Volt technology only good for Volt-sized cars
Only for the Delta platformAlan Taub, GM's head of global research and development, recently told AutoCar that the Voltec powertrain powering the Chevy Volt is only viable for Volt-sized vehicles. According to Taub, GM's range extended electric vehicle technology is too big for cars smaller than the Volt, and adding batteries for larger vehicles would make the powertrain too heavy.
Instead, GM will probably look to a plug-in version of its dual mode hybrid technology for bigger than Volt vehicles, and it's new BAS hybrid powertrain for smaller hybrid cars.
Labels: Chevy Volt electric vehicle concept, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:37 AM
4 Comments:
power to weight ratio combined with wheel to wheel costs make the concept marginal at best.
How many car companies are coming right out and saying that besides GM?
People want so badly to believe and the car manufacturers don't want to snuff out the idea that ...some day.. it might be possible... so they all have their street cred invested... realizing that we're not there yet.
we're going to get that battery breakthrough.. I'm convinced but there is no predictable time-table...sort of like polio or cancer research...
in the meantime.. they'll produce what sells in the market.
well, gm could probably counter that these statements only apply to first generation voltecs.
and, you are right, GM will focus more on what they can sell for the most amount of profit right now, at least that's my guess.
in my opinion, i think they need to be far more forward thinking, unless they know about some cellulosic ethanol breakthrough that hasn't yet been made public.
big companies are like really big ships.. they simple do not alter speed and direction very quickly..
they actually let smaller companies innovate..then when the technology matures.. buy them...
bad huh?
i don't know if it's bad. sometimes it is, sometimes it's essential.
however, i do think that in today's business at the speed of light world, huge businesses MUST be very forward thinking, and to me the most simplistic, forward thinking capability is efficiency.
efficient horse-racing gamblers don't just manage their handicapping in the most efficient way, they manage their wallet in the most efficient way as well.
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