreamin]

As an aside, I've seen articles mention a possible 1.5L hybrid option for the Buick Envision. Perhaps this means we'll see the first application of voltec in a CUV. I found this in a search for info about the powertrain. http://papers.sae.org/2011-01-0887/
"Construction of the General Motors Company Voltec 4ET50 transaxle employs significant re-use of the General Motors Company front-wheel-drive Two-Mode Hybrid 2MT70 transaxle with modifications to enable all-speed and full-power EV operation. A new high power driving motor, optimized generator, and modified control elements allow the two EV driving modes and the two ER driving modes to be realized in the Chevrolet Volt."

 

[Quixote88]

Where is the drive unit made today, Mexico?

If they thought they were going to sell a lot more of them, why would you move production from a "low cost" to a "high cost" country?

If they thought it was going to continue to sell in low volumes and deliver sales in inconsistent "fits and starts" moving the drive unit to Warren would be a good move, much easier to manage inventory; reduce inventory and transportation lag.

Didn't "Coke Can" tell us they were going to be shipping 120K a year by now?

If I remember correctly, the Volt's electric drive unit is actually built in Japan, not Mexico. As such, for GM to build the unit in Michigan for future models really shouldn't be more costly... Especially if they are going to use a version of this unit in other vehicles beside the Volt and a future ELR... But maybe one of our Volt experts could answer that for sure.

Coke Can Dan has his strengths, but predicting and generating car sales was not one of them...

 

[pinyon]

Current transmission is definitely made in Japan.

 

[1958carnut]

Looking forward to seeing some details!

Yeah, me too.

This is excellent technology. This needs moved to some type of MPV platform and/or the Equinox.

I think they are a day late and a dollar short when it comes to this. It should have already been done. Spread the wealth(technology) and reap some more profits.

 

[MechEng]

Current transmission is definitely made in Japan.

Current generation electic motors are made in Japan,
Current transmission is made in White Marsh, MD

Now the electric powertrain will be assembled in Warren, MI for gen 2.0

Electric motors will be built by Hitachi in Kentucky and sent to Warren.

 

[AusCalais]

and still no word on a RHD version...