Bob Lutz ready to say goodbye to Volt 'mali-mules'
Lutz originally wanted the Volt to be a pure electric vehicleOn Tuesday I was part of a group interview with Bob Lutz whom told reporters that originally he wanted the Chevy Volt to be a pure electric vehicle. However, John Lauckner, GM vice president of global program management, convinced Lutz that a range extended vehicle would be far better as it would overcome "range anxiety", which Lauckner believed would limit the success of the Volt.
Lutz also reiterated that he greatly dislikes the design of the Toyota Prius calling it "reverse chic" - so ugly that it has become cool.
More interesting, however, Lutz expressed his surprise that so many still doubt lithium's reliability. Lutz stated that tests are indicating that the Volt's battery pack could be far more reliable than originally expected, mitigating potential warranty costs to GM.
Finally, the mali-mule - the original Volt test vehicles - are soon to be replaced. By the end of the year GM hopes to have about 50 Cruze-mules that will be outfitted with far more E Flex electric drive components.
Labels: bob lutz, Chevy Volt electric vehicle concept, GM
posted by Dahcredyns at
12:30 PM
4 Comments:
Shut up and build the Fucking car.
damn, got you pissed off, huh? was it the prius cut, or just too much volt hype?
McCain promises to help spur truck sales. The truth comes out for McCain. Maybe GM won't need the Volt after all.
New McCain ad says he is a champion for auto industry, offshore drilling | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Some top GM execs, such as Larry Burns, working on the Volt indicated their worry about what cheaper gas prices would do to interest in vehicles like the Volt.
They don't believe that cheap gas is sustainable, but that a year or a few years of cheap gas - the calm before the storm - could retard americans on fuel economy again.
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