The part of the electric car General Motors is putting their future toward that they’re most worried about is the Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery. To inspire confidence among potential buyers of a limited number of Chevy Volts, GM announced Wednesday that the Volt’s lithium-ion battery could be guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The Chevy Volt battery is literally different from other electric cars
The battery for the Chevy Volt is better than GM’s convention car engines and transmissions exact same warranties. According to CNN, Similar warranties for battery packs are on the Toyota Prius, Ford Escape, and other popular hybrid models. But a chemistry that is different from the others is used on the Volt’s lithium-ion battery. The car could be powered for 40 miles with just the battery which is a concern for some.
GM says Volt battery will last for numerous years
CNN was confident by a GM spokeswoman the warranty for the Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery could be transferred to an auto car loans that is new when the car is sold. GM hopes the longer warranty will help convince electric car skeptics that the Volt’s lithium-ion battery will last for many years. It was reported by the Associated Press the batteries wear out like computer and cell phone batteries and are hard to replace. The 400 pound Volt battery will probably cost thousands to replace.
Volt battery technology has GM’s confidence
The Volt battery can charge in 8-10 hours on 120-volt power or about four hours through a 240-volt hookup. It was reported by Auto Week the lithium-ion battery has 161 components that can be covered by the warranty. The Electric drive components, thermal management system, and electric drive components will also be covered by the warranty. GM is offering a longer warranty because of confidence within the Volt’s liquid heating and cooling system, which GM says extends the battery’s life by keeping it at optimal temperatures. The Volt is the only such mass-market automobile with a liquid-powered thermal management system. The Nissan Leaf electric car, available in December, has an air-cooled battery.
Chevy Volt has a long line
You’ll be lucky if you can borrow the money and actually get the Chevy volt lithium-ion battery with the warranty. GM only wants to build 10,000 Volts in 2011, according to another CNN article. 30,000 Volts are planned to be made in 2012, but that won’t meet demands nevertheless. The car is also limited to where it is sold. The Volt will initially only be sold in six states and the District of Columbia. The advertised price is 40,000, or 32,000 after tax credits for electric car, but you need to plan to pay more to get your Volt.
Citations
CNN
money.cnn.com/2010/07/14/autos/volt_battery_warranty/?npt=NP1
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jG137SoV7h3AdI0SyNe4d5rVeicQD9GUVQU83
Auto Week
autoweek.com/article/20100714/GREEN/100719940
