Breaking news! Chevy volt technically driven by gas engine! - Page 4 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

MadisonMPG · 10-12-2010, 12:20 PM

It's funny, I saw this pic:

And didn't even think "230" i thought "23

MPG"

AJI · 10-12-2010, 01:37 PM

A lot of folks here might do well to read these articles:

It's typical media exaggeration, that's all it is.

The people complaining now that it's not a true EV were the ones complaining that it wasn't a full EV in the first place and were never going to buy the Volt.

For everyone else whose commute is under 40 miles it doesn't matter that there's connection between the gas engine and the wheels as they won't be using it anyway unless they do longer journeys, in which case the motor would switch on anyway, so it makes absolutely zero difference that it's powering the wheels directly rather than just charging a battery that's providing power to a motor for the wheels...

It's essentially a big media storm that's been blown out of all proportion.

tjts1 · 10-12-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJI

The first has its facts wrong. The second article admittedly chooses to ignore the lie.

NeilBlanchard · 10-12-2010, 02:17 PM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcb

Please lets not call trains hybrids, even in quotes, they only have one power source, it will only further confuse people.

But, that is precisely what a diesel electric train is: a serial (or series) hybrid.

The Volt is a poorly implemented serial hybrid.

The ICE is way too big, and it is parts bin engineering. So, it weighs a lot more than it should. It is 1,000 pounds heavier than the Prius!

The ICE does not use the biggest advantage that it could: if it ran the ICE at a single, peak efficiency RPM and charged the battery, then it would avoid the biggest problem with convention ICE powertrains. The fact that you need a multi-ratio transmission means that the ICE by definition cannot be run at peak efficiency much of the time.

As GM *should* know, an EV is working with a lot less energy storage, and so it needs to be as efficient as possible. And a good serial hybrid is a good EV with an added genset that is *just* as big as it needs to be. Lotus, and Getrag and a third company I am forgetting the name of, have designed such gensets.

If GM had equaled the EV1 in aero drag, and improved on the weight with lighter lithium batteries (they probably had a 4 seat EV1 all set to go), then they would have had a home run on their hands.

As it stand, they have bunted a single.

dcb · 10-12-2010, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

But, that is precisely what a diesel electric train is: a serial (or series) hybrid.

I'm filing this comment under the "confused" category.

Hybrid vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle."

UFO · 10-12-2010, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcb

I'm filing this comment under the "confused" category.

Hybrid vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle."

I couldn't agree more. In a locomotive, it's entirely appropriate to call the electric motor a transmission between the diesel engine and the wheels. And this is based on the fact there is only one power source, the DIESEL engine -- NO ELECTRIC STORAGE. They don't even regen on braking, they just dissipate the heat in resistor banks.

UFO · 10-12-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

The first has its facts wrong. The second article admittedly chooses to ignore the lie.

Sounds like a tempest in a teapot to me.

cfg83 · 10-12-2010, 04:31 PM

Frank -

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

...

I should point out that the only aspects of this thing I'm defending are the parallel set-up and the plug-in Modus Operandi. Other than that, I personally have no interest in having one. Then again, I have no interest in having a Prius or Escape or Fusion hybrid either, just because hybrids don't offer palpable advantages to one with my particular transport situation. I do like and promote hybrids for those motorists that can benefit. That said, I like the idea of the Insight, although I have always lusted after CRX' and it's kinda similar; and owning an EV1 would be awesome but then again maybe just for the conversation piece value as it too wouldn't meet my needs. How about an EV1 with an ICE pusher trailer...

Yup. My POV is that the Volt is an implementation of the techy-home-brew plug-in Prius that already exists.

I won't buy one either. I consider the Volt to be a "flagship green car" with stuff that will hopefully filter down to regular ICE models.

CarloSW2

nmgolfer · 10-12-2010, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJI

A lot of folks here might do well to read these articles:

The people complaining now that it's not a true EV were the ones complaining that it wasn't a full EV in the first place and were never going to buy the Volt.

For everyone else whose commute is under 40 miles it doesn't matter that there's connection between the gas engine and the wheels as they won't be using it anyway unless they do longer journeys, in which case the motor would switch on anyway, so it makes absolutely zero difference that it's powering the wheels directly rather than just charging a battery that's providing power to a motor for the wheels...

It's essentially a big media storm that's been blown out of all proportion.

I disagree... Its another American car company deception. I predict after the 10,000 or so GM plans to build are gone they'll quit producing them. The chevy volt is a 21'st century Edsel; not very good at what it does. Nissan will capture the all electric market. So we have Toyota and Nissan leading the way when all GM had to do was dust off and update the plans for the Impact (EV-1). Sigh.....

PS Ford is on the right track with this series hybrid:
Ford/Capstone 80 mpg 7 passenger vehicle