Production Volt

[Leviathan]

Again, trying to get more signal than noise...

CNBC Test Drive of the Chevy Volt in Charge Sustaining Mode
New York Times Report on the Chevy Volt Generator Mode Driving Experience

and this summary of the other two:
Review and Poll of the First Journalist Chevy Volt Test Drives

It’s hard to believe after nearly three years of debate we have finally gotten some independent third party observations on what its like to drive a production-intent Chevy Volt in charge sustaining mode.

I thought it would be good to review and summarize what the reviewers said, seek some clarification from GM, and see what we all think of it.

Acceleration
LeBeu: low center of gravity and “sportier” feel when accelerating, not a sports cars
, instant torque gives you responsiveness, will surprise skeptics
Brooke:sport mode delivers more oomph than normal mode

Handling
LeBeu:great handling that would surprise skeptics
Brooke: car feels solid and planted on the road, minimal body lean in tight corners, low rolling resistance tires provide excellent grip

Transition from EV to CS Mode:
LeBeu: transition is disconcerting, needs to be smoothed out, no fall off in power, jarring
Brooke:engine’s initial engagement is inaudible and seamless

Sustained CS Driving  Requiring Power
LeBeu: N/A
Brooke: intermittent momentarily disconcerting engine revs with immediate disappearance of sound even though generator still spinning

Instrument Panel
LeBeu: loves green to yellow efficiency gauge, overall great
Brooke: N/A

Overall Impression
LeBeu:  very impressed
Brooke: behaves admirably, extremely refined

I had the chance to discuss these journalist drives with Volt vehicle line executive Tony Posawatz who explained things the following way:

Both Phil LeBeau and Lindsay Brooke had wonderful drive experiences. I was in the car with both of them for their drives.

Neither was able to detect when the engine came on, much different than a hybrid. We are still fine tuning aspects of how the engine modulated under different load conditions.
We want to make it perfect. We have the unique challenge of balancing the customer pleasability, efficiency and regulatory requirements.

The engine has certain RPM efficiency points but does vary when you demand more power. Our work now is to feather in the RPM changes and refine which is simple calibration work.
The charge sustaining or range extending experience will be somewhat different to what people are accustomed to just like EV driving is a different experience.
Most of the time you will never know the engine is on.

[Leviathan]

Hmm,

LeBeu: transition is disconcerting, needs to be smoothed out, no fall off in power, jarring
Brooke:engine’s initial engagement is inaudible and seamless
Posawatz: Neither was able to detect when the engine came on

[articsteve]

Posawatz: Neither was able to detect when the engine came on

It's exactly as I said; regardless of facts it will be reported by GM that everything is on track.  Just ironing out the wrinkles.

I've got a suggest for them.  How about just finishing the car without a media release every other week on how great it's going.  Then release it to the public and if the media want to test one they can find a willing owner to catch a test ride.  Let's dispense with the PR, hotel, dinners, booze, and backslapping courtesy of the taxpayer GM.

[rrocket]

Looks like the development is coming along fine...

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So where is all that info about GM not producing the Volt? ahhhh it doesn't exist lol WRONG again artic(s)
  

Since I was the first member here, way back in 2005  , to declare  that GM would go into Chapter 11 despite the onslaught of tantrums by the GM slappies, I am by default the "KNOWER OF ALL THINGS GM".

Now that we have that fact established I will reveal to you the results of my next vision:

GM will release a continuous chorus of positive Volt technical results (which they are doing currently) right up to their do or die IPO.  The Volt will headline in all GM "theme" commercials.  After that all the positive spin will come to an abrupt halt and GM will announce that the VOLT will be lease only with no buy back.  That way they can restrict the number of units, what geographical area it's used in, and when the car under performs or ceases to operate GM can just terminate the lease and repossess the vehicle.

The Volts main purpose was to draw the US Congress and the American public into a false sense of purpose to support the enormous bailout and it worked.  A perfectly executed TRIPLE LUTZ!

I've got a broken 150 year old clock that's right twice a day, imagine that.

[toolatecrew]

Posawatz: Neither was able to detect when the engine came on

It's exactly as I said; regardless of facts it will be reported by GM that everything is on track.  Just ironing out the wrinkles.

I've got a suggest for them.  How about just finishing the car without a media release every other week on how great it's going.  Then release it to the public and if the media want to test one they can find a willing owner to catch a test ride.  Let's dispense with the PR, hotel, dinners, booze, and backslapping courtesy of the taxpayer GM.

DETROIT -- General Motors Co.'s top engineer says some of the automaker's engineers are afraid to point out reliability problems.

The result: black marks for reliability given to some GM vehicles this year by Consumer Reports magazine. A black mark indicates that the problem rate is higher than average and that fewer than 50 percent of subscribers who had bought or leased that vehicle would do so again.

The remarks by Mark Reuss, vice president of global vehicle engineering, confirmed to some degree critics' longtime complaint that GM's corporate culture does not foster accountability.

Some GM engineers "see problems but don't do anything," Reuss said during a media session here last week. "If everyone is afraid to talk about a problem" because they fear losing their job, he said, "then we have a real problem."

Yes we should all drink the GM Lool Aid the Volt is on track. No problems. After all engineers at GM always point out problems to managment at the first sign of trouble let alone put it in a press release regarding their saviour car if they find and issue.

Once again this is not to say there IS a world ending problem with the Volt. Simply that there is absolutley no reason to think that they would tell us anything but even the most rose colored picture even if there was.

Some GM engineers "see problems but don't do anything,"

But the Volt engineers are different right?
It will all be different THIS time right?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Yes we should all drink the GM Lool Aid the Volt is on track. No problems. After all engineers at GM always point out problems to managment at the first sign of trouble let alone put it in a press release regarding their saviour car if they find and issue.

Once again this is not to say there IS a world ending problem with the Volt. Simply that there is absolutley no reason to think that they would tell us anything but even the most rose colored picture even if there was.

Some GM engineers "see problems but don't do anything,"

But the Volt engineers are different right?
It will all be different THIS time right?

Well, to be fair (you do want to be fair, don't you, or is this simply another anti-GM tirade?) , GM has been getting much better reliability scores with their new models, so someone is listening when problems are pointed out.

GM is damned if they do, damned if they don't release updates on the Volt's progress. If they didn't release info, it'd be declared vapourware. They do release info, well they're being attention whores.

Through all of the pages of this thread, no one has pointed out any actual evidence as to why the Volt isn't going to be released on schedule in November next year. It's all conjecture, wild speculation and ad hominem attacks, most of it driven by anti-GM sentiment.

Of course, I'm just a GM slappy, in spite of the fact that I've never actually owned a pure GM vehicle since my 68 Wildcat, and have, in fact, owned, a Subaru, 4 Toyotas, three Fords, a Jeep, a rebadged Renault and a rebadged Mitsubishi.

BTW using the "GM Kool Aid" meme makes you sound like a twelve year old.

[Honda Owner]

I've never actually owned a pure GM vehicle since my 68 Wildcat, and have, in fact, owned, a Subaru, 4 Toyotas, three Fords, a Jeep, a rebadged Renault and a rebadged Mitsubishi.

Well, you really need to get out and buy a Volt, or any GM product for that matter. This is what GM really needs.

[toolatecrew]

There is an overwhelimg body of evidence to indicate the Volt won't be realesed on time next November. You simply fail to acknowledge it. Its called past behaviour. Its a called a pattern.

This is not GM "hate". GM has repeadedly failed to deliver in the past. GM has told us everything is fine but wnet into bankruptcy. GM recently pushed back the realese date for the Cruze.

I'm not damming GM fro realsing their updates. I'm simply critical of people who want to use such updates as proof that the longstanding pattern at GM won't happen this time.

[articsteve]

I gotta nice pic to post so I'll repeat this for the 100th time.

As soon as the IPO ends, GM will shut up about the VOLT and it will become a non priority.  So we can only hope that the IPO happens ASAP!

[drederick]

So where is all that info about GM not producing the Volt? ahhhh it doesn't exist lol WRONG again artic(s)
  

Since I was the first member here, way back in 2005  , to declare  that GM would go into Chapter 11 despite the onslaught of tantrums by the GM slappies, I am by default the "KNOWER OF ALL THINGS GM".

Now that we have that fact established I will reveal to you the results of my next vision:

GM will release a continuous chorus of positive Volt technical results (which they are doing currently) right up to their do or die IPO.  The Volt will headline in all GM "theme" commercials.  After that all the positive spin will come to an abrupt halt and GM will announce that the VOLT will be lease only with no buy back.  That way they can restrict the number of units, what geographical area it's used in, and when the car under performs or ceases to operate GM can just terminate the lease and repossess the vehicle.

The Volts main purpose was to draw the US Congress and the American public into a false sense of purpose to support the enormous bailout and it worked.  A perfectly executed TRIPLE LUTZ!

Same tired crap with nothing at all to back it up, so why bother?

why not just post in brown, or change your name to be artic brown or something?

[drederick]

There is an overwhelimg body of evidence to indicate the Volt won't be realesed on time next November. You simply fail to acknowledge it. Its called past behaviour. Its a called a pattern.

This is not GM "hate". GM has repeadedly failed to deliver in the past. GM has told us everything is fine but wnet into bankruptcy. GM recently pushed back the realese date for the Cruze.

I'm not damming GM fro realsing their updates. I'm simply critical of people who want to use such updates as proof that the longstanding pattern at GM won't happen this time.

Holy artic toolate - you must have insider information to write this:
"There is an overwhelimg body of evidence to indicate the Volt won't be realesed on time next November"

if it is that 'overwhelming' provide some of it? bet ya can't! aww come one..... try even a little to provide something....... failure again eh, sad sad sad artic toolate

I haven't seen anything posted by you, or any of the other artics, to back up anything at all, who would have guessed that would be the case?

Nov 23, 2009, Volt still to be produced.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I gotta nice pic to post so I'll repeat this for the 100th time.

As soon as the IPO ends, GM will shut up about the VOLT and it will become a non priority.  So we can only hope that the IPO happens ASAP!

The probability of this actually happening  in the real world is 0%. But you can continue to repeat it ad nauseum, it makes your prediction that much more likely to happen.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

There is an overwhelimg body of evidence to indicate the Volt won't be realesed on time next November. You simply fail to acknowledge it. Its called past behaviour. Its a called a pattern.

This is not GM "hate". GM has repeadedly failed to deliver in the past. GM has told us everything is fine but wnet into bankruptcy. GM recently pushed back the realese date for the Cruze.

I'm not damming GM fro realsing their updates. I'm simply critical of people who want to use such updates as proof that the longstanding pattern at GM won't happen this time.

You have failed to provide any evidence to back up your assertions. Wild speculation does not equal evidence.

There is no longstanding pattern. The Cruze was going to be pulled ahead, then set back to it's original date, because the huge demand for small cars evaporated. Every single other car program released by GM in the last few years has been more or less on time.

[rrocket]

You have failed to provide any evidence to back up your assertions. Wild speculation does not equal evidence.

There is no longstanding pattern. The Cruze was going to be pulled ahead, then set back to it's original date, because the huge demand for small cars evaporated. Every single other car program released by GM in the last few years has been more or less on time.

And you're wrong with your assertions too.  GMs own press released (released a couple weeks ago) said the delay was to "ensure a flawless launch".  During that same time period, it leaked out that much of the delay was because the engine performance and especially the transmission were far from "flawless".  This has zero to do with a huge demand for small car evaporating.

Please spare us your wild speculation, please. 

[articsteve]

The Cruze was going to be pulled ahead, then set back to it's original date, because the huge demand for small cars evaporated

   Since when    Every forecaster in the industry knows and has known that cars are go-in smaller.  That the motors are go-in smaller.  GM has desperately needed a Corolla/Civic fighter, but the most they could come up with was the Cobalt.     Consequently, they have been destroyed in that segment.  Now they have bungled the Cruze.  The reality is GM is simply a second tier auto manufacturer whose answer to small car challenges are cars like the Aveo and that car is pure junk which btw they actually plan to build in Michigan next year.

[Erik]

Please spare us your wild speculation, please. 

This is the person in this thread you choose to take issue with for "wild speculation"?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You have failed to provide any evidence to back up your assertions. Wild speculation does not equal evidence.

There is no longstanding pattern. The Cruze was going to be pulled ahead, then set back to it's original date, because the huge demand for small cars evaporated. Every single other car program released by GM in the last few years has been more or less on time.

And you're wrong with your assertions too.  GMs own press released (released a couple weeks ago) said the delay was to "ensure a flawless launch".  During that same time period, it leaked out that much of the delay was because the engine performance and especially the transmission were far from "flawless".  This has zero to do with a huge demand for small car evaporating.

Please spare us your wild speculation, please. 

Yeah, actually it does. It was pulled ahead inspite of being not ready. Demand evaporates, they push it back, now they have time to attempt to sort it out.

As I said before, on paper it really doesn't look that impressive. Hopefully it works better in practice.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The Cruze was going to be pulled ahead, then set back to it's original date, because the huge demand for small cars evaporated

   Since when    Every forecaster in the industry knows and has known that cars are go-in smaller.  That the motors are go-in smaller.  GM has desperately needed a Corolla/Civic fighter, but the most they could come up with was the Cobalt.     Consequently, they have been destroyed in that segment.  Now they have bungled the Cruze.  The reality is GM is simply a second tier auto manufacturer whose answer to small car challenges are cars like the Aveo and that car is pure junk which btw they actually plan to build in Michigan next year.

In the short term, which is the amount of time we're talking about, small cars sales are still lagging, and will continue to do so until gas prices start spiking again.

BTW US Aveo Sales in September, 1906, Yaris Sales 1907. Imagine that.

[rrocket]

Please spare us your wild speculation, please. 

This is the person in this thread you choose to take issue with for "wild speculation"?

Yes....we speak off the board often.  He knows I'm joking.....


Ok Sir.  I'm just saying...your wild speculation doesn't jive with the official GM press release.  Seems to be it would have been easier for them to use your excuse (demand) rather than the other excuse (quality).

Turn your MSN on already..I'm waiting!!