xcel
01-30-2007, 02:54 PM
Engineer touts lithium ion batteries. (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070130/FREE/70129014/1528/VENTS)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/548/Resize_of_Volt_Front_View.jpgRichard Truett - Automotive News - Jan. 29, 2007
The gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt concept may be General Motors' green car of the future. The Volt, a series hybrid that uses a gasoline engine to recharge its lithium ion battery pack, appears headed for production around 2010.
GM already has appointed a chief engineer for the Volt, an unusual move for a concept. He's Nick Zielinski, a GM hybrid veteran. He will be responsible for integrating the Volt's gasoline engine and electric motor, which GM calls E-Flex. Zielinski spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Richard Truett at the Detroit auto show.
What needs to happen to make lithium ion work safely in hybrids?
At the cell level, we have performance data, and we think there are battery cells available with the energy and power level that we need. But the challenge is combining them all together. We are looking ahead into how the technology will be evolving. There are, like, 30 different chemistries out there for lithium ion batteries. There are also different techniques out there for making the cells.
What we are showing here (in the Volt concept) are what are called prismatic cells - little rectangular boxes. They each have their benefits and different cost tradeoffs. We'll be evaluating them as part of the Volt's engineering development on which approach is best to take.
How has the vehicle performed in internal testing?
Where we stand right now is that the Volt concept car has been an engineering development program based on a lot of simulation work. We've spent eight months proving to ourselves that the technologies are available, that the combination of technologies that we have will produce an acceptable vehicle. We don't have a vehicle running with this configuration. But we do have a vehicle running with a different configuration - our fuel cell vehicle.
How will the fuel cell program help the Volt make it to production?
What you see here is our Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric motor and power inverter. Our intent when we do the whole E-Flex system is to share that component across all the variants, so this will be representative of all the driveability aspects. The motor doesn't care where the electricity is coming from, as long as it is getting there.
When do you think you'll have a driveable version of the Volt, as presented at the auto show?
We have to go through a pretty rigorous development process. We've already started the basic engineering development of collecting the parts together and doing the physical integration. I guess it comes down to when we can get the batteries. We don't have a date set for the mule yet, but we are working those details out. But we hope it is going to be soon.
Are there any potential pitfalls that could keep the Volt from production?
The biggest challenge is the lithium ion battery pack. This is a large, high-energy-content battery pack. There are suppliers out there who are up to the challenge.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/548/Resize_of_Volt_Front_View.jpgRichard Truett - Automotive News - Jan. 29, 2007
The gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt concept may be General Motors' green car of the future. The Volt, a series hybrid that uses a gasoline engine to recharge its lithium ion battery pack, appears headed for production around 2010.
GM already has appointed a chief engineer for the Volt, an unusual move for a concept. He's Nick Zielinski, a GM hybrid veteran. He will be responsible for integrating the Volt's gasoline engine and electric motor, which GM calls E-Flex. Zielinski spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Richard Truett at the Detroit auto show.
What needs to happen to make lithium ion work safely in hybrids?
At the cell level, we have performance data, and we think there are battery cells available with the energy and power level that we need. But the challenge is combining them all together. We are looking ahead into how the technology will be evolving. There are, like, 30 different chemistries out there for lithium ion batteries. There are also different techniques out there for making the cells.
What we are showing here (in the Volt concept) are what are called prismatic cells - little rectangular boxes. They each have their benefits and different cost tradeoffs. We'll be evaluating them as part of the Volt's engineering development on which approach is best to take.
How has the vehicle performed in internal testing?
Where we stand right now is that the Volt concept car has been an engineering development program based on a lot of simulation work. We've spent eight months proving to ourselves that the technologies are available, that the combination of technologies that we have will produce an acceptable vehicle. We don't have a vehicle running with this configuration. But we do have a vehicle running with a different configuration - our fuel cell vehicle.
How will the fuel cell program help the Volt make it to production?
What you see here is our Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric motor and power inverter. Our intent when we do the whole E-Flex system is to share that component across all the variants, so this will be representative of all the driveability aspects. The motor doesn't care where the electricity is coming from, as long as it is getting there.
When do you think you'll have a driveable version of the Volt, as presented at the auto show?
We have to go through a pretty rigorous development process. We've already started the basic engineering development of collecting the parts together and doing the physical integration. I guess it comes down to when we can get the batteries. We don't have a date set for the mule yet, but we are working those details out. But we hope it is going to be soon.
Are there any potential pitfalls that could keep the Volt from production?
The biggest challenge is the lithium ion battery pack. This is a large, high-energy-content battery pack. There are suppliers out there who are up to the challenge.