Why Not A Milder Volt?

GM has designed a car which can drive 40miles on only battery power, and indefinitely (as long as the gas lasts) on generator power. And this car will cost something like $40,000, and will probably be a big money loser, according to the Obama automotive task force.

Why is GM shooting for the moon? Why not reduce the battery to something small, enough for maybe 5 or 10 miles pure electric driving? And instead of running the engine only when the batteries are depleted, run the engine more frequently to maintain a high level of charge. Then, use the batteries for accelerating and low speed driving, and use the engine more often during cruising.

Perhaps the generator could even be a high compression ethanol only design, to eke out more efficiency.

They'd get big fuel economy numbers (but not 230 mpg), and a much less expensive car. It would have nice torque, because it would be electrically driven, unlike the Prius.

The 230 MPG Claim

This whole 230 mpg claim for the Volt is getting on my nerves.

First, no one has tested a production level Volt with final calibration and final hardware. GM may discover some late change that needs to be made to fix a driveability issue or whatever, and the number would change.

Second, the EPA has not published the test method for plug-in hybrids. What assumptions did GM use to get the 230mpg number? Are they realistic? What about heat, or A/C, and electrical loads like the radio and headlamps?

For example, the FTP75 city driving cycle is 11 miles long. If the Volt has a 40 mile range running only on batteries, and starts fully charged, it will have infinite fuel economy for the city test. If it is tested with the batteries depleted, it will use its generator engine to move the vehicle, and will have some much higher fuel consumption (30mpg?).

I am not involved in SAE's committee working on plug-in hybrid fuel economy testing methods, but I suggest that the numbers be reported as follows:

• Line 1: All electric range, assuming some standard amount of heater and a/c usage, electrical loads, and wind resistance.
• Line 2: Gasoline only fuel economy (old fashioned FTP tests)
• Line 3: Combination, assuming X% battery driving and Y% battery depleted driving, for example, 50/50

It is dangerous for GM to publish numbers like 230mpg without details, so early in the game. If things change and they can't deliver, they will not be taken seriously by the public.

GM Time Warp On eBay

Go to http://www.ebay.com/gm. I was expecting news about the new GM/eBay partnership for California sales, but all I got was a 4 year old tsunami web site. Complete with opening quote by Rick Wagoner!

The GM sales thing is at http://gm.ebay.com.

The House's "Private Jets"

Only in the U.S. Congress can something so blatantly hypocritical happen.

After dragging the CEOs fo the Detroit 3 through the mud for daring to come to Washington in "private jets", what does Congress do for this budget? They double Obama's request, to $550 million, for... wait for it... small corporate jets, such as the Gulfstream 550.


Nice plane!

Breaking: GM To Announce PHEV SUV

I heard on Paul. W. Smith's radio show this morning that GM is gong to announce later today a plug-in hybrid SUV. Paul W. is covering the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City.

Why CARS (Cash For Clunkers) Should Be Extended

I posted previously that I didn't think the CARS program would be extended, and the outcome is still currently doubtful.

I think that CARS should be extended.  Many billions of dollars have been set aside for banks and insurance companies (some of which are now paying out huge bonuses to their employees).  Billions more have been set aside for "green energy" investments.  All for the sake of "stimulus".  However, much of the stimulus money won't be spent any time soon.

By redirecting some of the stimulus money to the CARS program, Congress would accomplish more stimulus sooner.  Money would flow quickly to dealerships, with their employees and dependent businesses, and money would flow to the automakers and suppliers.  It would also have the beneficial side effect of reducing gasoline demand by improving the overall fuel economy of the cars on the road. 

CARS List Update!

I updated my original CARS (cash for clunkers) eligible vehicle list with the new data from Edmunds, triggered by NHTSA's re-calculation of some of the fuel economy numbers. Some cars fell off of the list, and some were added on.

You can see the updated list here.