Updates on Chevrolet Volt

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

It's not just this car. GM seems to be very slow getting cars on the road.. Look at the Camaro And G8's.

G8 came out real quick. Camaro was uber-hyped and even those spyshots were only around for 2 or 3 years max, for a 2010 model.

[SlickHolden]

It was made in 06... And the Camaro should have been ready early next year..
Holdens been playing with that car for over 12 months. They have build the base years ago.

Issue is they show show show.. And then deliver years later. By then the car might be outdated or needing 5 upgrades.. Why not just build the thing and release it then everyone will go man that's cool... This way they have 2-3 years to change their minds and pick something else.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

It was made in 06... And the Camaro should have been ready early next year..
Holdens been playing with that car for over 12 months. They have build the base years ago.

Issue is they show show show.. And then deliver years later. By then the car might be outdated or needing 5 upgrades.. Why not just build the thing and release it then everyone will go man that's cool... This way they have 2-3 years to change their minds and pick something else.

it's something all car makers are doing.
the just want to play it safe, but as you said, they are just giving you more time to change your mind in favor of something else, presumingly newer and faster becoming actually available.

Look at the Panamera. it was showed, purposely, too much, advertised too much. it's already old.

[Dino Scuderia]

GM spent over 750 million just on battery development on this POS...and still Wagoner says they will not be able to have a hybrid price compatible with a petrol car until 2016-17.....and I assume that will be after another xxx million is spent on development. Wagoner told Congress the best battery technology is on Korea and Japan so I wonder how far behind GM still is.

GM is 62 billion in debt even before any bridge loan. If the Volt ever sees the light of day as a practically priced car I'll be surprised.

[culver]

Where did the $750m number come from? The Volt is fundamentally different than any hybrid or any of the plug in hybrids planned by competitors. It's understandable that the car's development is riskier than a normal hybrid.

[Dino Scuderia]

Originally Posted by culver

Where did the $750m number come from? The Volt is fundamentally different than any hybrid or any of the plug in hybrids planned by competitors. It's understandable that the car's development is riskier than a normal hybrid.

Here's the article it's from...which actually says 'is spending more than 750 million to develop the Volt'.

Electric cars and the future of Detroit - Dec. 5, 2008

[culver]

There is a big difference between spending $750m to develop the car vs $750m to develop the battery.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Dino Scuderia

GM is 62 billion in debt even before any bridge loan. If the Volt ever sees the light of day as a practically priced car I'll be surprised.

IIRC before of the storm, they was calling 35.000 $, I wouldn't say it's a "practical price".

[SlickHolden]

Maybe that's GM problem right there.. Playing it safe.. They don't always build the car people want more they build the one they think they want or they want them to have.

Toyota build boring cars and sell away form everyone. They don't need to be bold or get adventures they just do it.

[SlickHolden]

Maybe that's GM problem right there.. Playing it safe.. They don't always build the car people want more they build the one they think they want or they want them to have.

Toyota build boring cars and sell away form everyone. They don't need to be bold or get adventures they just do it.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

IIRC before of the storm, they was calling 35.000 $, I wouldn't say it's a "practical price".

Toyota sold the pants off the Prius for a similar price.

[togos452]

ALLIANCE FORMED TO MANUFACTURE ADVANCED AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES IN THE U.S.

12-18-08

National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture

for lithium ion battery cells

ALLIANCE FORMED TO MANUFACTURE ADVANCED AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES IN THE U.S.

The founding members of the Alliance include 3M, ActaCell, All Cell Technologies, Altair Nanotechnologies, Dontech Global, EaglePicher Corporation, EnerSys, Envia Systems, FMC, MicroSun Technologies, Mobius Power, SiLyte, Superior Graphite, and Townsend Advanced Energy. Additional battery developers and materials suppliers are anticipated to join the Alliance. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, a national research laboratory and leading developer of new battery technologies, has been active in encouraging the Alliance and will continue to serve in an advisory role as the Alliance begins operations.