GM-Volt Exclusive: Inside the GM Chevy Volt/E-Flex Battery Lab

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.gm-volt.com/2008/01/12/gm-volt-exclusive-inside-the-gm-chevy-volte-flex-battery-lab/#more-725

Sat 12 Jan 2008

GM-Volt Exclusive: Inside the GM Chevy Volt/E-Flex Battery Lab

...

The facility was a warehouse-sized unassuming space filled with large temperature regulation chambers, test benches, workstations, power supplies, people, and of course batteries.

After clearing the security checkpoints, as I passed into the lab, I immediately recognized the T-shaped Chevy Volt prototype pack, disrobed of its black case, on the floor to my left. It was attached to a work station running proprietary software that controlled cycling the pack through charge-discharge cycles as well as monitored the behavior of the individual cells and the pack as a whole.

I watched Lance run the pack through an entire US06 cycle, which represents a fairly aggressive driving pattern, and includes a spike of >100 kW of power. The pack flawlessly handled this 600 second electrical obstacle course without a hiccup, using only a fraction of it’s stored power.

...

So for anyone who still doubts the veracity of GMs dedication to this program, and the quality of their hardware, this author can tell you first hand, this program is real, and an automotive revolution is indeed underway.

[AndyTiedye]

1. They'd be in Production Already if They Hadn't Killed Off the EV-1

Seems to me they p*ssed away about 12 years.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. I know it's hard to accept, but the financial situation wasn't right for the EV-1

FWIW:
Prototype EV-1's were first put on the road in the 1997 model year.
The "EV-1 program" was officially canceled in 2003.
The Volt was announced in 2007. (2003-2007 That's 4 years.)

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/01/09/who-killed-the-electric-car-director-chris-paine-tells-autoblog/

...

I wanted to get hear what Chris Paine, the director of "Who Killed The Electric Car?" thought of the Volt and GM's plugged-in news this week. This is what he told me:

Sebastian - We came to Detroit for the unveiling and the Volt looks great. It's a beautiful design and the result of what looks like earnest and incredible hustle at GM over the last 12 months. I was impressed. The proof, of course, will be when the car is sitting in your or my driveway, but in the meantime you can be sure that all of our pressure as consumers and citizens has made a difference.

GM has listened and made some good decisions to return to the EV table in earnest. I do not agree with their press faulting the EV1 nor do I believe that everything must wait for the perfect lithium battery; but by the same token I don't feel that this is just a PR play at GM. We talked to senior executives and many employees who looked us in the eye and spoke from their hearts. One executive said "the public won't forgive GM twice" which is a revealing and accurate comment.

From what I can see, GM is doing the right thing and I'm supporting them as long as they keep making good decisions and moving plug-in cars into production reality. It's a week we can all be proud of.

http://www.alternativeenergy.com/photo/photo/show?id=1066929%3APhoto%3A9978&context=user

[AndyTiedye]

3. That Was No Excuse for Sending them All to the Crusher

The "owners" of many of the EV1's wanted to buy them at the end of the lease, but GM refused, and sent them all to the crusher.
There was no good reason to do that, and reinforced the impression of GM as a corporate dinosaur.
They also shut down all of their research on electric cars for several years.
It was 2003, and Bush** had promised them lots of cheap Iraqi oil as the hoped-for spoils of the war, so they were ramping up production of Hummers and other big SUVs. :grr:
I wish them well with the Volt, I hope it is not too late for them.

[patch1234]

4. the state gov'ts got what they wanted

the zero-gas-tax-paying vehicles, off the road

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. How many EV-1 drivers wanted to buy their EV-1's?

There were less than 1,200 of them ever made. So... assuming that 100% of the drivers wanted to buy their EV-1's, that would be less than 1,200.

Okay, so how much would they have paid for them?

Now, what would GM's liability have been for them? They'd already had to pay for one safety recall:
http://ev1-club.power.net/archive/gen1rcl/chgport.htm

...

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in all 1997 Generation I, EV1 and 1997-98 S-10 Electric Truck vehicles. These vehicles were produced with a charge port assembly that may fail during a charging event. If this occurs, heat could build up within the charge port and a fire could result without prior warning.

...

What you should do:
Users and/or Customers of Generation I, 1997 EV1s are urged to park their vehicle and immediately discontinue any and all vehicle charging. It is recommended that customers park their vehicle away from the charger to help prevent inadvertent use of the charging system.

...

Okay, remember, these were prototype vehicles, what do you suppose the potential was for future issues to crop up? What if someone were to be killed by a defect? (How much possible income from sales, vs how much possible liability?)

FWIW: Not all of the cars were crushed.
http://www.seattleeva.org/wiki/GM_EV1-fastlane_Blog

...

Could GM have handled its decision to say "no" to offers to buy EV1s upon natural lease expirations better than it did? Sure. In some ways, I personally regret that we could not find a way for the EV1 lessees to keep their cars. We did what we felt was right in discontinuing a vehicle that we could no longer guarantee could be operated safely over the long term or that we would be able to repair.

In turn, GM engineers used EV1s for cold-weather testing to continue the technology transfer to hybrids and fuel cells. We also donated them to universities and museums. In fact, we donated an EV1 to the Smithsonian and are now being wrongly accused of a conspiracy with the museum because they removed the car for renovation of the National Museum of American History. I can assure you that this is nothing more than unfortunate timing.

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In case there's some confusion, GM is not, nor has it ever been, my favorite car company. However, I think they deserve a fair assessment.

Strangely, the director of "Who Killed the Electric Car" has forgiven them, why can't you?
http://www.newsweek.com/id/81580

When General Motors was fingered as the prime suspect in the 2006 documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" Bob Lutz's inbox filled with hate mail. "I hope you rot in hell," read one missive to the GM vice chairman, known for his love of gas-guzzling sports cars. But now the movie's director wants Lutz to star in a possible sequel, "Who Saved the Electric Car?" "Now that they've done their mea culpa, I'm bullish on GM," says director Chris Paine. "I'd like to include Lutz in my next film."

...

Maybe "they" got to him. :tinfoilhat:

[wtmusic]

6. ***** GM Propaganda Alert ******

Tell us once more about the automotive revolution that's underway, Mr. GM Public Relations Employee! :eyes: