Is the Volt's battery really safe? Shouldn’t there have always been a de-powering protocol? I would have no problem buying a Chevy Volt today — if it were cheaper — despite the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s formal investigation into Volt fire risk after an accident ( more ). I honestly don’…

Disruptive technologies: The cotton gin Innovation and technology moves faster than politicians and regulators Back in college I was a huge fan of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Robert Pirsig. What struck me as most profound about Pirsig is his idea that society has become its own evolving entity. Recently, I started reading Kevin Kelly’s What Technology Wants and …

Volt in a California carpool lane While qualifying for additional tax credits GM is adding a Low Emissions Package to all 2012 Chevy Volts sold in California that will enable the new Volt to both qualify for HOV access in California and also a $1,500 rebate under California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. Carpool lane access…

Volt hype drives Cruze sales Is the battery revolution still just too far into the future? Who killed the electric car? The 50 mpg flex fuel Chevy Cruze, or at least it would, if such an ICE-based vehicle existed, and some day soon, it will. In fact, the technologies for such vehicles …

Fire worries no reason not to buy a Volt. According to multiple preliminary reports The Chevy Volt has been associated with several fires, but the evidence suggests more and more that the Volt is not the problem. Yes, lithium-ion batteries in vehicles like the Volt are combustible, but so too are gasoline engines. And, while the National Highway…

A Chevy Volt battery pack. Neither Volt nor EVs more dangerous than conventional vehicles – NHTSA Three weeks after undergoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests, a Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery pack started a fire at a NHTSA facility. Consequently, the NHTSA is going to conduct some additional tests on the Volt and its battery pack, while reviewing battery protocols from all EV manufacturers. Nevertheless…

10,000 Volt sales in 2011 should happen Good news for Volt buyers, but a few questions about production capabilities GM just made 4,100 Chevy Volt plug-ins available for sale today, according to the AutomotiveNews , by enabling GM dealerships to sell their demo models — something GM dealerships couldn’t do before today. Combined with another 1,100 Volts on their way to …

Just not enough EV range for American consumer psychology. Americans want everything in their cars, and that challenge will be difficult for EVs to overcome The bulk of my driving for the last several years has been dominated by distances that just aren’t battery electric vehicle friendly. Thus, if I had to buy a plug-in, it would have to be some…

A Chevy Volt battery pack Is the Volt a $30,000 car with a $10,000 battery? Last I heard, GM is selling the Chevy Volt plug-in at cost. Likewise, GM has suggested that its battery pack costs about $8,000 per Volt, however, soon the Volt should be able to utilize new chemistries and materials to cut the cost of the Volt battery in half. So, …

A home run for GM in 2011? On track for 45,000 sales next year GM CEO Dan Akerson told CNBC this morning that the Chevy Volt was on track for a production output of 60,000 units next year — 45,000 for the US and 15,000 for non-US markets. “Everything we’ve seen is this thing has been a …

On the fence with a Leaf purchase? Rent one for a few days. Largest plug-in car fleet in California Many years ago, when the Toyota Prius was just in its second generation, many potential Prius consumers just weren’t sure what they thought about hybrids. Back in those days I often used to recommend renting a Prius, or another hybrid, for a few days to test the vehicle out. Fortunately, …

What's the sale's problem? Over-promised, under-delivered? Over the past few months, GM has insisted it will meet its 2011 Chevy Volt sale’s targets despite ongoing sluggish sales. But with only 2 months left in the year, GM has only sold 5003 Volts, which means GM needs to sell 5000 Volts in the next two months to reach its goals. But what if they don’t? To be honest, I think GM will hit their…