Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Hybrids
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 11-30-2009, 01:21 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
Chevy Volt driven by ABG (and good video on Jay Leno's Garage)

Hi,

The good folks over at AutoBlogGreen have driven a pre-production Volt, and they are the first journalists to drive it with the ICE running:

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production — Autoblog Green

__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/

Last edited by NeilBlanchard; 12-03-2009 at 09:05 AM.. Reason: fixed typo in title
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 11-30-2009, 03:13 PM   #2 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 530 Times in 356 Posts
NeilBlanchard -

Neato. I like the air dam detail. It looks verrrrrry familiar :



It looks like it's in 3 parts. I wonder if it is spring loaded so it can collapse when you hit a curb.

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2009, 03:43 PM   #3 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 530 Times in 356 Posts
Hello -

This is an interesting blurb :

Quote:
When we first talked to GM about the Volt three years ago, the thought was that the engine would simply run at a constant speed to maintain the battery charge. As development has continued, that strategy has evolved. The output of the engine/generator is based on the needs of the battery and motor, not what the driver is demanding. As the level of the battery changes, the generator is controlled to provide the necessary, electrical output. The engine speed in turn is selected to maximize the load on the engine. An engine runs most efficiently at full load. If the electrical demand is low, a lower engine speed is used in conjunction with the generator control to get the desired load.
I was expecting a single-RPM engine.

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2009, 04:41 PM   #4 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
tasdrouille's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mirabel, QC
Posts: 1,672

The Guzzler - '08 Hyundai Elantra GL
90 day: 33.12 mpg (US)

Got Soul? - '11 Kia Soul 2U
Thanks: 35
Thanked 86 Times in 57 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfg83 View Post
NeilBlanchard -

Neato. I like the air dam detail. It looks verrrrrry familiar :

Our cars are starting to look normal again!

Now that this stuff is going mainstream, maybe my wife will let me put the airdam back on the Elantra...



Quote:
Originally Posted by cfg83 View Post
Hello -

I was expecting a single-RPM engine.

CarloSW2
Well, it's a good news it's not fixed rpm. It allows to pick up the most efficient operating point for every load level.
__________________



www.HyperKilometreur.com - Quand chaque goutte compte...

Last edited by tasdrouille; 11-30-2009 at 04:53 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2009, 06:56 PM   #5 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 530 Times in 356 Posts
Hello -

Accidently found this image :



This means the Volt is designed to ride about 2" lower than the Cruze.

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2009, 07:04 PM   #6 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 530 Times in 356 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by tasdrouille View Post
...

Well, it's a good news it's not fixed rpm. It allows to pick up the most efficient operating point for every load level.
Yes, you're right. It's just that I've been hoping that the "ideal" would be viable in the real world, aka an engine designed to run at a single RPM. They also ditched the 1.0 V3 Turbo in favor of the 1.4 V4.

[EDIT: V3 and V4 are the wrong term, I meant to say I3 and I4]

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society

Last edited by cfg83; 04-06-2011 at 08:05 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2009, 09:27 AM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
Popular Mechanics has now also driven the Volt, and they have a video that explains the reason for the change in the charging scheme: they want you to return home with an "empty" battery so you will charge it there, where it is the most efficient.

GM 2011 Chevy Volt Test Drive - 2011 Chevrolet Volt Pre-Production Test Drive - Popular Mechanics
__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2009, 11:27 AM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 5,209
Thanks: 225
Thanked 811 Times in 594 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfg83 View Post
This means the Volt is designed to ride about 2" lower than the Cruze.
I don't think that has anything to do with ride height. It's just that the center of gravity is lower, presumably because of the batteries mounted low in the frame.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2009, 01:04 PM   #9 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
More reviews:



The National Post (Canada) has a review:
Exclusive Preview: 2011 Chevrolet Volt - Posted Driving

So does the LA Times:
Chevrolet Volt: A sneak peek at GM's plug-in hybrid -- latimes.com

I've moved this over to the "Hybrids" subforum. As much as GM is fighting tooth and nail to convince people (journalists) to not call the car a hybrid, it certainly doesn't fit in our Fossil Fuel Free section! Series hybrid EV is probably as close as it gets.

Apparently we can expect to see a video on Jay Leno's Garage too.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2009, 01:17 PM   #10 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf View Post
I don't think that has anything to do with ride height. It's just that the center of gravity is lower, presumably because of the batteries mounted low in the frame.
Coincidentally, the ride height is also about 2 inches lower than the Cruze.

Not disagreeing about the effect of the pack on C.G.



Of course these are both pre-production vehicles; no saying if their ride heights are definitely what consumers are going to see.

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com