The Chevrolet Prius?

[nist7]

From what has been made public so far, it's GM's own interpretation of the "wildly successful" Prius, except it has much more aggressive styling, name, and, from concept pics, less cargo/people space.

A few days ago, Autoblog reported that GM is expecting to start production of the Volt near the end of 2010, at the earliest (http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/21/l...y-end-of-2010/)



The 1 liter, E85-acceptable motor does not have any mechanical linkage to the drive wheels. The engine will, instead, be used to charge the batteries, which supply power to drive the front wheels. The car can also be plugged into your house.

What do you guys think?

[thedguy]

I think it has potential to be a hell of a good car. It's built the way I've felt a hybrid should be built, without wasting energy using the motor to power the wheels.

If I was still making my 40 mile a day commutes it would be perfect for me, I'd rather ever put fuel in the car! Best part of the car is that GM is making an effort to stay separated from the "I drive a prius and enjoy the smell of my own farts" crowd.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by thedguy

I think it has potential to be a hell of a good car. It's built the way I've felt a hybrid should be built, without wasting energy using the motor to power the wheels.

If I was still making my 40 mile a day commutes it would be perfect for me, I'd rather ever put fuel in the car! Best part of the car is that GM is making an effort to stay separated from the "I drive a prius and enjoy the smell of my own farts" crowd.

Good call.

The Volt is actually an all electric car first and foremost. The gasoline/ethanol motor is there as an extender of sorts...to keep the batteries recharged on longer trips.

Let's just hope that the electric motors would have enough oomph to keep up on the highways. Otherwise, this thing can save you a LOT of gas if you plug it in each night. Although the electric bill might be higher....we'll see...

[Night_Hawk]

I like it for the same reason thefguy does, but I must say still

you can ethier have a gas/diesel powered car ( perfectly fine )
or an electric car ( also perfectly fine )

im not ruling out other forms of power but my point is that any kind of hybrid is just pointless, anything a hybrid car can accomplish in terms of MPG, a regular small car can do just as well in a much simpler way

in 30 years time id rather buy an old rusted out G8 and restore it over some chevy Volt, I can imagine the fun involved with finding "replacement electric motors" and installing them in the backyard

but as a new product I suppose id rather drive this than a prius because its slightly simpler

[Prost264]

An eco-car I don't want to take a baseball bat to? Nice.

[jetsetter]

Unfortunately it is not going to actually look like that. Lutz gave a few words in which he described that the car is not very aerodynamic and thought that is might even be more aerodynamic going backwards.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by Night_Hawk

I like it for the same reason thefguy does, but I must say still

you can ethier have a gas/diesel powered car ( perfectly fine )
or an electric car ( also perfectly fine )

im not ruling out other forms of power but my point is that any kind of hybrid is just pointless, anything a hybrid car can accomplish in terms of MPG, a regular small car can do just as well in a much simpler way

in 30 years time id rather buy an old rusted out G8 and restore it over some chevy Volt, I can imagine the fun involved with finding "replacement electric motors" and installing them in the backyard

but as a new product I suppose id rather drive this than a prius because its slightly simpler

The Volt is an all electric car...with the ability to recharge on the go. It's not like the Prius because the Prius uses the gas motor to sometimes directly drive the wheels, whereas the Volt's gasoline motor is only there to keep the batteries between 30 and 80 percent charge. This would probably make for longer motor life and efficiency because it wouldn't need to go up down thousands of RPMs constantly.

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Unfortunately it is not going to actually look like that. Lutz gave a few words in which he described that the car is not very aerodynamic and thought that is might even be more aerodynamic going backwards.

oh noes!

Damn, I'm hoping Bob will flex his executive muscle and keep the production look as close as possible to the concept look. The 5th gen camaro is supposedly very close to the concept, via Bob's words, and let's hope same thing happens for the Volt.

Surely, they will not go the way of the Prius look...albeit the Prius supposedly has a very low drag coefficient....

[KaJuN]

I think it was a smart move by GM to stay out of the "green car" market for so long. They sat back and watched how Honda and Toyota did it and now they're in a good position for developing their own system. The tight deadline shows they're pretty determined to make it work.

[LurkerPatrol]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

I think it was a smart move by GM to stay out of the "green car" market for so long. They sat back and watched how Honda and Toyota did it and now they're in a good position for developing their own system. The tight deadline shows they're pretty determined to make it work.

Definitely agree on this one. I'm hoping it will crush the Prius in every way, but especially in terms of fuel efficiency and whatnot.

Kinda OT but I thought I read somewhere that electric motors are better for accelerating upto 60ish than gas engines are, and that only after 60 is the gas motor better. If this is true, then why doesn't someone just tweak a hybrid to do that? Just a thought.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by LurkerPatrol

Kinda OT but I thought I read somewhere that electric motors are better for accelerating upto 60ish than gas engines are, and that only after 60 is the gas motor better. If this is true, then why doesn't someone just tweak a hybrid to do that? Just a thought.

That's because electric motors can generate a mountain load of torque....instantly. That's why you see Prius owners being gleeful drag racing other cars.

The Chevrolet Volt is ALL ELECTRIC, ALL THE TIME. The gas engine is only to recharge, if needed. So GM is probably tweaking the electric motor for high speed applications as we speak!

[tigger]

Originally Posted by nist7

The Chevrolet Volt is ALL ELECTRIC, ALL THE TIME. The gas engine is only to recharge, if needed. So GM is probably tweaking the electric motor for high speed applications as we speak!

Heh, maybe they just worked out a two-speed transmission (bringing back the Powerglide? ) or something equally simple. I'm sure there have been at least a few electric cars capable of highway speeds. Anywho, I do like the looks of this thing (hopefully some of those looks survive to the final product), and an electric car with an onboard generator sounds far easier to work on than a hybrid.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by tigger

Heh, maybe they just worked out a two-speed transmission (bringing back the Powerglide? ) or something equally simple. I'm sure there have been at least a few electric cars capable of highway speeds. Anywho, I do like the looks of this thing (hopefully some of those looks survive to the final product), and an electric car with an onboard generator sounds far easier to work on than a hybrid.

Hell, the Tesla roadster can go 125mph. I think the whole highway speed with electric motors is proably worked out already. Lutz dreamt up the Volt as inspired BY Tesla, so I'm sure he is looking to strike up a deal with them in exchange for engineering expertise.

[Blind_Io]

It's so easy to get power to all four wheels since you don't need a mechanical linkage, so why hobble yourself with just FWD? It makes no sense to me.

[Ottobon]

Hope the styling stays the same, its rather agressive for a hybrid, and i love that!

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

It's so easy to get power to all four wheels since you don't need a mechanical linkage, so why hobble yourself with just FWD? It makes no sense to me.

Boot space and weight most likely, but i agree with you to be honest.


On a side note, i would personally much rather be driving around in a economy car like this



14mpg at 200 mph, with only 230hp, Same car did over 250mph with a measly 500hp

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by nist7

The 1 liter, E85-acceptable motor does not have any mechanical linkage to the drive wheels. The engine will, instead, be used to charge the batteries, which supply power to drive the front wheels. The car can also be plugged into your house.

What do you guys think?

I liked it the first time....

When it was called the Porsche Mixte..... in 1901.

/I disapprove of anything using E85.
//Don't care if it's cleaner.
///Don't care if it makes more power.
//Don't care if it's more efficitent.
/IT MAKES MY BEER MORE EXPENSIVE.

[Jacobfox]

also pollutes more and makes poor people starve.

i agree with blind. why not all wheel drive or rwd?

[thedguy]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

It's so easy to get power to all four wheels since you don't need a mechanical linkage, so why hobble yourself with just FWD? It makes no sense to me.

They still haven't figured hub mounted motors so they still would have to have everything in the diff area, and the motor(s) aren't exactly small. Then you count that it still has a gas engine and it's far cheaper to manufacture if everything is shoved on 1 sub-frame and then mounted in the chassis. Thats the whole reason why FWD is usually cheaper.

Originally Posted by No Boss

I liked it the first time....

When it was called the Porsche Mixte..... in 1901.

/I disapprove of anything using E85.
//Don't care if it's cleaner.
///Don't care if it makes more power.
//Don't care if it's more efficitent.
/IT MAKES MY BEER MORE EXPENSIVE.

The only benefit for E85 is cooler running engines (which'll suck in the winter) and more power... NOTHING else. The only reason why it is currently cheap is due to the subsidies. If we dropped them, corn based ethanol wouldn't be viable.

[Narcolepsy]

I agree too - no good reason to make it FWD. I'll live with less boot space. An added idea - solar panel roof - to keep it charging when parked w/o the engine.

But I totally agree w/ Night Hawk. I feel like are only 3 really logical options for this alternative power - running out of petrol business:

1. Make cars totally fuel sipping. Low friction tires, ultra-light, ultra-areodynamic. We kiss heavy cars and their ammenities goodbye.
2. We keep cars exactly the way they are, don't reinvent the wheel, and find something else that burns - if not ethanol - then something else or some combination
3. Go all electric - either plug ins with big batteries, or hydrogen (or other) power stations in the car.

This is moving closer to 3, so I suppose I approve. It just seems to me (with my limited understanding) to be working at cross purposes when you combine all 3, which is what Hybrids try to do. granted - its not nearlly as silly and complex as the Prius, but this thing still needs gasoline to run, and still has to lug around an entire heavy engine (including the radiator, pumps, and fuel tank to support it) in addition to heavy batteries. Plus if they do all the same prius low-friction-tire stuff, I predict (like the prius) it will have terrifying performance, and economy not astoundingly better than if it just had a 1.8L diesel and saved the weight. Not to mention with the combined cost of the R&D, light materials, 2 engines, and batteries, I can't see it being a good price.

[Karoug]

Volvo did their c30 hybrid thingy AWD, GM should be able to do it!

[thedguy]

Originally Posted by Narcolepsy

This is moving closer to 3, so I suppose I approve. It just seems to me (with my limited understanding) to be working at cross purposes when you combine all 3, which is what Hybrids try to do. granted - its not nearlly as silly and complex as the Prius, but this thing still needs gasoline to run, and still has to lug around an entire heavy engine (including the radiator, pumps, and fuel tank to support it) in addition to heavy batteries. Plus if they do all the same prius low-friction-tire stuff, I predict (like the prius) it will have terrifying performance, and economy not astoundingly better than if it just had a 1.8L diesel and saved the weight. Not to mention with the combined cost of the R&D, light materials, 2 engines, and batteries, I can't see it being a good price.

Thing is they don't need as many batteries. And people still can't get beyond the mentality that they require a 300+mile range and charge times of less than 3 minutes.

I think with this being a plug-in hybrid it'll help make a selling point for electric cars. Salesmen will be able to point out how often people actually use the gas engine in their cars and realize that with a 40 mile range on batteries they can get quite a lot done, so with "only" 150-200 miles they'll be fine 99% of the time.