Autoblog

2014 Cadillac ELR is making green sexy in Detroit

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Hybrid, Cadillac, Electric, Luxury

In terms of styling, inside and out, the ELR hits the ball out of the park.

Cadillac has pulled the wraps off of its newest family member, the long-rumored, Voltec-powered, eye-catching extended range hybrid coupe called the ELR. The car makes use of the same basic architecture as the Chevrolet Volt, but has been thoroughly layered on with design, technology and performance tuning - with the goal of being a properly situated product for the Cadillac brand.

In terms of styling, inside and out, the ELR hits the ball out of the park. Designers set an aggressive goal of staying as true as possible to the original Converj show car from 2009. The resulting vehicle is, frankly, as sexy a Cadillac as can be found on the road today. A low, fast roofline is handsomely accented by the ELR's strong shoulder line, while the stance is super aggressive thanks to monstrous 20-inch wheels pushed out to the extreme corners of the car. Exterior trim is wrought in either satin chrome or a very subtle black satin chrome (the dark panels inside the egg crate grille wear this finish, as does the outermost frame of the headlights).

Continue reading 2014 Cadillac ELR is making green sexy in Detroit

2014 Cadillac ELR is making green sexy in Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac teases camo'd ELR ahead of Detroit debut

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Coupe, Cadillac, Electric, Luxury

With the 2014 Cadillac ELR being introduced next week at the Detroit Auto Show, General Motors has revealed another picture of its luxury range extended electric vehicle. Last month, we saw a dark, teaser photo showing some of the body detail for the electric coupe, but this recent photo shows the Cadillac in full camouflage testing in California back in September.

If this car looks familiar, it's because our spy shooters got a jump on GM by catching the car in action and providing pictures from all angles. There are still no official details for the ELR yet aside from the fact that it will share the Voltec system with the Chevrolet Volt, but we'll finally see the car unveiled in Detroit a week from today.

Continue reading Cadillac teases camo'd ELR ahead of Detroit debut

Cadillac teases camo'd ELR ahead of Detroit debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Chevrolet Volt

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Electric, Quick Spins

Chevrolet has taken an aggressive tack to move units of its revolutionary Volt, selling a fair number to government agencies, offering really fantastic lease deals and marketing the hell out of the car. After a week of driving (and generally enjoying) the 2013 iteration of the extended-range hatchback, I tend to think that customers should just take advantage of the current confluence of market forces rather than bemoaning the larger state of affairs with General Motors as a whole.

After all, one of the biggest knocks on the Volt has always been that its MSRP is too high, a fact that largely negates the very low running costs once the car is in your garage. Well, a $260/month lease eases that pain a lot (even if that rate is for the 2012 car, and not the 2013 model that I tested). And what you're left with is a very nice-to-drive, forward-looking if fractionally flawed car.

Driving Notes

The slightly revised 2013 Volt offers a "Hold" driving mode that allows one to conserve the battery power for optimal efficiency. For those that have long commutes - and might want to let the gasoline-powered generator do its thing on the highway while saving the EV juice for around town - this new software makes a lot of sense. I didn't find much chance to make use of it in my city-centric daily errands.
I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is, I will admit, fairly progressive as far as Middle America goes. That said, our city has recently been fitted with a large number of 240-volt stations in parking lots and parking structures. Driving the Volt primarily around town (I live about a mile from the city center) for the week, I was able to keep my charge going using these sometimes-free chargers to great effect. In fact, I got more juice from Republic Parking than I did from my own house. Cheers!
When the Volt's batteries were topped-up, I usually saw about 32-miles worth of all-battery driving before the charge neared empty on the car's central display. Over eight days of driving - no single trip was farther than 15 miles, one of the benefits of working from home - I used 0.1 gallons of gas for around 120-miles traveled.
So, I'll admit, the usage-case for me is a little bit different than normal. But general observation, logic and some quick statistics hunting tells me that more and more people will work out of home offices as time passes. Long story short: I could almost certainly use a car like the Volt without having to use the gas-powered generator/engine for two-thirds of my driving year. And that's being conservative. Better still, if I'm charger surfing, using public power or parking structure power to fill up, the individual cost to me is reduced even further.
The Volt is an exceptional vehicle for music lovers, even without some ultra-high-end 38-speaker English sound system. Why? Number one: The audio system is pretty respectable. Number two: The car is simply so quiet, even at speed, that you have a better soundstage in the Volt than you do in pretty much any other car on the market. You don't truly realize how much even very good audio setups are fighting car-based noise pollution until you jam out in a Volt for the first time.
The front lip, completely designed for maximum aero aid, makes the Chevy almost unusable in certain situations. The approach from the street to my driveway is not particularly steep, but it's a sharp enough angle that there is no way to get the car up and down without rubbing the bottom of the lip on the concrete. I know that in my neighborhood - with houses from the 1940s and 1950s - most driveways are more aggressively raked than mine, too. Anyone living in an older part of a town or city may have to consider if they can drive the Volt close enough to their garage or house to charge it without damaging the car each time. Aero be damned, it's silly for the Volt to sit lower than most supercars.
A quick followup to the point above: Get used to hand-washing your Volt if you take the plunge. I don't know of any automatic conveyor-type car washes with tire guide rails low enough to accommodate the front lip of this car.

2013 Chevrolet Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next-gen Chevy Volt to ditch 1.4-liter engine in favor of 2.0 turbo?

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

No one at General Motors is talking publicly about a rumor post over at InsideEVs that claims the 83-horsepower, 1.4-liter range-extending gas engine currently used in the Chevrolet Volt will "definitely not" be the engine that is used in the 2014 model-year Volt. And, by no one talking publicly, we mean that our emails have gone unanswered. InsideEVs just got an "Unfortunately, we do not comment on future product details, so I cannot provide any information related to your inquiry," from GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly.

So, that means it's speculation time. InsideEVs claims to have spoken to an unnamed source who says that the replacement engine will be the new 2.0-liter turbo. This source says this engine has been tested on the Volt's Delta II compact vehicle platform, which is also used in the Buick Verano and many others. A larger engine does not necessarily imply worse fuel economy - see, for example, the jump from the 1.5-liter engine in the second-generation Toyota Prius that got 46 combined miles per gallon to the 1.8-liter in the third-gen that gets 50 - so we're not discounting the rumor outright. InsideEVs goes on to suggest that the 2.0T will also find its way into the Cadillac ELR (the production version of the Converj concept from 2009) that uses Volt technology, whenever that car arrives. To feed the speculators, here are some other stories about Volt engine possibilities from the archives.

Our former colleague Sam Abuelsamid is skeptical of the 2.0 turbo story, though, writing that whatever engine replaces the 1.4, it will "almost certainly will not be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four as used in numerous GM vehicles including the Buick Regal GS and Verano T." He continues:

A 200+ hp turbo 2.0-liter makes absolutely no sense when you only have 161 hp of electrical power. The 2.0-liter is larger, heavier and thirstier than the 1.4 and makes way more power than can be used by the electric drive system.

The 2.0T would only make sense as part of a parallel plug-in hybrid drivetrain in some other vehicle. My guess (and I have no inside information on this, pure educated speculation) would be that they would opt for the new small engine family being co-developed with SAIC which starts at 1.0-liter. Those engines could be in production by next year and would be a much better fit.

Next-gen Chevy Volt to ditch 1.4-liter engine in favor of 2.0 turbo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is this dub-rockin' Chevrolet Volt actually a Cadillac Converj in disguise?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrid, Etc., Technology, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Electric

Our spy photographers managed to spot something curious (and decidedly hilarious) recently. General Motors has been busy testing what would appear to be Chevrolet Volt models with massive 20-inch wheels and tires in place of the low-rolling resistance pieces on the stock plug-in.

Why? Guesses are slim at the moment, but one hypothesis is that this is actually our first glimpse at a Cadillac Converj test mule. That vehicle will make use of an altered version of the Voltec drivetrain found in the Chevrolet, albeit bolted to flashier wheels. The luxury hybrid has been an on-again-off-again affair for General Motors since the concept first rolled across the stage at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Last we heard, the Converj is on track for launch in either 2013 or 2014. If true, now would be the time to begin working out any engineering bugs on the rumored Voltec 1.5 system. With luxury buyers more willing to hand over stacks of cash for new technology, the Converj could make quite a bit more sense to buyers than the Volt. Or bolting chrome dubs to a hybrid, for that matter.

Is this dub-rockin' Chevrolet Volt actually a Cadillac Converj in disguise? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Lutz: Hey right-wingers, stop attacking Chevy Volt

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

In the wake of last week's bruising hearing on Capitol Hill about the safety of the Chevrolet Volt (which itself followed an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that concluded plug-in vehicles do not "pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles") former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has written a column for Forbes that strikes back against the media (especially conservatives) who are attacking the car he thought would be one of his most important legacies.

Politicians and members of the media on the right, from Mitt Romney to Neil Cavuto, have talked smack about the Volt, and Lutz says this "has attracted my attention and ire." In typical Lutz fashion, he doesn't mince words, writing:

The Oscar for totally irresponsible journalism has to go to The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News, with, as its key guest, Lou Dobbs. Amid much jocular yukking, the Volt was depicted as a typical federal failure. ... Boiled down to the subtext, Dobbs' message was this: "All Volts catch fire, and therefore all Volts have been recalled." That simply isn't the case. ...

To top it off, these two media pros lamented the fact that the same government that had forced GM to produce the Volt was now extending $7,500 tax credits towards its purchase, thus squandering even more of "our taxpayer" dollars on this failed Socialist-collectivist flop. Truth? The $7,500 tax credit was enacted under the Bush administration!

Don't let Lutz's words make you think he's taking a left/liberal stance. He's still a self-declared "conservative Republican" who hates that right-wing talking heads are spiraling downward into this sort of "deliberate misstatement of facts." They "have managed to make me embarrassed to describe myself as a conservative," he writes, adding, "Let's leave the 'invention of facts' to the left-wing climate-change alarmists." There - that should offend pretty much everyone who's not in the dead political center.

Bob Lutz: Hey right-wingers, stop attacking Chevy Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac SRX PHEV not gonna happen after all

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Crossover, Cadillac, Electric, Luxury

2011 Cadillac SRX - Click above for high-res image gallery

In December, 2010 there were reports that a Cadillac SRX plug-in hybrid electric vehicle was in some pipeline somewhere, and that it would eventually plop into some sort of consumer reality. The same outlet that reported that story, Reuters, now cites six GM Deep Throats as saying General Motors has killed the SRX PHEV program.

Overlapping timetables were apparently the problem - by the time the vehicle was ready, the Theta platform that supports it would be at the end of its life. And it didn't help that the SRX PHEV was expected to lose money. That made GM's decision to cancel it, in spite of having spent money to develop the powertrain for three different vehicles so far, a little easier. On top of that, the program was never officially made public, so it's not like GM has anything to apologize for.

The suggestion in the Reuters report, though, is that GM isn't walking away from it altogether. A spokesman said, "I'm not going to comment on specific products or timing for applications, but we still see promise in the technology," and it is known that GM CEO Dan Akerson wants to get Chevrolet Volt range-extending tech into other models, pronto. But after Saturn, Buick and Cadillac haven't made the cut, what's next?

Cadillac SRX PHEV not gonna happen after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM CEO Akerson says Chevy Volt tech coming to minivan

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt charging port - Click above for high-res image gallery

The more vehicles General Motors is able to build using the battery technology pioneered in its 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the better chance the automaker has of earning a return on its significant investment into the electrically driven automobile. It's the classic economies of scale issue... but what is the next logical vehicle application?

While many of the early prognostications pointed to a Voltec-powered Cadillac, a report from AutoWeek says GM CEO Dan Akerson is suggesting a minivan may come first. There's also some talk that an unknown hatchback is in the works (yes, the Volt is indeed a hatchback that's shaped to look more like a sedan, but whatever).

Also notable are Akerson's expectations that at least 10-percent of all GM production will be hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles within 10 to 15 years. Akerson wants each of the automaker's four core divisions - Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet (check) and GMC - to have a vehicle using Volt technology, though no timeframe for that expansion has been given.

In other Volt news, Akerson told reporters at the 2011 Automotive News World Congress that the General is on track to sell 25,000 Chevrolet Volts for the 2011 model year, which is a sizeable increase from the 10,000-20,000 units expected as production began.

Moving past the ever-present greenery, Akerson and GM North American President Mark Reuss both stated that the company is putting some of its next-generation truck programs on the fast-track. We'd imagine that means we'll see new fullsize pickups from Chevy and GMC sooner rather than later.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL
[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: GM CEO Akerson says Chevy Volt tech coming to minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet statement looks to clear the air on how Volt works

Zach Bowman — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

After yesterday's media inferno surrounding whether or not the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is a true electric vehicle, General Motors is out to set the record straight. The company has released a statement on its Chevrolet Voltage blog that goes deeper into the Hows and Whys of the vehicle's drivetrain. According to The General's latest statement, the car's Voltec drivetrain cannot operate without power to the electric motors. Furthermore, the 1.4-liter four-cylinder range-extending engine can't move the Volt by its lonesome.

That sounds good and all, but what about the reports that arose yesterday that indicated that the gasoline engine could, in fact, drive the Volt's wheels? GM says that notion is somewhat misguided. In its statement, GM states that there isn't a fixed gear ratio between the engine and the drive wheels. Instead, the four-cylinder generates power that is then fed through the drive unit during extended range driving. That power is then "balanced by the generator and traction motor."

That still reads a little murky to us, but we're going to reserve final judgment until we can manage to drive the production vehicle for ourselves. As for why it took so long for GM to come out and reveal the details of the Volt drivetrain, the company says that until just recently, its patents on the Voltec system were still pending. Now that they've been secured, GM is less worried about another manufacturer swiping ideas from its system. You can read the full statement here, including a laundry list of complimentary quotes about the Volt from various media outlets.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: Chevrolet Voltage]

Chevrolet statement looks to clear the air on how Volt works originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors announces 8-year/100,000-mile warranty for Chevy Volt battery

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

Chevrolet Volt battery pack - Click above for high-res image gallery

During a media briefing at its Brownstown Township, MI battery plant this afternoon, General Motors Vice Chairman Tom Stephens announced that the lithium ion battery pack for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt would be warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles. Since the beginning of the program, it has been General Motors' intention to develop the battery pack to last for the life of the vehicle.

Despite the fact that the Volt is considered an electric car by GM, the presence of an on-board gas engine for range-extending means that the EPA and California Air Resources Board consider the battery to be part of the car's emissions control system. As a result, it is subject to the same regulations as parts like a catalytic converter, and therefore, it must have the eight-year warranty.

GM has released some additional specifications on the battery pack. In its final production form, 95 percent of the components were designed and developed in-house by GM, it weighs in at 400 pounds and has an output of 110 kilowatts. Internally, the water-cooled pack consists of 288 LG Chem lithium polymer cells. Over the next few months, GM will be ramping up the production rate at Brownstown in preparation for the start of Volt production this Fall.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt battery pack

General Motors announces 8-year/100,000-mile warranty for Chevy Volt battery originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chevy Volt to debut in China early next year as a Buick

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, Government/Legal, Buick, Chevrolet, Opel, Vauxhall, Electric

Opel Ampera - Click above for high-res image gallery

Due to an old-school system used in China that requires automakers to file patents or risk having vehicles copied by others, we've learned that the Chevrolet Volt may very well debut in the world's largest automotive market as a Buick model and not one bearing the Chevy or Opel badge. When General Motors filed its patent for China, it submitted the Voltec-powered Opel Ampera and not the Chevy Volt, indicating that the version coming to China will definitely not bear a Golden Bowtie. So why not an Opel then? Well, Opel has virtually no name recognition in China, leaving the obvious choice of branding the Voltec-powered vehicle as a Buick, GM's best performing brand over there.

Perhaps it only makes sense that the Ampera will be sold under the Buick name in China as various other Opel products have been rebranded as Buicks once they've reached the Chinese mainland. The Opel Astra transformed into the Buick Excelle and the Insignia switched over to the Buick Regal in China. So what will the Opel Ampera become once it reaches China early next year? Will it simply be the Buick Ampera, or something else altogether? Should we start a naming contest on this one?

For what it's worth, assuming that there will be a Chinese Buick Volt, it will become the fifth Voltec model, joining the 2011 Chevy Volt, Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Holden Ampera, all of which will initially be produced at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant in Michigan. Now we're just waiting for the Voltec-powered Daewoo model for the Korean market so that GM can call it a done deal.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Opel Ampera reveal

Photos Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: The Tycho]

Report: Chevy Volt to debut in China early next year as a Buick originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next-gen Volt could use diesel, two-cylinder or rotary range extender

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in 2006 when the Chevrolet Volt was first conceived, its extended-range electric (ER-EV) powertrain was originally dubbed E-Flex as its configuration was designed to be flexible. The only part of the system that was constant was the electric drive and the presence of a battery. The architecture was designed so any type of powerplant could be used as a range extender, and over the last three years concepts have been shown with flex-fuel three-cylinder turbos, inline-four diesels and hydrogen fuel cells.

Ultimately, powertrain chief engineer Larry Nitz and his team opted for a normally aspirated 1.4-liter inline-four for the first generation Volt because it offered the best combination of cost and efficiency. However, while working on the first generation Volt, work on the second-gen. model has been happening in parallel. Way back in May 2007 we talked to then-VP for R&D Larry Burns about using an HCCI engine for the Volt since it could be optimized to operate at steady state speeds and he agreed that was certainly one possible direction.

Right now the top priority for the second-generation Volt is driving down the cost of the powertrain, including the battery. Although automakers are always reluctant to talk about parts pricing, GM's project management VP, Jon Laukner, has hinted on more than one occasion that the Volt pack costs somewhere in the $600 per kilowatt-hour range or under $10,000 for the 16 kWh unit. The goal is to get that cost down below $400 per kWh in the next few years and a combination of increased volumes and LG Chem launching cell production in western Michigan will certainly help to achieve that.

Reducing the cost of the range extender will also play a part. GM's VP of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke told Inside Line that smaller range extenders in the 15-18 kilowatt range are part of the strategy and either a two-cylinder piston engine or a single rotor Wankel are possibilities to replace the current inline-four. Volt communications manager Rob Peterson confirmed to Autoblog that a number of different variants are being evaluated, but he wouldn't say if any particular direction has been selected yet.

Powertrain engineering consultant FEV has recently been showing off an ER-EV Fiat 500 with a Wankel range extender. While Wankels are not known for fuel efficiency (quite the opposite actually), a modern direct injected unit for this type of application could be highly optimized to provide acceptable performance and consumption. A Wankel also has the advantage of being both very compact for its output and vibration-free, making it well suited for this type of application. With the first generation Volt only expected to have about a three-year life-span, a final decision will likely be made very soon.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Inside Line, General Motors]

Next-gen Volt could use diesel, two-cylinder or rotary range extender originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Voltec-powered Chevy crossover concept to debut in Beijing?

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:39:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Crossover, Chevrolet, GM, Beijing Motor Show, Electric

Chevrolet Voltec CUV design patent - Click above for high-res image gallery

The media previews for the 2010 Beijing Motor Show are happening at the end of this week, and assuming a certain Icelandic volcano doesn't upset the atmosphere any further, we expect to be on hand. One of the many possible debuts is a new Chevrolet-badged MPV concept. What may make this vehicle particularly interesting is that it is said to be propelled by the same Voltec extended-range EV powertrain used in the Volt.

How might one reach this conclusion? Well, the design patent that was issued last week for the vehicle indicates that one of the credits is given to Bob Boniface, the design manager that led the development of the original Volt concept as well as the production Volt and Opel Ampera. The association with Boniface as well as some of the design details imply that this new vehicle will be an ER-EV. It's also worth noting that the shape of the headlamps and taillamps as well as other elements of the front fascia seem to be lifted directly from the Volt. A very similar looking vehicle appeared briefly in a GM video released last summer alongside the forthcoming production Chevrolet Orlando and featured the same blocked-off grille used on the Volt. This vehicle appears to be smaller than the Orlando and would likely be a roomier five-seat alternative to the Volt.

[Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, via GM Inside News]

Voltec-powered Chevy crossover concept to debut in Beijing? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept glides on stage

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, GM, Opel, Electric

Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

The highlight of the Opel stand at the Geneva Motor Show this week is clearly the new Flextreme GT/E concept. This second Flextreme-badged concept is the first midsize car to be powered by General Motors' Voltec powertrain as used in the Chevrolet Volt. The GT/E is just a couple of inches shorter than the Insignia/Regal, but Opel claims it matches the 40 mile electric driving range of the Volt/Ampera.

The same 1.4-liter inline-four gasoline fueled range extender is used along with the 16 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. However, the designers have taken the lessons learned from the Volt program about how aerodynamics can extend the electric driving range and applied them even more aggressively to the new concept.

The mirror-less GT/E has a drag coefficient of just 0.22 - aided in no small part by a reduced frontal area and vertical fins that can extend out of the body work at speeds over 30 mph to effectively extend the tail and control turbulence behind the car. The Volt has been carefully shaped at rear corners to manage this air-flow, but the new Flextreme adds active aerodynamics to take it to the next level.

The concept also aggressively goes after weight savings with extensive use of carbon fiber, although Opel isn't specifying a mass for this one-off concept. What they are specifying is fuel consumption of 147 miles per gallon (U.S.). How they came to this number remains as mysterious as the magical 230 mpg touted last year for the Volt.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept

Continue reading Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept glides on stage

Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept glides on stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Bob Kruse, GM's top electric car exec and Chevy Volt pointman, steps down

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:42:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

Just a few months before the Chevrolet Volt is finally set to debut in production trim, one of the guys who spearheaded the whole project has reportedly left his post at General Motors. Bob Kruse (at right), who also helped plan the whole long-term strategy for GM's electric vehicle program, has resigned according to The Detroit News. Kruse has been the automaker's executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries since 2008, and has long been considered one of the key figures in getting the Volt from concept to production - he was particularly instrumental in developing the batteries that the Volt will use.

The report says Kruse is leaving to start his own consulting company, E V Consulting LLC. Kruse wanted to make it clear that his departure shouldn't be read as a statement about his feelings regarding GM's future success, but he did admit that they weren't happy he was leaving.

"There's no good time to lose good people," GM spokesman Rob Peterson said. "But that said, the Volt team goes way beyond one person."

According to most sources, the rest of the team is more than capable of moving on without him and the future of the Volt is in good hands. Micky Bly - who has experience with hybrid/electric vehicles and has been a part of the Volt program from early on - has been tipped as his replacement.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: General Motors]

REPORT: Bob Kruse, GM's top electric car exec and Chevy Volt pointman, steps down originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Audi, Electric, Diesel

Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen has issued a public response to the firestorm he created yesterday when he reportedly told a member of the media that the Chevrolet Volt is "a car for idiots." Anyone who has met de Nysschen in person knows he is not one to mince words. He (and Audi) has been a strong proponent of diesel technology as an important near-to-mid-term method to reduce petroleum consumption, but given that Audi is planning electric vehicles of their own - at least in concept form - the remark caught many offguard.

In his new statement released on Audi's Facebook page, de Nysschen declares that he doesn't specifically remember using the words attributed to him, although he doesn't deny the sentiment behind them. Essentially, he, along with many others, is highly dubious of the viability of General Motors' ER-EV concept, particularly from an economic standpoint. de Nysschen also highlights the fact that government policies are one of the driving forces behind electrification.

While noting that in the long-term, electrified propulsion systems will be a major part of the transportation system, he points out that many questions remain unresolved including the readiness of the power grid and generation systems to support large quantities of EVs.

Just as de Nysschen questions these elements, many will make precisely the opposite argument. The reality is likely to fall somewhere in between, with a number of these technologies playing an important part for the foreseeable future. The grid is probably more ready than most doubters think, but the time frame for driving down the cost of batteries may not be so easy to tackle. Increasingly efficient internal combustion engines will be critical, especially for long distance travel. While history sorts out what technologies will be winners over the long haul, you can read de Nysschen's statement right now after the jump. What do you think? Drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: Aud i | Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook

Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lutz: Chevy Orlando coming, could get Voltec powertrain

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Crossover, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

Chevrolet Orlando concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Before General Motors' financial woes got so out-of-hand that the giant automaker was forced to declare bankruptcy, plans were in place to bring the Chevrolet Orlando, a new seven-passenger multi-purpose vehicle, to the U.S. market in 2011. First seen at the Paris Motor Show last year, the Orlando concept was a modern take on the nearly defunct but extremely useful wagon shape that seemed destined to replace the retrotastic HHR in GM's lineup. Now that GM's back on track, it would seem the previously stalled Orlando project is moving forward as well.

Since the Chevy Orlando is expected to be built atop the same Delta platform as the upcoming Chevy Volt, might it be possible we see an extended-range electric people mover from The General wrapped in a family-friendly tall wagon bodystyle? According to Bob Lutz, the answer is a definite maybe. Responding to just such a question from Lyle Dennis over at GM-Volt.com, Lutz admitted, "We are actually studying the adaptation of Volt technology to the upcoming Orlando."

Naturally, spreading the extremely high development cost of the Volt's high-tech powertrain and lithium ion battery packs is certainly an attractive proposition for GM. Placing that Voltec drivetrain in the Orlando makes a lot of sense as it would seemingly allow GM to offer a fuel-saving vehicle with strong mass-market appeal.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Chevrolet Orlando Concept

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

Lutz: Chevy Orlando coming, could get Voltec powertrain originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vauxhall going after city car market with Trixx EV?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, GM, Opel, Vauxhall

Way back in 2004, GM's European arm put a toe in the water of the rapidly expanding city-car market with its Opel Trixx concept. A few years later, GM's Carl-Peter Forster indicated that the automaker would not be entering that microcar market after all. Fast forward another couple of years and (surprise!) it looks as if GM may be once again reversing its stance.

According to Auto Express, Vauxhall is now planning a small urban vehicle to do battle with the smart fortwo, Toyota iQ and the upcoming Volkswagen Up!. If these rumors are to be believed, the Trixx will be based on GM's Voltec drivetrain but will completely eschew the range-extended 1.4-liter engine in favor of going fully electric with a goal of hitting a 90-mile range between charges.

You might think that dropping the internal combustion engine would make the car considerably cheaper, but that may not actually be the case. AE indicates that the lithium ion battery pack powering the Trixx could cost as much as £8,000 ($12,100 in U.S. dollars) per unit to make. To counteract the high cost of entry, Vauxhall may sell the actual car while offering a separate lease for the battery.

[Source: Auto Express]

Vauxhall going after city car market with Trixx EV? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 May 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered speculation: Chevrolet Sky-Volt?

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Chevrolet, Rendered Speculation

One of the many unfortunate casualties of General Motors' financial apocalypse is the loss of the Kappa platform, the small, rear-wheel drive architecture underpinning the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. With both of those brands being discontinued and no plans to migrate any models over to GM's surviving brands, the slow-selling roadsters will simply disappear within the next year.

Another disappointment to GM fans was the transformation of the Chevy Volt from concept to production form. The sporty, aggressive concept was, to many, a generic interpretation of an otherwise revolutionary design.

One of our readers came up with a novel solution to both problems. Just graft the Volt concept nose onto the Sky and install an adaptation of the Voltec powertrain and voila! you have a rival to the Dodge Circuit and Tesla Roadster. From a technical standpoint, the Volt Roadster is theoretically possible. A battery pack could easily fit into the center tunnel, with the drive motor mounted at the rear, but don't get your hopes up -- it's highly-doubtful that it could ever come to production. GM is struggling to finance the development of volume models and a niche product like this just couldn't happen in the foreseeable future. But if the General could keep the Kappa tooling around, who knows? One can dream, right? Thanks to reader Ryan for the tip and the rendering!

Rendered speculation: Chevrolet Sky-Volt? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 May 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM lobbies for electric car plug standardization

Chris Shunk — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology, GM

Anyone with a cell phone, laptop or just about any other electronic device knows that battery chargers seldom work among different models - even when they are from the same brand.The SAE J1772[TM] Task Force is working to ensure that a similar scenario doesn't play out for electric cars.

The Society of Automotive Engineers and General Motors are trying to gain a consensus on a standard-sized plug for electric vehicles. The ubiquitous plug would enable a common plug for all OEMs to use for the future electric infrastructure. The standard plug would make an expansive infrastructure easier to tackle while saving EV owners the headache of worrying about different kinds of expensive adapters.

Beyond a standard plug, SAE J1772 is working to define physical, electrical and performance requirements so they can be manufactured for public use. The SAE will also find answers for basic questions about battery electrochemistry, size and life cycle.

GM's role in the standardization process has a lot to do with the Chevrolet Volt and future Volt variants. Since GM will likely have the first mass-market vehicle with electric-only propulsion, a plug standard ought to save The General time and money.

[Source: GM Fast Lane]

GM lobbies for electric car plug standardization originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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