Corvette Action Center - Other Chevrolet Car Discussion http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/ For discussion of other Chevrolet cars besides Corvettes. en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:13:14 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg Corvette Action Center - Other Chevrolet Car Discussion http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/ Engineers sweat Chevy Volt details http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/other-chevrolet-car-discussion/118535-engineers-sweat-chevy-volt-details.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:11:46 GMT Image: http://i50.tinypic.com/2h3n39v.jpg ...

GM officials say the automaker is on track to start production of the Volt in 2010.

Royal Oak -- Even on their days off, the engineers creating the Chevrolet Volt are working.

They're testing, measuring and evaluating what is arguably the most important vehicle in General Motors Co.'s history. They take their work home with them, literally, commuting in the vehicles, strapping baby seats in the back or picking up groceries.

When the official auto show season kicks off next month in Los Angeles, the Volt will play a starring role. On Monday, at Athens Coney Island, a group of Volt engineers talked about the car and how its development is progressing.

A half-dozen of the 75 Volts rolling around North America were lined up in the parking lot. Some had white grease pencil marks noting gaps or other fixes that needed to be addressed. The test vehicles, each costing more than $250,000 to create, are a work in progress.

"We've been through three levels of hardware in two years," said Alex Cattelan, the Chevy Volt's chief powertrain engineer. "The groups working on the second generation and third generation versions are still providing more information to us."

For the record, the extended-range electric Volt already works, though the engineers say they are constantly fine-tuning the vehicle, slated for production next year. Will it be ready?

"Yes," Cattelan said -- barring any last minute problems.

Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman of global product development, said last month that it was imperative to have the Volt on the road, in part, to further refine the vehicle for the next generation as well as to find more ways to lower the cost -- and the price -- of the vehicle. GM has not announced pricing, but many analysts estimate the Volt will run about $40,000. Three years ago, many outside GM -- and some inside -- scoffed at Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's announcement that the Chevy Volt would be ready for production in 2010.

"I did place a lot of faith in the battery companies, who said they could have them ready," Lutz said of being able to deliver a finished product next year.

He said GM needed something to help show the world it was innovative, environmentally friendly and progressive.

"Three years ago, it was Toyota this and Toyota that, everyone thought only good things about them, and it was because of the Prius," Lutz said, adding that GM suffered in consumers' eyes. "I wanted to overcome the incredible reputation Toyota had with the Prius, and we knew we couldn't do it with just another hybrid."

The Volt was created to change that.

"The bar was certainly set high," Cattelan said.

"But there's no way you can reach that goal if you don't have it." Now they're putting the car through road tests. GM says the Volt can get 230 miles per gallon in city driving conditions. And, when it officially arrives, the Volt will have a top speed of more than 100 mph.

"I got it up to 107 on the test track," said Mark Popilek, the ride and handling engineer. "But we're planning on limiting the speed around 104."

Cattelan said GM has learned a lot of things while creating the Volt that will help other cars in the future.

Rebecca Lindland, an automotive analyst for IHS Global Insight, said the most important aspect of the Volt is making sure it is right.

"So many people are just looking for a reason for GM to fail and as important as the Volt is, it's more important to have it be right than on time. It's OK to be a few months late, as long as it works," she said.

Ed Kim, an industry analyst with AutoPacific, was more blunt: "The Volt is extremely important for GM for a lot of reasons. They've promised a lot, and if they don't deliver, their credibility is at risk with consumers who are skeptical in the first place."

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