MILFORD, Michigan — GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz recently drove a Chevrolet Volt mule at GM's Milford Proving Ground and not only approved of the program, but described the experience as "electrifying." Although it was just an "engineering development vehicle," it was equipped with the 16-kw lithium-ion battery pack tested for the E-Flex system.
The GM FastLane blog posting is classic Lutz. At one point, he even serves as a tongue-in-cheek auto reviewer. "While the car is still most definitely a work in progress, the thrill of driving electrically — that instant, silent torque — is certainly present and accounted for!" Lutz writes. "Of course, as you can imagine, I miss the throaty roar of an engine. Once we get this whole battery thing perfected, our friends at XM Satellite Radio may have to start an Internal Combustion Channel."
Speaking directly to the reader, Lutz issued this warning: "Now, don't run to the Chevy dealer and order your Volt yet: The test mule I drove — a previous-generation [Chevrolet] Malibu — wasn't calibrated properly, and there are an awful lot of tests that this battery must pass before it's cleared for production. Our battery teams in Warren and in Germany are working hard in our battery labs to determine that these batteries will work for the life of the vehicle.
"Still, the conditions in a real-world environment — where the battery is exposed to shaking, moisture and rapidly changing temperature conditions — are much more extreme than the controlled settings of the lab."
Lutz concludes: "If and when we settle on the right battery, our E-Flex System engineers will have a lot of integrating, tuning and tweaking to do before the Volt is ready for prime time. And we'll keep you informed of our progress every step of the way."
It has only been a couple days since GM's board officially approved the Volt for production, although prototypes have been seen at test sites since late 2007.
With the ever-growing gas prices continuing to lighten wallets, Lutz said he truly understood the importance of an all-electric vehicle when driving by the $4 prices posted at the gas stations on the way to the proving ground.
"This makes the importance and potential of our all-electric glide through our proving ground roads even clearer," he said.
What this means to you: A working prototype, as well as Lutz's approval, is a big moment for the Volt on its long road to production. — Mike Lysaght, Correspondent
The GM FastLane blog posting is classic Lutz. At one point, he even serves as a tongue-in-cheek auto reviewer. "While the car is still most definitely a work in progress, the thrill of driving electrically — that instant, silent torque — is certainly present and accounted for!" Lutz writes. "Of course, as you can imagine, I miss the throaty roar of an engine. Once we get this whole battery thing perfected, our friends at XM Satellite Radio may have to start an Internal Combustion Channel."
Speaking directly to the reader, Lutz issued this warning: "Now, don't run to the Chevy dealer and order your Volt yet: The test mule I drove — a previous-generation [Chevrolet] Malibu — wasn't calibrated properly, and there are an awful lot of tests that this battery must pass before it's cleared for production. Our battery teams in Warren and in Germany are working hard in our battery labs to determine that these batteries will work for the life of the vehicle.
"Still, the conditions in a real-world environment — where the battery is exposed to shaking, moisture and rapidly changing temperature conditions — are much more extreme than the controlled settings of the lab."
Lutz concludes: "If and when we settle on the right battery, our E-Flex System engineers will have a lot of integrating, tuning and tweaking to do before the Volt is ready for prime time. And we'll keep you informed of our progress every step of the way."
It has only been a couple days since GM's board officially approved the Volt for production, although prototypes have been seen at test sites since late 2007.
With the ever-growing gas prices continuing to lighten wallets, Lutz said he truly understood the importance of an all-electric vehicle when driving by the $4 prices posted at the gas stations on the way to the proving ground.
"This makes the importance and potential of our all-electric glide through our proving ground roads even clearer," he said.
What this means to you: A working prototype, as well as Lutz's approval, is a big moment for the Volt on its long road to production. — Mike Lysaght, Correspondent
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