GM Executive Refutes Chevy Volt / EV Hype (Good article)

National Legal & Policy Center ^ | April 27, 2012 | Mark Modica

[jazusamo]

The WSJ yesterday reported that auto company executives are skeptical regarding the prospects for plug-in electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt. The skepticism was displayed at the annual Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress. Among the skeptics was General Motors' executive director of powertrain-engine engineering, Sam Winegarden (in photo). It seems that not all criticism of the Chevy Volt and cars like it are driven by a right-wing conspiracy to enrich oil companies.

Mr. Winegarden presented a chart comparing the amount of energy delivered by a given volume or mass of fuel. According to the article, "On his chart, lithium-ion batteries, used in electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf and GM's plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt, were ranked close to zero compared to gasoline and diesel fuels, which delivered the most energy for the least amount of weight and cost to the consumer. 'The rumored death of the internal combustion engine is premature,' Mr. Winegarden said." I guess Mr. Winegarden hasn't been paying attention to GM's spin on what a technological wonder the Volt is.

Other industry executives were also aware of the limitations of the much-hyped Chevy Volt along with other lesser-hyped EVs. Also from the piece, "Robert Bienenfeld, senior manager for environment and energy strategy at Honda Motor Co.'s U.S. arm, said that by 2025, a customer who buys a plug-in hybrid could wait 10 years to recover the added upfront costs, compared with a 2025 car outfitted with a more efficient gasoline engine and transmission. The payback for an all-electric car would be even longer."

It only requires a little common sense to understand the limitations of cars like the Volt. Consider that the vehicle has a battery power source that weighs about 450 pounds and takes up a good deal of passenger and cargo area. An internal combustion engine is still utilized as a back-up. If you charge the lithium-ion based power source for 10 hours you can move the vehicle the equivalent of what about one gallon of gas can move a conventional vehicle. The good news is that you can save about two dollars a day and make up for the additional cost of the vehicle in about twenty years.

The limitations of the Chevy Volt have not stopped proponents from touting the vehicle as a technological marvel. I still fail to understand how a car that cost twice as much as a conventionally powered vehicle and only saves about a gallon of gas a day by traveling about 30 or 35 miles on a charge before switching to premium fuel is such a "moon shot." It appears that politics is playing more of a role than herd mentality as supporters continue to attack any critics of the Chevy Volt. The crowd that normally wants the wealthy to pay their fair share now supports subsidies to rich buyers of the Volt and other plug-in vehicles. Low consumer demand, however, belies the media hype for the vehicle.

The WSJ also states, "The Obama administration has put promoting electric cars at the center of its auto-industry policy, offering $2.4 billion in grants from its economic-stimulus program to boost some 48 projects related to electric vehicles or battery production. President Obama has set a goal of putting one million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015." This seems to be the main driving force behind support for the Volt as the rhetoric in defense of the vehicle heats up. In addition to the $2.4 billion mentioned, there are also billions of dollars slated to go to buyers of EVs in the form of tax credits.

Look, it doesn't take a rocket scientist or an honest GM executive (something I was beginning to believe was an oxymoron) to realize that the Chevy Volt in its present form is doing practically nothing to save America from foreign oil dependence. Taxpayers are paying a ridiculous price to help cars like the Volt succeed, if you consider selling a few thousand cars a month a success. Congratulations to Mr. Winegarden for coming clean about the limitations of EVs and the Chevy Volt. Now, if only he can talk some sense into Obama-appointed GM CEO, Dan Akerson.

Mark Modica is an NLPC Associate Fellow.

[jazusamo]

Congrats to Sam Winegarden for having the courage to speak the truth.

Hopefully he still has his job at GM, Obama and CEO Akerson will not be pleased.

[JaguarXKE]

He should stay away from Ft Marcy Park.

[jazusamo]

Good advice...He looks to be old enough that he doesn't fear for his job and it's good to see their are still some people in large corporations with integrity.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

[DManA]

I know, vest with a watch chain? Wonder if he has a top hat and spats to go with it.

[Jack of all Trades]

Note - the amount of energy that an Li-ion battery will produce is exactly zero. A battery is a storage device not an energy source.

Electricity is not a fuel. It is an energy transfer medium.

[vollmond]

Staying away from Ft. Marcy Park is easy. Ending up there is not under his control.

[FlingWingFlyer]

You’re right. Good article. We need more people like Winegarden to speak up.

[traditional1]

The Stimulus money is being used to money-launder the taxpayer dollars, which are given to the Obama Motors' companies, to pay for Union Labor (exhorbitantly over-compenstated), and who, in turn, pay their Union Dues, which go immediately to the DNC.

What a Scam-o-Rama this Union crap is.

[spawn44]

If the VOLT makes no sense, what about the TESLA.

[Lazlo in PA]

Motorhead, Collector Car Junkie, Speed Freak, Automotive Related Ping List.

Freepmail "Lazlo in PA" to be added or removed.

[beethovenfan]

How about the OHM ?

[Lazlo in PA]

I’m guessing your a bib overalls, flannel shirt and tie sort of guy.

[jazusamo]

What a Scam-o-Rama this Union crap is.

Amen to that, and it's not just in the auto industry, it's the whole "green thing" Obama has gotten behind. Billions in stimulus money being poured into "green energy" with millions flowing back to the DNC, Dem candidates and Obama in campaign contributions.

[Carriage Hill]

Sam Winegarden (in photo) should CCW and double-watch his own back; he’s now an official lib-dem 0bunner&CoRegimeFromHell *TARGET*. Speaking the truth about the corrupt, criminal 0bummer (TRAITOR-IL), can be hazardous to the health of some people.

[backwoods-engineer]

The magic number: gasoline has 9600 joules of energy per liter.

NO BATTERY ON EARTH COMES CLOSE.

[Fresh Wind]

If the VOLT makes no sense, what about the TESLA.

If you're talking about the Tesla roadster, it doesn't have to make sense. Zero-to-sixty in 3.7 seconds in what is basically a Lotus Elise chassis is all you need to know.

If you're talking about the Tesla sedan, that's nothing but a better-looking Leaf, with all the limitations that the Leaf has and much higher cost.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: it’s the whole “green thing” ::

And, take a look at the locations of the failed green indistries and those who are receiving “stimulus” money.

California
Michigan
Illinois

Any other “union” states?

[mo]

The Volt

A 20K car with a 20K 500lb 1 gallon gas tank.

[Thom Pain]

Has GM re-started Volt production yet? By my calendar it is well past 5 weeks.