Car is Heavier Than Chief Engineer Would Like, but There's Time to Slim Down
John O'Dell -
EDMUNDS - November 17, 2009
The tension is mounting as news of the Volt's progression keeps seeping out. --Ed.
With a year to go before production begins on the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, General Motors has 80 prototypes running around the country to test the critical battery and power electronics systems and program managers say they're happy with what they re seeing - except, perhaps, around the car's waistline.
There have been problems - mostly small ones that have been resolved - Volt's new chief engineer, Andrew Farah, said in a media briefing this afternoon.
One ongoing concern is weight - the battery pack still weighs in at more than 400 pounds, and the car is heavier than Farah would like. Although not critical to the launch, it's an important issue as every pound of weight eats into fuel economy and battery range.
Farah wouldn't say what the actual or target weights are for the car, GM's first extended-range, plug-in hybrid.
He did say that efforts to slim down the Volt are ongoing.
Farah also continued to support the company's controversial claim that the Volt could qualify for a 230 MPG city-cycle rating under an early proposal for one of the new federal fuel economy tests being developed for cars that use rechargeable batteries and electric motors some or all of the time....
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