Posted on 06/11/2012 10:56:03 AM PDT by jazusamo
Looks like they are going to make the Volt a higher performance type sportscar, possibly with a larger electric motor.
If they want a serial hybrid why not use a high effencency Stiring type engine to run generators to re-charge the batteries?
They could computer control 2-3 banks of them to kick on as the battery gets lower and based off car speed, etc...
Oh well.
Ping.
The Cadillac ELR is pretty cool...and I’m not a Cadillac fan...
“InsideEVs that the 83 hp, 1.4L engine”
Wow the 40 year old aircooled Type I engine in a worn out bug I have (admittedly souped up) produced 150 hp at 1.5 litres and got 30+miles on US gallon.
Perhaps they should just go make VW bugs.
!
Many an automotive insider has said if GM would junk the electronic and battery power and put a turbo 4 or V-6 in it it would be $10,000 cheaper and sell like Obama’s a Loser bumper stickers.
GM has always had talented engineers.
It was the management and union troglodites that gave us all the loser junkmobiles that now populate our list of reasons that we’ll never again purchase their cr*p.
Too little, too late.
I’ll take my advanced engineering from Japan or Korea.
150 hp from an air-cooled VW? How are you making the other 100 hp? Nitrous?
Typical GM practice. Start production before the car is ready then put the car out there no matter how bad and try to sell some to offset development costs. After thousands of buyers have been screwed begin redeveloping the car the way it should have been in the first place. What about the early customers who bought overpriced lemons? Screw ‘em! Hey, we’re GM, we don’t care about customers!
GM and Chrysler should have been allowed to go into bankruptcy to either restructure themselves or die gracefully instead of Obama’s gift to the UAW courtesy of the taxpayers.
Welcome to the great American test fleet.
I was expecting to see four gerbils on a treadmill.Even that would run better than these battery powered green pieces of crap made by government motors.
The “new” GM is as sleazy and corrupt as the old GM, which stiffed its bondholders while violating bankruptcy law, contract law, and common law. I am boycotting GM forever, and nothing they can do, whether sensible or foolish will change that decision. I don’t deal with crooks.
Good point. Also a turbine should work just fine, as the electric drive would solve the problems with lag and torque. And a diesel would be an improvement for fuel economy.
Back in the late 60s, the Opel Kadet featured a 1.1 liter motor that was tough as nails. Tuners could get 165 horses out of it, while turning 7,000 rpm.
You can get an insane level of power from a modded bug engine. Ported dual port aftermarket heads, compression, cams, dula carbs or injection, billet crank and rods...then there’s the big bore kits.
150HP is easy sans Turbo or the sauce. With boost, the only problem is keeping the factory block together. A fully aftermarket motor will hold hundreds of HP. The off-road guys pull 150 all day long and keep it together under the pounding of Baja.
Looks like the people at InsideEVs haven’t bothered to do their homework. The electric motor is not the only source of wheel power in the volt. Above a certain speed (like 30 MPH) or under hard acceleration, the gas engine is also powering the wheels mechanically. The Volt is just a hybrid, not an electric vehicle with a built in generator.
Amen.
Better yet...
Maybe they should contact for the 1.0l 3 cylinder Eco-Boost from Ford in the 125 hp trim for the Volt for a power upgrade and weight reduction all in one shot....
Ohhhhhh !!!! bam slam kappooee!
IMHO they are gonna do this because the new Ford Fusion especially the "Energi" variant is gonna make the Volt look like the pile of merde' it is...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.