Tag Archives: Electric Cars

GM Replaces Charge Cord On Volts

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Complaints from Chevrolet Volt owners about charging cords overheating and melting have been met with a GM customer satisfaction initiative that will have the 120V charging chords replaced. The initiative will cover all 2011 and certain 2012 version of the hybrid electric car. According to GM spokesman Randal Fox, the new cord will be a larger wire gauge making it more durable and able to withstand higher temperatures. The initiative is not a safety recall, but an effort by GM to offer a more consistent charging experience. GM will contact owners about the new cord in a few weeks.

This Chevrolet Volt cord replacement follows an announcement in January, that had owners bringing in their vehicles to have steel plates added around the Volt Battery. These plates are installed to spread the force of an impact over a larger surface area preventing the battery from being damaged. This battery upgrade came after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) experienced a battery fire three weeks after crash tests were done on a Volt.

Slow Sales Stop Chevy Volt Production

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General Motors Co. has announced that they will stop production of the Chevrolet Volt hybrid vehicle for five weeks to allow their surplus of inventory to be depleted. This will be the third time that production of the Volt has been stopped for at least a month since the car first went on sale in December 2010. The lack of interest in the Chevy volt is being blamed on several factors:

  • A recent NHTSA investigation into battery fires resulting after crash testing.
  • The lack of charging stations in some states.
  • Electric car technology is still relatively new and problems need to be solved before it can be attractive to the mass market, the biggest complaints being lack of range and performance.
  • The production of electric vehicles by other automobile manufacturers.

GM hoped to sell 10,000 Volts last year, but ended up selling just over 7,600. Some feel the promotion of the electric vehicle by the Obama administration has failed. Even as gas prices continue to climb and government incentives are used, it is still not enough to get consumers to buy electric cars. The plant shutdown is expected to lay off almost 1,300 workers, and slow down companies that supply parts and batteries for the Volt.

Paying For The Car Pool Lane Experience

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The car pool lane is a roadway reserved for vehicles with at a specified number of occupants. These high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV) may have the appearance of being lightly traveled, but statistics show that they carry more people per lane with fewer vehicles and usually at higher speeds. Some places allow hybrid and electric vehicles to access these lanes to encourage the use of a more environmentally friendly means of transportation.

Other states are looking at the concept of putting a price on the convenience of using HOV roadways. They say that tolls would not only raise money to maintain the roads but could manage traffic congestion as well. Motorist would be allowed to “buy their way” into the express lanes using an electronic transponder that logs how long and at what time of day the driver accesses them.

While the goal of the program is to keep traffic in the restricted lane moving at a reliable pace, a coalition of local groups say allowing people to by their way into the lane is having the opposite effect, and they have petitioning to have the program suspended. The state of California has recently restricted some older hybrids from HOV lanes because they were becoming too congested.

NHTSA Accused Of Chevy Volt Cover Up

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is being accused of trying to keep the Chevrolet Volt battery fire a secret in an attempt to protect the government’s investment in the car company. Members of the House Committee for Government Reform released a report that states that the bailout of GM, creates business and political reasons for the government to sacrifice public safety. They criticize the time it took for the investigation to begin and the conclusion that the vehicle was safe, just two weeks into the investigation.

The NHTSA defends their position on the Chevy Volt investigation, saying that the agency is still developing protocols for dealing with battery powered vehicles. In the case of the Volt, they do not see the fire as a highway hazard because the problem could only be reproduced after impaling the battery with a steel rod. Still, it took at least a week for the fire to start. They added that GM was quick in responding to the problem, and developed protocols to drain the battery after a Volt has been in an accident.

Chevy Volts Repaired But Not Recalled

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General Motors is asking its Chevrolet Volt customers to return their vehicles to dealers so they can make repairs that will lower the risk of battery fires. The announcement comes after an investigation into a battery fire that consumed three vehicles at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) test facility. Follow-up tests to simulate the incident resulted in two out of three vehicles catching fire. GM and federal safety officials believe that the fires were caused by coolant leaking from damaged plastic casing around the batteries after a side-impact collisions. That coolant caused an electrical short, which sparked battery fires seven days to three weeks after the crashes.

Dealers will add steel plates around the Volt battery that will spread the force of a crash over a larger surface area. Tests carried out by GM and the government have shown that the repairs prevent battery damage and coolant leaks.

Toyota and BMW Share Technology

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An agreement between BMW and Toyota, will have the two automobile makers collaborating on environmentally sustainable technology in the auto industry. BMW will supply Toyota with 1.6 and 2.0 liter engines for their struggling European line, and both companies will work together to develop car battery technology for electric and hybrid vehicles. The alliance will increase efficiency, reduce costs, and allow vehicles to be brought to market more quickly. Because BMW and Toyota operate in different segments of the market, it is unlikely they will encountering competitive conflicts.

Chevy Volt Investigated For Fire

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into General Motors electric hybrid vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt. The investigation comes after a battery fire consumed three vehicles at their test facility, two weeks after performing side impact and rollover tests. Follow-up tests to simulate the incident resulted in two out of three vehicles resulting in a thermal reaction within the battery. According to the NHTSA there have been no reports of real world crashes resulting in fire.

GM has assured customers the the Chevy Volt’s fire risk after an accident is lower than any standard gas engine vehicles. The company said that the vehicles OnStar safety system notifies the company of any crashes involving a Chevy Volt and a team is dispatched within 48 hours to drain the battery. GM has offered to buy back vehicles or offer loaner cars at the customers request. If the investigation should lead to a recall, over 6,000 Volts could be affected.

Honda Civic 2012 Green Car of the Year

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Last years Los Angeles Auto Show focused on the electric car with the debut of the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf. Throughout the year, other automobile manufacturers continued to release electric hybrid and electric cars, but sales were poor even with government rebates and perks. This years LA Auto show still has its share of electric vehicles, but the 2012 Green Car of the Year shows that there is no single solution to efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Some of this years contenders included the Ford Focus Electric, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius V and Volkswagen Passat TDI, but the six judge panel decided to award the Honda Civic Natural Gas version the 2012 green car of the year award. According to Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal, “The new generation Civic Natural Gas features greater fuel efficiency, a more attractive and roomier design with tailpipe emissions lower than any other internal combustion produced vehicle. There is no other vehicle like the Civic Natural Gas on American highways, and this recognition has been a long time coming for Honda.”

The Civic Natural Gas is the only natural gas passenger vehicle to be mass produced. It was first introduced as a fleet vehicle in 1998, and is in its fifth generation. It offers 110 horsepower and has a range of about 240 miles on a full tank. It is reasonably priced at just over $26,000, and is available at 200 Honda dealers in 36 states.