Yesterday General Motors VP Beth Lowery led a media briefing on the progress and direction of GM's work on battery technology. GM has been broadcasting to all and sundry that they're serious about making the Volt and the Saturn Vue happen, and GM's Bob Lutz has spoken recently of "transparency" in the development of these plug-in hybrids. This discussion was part of that campaign.
Lowery was joined by team members from GM technology partners Johnson Control–Saft, A123 Systems, and Cobasys, who spoke about what they're up against as they develop lithium ion batteries that are safe, affordable, efficient, and longlasting enough for GM to bring to market in production vehicles.
Besides introducing the team GM has assembled to develop batteries for these two vehicles, GM had a few talking points to get across. GM has learned from its experience building the EV1 and its lead acid batteries, Lowery emphasizes, and the evolution to nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries reflects that. Furthermore, GM is focused on making sure the Volt and the Saturn Vue meet a buyer's expectations for performance, cost, safety, and reliability. As GM's chief vehicle engineer Nick Zelenski implied to the New York Times the other day, the battery is an integral part of that.
As Lowery says:
GM's hydrogen fuel cell program is not dead, Lowery added: "The fuel cell program remains on track, with 100 fuel-cell powered Chevrolet Equinoxes hitting the streets later this year as part of our Project Driveway test fleet."
Watch for more on this topic later today.
Building the Plug-In Hybrid: The Battery Challenge [GM FastLane Blog]
