VOLT: detailed images leaked

[Dr Mordrid]

Chevy VOLT of course being the E-REV (extended-range electric vehicle) flex-fuel car GM is coming out with in 2010, the first of many in development across their product line. Mostly cars, including a Cadillac, but there are strong rumors of a minivan (or microvan) and a truck with the E-FLEX drive line.

(E-FLEX meaning the E-REV drive line is modular and can use numerous range extenders: a flex-fuel IC/generator, a bio-diesel IC/generator, fuel cell, etc. )

Status: the batteries are performing better than expected, the body design is locked and the mules (testbeds) are performing better than expected.

The story goes that GM IT guys accidentally linked an internal dealer promotional page to their external site. It was down in a flash, but not before some Volt watchers saved them.

All have various GM execs in the frame, but you can see what's important. Note the "Volt" panel in front of and below the rear view mirror: it's a door under which is the recharging socket. Standard wall current will suffice.

Word is that it'll be rolled out in a live GM web cast the morning of Sept. 15th.

[rylan]

Cool.
So whats the story with the batteries? Last I heard is they are still deciding between the A123 or LG-Chem Li-Ion.

[Dr Mordrid]

They say the battery contracts will be announced before the end of the year, however A123's IPO is rumored for as early as December and if they got it (or didn't) that'll have to be part of the disclosure.

In any case both companies will end up providing GM with batteries; one as the primary and the other as the secondary. Apparently both are performing better than expected and they're going to need all they can get.

As I posted before cold weather handling has been worked out; the computer senses the ambient temp and if it's too cold for the batteries the range extender fires up, runs the car and heats the battery until it can take over.

Cooling the battery in hot weather is also worked out but details haven't been released.

Some of the thermal management is obviously fans but there has been a persistent rumor that heat pipes are part of the mix. We'll see.

Also: a closeup of the emblem

[Nowhere]

It seems they did make the engine compartment somewhat less dominating after all (bigger slant of the hood, changes to front wings and much larger, optically, windows among other things?)
Yes, yes, I'm saying that now it looks good (though it seems to me they didn't satisfiactionary figure out what to do with front grill...)

[Dr Mordrid]

The front grill isn't really a grill - only a bit of air gets in around its periphery for cooling smaller bits.

It is a very recognizable part of the concept car they kept under virtual death threat from the Volt fan-boys.

Every time GM asked in online polls what they wanted, one of the main things was to keep as many of the concepts styling cues as possible, especially on the front end.

GM did a lot of this. They asked if the fans wanted power inputs on one side or both (looks like both), if there is to be a solar-panel roof to help power accessories (hints to yes, an option), touch panel dash or not, various interface details including an iPod link, USB, road sound "skins" (to make it sound like an IC car - Porsche, Ferrari - whatever) etc. etc.

Those sound skins are going to be a big deal, perhaps even Federally required as organizations for the blind are already very concerned about how quiet the new EV's are turning out to be - damned near stealthy - meaning virtually no sound cues for the blind. Even tire noise is drastically reduced due to the use of low rolling resistance tires.

Not too hard to implement - just upload a file to the cars internal storage via USB and it'll play through solid state emitters on the cars exterior.

It's going to be a whole new world for cars....

[Nowhere]

I'm perfectly aware it isn't real; which just confirms what I've said - their designers don't really know what to do with that space yet or are trying to appease consumers (or fanboys as you put it) used to the idea that a car "must" have grill on its front, so they put there...something; looking not really that great/worse than true grill imho...

Too bad they listened...since when customers really know what they want? (saying that is easier for me of course because initial Volt concepts were much more clearly influenced by "mean US look" idea of a car )


PS. And @sound skins...oh gods, bloody no!!!

You thought optical/muffler ricers were bad? Now we will end up with car equivalents of "crazy frog"/"random popsong of the week" mobile rings driving on our roads...

[Dr Mordrid]

Yup...federally required crazy frogs at that.

[az]

I agree with nearly everything Nowhere said, except the window part: They are apparently so small that GM decided to add some black stripes under them to make them look bigger than they really are.

If they'd increase window size to something more sensible, re-style the grill (and I'm gonna call it that as long as it tries to look like one or someone comes up with a better word for it), do away with the stupid, stupid touch controls and keep fake engine sounds well regulated (I'm all for a closed system in this case), this is starting to look really good. We'll see about the price and if they manage to keep the gorgeus mirror design.

[Nowhere]

Uhm...yeah az, I also noticed that when I said that the windows are larger only "optically"

And I wouldn't count on restyling the grill; from what I see all Chevrolets share that style. Of course the obvious thing would be to get rid of the useless thing altogether...but as automotive history shows us (imho), it's much harder to do grill-less look right (though not impossible)

[rylan]

There is a good article about the Volt and bettery system in last month's issue the IEEE Spectrum magazine.

[gt40]

That grill needs to go. Someone needs to hit those designers with a creativity stick.

[Dr Mordrid]

There is a good article about the Volt and bettery system in last month's issue the IEEE Spectrum magazine.

You mean the August article on Denise Gray, GM's 'battery czar', or a different one?

Anyhow...from that article a pic comparing the EV1 NIMH & Volt LiION battery packs -

[Dr Mordrid]

Just got a full image without any blocked view;

[az]

Really starts to look like a Saab/New Mondeo inspired design (which is to say, it looks good). Now please please don't do the fake windows plastic stuff and give the grill a less-plasticky look.

EDIT: Well, it isn't going to be sold here with this design anyway, so if it looks good to Americans - fine with me. Its drivetrain is certainly a sound concept and I hope it gets introduced here as well - for a reasonable price. Hopefully all the way up and down the product line.

[Dr Mordrid]

Europe will get something more like the Opel FlexTreme, which was shown as a Saturn at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.

VOLT and FlexTreme are both to be built on the GM Delta II platform. Vehicles planned for it are;

Chevy Cruze
Chevy Tacuma (rumored to evolve into an E-Flex minivan)
Cadillac Provoq
Opel Astra
Saab 9-1X (2009/10) and 9-3 (2012)

(NOTE: the FlexTreme's Segway bays,. hidden by the rear door (bottom), will likely be dropped)




Cadillac Provoq