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GM Awards Advanced Development Battery Contracts For Chevrolet Volt E-Flex System

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by jonathanrohr, Jun 5, 2007.

  1. jonathanrohr

    jonathanrohr New Member

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    Yeah, after a brief hiatus, im back. Please note that these are lithium ion batteries, not smoke and mirror batteries. Thank you.

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    GM Chairman Rick Wagoner announced that the company has awarded two advanced development contracts for battery systems to be used on the GM E-Flex platform. For those who have missed the news for the last six months, E-Flex is the electric propulsion system used in the Chevy Volt concept. GM is moving ahead with production engineering including building proper prototypes so they need real batteries.

    Continental Automotive Systems and Compact Power Inc. will be supplying the integrated lithium ion battery systems to GM using cells from A123 Systems and LG Chem respectively. The press release is after the jump.

    [Source: General Motors via AutoblogGreen]GM Awards Advanced Development Battery Contracts For Chevrolet Volt E-Flex System
    Contracts Mark Important Step in Developing Range-Extender and Fuel Cell E-Flex Variants

    WILMINGTON, Del. – General Motors has awarded two contracts for advanced development of lithium-ion batteries for its electric drive "E-Flex System," it was announced today at GM's annual shareholder meeting.

    GM selected two companies out of the 13 technical proposals it considered to provide advanced lithium batteries for both range-extender electric and fuel cell variants of the E-Flex architecture. The E-Flex electric vehicle architecture underpins the Chevy Volt concept car shown earlier this year and is being developed as part of GM's strategy to diversify transportation away from petroleum.

    One contract will go to lithium-ion battery supplier Compact Power, Inc., based in Troy, Mich. CPI is a subsidiary of Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem. A second contract has been awarded to Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems, a division of Continental A.G., a tier one automotive supplier that will develop lithium-ion battery packs. GM continues to assess other solutions to quickly bring lithium-ion batteries to production.

    "The signing of these battery development contracts is an important next step on the path to bring the Volt closer to reality," said GM Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner. "Given the huge potential that the Volt and its E-Flex system offers to lower oil consumption, lower oil imports, and reduce carbon emissions, this is a top priority program for GM."

    The E-Flex System was first shown as the plug-in battery electric propulsion system for the Chevrolet Volt concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in January. A plug-in fuel cell variant of the E-Flex system was shown at the Shanghai Auto Show in April. The "E" stands for electric drive; the "Flex" represents the architecture's adaptability to be configured in several vehicle packages operating on various sources of electricity.

    These suppliers demonstrated solutions that best met the specific energy, power, mass and durability requirements for the battery in the E-Flex range-extender variant. The battery for the fuel-cell variant requires half the energy and power, but must be integrated and connected to the vehicle in a similar way.

    "This technology is developing rapidly," said Denise Gray, GM director of hybrid energy storage devices. "These contracts are an opportunity to deeply understand the differing battery technologies before making a production decision."

    The signing of these advanced development battery contracts for the E-Flex system is the latest proof point in GM's effort to transform the industry by diversifying automotive transportation away from petroleum with a range of propulsion alternatives. These include:

    A diverse lineup of hybrid models now in production, including:

    - The GM diesel hybrid electric system for large city buses
    - The Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid models
    - Coming this fall, models of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs that feature the world's first use of the 2-Mode hybrid system, providing a more than 25-percent improvement in fuel economy to what is already the industry's most fuel- efficient full-size SUVs.
    - Due next year is a front-wheel-drive 2-Mode hybrid Saturn Vue Green Line, with plans to make a plug-in version of the Vue that has the potential to achieve double the fuel efficiency of any current GM SUV.
    - In May, GM completed the longest fuel cell-vehicle demonstration drive in history with the 300-mile drive of the Chevrolet Sequel. It is also a leading producer of E-85 capable bio-fuel vehicles, with more than two million on the road.
    - GM is also the first automotive member to join the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of global companies and non-governmental organizations formed to support an economy-wide, market-driven approach to reducing carbon emissions.

    http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/05/breakin...s-for-the-volt/
     
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Thanks for the news, Jonathon.
     
  3. priussoris

    priussoris New Member

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    wait and see something will change it's GM wait do I smell smoke do I see mirors maybe yes maybe no it may just take several or 30 yrs more.

    But lets keep the dream alive
     
  4. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    They've awarded a contract. Ho-hum. Wake me when they have a car on a dealer's lot. Am I being unfair? Not when you consider their history!
     
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah. I'll admit that I immediately burned the article to PDF for long-term storage and retrieval if/when things fall through (a la Ford's commitment/recantment of hybrids). But I want to be optimistic. What can it hurt? I would rather spend my hours hoping that things will work out than moping over what just might be another failed promise. I want to believe that GM finally sees the consumer interest. I want to think that GM realizes that there really is money to be made through promoting conservation and emission control.

    You know, exactly the opposite of what Lutz said in 2004:
    [Full Article]
     
  6. jonathanrohr

    jonathanrohr New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jun 6 2007, 09:38 AM) [snapback]456475[/snapback]</div>
    Yeah, if you cant tell, I also try to keep things positive =).

    Lutz's treatment of issues like fuel economy and emissions is what really keeps me from loving the guy. From the standpoint of bringing GM some more exciting cars (think Cavalier vs. Cobalt SS), and improving interiors (Aura, 09 Malibu), and kicking out the bean counters he has done excellent. But when it comes to MPG and emissions, he just dosent seem to give a crap, and that really dissapoints me.

    It is as though GM treats its smallest vehicles as though they should be the least expensive of their portfolio, and not the most fuel efficent. What is amazing is to watch the MPG trends from GM's very 'efficent for its size' Impala downward through the Malibu, Cobalth and to the Aveo. The Malibu and Cobalt are almost identical in MPG, that would be like the Corolla getting the same MPG as the Camry. And while this does to a very minor extent speak well of the Malibu, it speaks very poorly of the Cobalt.

    I once stated (to much flaming on the GM website) that having the most economical fullsize SUV, while admirable, is like being the fast marathoner over 300lbs. I.E., good for you, but you still suck.

    Anyways, I am very confident that GM has finally woken (waken?) up, and will continue to do very well. I hope that they realize this new way of doing business is the new 'norm' for them, and not just a temporary rush to get caught up again.

    While I am very confident that the Volt will see production, I do have to admit that if gas prices tank (to the tune of 1.50 a gallon), it has a strong chance of getting axed. GM seems to be doing this for MPG reasons, and the eco benifit is just a side bonus. But, I doubt we'll see 1.50 gas anytime soon, so I remain confident.

    BTW.. just want to say.. I enjoy my convos/debates on this forum ALOT more than on my GM forum.

    Cheers.
     
  7. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonathan Rohr @ Jun 6 2007, 12:45 PM) [snapback]456644[/snapback]</div>
    I think you're right...there's seemingly still a bit of 'size-ism' at GM, where somehow the smaller vehicles just don't get the engineering attention that they deserve.

    -----

    Regarding the battery contracts...I, too, remain a bit skeptical (especially based on the proposed production timeline for the Volt). It's just so early on...I'd guess this is more about feasability than establishing production standards.

    Still...

    That said, I hope they *do* do it and make the car happen. And prove me and all of the GM skeptics wrong in the process.

    And, if they could make it so I won't end up with an ashtray of 'mystery fasteners' that fall from under the dashboard, why so much the better!
     
  8. bigmahma

    bigmahma New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jun 6 2007, 04:13 PM) [snapback]456774[/snapback]</div>
    I hope so too! That way Obama can take my tax dollars and give it to car companies to do more R&D for my benefit!

    How nice of Obama...
     
  9. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jun 6 2007, 06:38 AM) [snapback]456475[/snapback]</div>
    And I want to believe that my government is going to start putting human needs before corporate greed...

    But I don't.

    Beliefs that contradict the evidence are seldom fulfilled. :( I would like to see GM start to build EVs and other environmentally-responsible vehicles. I would like them to succeed and become profitable again.

    But what I want and what I expect are seldom the same thing. And I expect GM to continue to screw the country, because that's what it's done since it was founded.
     
  10. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 5 2007, 09:12 PM) [snapback]456212[/snapback]</div>
    A DEVELOPMENT contract. A contract to develop batteries. I believe that means...invent, create, somehow make batteries appear. How long that takes and how good they'll be is another thing entirely. Not holding my breath on the Volt for 2008, 2009 or even 2010.
     
  11. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jun 6 2007, 04:53 PM) [snapback]456945[/snapback]</div>
    Or it means, "We'll pay you to make it look like we're doing something." Hey, they actually built a prototype fuel cell car: A car no real person is ever going to be able to buy. Just so they could avoid marketing a real alternative car. So now they're paying someone to pretend to be developing batteries. Then in ten years they announce, "Sorry. We tried. It can't be done." But meanwhile they can say, "We're working on it."

    If the S.O.B.s wanted to build an electric car, they could build it now using lithium batteries, and then, when better batteries come along, they could introduce a new model with the better batteries. THEY COULD BUILD THE STINKING THING TODAY IF THEY WANTED TO!!!!! They have awarded a "development" contract to delay criticism. And as an excuse to not actually build anything.

    Haven't you people figured it out yet? GM is evil. They dismantled public transportation in this country so they could sell cars. They built an EV when they were forced to, but they sued to quash the requirement, and then instead of letting people buy the cars, they crushed them. GM is evil. Toyota is greedy and marketed a car people wanted. But GM is just pure evil. They've got you all boondoggled into thinking they've changed, and they did it with a measly little "development" contract that they can cite to deflect criticism for the next ten years.

    Sheesh! :angry:
     
  12. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 6 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]457024[/snapback]</div>
    Providing that Phoenix, Tesla and others don't already have EV cars on the road. Pretty hard to convince the public it can't be done when it can be done....just not by GM.
     
  13. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jun 6 2007, 06:51 PM) [snapback]457029[/snapback]</div>
    A good advertising campaign can convince the public that sugar is food and gasoline is forever. GM is saying right now that the battery technology does not exist. What happened in the past ten years? Technology went away??? My daily car TODAY is an EV. In ten years, when Tesla is selling a family sedan, and ZAP is selling affordable EVs in the VW-Bug size class, and Phoenix is selling heavy-duty EV pickup trucks, GM will be saying that you cannot build batteries with the characteristics they need to build an EV, even though they did build an EV in the 1990s, and everybody that leased one loved it.

    GM could build an EV again today. They are not doing it. That means they don't want to. They understand that they need to pretend to be concerned, so, just as Toyota has the Prius to showcase its latest technology, GM will always have the Volt as the car it pretends it is developing, but "can't" because it will always need some technology GM will claim does not exist yet. "But we're working on it real hard," they'll say.

    "Jam yesterday, and jam tomorrow, but never jam today."
    -- Alice in Wonderland
     
  14. Jonnycat26

    Jonnycat26 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 7 2007, 11:22 AM) [snapback]457347[/snapback]</div>
    If GM did build an EV again today, it'd still have the same limited appeal that the EV1 did, that the Rav4 Electric did, that the Ranger electric did... and so on.

    The market for cars that may end up completely dead in the water after 200 miles is just limited. Period.

    Saying the could build the Volt today is disingenuous at best and FUD at worst. The Volt is more than an EV. It's an EV with an onboard generator. It's a series hybrid. It has it's own set of complexities and hurdles, and unlike an EV it probably won't leave you stranded on the PA turnpike between Philly and Pitt (ie, nowhere, middle of). It's got the best chance of success in the market... a pure EV is going to be a niche device for at least another decade.