For Upcoming Chevy Volt, It's All In The Battery
Electric drivetrains are nothing new, but finding a way to effectively power that drivetrain over long distances is a Holy Grail for automakers. The development of the Voltec electric vehicle platform by General Motors, which will first hit the streets in the Chevrolet Volt in November 2010, is focused in large part on battery technologies. In an effort to inform future electric vehicle buyers, as well as industry analysts, three GM executives gave a press briefing about the current state and future of the company’s battery technology.
The essential measurement for all batteries being developed for automobile platforms is cost per kilowatt hour (kWh). Is it possible to make a car that can go 400 miles on a single charge? Yes, but only a handful of people in the world would be able to afford such a car. The kilowatts of power needed to provide such a range would be about 160-175, depending on driving conditions, and a car with that kind of power would cost in the high hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Voltec drivetrain and battery technology, which GM has currently installed in 30 existing mid-size vehicles, called “mules,” as test platforms, is set to debut with a 16 kWh battery. This will allow a 40 mile all electric range, and while price and distribution (whether sale, lease, or both) has yet to be determined, GM is committed to making the Volt a viable force in the market.
What is GM working on now? Testing, testing, and more testing. One main concern for electric vehicles is the ability of batteries to withstand crashes. So far, some of the mules have had good impact tests at the 35 mph mark, so progress is being made. Also, GM is putting a lot of capital into their battery development labs. They have instituted a “learn as you earn” program that is recruiting the most promising designers and engineers to work on battery development while learning about the subject. The program is currently about 50 people strong, and plans are to double that number soon.
Further tests are also going into different types of battery cells. The initial cells needed for the Chevy Volt (each vehicle needs 200) will be developed by LG Chem in South Korea. GM labs hope to develop better cells that can be manufactured in the United States for the second and third generations of the company’s electric vehicles. You read that right, GM is alreaady investing in second and third generations, news that indicates that GM is here to stay in the electric game.
Last but certainly not least is the fact that all GM electric vehicles are being designed to conform to the European Union standards for recyclability and efficiency; standards that are much tougher than American regulations. This will not only provide even greener vehicles to American drivers, but will also cut production costs for GM, making the potential for profit, and continued production, even better.
