1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Cool Volt feature

Discussion in 'Chevrolet Volt' started by etyler88, Sep 16, 2008.

  1. etyler88

    etyler88 etyler88

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2005
    450
    2
    0
    Location:
    Dover, DE
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Gotta admit that this is a cool idea.

    GM takes wraps off of Volt electric car | delawareonline | The News Journal

    The car, he said, will know a person’s normal route home, and if the driver veers off the route, it will calculate whether it needs to start the gasoline engine to recharge the batteries to extend the range, and for how long the engine needs to run.
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    They're using On-Star for this feature...so it will require that you maintain your subscription for that to work (I would assume).

    I'm curious to see if Toyota files suit once this comes out...or if GM will seek to license the technology as Toyota has a patent on a very similar technology using GPS to optimize performance of hybrids.
     
  3. miscrms

    miscrms Plug Envious Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2007
    2,076
    523
    5
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I believe this has been discussed as a possibility on EVs/PHEVs for a while. Most notable example I have seen is in the Project Better Place materials. I believe there have been discussions between PBP and GM, so maybe thats even where its coming from. PBP is primarily a network company, so their bread and butter is all this kind of software for BEVs and PHEVs.

    Better Place

    Rob
     
  4. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2006
    1,499
    99
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    This feature, that PBP has outlined is very cool. It would be fantastic.
     
  5. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2004
    14,487
    1,518
    0
    Location:
    Spokane, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    So the battery pack will hold 8 kWh. My Xebra goes 3 miles per kWh, but the Volt probably will weigh twice as much. However, it will probably have a more efficient motor than my Zebra. So let's say it gets 2 miles per kWh. That gives it an electric range of 16 miles. Weren't they promising 30? That would require it to get 4 miles per kWh, which I don't believe they'll manage to do.

    So it's going to cost $40,000 and only go 16 miles on a grid charge. Worthless. Assuming they actually go ahead and build it.

    And why do they need a GPS to decide whether to start the ICE??? Isn't the whole idea to go as far as you can on a charge before starting the ICE??? So why not just run it on the battery until the battery is too low, and then start the ICE?

    It's a scam, if you ask me.
     
  6. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The sources I've seen say the Volt battery will be 16kWh capacity Daniel.

    The point of the GPS input is to start running the ICE if you know the battery will be depleted so that it can run within it's most efficient range and offer full power from the battery at all times rather than draining it low then demanding lots of power just as you hit the foot of the mountain you need to climb.
     
  7. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2004
    14,487
    1,518
    0
    Location:
    Spokane, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    So then Lutz was flat-out lying when he said in the interview that it would cost 80 cents to charge if you are paying 10 cents per kWh.

    In which case, what else is he lying about?
     
  8. bac

    bac Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2008
    863
    52
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You name it.

    ... Brad
     
  9. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2008
    1,483
    137
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    He may not be lying. Even with a 16kWh pack, likely only 8kWh is allowed to be used in order to prolong battery life. So it will only need to charge 8kWh.


     
  10. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2004
    14,487
    1,518
    0
    Location:
    Spokane, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    You are referring to a specific characteristic of NiMH batteries: the kind we have in our Priuses. Lithium batteries behave very differently. You still may not want to take them down to zero, but they can use far more than half without compromising battery life.

    But even if they are limiting the battery to 50%, my point stands: Lutz's numbers are incompatible with the claimed specs.
     
  11. rgathright

    rgathright New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2008
    13
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    I doubt GM will give us a more efficient electric motor.
     
  12. Dozzer

    Dozzer Prius Noob

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2008
    189
    5
    0
    Location:
    Swansea, UK
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    There's me thinking the Volt will not be able to charge the battery using the ICE...