No Second Generation Volt?

While the headline might sound bad, it turns out that, according to a source, GM is looking to put the Voltec powertrain into more mainstream products – rather than one specific model around 2015.

Autocar out of the UK is reporting that their GM source indicates there might only be one generation of the Volt vehicle. The powertrain will live on through mainstream products, but the Volt itself might go away.

Its an interesting proposition – the Volt vehicle will surely be a collector’s item, and while the model itself might die off, the Voltec powertrain that moves the vehicle will live on and be put into the mainstream, where GM could offer some vehicles with not only a hybrid option, but a Voltec option as well (no doubt marketing will come up with a better name – SuperHybrid or something like that).

This is a very promising development – to me in indicates that GM is expecting the powertrain to mature rapidly, both in functionality (size of AC motor to move vehicle, battery advancements, etc) as well as price of the components to fall enough to make it worth will to spend the time integrating the powertrain into multiple vehicles  – doing the math to come up with proper battery characteristics, motor and generator sizes, as well as adjusting the vehicle to fit the batteries and all the other equipment needed. If we assume a 35% reduction in size and weight of the battery due to increased L/Wh and another 10% due to the better performance characteristics (increased depth of discharge) between 2010 and 2015, that would allow for the current six foot tall T shaped battery to drop the top of the T to allow a I shaped battery that is only about 5.5′ tall, or allow a similar sized battery pack for larger vehicles.

I’m still hoping for an E-REV Ford Escape. Hopefully they have one for sale by the time I want my next escape in 5 years…

Source: Autocar (UK)