GM plans upgrades to Chevy Volt throughout lifecycle
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Feb 12th 2009 at 11:20AM 
Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt
One intriguing prospect of GM's upcoming Voltec technology -- the drivetrain used on the 2010 Chevrolet Volt -- is the ability to drastically alter the vehicle's dynamics through a software update. Such improvements will be implemented on the fly and they won't need to wait until further versions of the vehicle are introduced. Future implementations of the Voltec powertrain will likely appear in higher-end vehicles, as foreshadowed by the Cadillac Converj concept from this year's Detroit Auto Show.
When the time finally does come to introduce a second generation of the Chevy Volt, the biggest area of improvement may be made to the battery pack. In lieu of crafting a pack that allows for more electric-only range, GM's engineers will reportedly focus on reducing its size and cost. Since the battery is easily the most expensive single piece of the Voltec pie, this should help GM turn a profit on the second-gen. Volt.
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
[Source: Reuters]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dukeisduke 11:22AM (2/12/2009)
Vaporware on top of vaporware. What's not to like?
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Yikes 11:43AM (2/12/2009)
Was there any actual news in that article? What car maker DOESN'T do upgrades continually? Designing batteries for more performance, less weight......is that really press release worthy news?
Sea Urchin 11:51AM (2/12/2009)
Yikes, you beat me to it. But this does "satisfy" the daily Volt post. Now let's just wait for a Camaro and Mustang posts.
gslippy 1:04PM (2/12/2009)
Exactly. I believe this is a political statement, not a technical one.
It enables GM to say to Congress "Hey, we're coming out with this wonderful vehicle that will be even better in 2.0 than it is in 1.0! So give us money! Quickly!"
Never mind that the only thing we know about it is the 40/40 plan: It can go 40 miles without using gas (if it's not cold outside), and it will cost $40k. How does it run at Mile 41? What is the payback for my $40k economy car? Can I drive it 500 miles a day on vacation? How will this product enhance GM's profitability... or demise?
No answers yet... because they aren't good ones.
Tim 2:24PM (2/12/2009)
Dukeisduke is Calling a spade a spade.
I am beginning to see Bob lutz's Volt vaporware trail as he leaves GM renaissance center.
Noah 7:44PM (2/12/2009)
If I'm not mistaken, vaporware means that a product has been announced early in development but has missed (and often continues to miss) the release date. For Example, Duke Nukem 3D.
The Volt was revealed in 2007, and they said it would be made in 2010. Seeing how its only 2009, we need to wait another year until you can judge it "vaporware" or not.
Also, gslippy, if you want more info on the Volt other than your 40/40 plan (or 40/32.5 after gov't tax break), just use Wikipedia. Or Google.
Andre 11:26AM (2/12/2009)
Sounds Interesting to especially to all the geek heads out there like myself..
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Rocketboy 11:28AM (2/12/2009)
Wow, so they actually plan on improving the car after they release it?
Maybe they should have thought about that when they were planning the life cycle for the PT Cruiser.
(Yes, I know this story also mentions post-purchase updates, but MINI had the same line when they first started in the states. That just ended up being 'bug fixes'.)
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hokieman09 11:33AM (2/12/2009)
You do know that the Chevy Volt and the PT Cruiser are not make buy the same company right? Just because it sounds like you think they are
Rocketboy 12:45PM (2/12/2009)
Doh! That's two boners in two days....
I must be overworked.
Cellien 11:30AM (2/12/2009)
They better get this thing out. The system doesn't seem that unique anymore after so many car makers are developing plug-in hybrids that allow driving on the battery alone.
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dukeisduke 11:35AM (2/12/2009)
It's liable to hit the market accompanied by a resounding chorus of, "Been there, done that".
Martial 11:57AM (2/12/2009)
Seriously? I suppose it might not seem very different at this point because so many other car makers are trying to catch up to GM on this type of vehicle, but there aren't any cars on the market today with a drivetrain like Voltec. Isn't it a little early to have a blasè attitude about the technology?
Torrent 11:41AM (2/12/2009)
Well, the tech can only get better, so bring it on.
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Sean 11:45AM (2/12/2009)
I didnt know Chevy and Honda were combining the Civic and Cobalt.
So make the first version upgradable so whent the second version comes out theres no need to buy it?
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Nick 12:14PM (2/12/2009)
Well duh...isn't that what you are suppose to do in a vehicles life cycle. A 5 year old could have told them that.
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JDMlover 11:54AM (2/12/2009)
I'm so over this car.
I'll care about when it's made. All these write ups dont prove a thing.
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Richard 12:08PM (2/12/2009)
So...will those be downloadable updates that you install or will it update itself?
Is it going to need virus protection?
Will this car now get coverage on Engadget Mobile?
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Shipey 12:14PM (2/12/2009)
Well, well... what a bunch of import-humping commenters this article has gathered. You hate it and yet you take the time to post comments about it...?
The vehicle will be substantially upgradeable through software updates. Much like a cell phone, new or revised features can be added through a simple software update after the initial purchase.
And, we're not just talking about little updates to the navi system or adding a file format to the radio. We're talking about drivetrain updates that will improve power and/or economy. That's pretty substantial.
That's definitely a first for a mass market car. If it actually happens it will be pretty cool.
Resume bashing in 3, 2, 1...
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Andre 1:24PM (2/12/2009)
Exactly my thought..