Chevy Volt production to ramp up.

[Mark6]

Well there is the problem in that people need to ride in cars, and putting the engine in the back would create weight distribution issues that can cause probems with handling.

Who said anything about putting engine in the back? Big rounded front gives you more room for the engine (think van), not less.

 

[WildCat]

Who said anything about putting engine in the back? Big rounded front gives you more room for the engine (think van), not less.

In a van the driver sits over the engine, that's why they're tall. I would think this incresed profile negates any advantage the shape gives you.

 

[Mark6]

You are right about that. I suppose one solution would be to have engine and driver more or less where they are in a regular sedan, but put a transparent dome over the hood. But tapering the tail would destroy trunk space... not to mention look absurd.

I did see a prototype electric van with all-transparent curved front, and driver sitting right in it, akin to a helicopter pilot; he could actually look forward and down. The entire drive train was under the floor and behind the driver. With electric car (or van) you can do that because it is relatively easy to tuck one smallish electric motor to each wheel, instead of one big motor and transmission taking up room no matter what.

 

[a_unique_person]

Other than the price...I happen to like the volt concept quite a lot. I recently read feedback data from actual use in the field that customers were typically using 1 tank of gas (8 gallons) per 1000 miles on average. Or roughly 1 month for 8 gallons.

http://transportationnation.org/2011/04/21/chevy-early-data-volt-drivers-go-more-than-1000-fill-up/

I dont think I could bring myself to buy a vehicle that can not drive cross country easily like purely electric vehicles.

I think with some refinement and production cost reduction...it can be a viable platform.

Most cars don't ever do that, and spend most of their time in traffic, where electric cars are more practical. If you need to do a long drive, hire a car for the week.

 

[mbp]

Just look at a tear drop.

Is a tear drop shape particularly aerodynamic?
Raindrops don't look like that.

 

[Howie Felterbush]

Well there is the problem in that people need to ride in cars, and putting the engine in the back would create weight distribution issues that can cause probems with handling.

Wait...what?

Some of the finest handling cars ever built had the engine either in the rear or mounted just in front of the rear axle.

You make Dr. Porsche cry.

 

[The Dark Lord]

Wait...what?

Some of the finest handling cars ever built had the engine either in the rear or mounted just in front of the rear axle.

You make Dr. Porsche cry.

I was was about to say the same thing. The 911 handles better than, I think, any front engine car save the GT-R.

 

[BenBurch]

I stand by my Prius.

When an all-electric can make as compelling a case, I'll buy it.

The Leaf actually comes close.

 

[Almo]

Used to be I could tell a Chevy from a Dodge. Nowadays, they all look the same. Like aerodynamic maggots. Bring back 1960.

http://www.gaadicdn.com/blog_images/chevrolet_cruze_299844290.jpg

http://www.newsautoinsight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dodge-neon (1).jpg

See how the grille on the Dodge has a plus-sign shape and the Chevy doesn't? Many Dodges have that since it was so successful and recognizable on their Ram trucks.

 

[The Dark Lord]

I don't really care about gas mileage; I drive a V8 that gets like 15mpg. But if I did, I sure as hell would not buy a Volt. There are a lot of cars that are a lot cheaper and get excellent gas mileage.

 

[IMST]

Just bought a Prius. I was actually hoping to hold out for something similar to the Volt, but not so first generation. I agree with the others that have mentioned that it's the right model. Could be run all electric with planning, but capable of long distance travel when needed. I don't buy the arguments about charging time because I can plug the thing in in five seconds and leave it alone. It's not like you have to watch it charge.

 

[Arisia]

I have a feeling most non-gear-heads looking for a highly efficient car look at a Volt, then look at a Prius, and really get to wondering why the Volt costs so much more, when you still need to stop at a gas station on occasion; ie, most folks out there probably see them as equivalent vehicles and certainly don't seem willing to spend maybe $10,000 more for a Volt.

GM had a chance 20 years ago, and they blew it... have they learned anything since then?

 

[applecorped]

Just picked up a used Lincoln Navigator. Gets about 10mpg. Nice ride.

 

[WildCat]

Wait...what?

Some of the finest handling cars ever built had the engine either in the rear or mounted just in front of the rear axle.

You make Dr. Porsche cry.

Most people don't want a 2-seater, which is what you end up with when you put the engine in the back seat. An engine in the trunk causes problems with handling.

 

[WildCat]

GM had a chance 20 years ago, and they blew it... have they learned anything since then?

Huh? That thing was lease-only because no one could have afforded to buy it for even half the cost of production.

 

[Arisia]

Huh? That thing was lease-only because no one could have afforded to buy it for even half the cost of production.

At least they could have continued some little R&D program on the concept (there had to be a few GM engineers who would have been passionate enough to spend some time on it as a side project), instead of sending every single one into a car crusher, and seemingly forgetting that it had ever existed.
As it is, GM ends up at least a decade behind Toyota, Honda and Nissan... heck, even Ford is ahead of GM in this particular game.

 

[Disbelief]

At least they could have continued some little R&D program on the concept (there had to be a few GM engineers who would have been passionate enough to spend some time on it as a side project), instead of sending every single one into a car crusher, and seemingly forgetting that it had ever existed.
As it is, GM ends up at least a decade behind Toyota, Honda and Nissan... heck, even Ford is ahead of GM in this particular game.

Actually, they turned much of the learning from the EV-1 into what is now the Volt. The biggest problem is that they should have either made it a Cadillac where they could expect to get some premium pricing, or decontented it so they could move it more mass market as a Chevy. Part of the reason for the cost is the extra detail that is really just wasteful. The technology is ahead of anyone else, they have just failed to capitalize so far.

 

[Arisia]

Actually, they turned much of the learning from the EV-1 into what is now the Volt. The biggest problem is that they should have either made it a Cadillac where they could expect to get some premium pricing, or decontented it so they could move it more mass market as a Chevy. Part of the reason for the cost is the extra detail that is really just wasteful. The technology is ahead of anyone else, they have just failed to capitalize so far.

Sad to see it took them nearly 20 years to bring anything they might have retained from the EV-1 experience and subsequently built upon to the marketplace, especially when their competitors started from scratch probably 15 years ago (?) and beat them into the marketplace by quite a few years.
We were trying to wait for the Volt (and the Leaf), but our '98 Outback gave out in the spring of 2010, and we went with the 3rd Gen Prius.

 

[Disbelief]

Sad to see it took them nearly 20 years to bring anything they might have retained from the EV-1 experience and subsequently built upon to the marketplace, especially when their competitors started from scratch probably 15 years ago (?) and beat them into the marketplace by quite a few years.
We were trying to wait for the Volt (and the Leaf), but our '98 Outback gave out in the spring of 2010, and we went with the 3rd Gen Prius.

Shortsightedness and poor reputation led to this. They were shortsighted, thinking that truck sales would carry them forever and cars were a necessary evil. Why spend so much money on cars when you can make so much more on trucks? When the lights finally went on, they had to make sure that the Volt was ready for primetime, because they would not get a second chance. They spent decades ruining GMs reputation, so they had to make sure the car was a winner from a tech and reliability standpoint.

 

[theprestige]

Just look at a tear drop. Roundy fronty, pointy rear. Your cone analogy lacks one thing, a parabolic curve to the big end. That reduces frontal friction, and allows the air to flow smoothly around the widest part. A flat front pushs the air away perpendicular to it's plane, and since air has momentum, the air makes excess suction behind the wide part.

The cone wasn't an analogy, it was an example. The teardrop is another example, with different--probably better--aerodynamics. But is there a difference in the overall performance point-to-bulb versus bulb-to-point?