Lutz Hints That An All-Battery Volt Might Be Possible
May 5, 2008
According to an article that appeared on PetroZero, GM initially considered – and is still considering – the production of an all-battery powered Volt variant in order to meet California’s most stringent emission requirements. Before the Volt concept was released in 2006, GM had conceptualized different power configurations for the Volt, including one that had no engine, and an increased battery pack.
The purpose of the multiple power configurations was to demonstrate the flexibility of the Volt design. The all-battery concept would only be possible if battery technology evolved to the point of being large enough and cost effective enough to make it commercially viable.
The article also indicated that GM is nearly ready to put the first Volt prototype on the road with none other than Bob Lutz behind the wheel. In reality, Lutz will be driving one of the Malibu-based test mules that GM has doctored up to evaluate the contenders for the Volt’s lithium-ion battery packs.
GM had announced that these test vehicles would be hitting the road soon, with the goal of naming a battery supplier by mid-summer 2008. According to GM, actual Volt prototypes won’t be ready for any road trips for several months. The company says it’s still on target for a 2010 launch.
Company president Rick Warran said last week at a gathering in San Francisco that the Volt may still come in at $20,000. This directly contradicts Bob Lutz’ earlier statements that indicated that the Volt would likely be in the $30,000 range, and did not exclude the possibility that it may even creep above the $40K mark.
Source: PetroZero
Photo Credit: General Motors
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