volt
Latest
DTV, flying robots and car control: more iPhone goodies from CES
Yesterday Mike pointed out some iPod and iPhone docks seen at CES, but our friends at Engadget have unearthed a steady stream of iPhone goodies at CES 2010. Here's a sampling: OnStar and Chevy show off Android, BlackBerry, and iPhone control apps for Volt Chevy and OnStar officially launched their suite of mobile applications for the Volt, set to be available for BlackBerry, Android, and the iPhone and set to deploy with the launch of the car itself sometime between the end of 2010 and 2011. Tivit promises to bring Mobile DTV to the iPhone and other WiFi-equipped mobile devices Dubbed Tivit, the pocketable box is a said to be a bit smaller and lighter than a deck of cards and claims to stream television to a number of WiFi-enabled devices, including the iPhone... Parrot's AR.Drone seeks us out, destroys us as we go hands-on Any device that supports 802.11 can connect to the drone to send controls to it and, interestingly, download video from the camera on the nose. The first such device is the iPhone... Also of interest: iLive storms back with 33 new iPod / iPhone-friendly audio products iHome's new clock radios will ensure neither you nor your iPhone ever sleep too late
OnStar and Chevy show off Android, BlackBerry, and iPhone control apps for Volt
It was announced back in December and now we've gotten a chance to play with it. More importantly, you can play with it too. Chevy and OnStar have officially launched their suite of mobile applications for the Volt, a three-pronged assault on smartphone and automotive bliss set to be available for BlackBerry, Android, and the iPhone set to deploy with the launch of the car itself sometime between the end of 2010 and 2011. Want to see it in action? Click on through to read all about it -- and see it in motion, too. %Gallery-81634%
Chevy Volt to get iPhone, BlackBerry apps
They may not let you actually drive the car James Bond-style, but it looks like there will be some apps for the iPhone and BlackBerry launching alongside the Chevy Volt, with apps for other devices apparently also a possibility. That word comes from Chevrolet's soon-to-be-retiring VP Brent Dewar, who unfortunately had little to say about the apps themselves, but did briefly flash the above slide during a presentation at the LA Auto Show last week. The apps will apparently let you control when the car charges, however, and even include integrated real-time features from OnStar, which should include things like electricity rates from utility companies by the time the Volt rolls out. [Thanks, Dave]
2011 Chevrolet Volt gets taken for a test drive
The Chevy Volt is one vehicle we can really get behind. It's hard not to be a little excited over it -- we have, after all, been watching its development for quite a long time now. The electric car gets an impressive 230 miles per gallon in the city (and, all shaky rating practices aside, that's nothing to scoff at). Autoblog Green's just taken one of Chevy's 80 IVER pre-production prototypes for a little spin, and they seem to have come away pretty impressed with the car. They report that the brakes are better than most hybrid vehicles, and said that when the engine does kick in after the battery's depleted, they didn't even notice it until they stopped and heard it running quietly. It was a short spin, so they weren't able to gauge, for instance, whether the car can actually pull the full 40 miles per battery charge that Chevrolet claims it gets, but check out their full, detailed observations at the Source link.
Chevy Volt shows up at fast food joint, practices lines for LA Auto Show
You might've seen the Volt make a guest appearance on the futuristic Surrogates movie already, but now Chevy's taking the opposite approach by looking toward the past to promote its PHEV. Bob's Big Boy fast food restaurant in California got treated to a surprise visit by a production model of that most bodacious Chevrolet, and as you can see above, it doesn't look horribly out of place seated in among its elders, a 1969 Camaro and an Impala SS. Joining in the weekly classic car meetup hosted by the restaurant, this appearance was a prelude to the production Volt being shown off at the LA Auto Show, which kicks off this coming Friday. So if you wanna see it, you can either attend the event or wait for the car to roll up at your nearest Wendy's.
Chevrolet Volt gets driver-activated warning system for the blind
Whether it's voluntary or enforced, it seems to be a safe bet that most electric vehicles will eventually break their silence in one way or another to warn nearby pedestrians -- especially the blind. Chevrolet looks to be taking a slightly different approach than most with the Volt, however, and it recently tested out its system with a group of visually-impaired folks at its Milford Proving Grounds. Rather than simply making the vehicle sound like a regular car, Chevy has implemented a driver-activated system that emits what's described as more of an "excuse me" sound than "hey you" sound whenever you want to warn people you're approaching. Of course, depending on the driver does have its limitations, and Chevy says that future iterations of the Volt are likely to incorporate a more active system that can automatically alert pedestrians. Check it out in action after the break.
Top Gear team builds EV, shows how complex car production really is
The presenters of Top Gear, among the finer specimens of British television talent (Dr. Gregory House being another), were this past week engaged in designing and building an electric vehicle purportedly intended to compete with the likes of the Chevy Volt. Set a time limit of a mere 18 hours, they produced the marvel of rushed engineering and shoddy workmanship you see above. The Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust (believe us, you'll have no reason to remember the name) was even put through its paces by Autocar magazine, whose video "review" can be found after the break. We won't spoil the details for you, but if you want a conclusion, this one's pretty unequivocal: "there's a really good chance you could kill yourself" riding in this car.
Nissan says its new electric car, the Leaf, gets 367 miles per gallon
Nissan's gotten into a bit of a bragging contest on Twitter -- possibly fueled by Chevrolet's recent, shaky claim that the Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. The company is now saying that its new electric car, the Leaf, will get an astonishing 367 miles per gallon... even though it's a 100 percent electric car, and runs on absolutely no fuel. So, isn't that zero miles per gallon? Well, yes and no: all these massive numbers are based on both the Department of Energy and the EPA's calculations for estimating equivalencies in electric cars. Why? Well, it seems that car companies are still giving us -- the prospective buying public -- MPG figures because they think that's what we understand best. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for Chevy's Volt recently admitted to the New York Times that the miles per gallon matrix is "probably not the best measure of goodness" for a car that uses no gallons at all, but that it's "what people are accustomed to." We agree -- he's got a point -- but people were also accustomed to the hi-fi, the corded landline, and the steam engine. We assure you: people understand that a car that runs on zero gas (and therefore gets an astonishingly low amount of miles per gallon) is really, really awesome. So the MPG matrix is useless when talking about electric cars -- we'll adjust! Read - Nissan claims 367 miles per gallon for electric LeafRead - The Chevy Volt: mileage numerology
Chevy Volt nabs shaky 230 MPG rating, might not ship in 2010
We've always heard that you've got to take the bad with the good, but who said it had to be done at the same time? This morning, Government General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson had some rather sensational news to share about Chevrolet's Volt, but according to a report over at Autocar, that very vehicle is looking at some serious (potential) issues. As for the good news, we're told that the Volt has snagged a staggering 230 MPG rating in the city, but we should caution you that it's not as cut and dry as GM would have you believe. The EPA has released "a new methodology for determining a draft fuel economy standard for extended-range EVs like the Volt," and it's that murky measurement system that has blessed Chevy's wonder child with a triple digit MPG rating. Now, for the bad news. This past Sunday, GM reportedly submitted a regulatory filing with the US Treasury, and while it can't be taken as official word per se, it does provide reason to believe that the promised November ship date will slip to an undisclosed month and year. The report also noted that there is "no assurance" that it will qualify for any remaining energy loans to develop advanced fuel technology automobiles, and if you needed more reason to doubt the whole ordeal, have a look at this zinger: "Our competitors and others are pursuing similar technologies and other competing technologies, in some cases with more money available; there can be no assurance that they will not acquire similar or superior technologies sooner than we do." Ah well -- at least we know the four or five prototype models destined for eBay will do Ma Earth proud, right?Update: CNN has a nice look at this incredibly large MPG figure, and -- surprise, surprise -- it's not nearly as fantastic as it looks at first glance.Read - Chevy Volt gets "230 MPG" ratingRead - Chevy Volt may be delayed [Via AutoblogGreen]
Chevy Volt's first pre-production model now on the road, in testing
And with that, the first bona fide pre-production Chevy Volt -- its own parts and all -- has hit the pavement. General Motor's storied EV will be taken through the ropes to see what needs to be tweaked / modified before it finally goes into full production, which is expected to be at a rate of about ten a week as of mid-July -- and if you happen to live near Warren, Michigan, you might just spot one of these early models out on the road. Hard to believe Volt's defied more than a few odds, but so far, it looks promising. Good on ya, GM.
GM says bankruptcy won't affect the Volt, but how much say does it have?
As General Motors finally caved this morning, waved the white flag and filed for bankruptcy, those following electric cars immediately wondered what this all would mean for the long-awaited Volt. For years now, GM has steadfastly affirmed that it was moving forward with production regardless of what else was going on within the company and the economy at large. According to Technology Review, a GM spokesperson confirmed again this morning that "the filing will have no impact on the company's plans to start selling the Volt at the end of next year." That said, we have to wonder how much such a statement really means; reports have stated that the US government may up holding as much as 60 percent of the company, and if the primary goal is to bring the outfit back to profitability as soon as possible, Obama and Company may not feel that pouring even more into the high-priced Volt is a good idea. In related news, we hear Tesla is still taking orders...Update: GM has pushed out an official statement that (in a few words) also suggests that the Volt is still on track.
Chevy Volt coasts closer to reality, first bona fide model now in production
General Motors has just cut the ribbon, metaphorically at least, on the production of the first genuine Chevy Volt integration vehicle. Unlike previous versions, which have been "developments mules" made using parts from the Malibu / Cruze lines, this will look (and hopefully feel) 100 percent like what the company plans to start pimping out this November. The pre-production model will be put through the paces in case the design needs to be refined and tweaked before going full steam ahead. GM is sticking pretty close to its original plan of building at a rate of ten a week by mid-July, with "several hundred more" going into production early next year, and with any luck, it'll be packing some standardized EV plug by then.
Video: Taxpayer takes Chevy Volt's powertrain for a ride
See that? This dowdy looking sedan is the very symbol of hope for GM and perhaps the US auto industry as a whole. Although this Volt prototype is technically a mule -- an engineering hybrid that crosses the body of a Chevy Cruze with the Volt's Voltec powertrain -- it still gives "an 80-plus percent representation" of what the Volt's electric driving experience will be like. Or so says GM exec, Tony Posawatz. Our greasy sisters over at Autoblog took the Volt-mule for a spin. Their take? Overall, the electric drive system in the mules performed as advertised and GM appears to be well on its way to meeting a November 2010 Job 1 date.Too bad hope doesn't pay the bills. Hit the read link for the full story including a novice's guide to prototyping automobiles. Video overview after the break
Standardized EV plug could be adopted within months, says GM
Here's a more reassuring timeline for that proposed standardized plug for electric vehicles. The SAE J1772 Task Force-developed charging system, based on an initial design by supplier Yazaki, is now at Underwriters Labs for certification. That's scheduled to be done by the end of May and, if all things go according to plan, it can be adopted for use in the next few months. Speaking to Autoblog Green, General Motors' Gery Kissel listed his company, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Tesla among those participating or supporting the standard. He also said the we-swear-it's-coming-this-year Chevy Volt should be equipped with the new plug, and Tesla's reportedly pledged to adopt it for current plans and retrofit its older models. Things are starting to look up for the EV industry.
Automakers agree on common plug to recharge electric vehicles
Just hours after General Motors put forth a proposal for a standardized plug for electric vehicles, in flies this. German energy firm RWE has stated that a cadre of respected automakers and energy firms have all come together in agreement on a three-point, 400-volt plug that will enable electric cars the world over to be recharged anywhere, regardless of which recharging station they stop at. Caroline Reichert, an RWE spokeswoman, noted that the idea here is to ensure that "a car can be recharged in Italy in exactly the same way as in Denmark, Germany or France." We're told that the agreement includes nods of acceptance from the likes of Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Fiat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Eon, Vattenfall, EDF, Npower, Endesa and Enel, and while there's no time frame for when it'll be introduced, we're pretty stoked to hear that at least something has been decided upon.
GM proposes standardized plug for electric vehicles
Say what you will about General Motors (okay, so maybe you should say it under your breath), but there's no denying the brilliance of this idea. On the company's FastLane blog, one Gery Kissel explains that engineers and suits will be meeting up next week to discuss the standardization of common components that will hopefully be installed in forthcoming electric vehicles. Notably, the SAE J1772 Task Force will be responsible for designing a plug that links each plug-in vehicle to an "ecosystem," ensuring that drivers can pull into any charging station from Key West to Neah Bay and see a socket that fits their ride. Specifically, the group is being charged with defining a "common electric vehicle conductive charging system architecture for all major automakers in North America," but it remains to be seen if said standard can be hammered out before the Volt's not-to-be-missed 2010 introduction.
GM's request for Energy Department funds on hold, Volt looks really afraid
Despite General Motors' problems, the company has affirmed, reaffirmed and swore on its life that the Volt would hit the highway in 2010 come hell, high water or insolvency. That said, we reckon coming through on that vow is going to get a lot tougher without a few more billion from the United States Energy Department. You see, GM had applied for $10.3 from the entity, and $2.6 billion of that was to be set aside for building the all-electric sedan and two derivatives of it (as well as a third hybrid model, we're told). Unfortunately for it, all that cheddar is being held up due to its inability to pass a "financial viability test in order to simply survive." Not surprisingly, GM is assuring the world that the government's final decision won't stop the Volt from going on sale this November, but it also said that bankruptcy wouldn't be needed just a few months ago. Ahem. [Warning: read link requires subscription]
EU automaker loan may lead to fuel-sipping hybrid Jag XJ
Don't call it a bailout. The European Union has agreed to fund a £307 million loan to the newly minted Jaguar Land Rover conglomeration, known as JLR by those on the inside -- like Tata who owns it. However, unlike the US's rather open-ended (and dire-looking) cash infusions, this offer was made specifically to help the company up its eco-cred. JLR pledges to start with a so-called "Limo Green" version of the next generation XJ luxury sedan (that's the current, decidedly dark one pictured above). The model will use a Volt-like series hybrid drive train, in which the electric motor (or motors) powers the wheels and an onboard gasoline engine serves only to recharge on the go, a combination that should deliver 57 mpg -- three times the current machine's 19 mpg combined figure. The only question now is whether this future-Jag will still smell like leather and tweed smoking jackets, or will the whole thing reek of ozone and patchouli.[Via GM-VOLT]
First genuine Chevy Volt hits production on June 1st
You'd probably never know it from all the pictures, but the Chevy Volt hasn't actually been fully built before -- so far all we've seen are "development mules" constructed from the shell of the company's Cruze compact cars. That's all gonna change on June 1st, when General Motors says it's gonna start production on the first 100 percent genuine Volt. According to the unofficial blog GM-Volt, an average of ten cars will be made each week until a fleet of 80 have been complete. Of course, you're still not gonna get to drive one until at least 2010, so don't go looking for your favorite Gatsby cap just yet. Read - Announcement (with glaring mistake) Read - Corrections from GM exec Rob Peterson
GM's Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid hits the carpet in Geneva
As expected, GM just officially unwrapped its new Opel Ampera, the European rebadge of its Voltec-powered Chevy Volt. It's looking pretty "fit," as they say overseas, and will go into production late 2011. Internals are just what we're used to with the Volt, with a 16kWh lithium-ion battery that takes the car 60km (about 37 miles) and a gas powered generator for recharging the battery once depleted, that can extend the range to more than 500km (about 311 miles). Videos galore are after the break.%Gallery-46220%
