GM is readying itself for two momentous events – a planned IPO (initial public offering), and the market launch of the much awaited Chevrolet Volt. And, the company seems to be readying itself quite well indeed, because GM recently announced a warranty policy on the Volt that is sure to grab a lot of attention.
The new Chevy Volt will have an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty on its lithium-ion battery pack. This is three times the length of the warranty on GM’s normal powertrains, and reflects the company’s confidence in its technological capability. The warranty is also a strategic move by GM to reassure consumers about buying electric vehicles, and should also help transform public perception of the American manufacturer. One of the main concerns for buyers of cars with battery packs is the apprehension that the batteries will lose their juice, so to speak, over time, and require expensive battery replacements after a few years – this extended battery warranty should go a long way in quelling those fears.
But GM isn’t the only company to offer such extended warranties on advanced technology vehicles. Toyota offers an identical battery warranty for the Prius, and its other hybrid vehicles. Ford also offers a similar battery warranty for the Ford Escape Hybrid. Exotic EV maker, Tesla Motors, however, only offers a three year / 36,000 mile warranty.
GM has conducted more than 1 million miles, and 4 million hours, of validation testing on the battery packs. The company plans to produce 10,000 Volts for the 2011 model year, and will eventually expand to as many as 30,000. The Volt should hit the roads in the US soon, and should also go some way in changing the face of GM globally.
Gordan Murray, the man who designed the iconic McLaren F1 supercar, has partnered with leading British engineering company, Zytek Engineering, to create the world’s most efficient electric vehicle.
Murray, after having spent three years on the T.25 city concept car, has announced the arrival of the T.27 – a fully electric variant of the T.25. Both cars share the basic design and three seat concept, but that’s where the similarities end.
The T.27 is slated to be the most efficient electric vehicle on the market. Power comes from a 12 kilowatt-hour battery pack underneath the seats, and a 25 kilowatt electric motor driving the rear wheels. Zytek have developed a new and innovative powertrain, and thanks to their substantial experience of EV and hybrid vehicle production programmes, the weight and cost of the electric motor will be further reduced. The vehicle will be able to travel up to 160 kilometres, reach 100km/h in under 15 seconds, and max out at 105km/h.
The T.27 has been designed to fully optimize packaging, weight and performance. A low energy manufacturing system developed by Gordon Murray Design, called iStream, will drastically reduce the amount of capital investment required to produce the vehicle, and also the energy required for manufacture. The process would also allow the T.25 and T.27 to be manufactured at the same plant. And if all goes well, we might see both vehicles on the road in the UK as early as April 2011.
