Video:CHEVROLET VOLT
 

Wind tunnel test of the VOLT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_8uF8QKfeI

The aerodynamics would be better if they did not have those big recessed divots in the nose. Have you ever seen a modern airplane with such recessed cavities? Me neither.

They're trying a different approach to hybrid/energy efficient cars.
It caters to the masses with it's design, I've had numerous conversations with my friends over this, most would own a Volt over a Prius because it looks more like a "normal car". I on the other hand find it too aggressive, but everyone's entitled to their opinion. I think anyone can agree it's a step in the right direction for bumbling GM.:thumbup:

That makes sense. The car looks like some sort of ******* Hummer/Escalade/Viper/Stealth aimed at the wannabe/macho/pimp crowd.

That's a shame, as good lines make good aerodynamics, per an old flier's maxim. Perhaps they should have farmed out the stylistics to Pininfarina or one of the good California design studios with a fresher perspective than common in Detroit. But, that's just my opinion, and the market may think otherwise.

I'm very happy to read that the designers are moderating on the car's design, in terms of aero. The car show concept was an aero disaster - which GM has since admitted.

We've seen with vehicles like the new Merc C class eco version, that decent Cd (.25) is possible without deviating far from what the average consumer considers "normal".

I'd like to see GM try to unseat the Prius' Cd of .26 - sparking an "aero competition" among automakers for the lowest Cd of a mass production car available in N.A.

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that 4 or 5 guys on this forum could trim the Volt's CD to Prius (or lower) levels, in a weekend.

Well said:thumbup:

That's my plan when I get one.

Aha:

So the Prius is a benchmark. Good!

This is from an EV World article: http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1428

Also:

And

I thought it was interesting that when the smoke was above the car it came off the back clean but when it went under the car it went straight up the back bumper with lots of turbulence.

I wonder if that is typical for cars. If the top typically has a lot better airflow off the back than the bottom?

Volt rant
 

With some sharp surfaces on the otherwise more bulbous than necessary nose, angular and exposed wheel spokes, etc., that Volt is far from an optimimal aerodynamic shape.

Rather, it's an attempt to moderate some of the design vulgarity put there by the same Detroit mentality that produced the Cadillac Escalade and Ford Exhibition. In other words, it's ugly.

Drag coefficients in the 0.13 range were achieved in wind tunnel tests in Germany in the mid-1930s, per Dr. S. Hoerner's "Fluid Dynamic Drag," page 12-3 and 12-4. Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion car also had pretty low drag, also decades ago.

The Oscar Meyer Weinermobile, for that matter, has lower drag than a lot of stuff coming out of Detroit, which seems to have a serious learning disability.

Sorry about the rant.

40 mile range? sorry, but thats sorta useless..

function vs cost.

unless were talking a hybrid version. then maybe we got something..

It's a hybrid. 40 miles electric is GM's claimed target range, plus a small onboard combustion engine for longer distances.

Re the Prius "being the one to beat"...the Prius sure isn't my standard.

Sure, the Cd (of .26) sounds good. But, as you know, what counts is CdA. Wonder why you never hear what the Prius CdA is? Here's why: with a frontal area of 27.68 sqft the CdA is around 6 sqft! If you use an 84% factor on the LxW numbers, you get a CdA of 6.05; if you use 80% (which I really think is too low based on how boxy it is) you get 5.76 sq ft.

Compare that to the Honda Insight with a nearly identical Cd of .25 but with a CdA of 5.13 sq ft. Its frontal area (LxW) is 24.7 sq ft compared with the Prius's 27.7! (Note that the 5.13 CdA means that the true frontal area of the Insight is 83% of the LxW number which is one reason I think the .8 is probably too low).

And fer chrissakes--GM has the EV1 to build on and it had a CdA of about 4 sq ft. With a running start like that, there's no earthly reason for the Volt to be where it is.

--Steve

I agree that Cd shouldn't be the only focus for Detroit. That car looks like a Caddy: huge.

I think the Volt will be successful only in the sense that it will change American perceptions of "going green." Instead of being the realm of hippies, "going green" will be an area that maintains the status quo without requiring large lifestyle changes.

I think the American masses ultimately care about their wallet. Sure, they are willing to change their lifestyle slightly to help the environment, but few will commit to major lifestyle changes. The Volt will allow them to live a familiar lifestyle for a little while longer in the twilight of oil and the great American economy. The pocketbook...that's where it'll succeed.

I don't blame Detroit, though. You can only sell what people want. I suppose I blame their advertising departments, though...:p

- LostCause

Here in the SF Bay Area, the Prius is very popular--it seems to be doing a pretty good job of changing perceptions about going green (not that it couldn't be a greener car). But then, I live in the land of hippies :) Whether GM makes (and markets decently) anything that rivals it is an open question in my mind--it would be great if they did, but I'm just not holding my breath. Between Toyota and Honda, I think GM will find it very hard to compete.

--Steve

but alot of people wont buy a prius because its a tiny car, not enough leg room
and not exactly family vacation friendly not to mention its a goofy looking car..

to me they look a whole lot like a Corolla/Nova or cititation from the 80's, just modernized.. It's just my opinion, but I appreciate them for what they are..

If they make hybrinds more appealing, more people will buy
them and I think Chevy has something that has potential..

but with that VOLT's style, I bet you'll see 24 and 26" rims on those in no time :(

I hear that all the time from folks who have never been in one. Tiny compared to what? You can easily put four people and bags and travel anywhere at 55+ MPG.

http://autos.yahoo.com/toyota_prius_...k-specs/?p=int

I had one as a rental car.. its definatly not designed for tall or large people..

can you get a prius in anything else other than an automatic?

Nope

its a deal breaker for me.. I have to row gears..

how come your EV doesnt show your converted mpg in the graph below?
Mite want to add your factory EPA ratings in there just to do it.. :)

I would..

http://forum.ecomodder.com/fe-graphs/sig16a.png

I'm sure the Prius isn't for everyone. All I was trying to suggest is that if the Bay Area is any indication, the Prius is enough for enough people that it may be changing perceptions and the Volt may not be required in order to get more people to go green(er). Besides, the Prius is, I think, just the tip of the spear. Honda is making another big push in this area and I think you'll see hybrid technology move into larger cars/trucks. I'm not sure existing hybrid technology is the same technology we'll see ten years from now, but whatever is being used by whatever proactive company, it will be used in a wider range of vehicles than it currently is, I'm pretty sure.

--Steve

the majority of those Prius cars you see in the bay are from commuters from the other side of the altamont..

but the cost of livings sky rocketed to where you have alot more
driving to do to make the money and live comfy for the most part..

One thing I've thought about in hybrids is what if that electric engine
thats sandwhiched between the trans and engine goes out?

mite be more than its worth to replace it?
Lots of un standardized parts under the hood of those cars..

The current gen prius is a midsize car according to the EPA and therefore in the same class with the Accord and Camry. I'm 6'2" and i fit perfectly comfortably both in the front and rear seats.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx...Field=Findacar
The front seat cabin space is much larger than a toyota tacoma for example in every dimension.

The Volt's 40 mile full electric range is enough for 90% of the population 90% of the time. That means if you drive 40 miles or less per day, you never have to get gas and your fuel cost is 1-2 cents per mile depending on your local utility price. The rest of the time its a gas electric hybrid. Works for me and a lot of other people.

An electric motor is far more reliable than any internal combustion engine. It only has 1 moving part and 2 lubrication points. Hybrids have been on the road for almost 10 years now and I've never heard of one going bad. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Electric motors in pumps, elevators, machine tools etc, have been known to work day in and day out for 100 years.

The factory warranty for the Prius is 8 years/100,000 miles on the hybrid system.

Chris D.,

I live in the mid-Peninsula area and rarely drive during regular commute times. The majority of Priuses *I see* are likely not from the other side of the Altamont pass, and may not even be used as commuting vehicles. This morning I ran an errand that took me about 25 minutes (each way). About half was on a freeway (280) where I couldn't see oncoming traffic and was travelling with a group of cars that didn't have much "turnover"--that is, I tended to be with the same cars during the time I was on the freeway (so I didn't see a lot of different cars).

Nevertheless, I counted 15 Prius's on the way to my destination, 17 on the way back. That's one every two minutes or so. This is about what I think I see at other times, although this is the first time I've actually gone to the trouble of counting.

My only point being that they are far from rare, and really are common enough that I wouldn't even call them a novelty any more. In contrast, I only noticed two Hummers (good!), several Porsches, and maybe about the same number of BMWs as Priuses. Again, I recognize that, in my area, the emphasis on being green is likely higher than in other parts of the country, but, on the other hand, it is often the case that things start in California and spread to other parts of the country.

Also, a couple of years ago (I think before Toyota really ramped up production), Priuses were so popular they were selling for several thousand $ above sticker and lead times were a couple of months if you wanted one.

--Steve

great observation Steve..

These cars are truely gaining acceptance.. Now if they threw a manual option in there, guess what would be in my driveway with a 100mpg decal on the bumper ;)

honestly, thats all thats holding me back from owning one.. (5 speed option)
I already know how I want to set mine up as far as ascetics go.. (different wheels tho)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010856.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010855.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010857.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010858.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010859.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...t/P1010861.jpg

Sorry for the off topic, back to your regularly scheduled program.. ;)

The prius can't be that small.... I'm 6'2" and weigh 330, and I fit in a Yaris for crying out loud... people need to quit there *****ing and realize they don't need a Hummer sized vehicle to commute to the office.

great quote! :thumbup: