Chevy Volt still on schedule, it’s miraculous
By Matt Jansen
Companies like Apple that market pop culture products like the iPod and iPhone expect detailed attention focused on the progress of their projects but GM is traditionally accustomed to a more modest amount of buzz. That’s changed with the Chevy Volt, especially since so much of its success hinges on meeting the 2010 deadline.
Delays in sourcing the battery packs for the Chevy Volt caused some challenges for the project. Two companies providing batteries for the Chevy Volt fell behind in production by about 10 weeks, according to the Associated Press. But now Chevy Volt’s lead engineer has indicated that those delays have been squeezed out by other efficiency gains.
Essentially the engineering team turned its focus to mechanical challenges while the batteries were delayed so that the Chevy Volt maintains its juggernaut forward momentum.
Compact Power Inc. of Troy, Mich., which is working with parent LG Chem of Korea, and Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems, which is working with GM and A123 Systems Inc. of Watertown, Mass. — fell 10 weeks behind on delivering the power packs.
GM engineers used the time to work on the mechanical connections.
There are a variety of problems to work out with the batteries powering the Chevy Volt. First, engineers are looking at how to handle the hefty 400 pounds each pack adds. They’re also looking at how to dissipate all of the heat generated by the batteries charging and discharging energy. Lastly they’re still working on how best to transform the energy stored in the battery packs into mechanical motion.
Chevy Volt’s lead engineer Andrew Farah says “at this point, there’s nothing standing in our way of continuing to do what we said we’re going to do.”
On a related note, Farah also mentioned that the Chevy Volt “. . . will have a similar set of visual cues and some of the features that were on the concept car.”
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