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 In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the great depression there is nothing cooler
than saving money. The only thing better, is the always very cool,making lots of
money. Since the latter has been put on hold indefinately for most of
us, its good to know we can still look forward to the
idea of saving money at the gas pump and in some cases maybe avoiding
the gas pump all together. GM's Chevrolet Volt was designed with just
that in mind.
As far as cost savings goes GM estimates the Volt costs from 1/5 to 1/10th the cost to operate when compared to the average automobile. Studies show that 80% of Americans commute 40 miles or less every day. Assuming a 40 mile daily commute $4.00 a gallon gas and a car that
gets 20 Mpg. you'd need two gallons of gas to make the trip every day.
In other words $8.00 a day in gas expense.
GM estimates the maximum amount it would take to charge the Volt
would be .80 cents, to go the full round trip. No gas necessary and Zero emissions!
Let's also be clear the Volt is no half steppin' hybrid. The proper term for the vehicle is an Extended Range Electric Vehicle. (EREV) for short.
Here's how it works: For the first 40 miles the vehicle relies 100% on electric power for performance. After the first 40 miles, the combustion engine generator will kick in. This vehicles 3-cylinder 1L
engine will keep the the Li Ion battery charged and will get 50 mpg. The engine provides the Extended Range for the Volt and will give it a range of 400 miles on a full tank of gas. (6-7 gallons)
The electric motor powers the
car at all times, the gas engine is just a generator, making electricity
to keep the batteries in a steady state of charge.
The Volt's
smart energy management system manages everything from charge times
down to power management and distribution within the vehicle. This is an important function since accessories like air conditioning, the sound system and lights will all rely on the same battery that is propeling the vehicle. The energy management system will proritize how power is distributed throught the vehicle.
Charge Times
3 hrs. @ 240 volts
8 hrs. @ 120 volts (Standard Home Outlet)
Performance
Although the volt does 0-60 in a fairly pedestrian 9 Seconds. The driving experience is said to be no less than exhilerating. According to Frank Webber, GM's executive in charge of the The Volt line, "Driving the Volt is like flying." He goes onto explain that electric cars have 100% available torque. So, from a dead stop the Volt can immediatley transfer 100% of it's power to the pavement, and do so in sheer silence. The result is a driving experience that is quite different from driving a car powered by a combustion engine.
Cost: Apx. $30,000 - $40,000.00
Does the Volt represent real change that can help GM recapture the luster of it's glory years? For the sake of the company and at this point the country, lets hope so.
—LM
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