The Volt: An Electric Car That Could Change Everything

(Page 3 of 3)

June/July 2007
By Bill Moore 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

This is why General Motors cautions that it will build the Volt only as soon as the appropriate battery technology is available. But GM executives appear confident they can solve the problems, and have established research partnerships with advanced battery developers. "We are 100 percent committed to making this happen," says GM vice chairman Robert Lutz. "This is probably the toughest and most exciting effort GM has undertaken."

RELATED CONTENT

Given General Motors’ history with false starts on electric cars, some question whether the automaker sincerely wants to build the Volt, or is just looking to improve its image. Last summer, GM’s financial troubles were compounded by heat from the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?, which chronicles the demise of GM’s EV1 and other electric cars (read a summary and review of the movie at www.MotherEarthNews.com). But GM says it has learned from the experience. Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development and strategic planning, says that electric cars such as the Volt are now a part of General Motors’ DNA. And, given the new reality of high gas prices, the public’s growing concerns about global warming and GM’s desire to be at the forefront of advanced transportation technology, the stakes are higher now than ever before.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Ann 9/25/2007 11:17:41 AM

    There is an interesting video documentary. Who killed the electric
    car? GM produced the EV1 electric car in California, and they were
    gaining popularity. GM would not sell the cars, but only lease them
    out. Oil Companies felt the threat and in the end all of them were
    taken back and destroyed. Later the bogus "hydrogen" concept came
    to the forefront to mask over what had happened. Do some research
    on the EV1. Electric cars are nothing new, they were used alongside
    gasoline operated cars from the begining of the auto industry. Oil
    companies can't make any money if we drive electric and that really
    is the bottom line.

  • Mack 6/26/2007 11:44:49 PM

    I just want a practical 5 seater (+ dogs) around town golf cart, 35
    mph, 30-50 mile range that's road legal, but not taxed
    (reg+inspec+massive insurance) like a car, maybe half a
    motorcycle.... Guess I'll just have to build one....paint it black
    and only take it on "stealth" missions so the law dogs don't try to
    steal it.....

  • Jeff 6/7/2007 11:41:08 PM

    But the battery technology did exist in the 1990's... advanced NiMH
    gave the EV1 enough range to satisfy the needs of 90% of the
    population... GM sold their stake in the technology (indirectly) to
    Chevron, aka big oil, and sat on it. Real world tests showed those
    batteries in RavEV's had a life of 150,000+ miles to boot. I'm glad
    you mention Tesla Motors... their Li Ion battery technology is
    giving their 1st car (high end sports car) a range of 200+ miles,
    and can accerate from 0-60 in about 4 seconds. They are using
    thousands of off the shelf Li ion cells in their battery packs.

  • kent 6/5/2007 7:42:03 AM

    Well, there's nothing like asigning a writer to a story about a
    subject they are obviously unfamiliar with. The articel about the
    GM VOLY serial hybrid was about as misleading as I've yet seen.
    Calling the car a concept clearly indicates am ignorance as to
    what's going on right now. Concept cars are NOT cars that have ben
    put into the production pipeline (for a real 2010 intro, not a
    "hioped for 2010 intro," The only thing GM (or Honda or Toyota)
    learned during the 90's is thta it was sheer stupidity tpo attempt
    to build an electric car when there' no practical electric battery.
    The only reason they all built one was because of California's
    poorly conceived attempt to force a technology to market that
    didn't exist. In doing so, they stymied development of a technology
    (the serial hybrid) that could be become practical long before
    electric cars. The battery pack for the VOLT is 11 kWhrs, not 16 as
    the article claims, nor is there any software/ hardware battery
    pack controlling system - there couldn't be, since the actual
    battery hasn't been selected, and if the Altair is used, there will
    be no need for such. The writer is obviously confused with the
    Tesla.

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.