Bad PR – Fire concerns have definitely hurt the Chevy Volt
Volt reputation burned by a lack of honesty and transparency?
Will NHTSA’s safety stamp change that?
Is the Chevy Volt an Audi 5000? According to the AutomotiveNews, some Chevy dealers are not accepting their full allotment of Chevy Volts, citing limited demand. Of course, now that the NHTSA has given Volt safety a thumbs up, that sale’s story could quickly change.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Chevy Volt safety and fire concerns have tarnished the Volt brand, and that’s too bad, but is the damage just temporary? Read more…
Categories: Buying plug-ins, Chevy Volt, Hybrid Cars, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, electric cars, plug-in hybrids
Chevy Volt-gate over, at least as for as government is concerned
Volt-gate is over: The Volt is safe.
Neither Volt nor EVs pose greater fire risks
Today the government closed its case on an investigation into Chevy Volt fire risks, announcing that both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the Obama Administration, consider the case closed following some minor updates by GM to further contain any potential for battery fires following a severe crash.
Perhaps more important, the NHTSA issued some new protocols for first responders, as well as announced that “consumers, the emergency response community, and tow truck operators and storage facilities” need better education regarding the different “attributes” of plug-in vehicles. Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Chevy Volt, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, lithium batteries, plug-in hybrid cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, electric cars, plug-in hybrids
Updated & Depowered — GM announces Chevy Volt battery fix/update
Even greater protection on the way.
No need to depower the Volt after a crash?
Following a severe crash in a Chevy Volt today, GM sends a team to depower the Volt involved in the crash to prevent the possibility of a fire days or even weeks after the crash, much like a gasoline car is emptied of gasoline after a severe crash. Likewise, GM is able to glean valuable information to be used in future Volt builds.
However, the need to depower severely damaged Volts could soon be minimized as GM has announced a fix for this battery issue.
Or, should depowering always be required after a severe crash in any battery-powered vehicle? Read more…
Categories: Buying plug-ins, Chevy Volt, Plug-in Vehicles, Recalls, safety Tags: Chevy Volt
Depowering Not Required: Nissan Leaf safer than Chevy Volt
Smarter battery management
But is the Volt really dangerous?
One day you are out driving your gas-guzzler and WHAM, some jerk blows a stop light and t-bones your ride. A total loss, including the full tank of gasoline that now has to be emptied to prevent fires.
Well, that’s no different than a Chevy Volt that has to be depowered after a crash to ensure that a fire doesn’t eventually break out, probably many days or even weeks after the crash.
Not an unreasonable protocol, right? Just like taking the gas out of a guzzler. Still, such depowering is never required following a Nissan Leaf crash. Read more…
Categories: Buying plug-ins, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf
De-powered: GM’s Chevy Volt fire begs serious questions
Is the Volt's battery really safe?
Shouldn’t there have always been a de-powering protocol?
I would have no problem buying a Chevy Volt today — if it were cheaper — despite the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s formal investigation into Volt fire risk after an accident (more). I honestly don’t believe the Volt is a serious fire risk, but I do think that GM — and perhaps all EV makers — might have missed some due diligence.
But is that really cause for plug-in worries? Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Buying plug-ins, Chevy Volt, Hybrid Cars, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, electric cars, plug-in hybrids
Why buy a hybrid? Better safety of course
More fuel efficient and safer than the non-hybrid.
It’s not just about fuel economy
Obviously, most people buy hybrid cars to increase their fuel economy, but efficiency isn’t the only reason to buy a hybrid these days.
According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, hybrids are 25 percent safer than their conventional counterparts. Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Hybrid Cars, safety Tags: Hybrid Cars, safety
Possible Chevy Volt garage fire not due to the Volt
Fire worries no reason not to buy a Volt.
According to multiple preliminary reports
The Chevy Volt has been associated with several fires, but the evidence suggests more and more that the Volt is not the problem. Yes, lithium-ion batteries in vehicles like the Volt are combustible, but so too are gasoline engines.
And, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is still investigating a Volt fire, a previous garage fire involving the Volt was not caused by the Volt. Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Buying plug-ins, Chevy Volt, Hybrid Cars, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, electric cars, lithium batteries, plug-in hybrids
Chevy Volt battery fire suggests new mitigation strategies, not panic
A Chevy Volt battery pack.
Neither Volt nor EVs more dangerous than conventional vehicles – NHTSA
Three weeks after undergoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests, a Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery pack started a fire at a NHTSA facility. Consequently, the NHTSA is going to conduct some additional tests on the Volt and its battery pack, while reviewing battery protocols from all EV manufacturers.
Nevertheless, the NHTSA maintains that neither the Volt, nor any other EV, is a greater fire risk than other, non-lithium-powered, vehicles. Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Buying plug-ins, Charging, Chevy Volt, Hybrid Cars, Plug-in Vehicles, electric cars, lithium batteries, plug-in hybrid cars, safety Tags: Chevy Volt, electric cars, Hybrid Cars, lithium batteries, plug-in hybrids
I still EN-V GM’s plans for automotive revolution
Now that's a more revolutionary box
And I’ll take an electric networked vehicle today
About a decade ago I gave up driving as much as possible. As a result, I pretty much hate driving today, especially urban driving. Actually, it’s not so much the driving that I hate, it’s the congestion and the poor driving habits of many of my fellow Angelenos.
Fortunately, I live in an area of Los Angeles that is well served by public transportation, and the Goldline is today my favorite mode of commuting. But, it’s not always sufficient, and that gives me great hope for ideas like Electric Networked Vehicles, such as GM’s EN-V. Read more…
Categories: Car sharing, Charging, Plug-in Vehicles, Telematics, electric cars, safety Tags: GM EN-V
Urbee hybrid: Need a new car, print one out
The Urbee hybrid concept
Can cheap, safe, and extremely fuel efficient — but very odd — hybrids sell?
It took about 100 years for the world to achieve a fleet of 1 billion cars, but it will only take a couple of decades to add the next billion. Such production is going to be a squeeze on many resources, and the way we commute today simply won’t drive tomorrow. Things must change.
And that’s what makes ideas like GM’s EN-V concept, the Gordon Murray T.27 and the Urbee hybrid noteworthy, even if just conceptually. Read more…
Categories: Fuel Economy, Hybrid Cars, safety Tags: GM EN-V, Hybrid Cars, Murray T.27 electric car, urbee
