Washington D.C. Auto Show: GM's Wish List for Volt

Shocking news: Extended-range electric vehicles like the forthcoming Chevy Volt will need all sorts of municipal infrastructure in order to break into the mainstream, GM told reporters at the Washington, D.C., auto show yesterday. The company says it’s working with cities like San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to make this happen. GM says steps needed include charging stations at offices and in public areas, favorable electricity rates and access to carpool lanes in states that have them. The major hurdle — consumer incentives to make such technology affordable — has already come in the form of a $7,500 tax credit approved last fall.

We asked Britta Gross, manager of hydrogen and electrical infrastructure commercialization (and also quite possibly the owner of GM’s longest job title) about where she sees the state of infrastructure down the road. Would drivers pay money for the electricity used when they plugged into a charging station? Not initially, Gross thinks. She said that in the 1990s, businesses would install such stations — sometimes with a federal tax credit for doing so — and offer up free charging.

Once plug-in cars proliferate, there may be a “business case for charging for access,” Gross said. “I think only time will tell.”

Plug-In Hybrids Could Get $10,000 Tax Credit

Last year, legislators passed new rules about plug-in hybrids and their tax credits. Vehicles like the upcoming Chevy Volt would qualify for the maximum credit of $7,500. However, as part of the stimulus bill being considered in Washington, that amount would jump to $10,000. That means if the Volt cost $40,000, the price after rebate would be $30,000, putting it pretty close to the price of a well-equipped Toyota Prius.

The cap for this credit would also be raised from 250,000 vehicles sold to 500,000. Meaning if you bought the 500,001st plug-in hybrid, you would not get a credit.

The other change in the legislation is that larger plug-in electric vehicles meant for commercial uses, like delivery trucks, would get larger credits of $12,500 and $15,000, depending on their size. That should be a good incentive for companies to buy new plug-in vehicles, if they existed. Currently, there are no such plug-in commercial vehicles planned.

Senate Finance Committee Markup Proposes Doubling PHEVs Eligible for Tax Credits to 500,000 Units (Green Car Congress)

Sign of the Times: GM Cancels L.A. Auto Show Reveals

GM announced it has canceled its plans to host a press conference at next week’s L.A. auto show. Originally, the company had planned to unveil its all-new Buick LaCrosse sedan and Cadillac SRX crossover at the show. Instead, the company says it has decided to postpone those reveals until a later date — we assume the Detroit auto show in January — because any new models would be overshadowed by financial news. You know — the kind about government bailouts and the possible collapse of the auto industry.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be new GM products to see in L.A., though. A restyled Pontiac G6 lineup will be on hand, and it will also be the first time most people will get to see the production Chevy Volt, Chevy Cruze and Chevy Camaro at a major consumer show. GM will also display the Saab 9-X Air concept that debuted in Paris earlier this year. Stay tuned for our coverage of the L.A. auto show next week. We also expect more news to come over the next few days.

GM scraps plans for news conference at upcoming L.A. Auto Show (The Detroit News)

EPA May Label Chevy Volt First 100 MPG Car

Unless some breakthrough happens in the next two years, GM could have a major coup when it puts the Chevy Volt plug-in electric hybrid on sale in late 2010. According to company officials, the EPA has agreed to preliminary testing rules for the plug-in hybrid category that would translate to at least 100 mpg on the Volt’s sticker. 

Of course, anyone watching the news the past two days knows that any preliminary agreement can fall apart, but for now we’ll take GM’s word that the EPA is on board with the figure.

More on the Chevy Volt's Interior

Yesterday we answered questions about the Chevy Volt as a whole, and today we’re bringing you an in-depth Q&A about the plug-in hybrid’s futuristic interior, with Tim Grieg, the car’s interior-design manager.

The biggest bomb he dropped during our conversation was the fact that while GM is calling the vehicle shown yesterday a production version, the interior itself is not exactly what will arrive at showrooms. Read our Q&A to learn more about the finished product.

Chevy Volt Questions Answered

We got a lot of questions answered this morning about the upcoming Chevy Volt plug-in electric hybrid, but we had a lot more to ask. That’s why we connected with Greg Cesiel, the Volt’s program director at GM. Now we share what we learned below. 

Q: Why is it a four-seater?
A: “We joke that there is a fifth passenger — the battery,” Cesiel said. “The T-shaped battery package that fits between the two rear seats worked best with a four-passenger configuration. It would not offer good comfort for a fifth passenger.” 

Cesiel did say that if this battery setup were used in another configuration, like an SUV, this would not be an issue.

2011 Chevy Volt: Early Reactions

This morning we saw the production version of the Chevy Volt for the first time. We had seen some earlier images released unofficially on the web and they disappointed us. Thankfully, after seeing more angles of the real thing, we’re a bit more optimistic for the Volt’s success. Below are our staff’s first thoughts from editors Joe Wiesenfelder, David Thomas, Mike Hanley and Kelsey Mays. Don't forget to voice your own thoughts in the comments.

JW: This is exactly what I expected. When you consider that the whole point of the Volt is its function, its form isn’t bad at all.

DT: Seeing the standard, eye-level front-quarter view above makes me think GM has a winner. This thing is sharp!

MH: While attractively styled, the Volt isn’t particularly distinctive — has GM learned nothing from the Prius?

KM: GM could sell Azteks if they had a 40-mile EV range; provided the feds grant a sizable tax credit, people will line up for this.

Revealed: 2011 Chevy Volt Plug-In Electric

Today, we get our first official look at GM’s upcoming plug-in electric hybrid, the Chevy Volt. The four-door hatchback looks remarkably different from the sleek concept vehicle that debuted at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. GM says the production Volt needed to be more aerodynamic to achieve the efficiency the company was aiming for.

As previously announced by GM, the Volt will have a range of 40 miles on a full-electric charge. Then a gasoline/E85 capable engine will kick on to recharge the battery. All power to the drive system is electric, so the gasoline engine works like a generator.

GM did unveil some specifications today. The electric motor will achieve the power equivalent of 150 horsepower (a Toyota Prius puts out 110 hp) and a maximum speed of 100 mph. We also learned that there will be 220 lithium-ion battery cells powering this unit.

GM Exec: Chevy Volt Battery's Performance 'Flawless'

At a media introduction to GM's 2009 model line last week, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz said the company's lithium-ion battery development "is progressing nicely" and that the company has chosen but not announced a supplier. The lightweight battery technology is the linchpin of the Chevrolet Volt electric car that GM has promised for 2010. The Volt will drive up to 40 miles on a charge before its gasoline-powered onboard generator is needed to extend its range.

While lithium-ion batteries are already common in cellular phones and laptop computers, GM has undertaken an aggressive program to adapt and test the technology in the harsh automotive environment. "We haven't hit any obstacles so far for the batteries," Lutz said. "They are all performing flawlessly. It's almost scary we are not seeing any problems with the batteries."

First Images of Production Chevy Volt

GM has launched an entire page dedicated to the upcoming Chevy Volt on its press site. Here are the first two images of the production version of the 2010 plug-in hybrid gas-electric sedan (one above and one below).

They certainly don’t reveal too much about the car, but we’re at least a little more excited that the Volt is actually approaching reality; it will likely debut at the 2009 Detroit auto show in January.

More Chevy Volt News (KickingTires)