ORN#7 GM and the Chevy Volt

Hi friends,

I just posted our latest video, ORN#7 GM and the Chevy Volt.



GM has been developing a variety of alternative fuel vehicles, seeing the writing on the wall when it comes to the future of gasoline. They are working on developing hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, E-85 ethanol, and plug-in hybrids like the upcoming Chevy Volt. Our video features Carrick’s interview with Beth Lowery, Vice President of the Environment, Energy and Safety at GM, plus a tour of their battery development lab where they are testing the battery system for the Volt.

Getting into GM was an unlikely opportunity, to say the least. Months before we left on our cross-country journey, I had been, er…plugging away at trying to get an interview there about the Volt. I didn’t figure it was a good idea to just show up with a camera ala Michael Moore, so I researched the contacts there and tried everything I could but didn’t get anywhere. While we were interviewing Chelsea Sexton in Los Angeles I mentioned that I didn’t have any luck and sure enough, she had the connections to get us in. There is great irony there if you’ve seen the documentary, ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?’. So, as we were coming through Detroit on the way back home we got the red carpet treatment at GM and were fortunate enough to get the interviews we needed for a video about the Volt.

The Chevy Volt is a plug-in hybrid car that is very different technology that what we’re seen so far. The car has a 40-mile range on electric-only, then instead of a motor an on-board gasoline-powered generator produces the electricity to provide power. Unlike a combustion engine that is constantly under different demands for power, i.e. going up hills, changing speed, etc., the generator runs at a single, optimum speed for better fuel economy. The average commute to work and back is about 40 miles, so for many people the Volt would have enough range to get around without using any gasoline, but has the extended range with the generator if people need to drive further. The Volt is due out this November and I can assure you there will be great publicity and fanfare when that time comes!

Carrick’s interview with VP Beth Lowery was in downtown Detroit at GM’s Renaissance Center, which is the big skyscraper with the GM logo. The lobby of the building is a showcase of GM vehicles – it’s a busy, noisy place as you’ll see. One part that I did not include in the video is where Carrick tells Beth that when he grows up his first car is going to be a Tesla Roadster – she was a good sport and had a big smile at that one. Way to tell the vice president of one of the world’s largest automakers that you want to buy a competitor’s car….It was great to hear about the variety of alt fuel technologies they are working on, giving people a lot of choices in the future about how they want to power their cars.

We then traveled over to the battery development lab that is working on testing the battery system for the Chevy Volt. Carrick interviewed Doug Drauch, lead developer at the lab, about the technology that goes into the battery pack on the Volt. Outside the lab we also got to see GM’s earlier electric car, the EV1 (we actually saw the first EV1 made). The EV1’s were leased but never sold to customers, and that program certainly came to a controversial end about a decade ago. The Chevy Volt, however, will be for sale and they are projecting 10,000 vehicles off the line in the first year.

In the past, we’ve had our bit of fun with GM but it has all been in fun. Back in 2007 Carrick and I made a video about the Volt called ‘Darth Vader and the Chevy Volt’ which took some pokes but ultimately was a fun way to spread the word about the Volt.



My guess is GM probably hadn’t seen that one before they agreed to let us in. Considering their previous history with electric cars I think they deserve some ribbing, but beyond that I think what they’re doing with the Chevy Volt is great and I hope they are successful. GM is very much in the public about their strong commitment to the Volt. You can keep updated on their progress at the Volt website, www.ChevroletVoltage.com.

Be well,
Colin