During a recent presentation at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC) in California, General Motors' technical manager for the Voltec battery system, Roland Matthe, described how his quest to locate a suitable plug for the Chevy Volt in the city of Pasadena turned into a journey he'll likely never forget:
It's no surprise that someone involved with gas-and-electric powered Volt would tell a story like this, but it is ironic that Matthe stumbled across an outdated charging unit designed for GM's EV1. This story also details how the lack of plug-in standards led to the development of charging equipment that is now obsolete.I noticed [a charging outlet] was quite hard for me to find for the Volt here in Pasadena, finally I found one in the Hilton Hotel. There was a Magna charge unit...with dust on...but was operational. The Magna charge unit is a...paddle for the EV1...and I found the DC connection, which Ford I think used in the 90s and the French vehicle used. And finally I found a normal US plug, and so luckily my car is charged every night.
If I wouldn't have found it, it wouldn't have mattered, I still have the range extender.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
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