Chevy Volt and the future of the Automobile

It is my belief that the Chevy Volt concept represents the first permanent revolution in vehicle drivetrain evolution.

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Most people are familiar with "hybrid" vehicles like the Toyota Prius. These vehicles are usually set up with an electric motor running in parallel with a gasoline engine. This means that sometimes the gasoline engine powers the wheels, at other times the electric motors supplies the power, and every once in a while both provide power. This setup allows the gasoline engine to turn off completely when it would normally be doing little more than idle. This improves fuel economy anywhere from 15-25% over a traditional configuration. Excess power recharges the batteries. None of the current versions offer a plug-in option so all power comes from the gasoline engine.

The "hybrid" concept has found its niche in the current market, especially in smaller vehicles like the Prius. It has not proven to be as appealing in larger vehicles like the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. The real problem has been the economic justification for the hybrids. They simply don't save customers that much money. It costs anywhere from $2500-$4000 to add the hybrid system, and it is unlikely that consumers will save that much from gas savings. Some car manufactures have been eating the extra manufacturing cost in order to make these cars competitive. Tax breaks have also increased their competitiveness. Quite simply, these are not permanent solutions.

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The Chevy Volt does not employ a "parallel" hybrid system. It applies a "Series" hybrid system. The biggest difference is that the gasoline engine is not connected to the wheels at all. The engine's sole function is to power a generator that recharges onboard batteries. The wheels are powered by electric motors. Plug-in design also means that much of the power used by the vehicle will come from much more efficient power plants.

"Series" hybrid design results in no more wasted gas from revving the engine up steep hills, and no energy lost in the transmission. The responsiveness of the engine is also no longer a concern. Turbochargers can be used to their full potential with out worrying about "turbo drag," and engines can be run at their most efficient rpm at all times. In fact, any power source can be installed: diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, or even a fuel cell.

The Volt is designed to go 40 miles before the batteries have to be recharged. For those who drive less than 40 miles to work, they may conceivably consume no gasoline at all. At current rates, the amount of power one gallon of gas provides is equivalent to only $.60 of electricity. For those who never go more than 40 miles at a time, they will spend only $300 a year on "fuel" for their car. I know people who go through that much gas in a month and a half. That is real savings. That is savings people are willing to pay an initial premium for, especially if they feel they are doing the environment a favor.

The advantages do not end there. Because the engine is running at its peak efficiency, the Volt has a total range of 640 miles and will achieve a minimum of 50mpg. I know people who would pay the premium just for the range.

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GM is calling this "Series hybrid" system the E-flex system. The E-flex system is intended to work on many different vehicles. The company will seek to standardize parts and interfaces to lower costs. As these standards become more popular and diversified, costs will go down, alternative fuel sources will be able to compete on a more level playing field, and the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles will shoot way up. This is the ideal situation for both the consumer and the country.

As a final note, as more R&D money goes into the technologies it will become clear that, because the Volt is the first, it is the worst "series" hybrid GM will ever offer, things will only get better from here. If you are interested in learning more you can see the official Chevy Volt Website and Wikipedia Entry.