Chevy Volt Developer: Don’t Overanalyze CEO’s Tempering Remark

Chevy Volt Developer: Don’t Overanalyze CEO’s Tempering Remark

By Bill Visnic

LAS VEGAS -– Is General Motors Corp.’s timeline for development of a production version its Chevrolet Volt hybrid-electric concept car a little too aggressive?

Break out your corporatespeak decoder ring for an answer.

GM Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner set off an explosion of speculation last week when he said in an online chat session –- kicking off GM’s 100th anniversary celebration -– that he “can’t guarantee at this time” the 2010 production launch of the Volt. The 2010 target long has been a cornerstone talking point for Volt chief proponent and GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz.

Don't read too much into Wagoner's comment, the engineer in charge of the Volt told AutoObserver.

Here at the Consumer Electronics Show for a firsthand look at how the personal electronics and automotive worlds are converging, Jon Lauckner, vice president, global program management and the ranking engineer overseeing development of a production version of the Volt’s E-Flex powertrain architecture, says not to read too much into last week’s comment by Wagoner, which some translated as a reality check on the aggressive development timeline for the Volt -– and perhaps on Lutz’s always optimistic accounts of the Volt’s progress.

Lauckner says doubters and critics got “overfocused” on Wagoner’s remark, and that it’s Wagoner’s job to deal out reality checks.

“He’s just being cautious,” insists Lauckner of Wagoner’s “no guarantee” comment regarding the potential for the Volt reaching showrooms in 2010.

The chief hurdle for bringing the Volt to production is generally conceded to be the lack of production-ready lithium-ion batteries crucial to delivering the Volt’s performance objectives, chief among them being a 40-mile driving range solely on electric power.

Lauckner also says Internet grist that GM has run into problems with the prototype lithium-ion batteries -– now being testing under limited conditions –- are laughably unfounded.

“I can’t tell you how far off the mark that rumor is,” says Lauckner, adding that he hopes GM might begin testing Volt prototypes outside the confines of a proving-grounds environment sometime in 2009.

Moreover, Lauckner assures AutoObserver the Volt will be engaging to drive –- a personality trait in short supply with most current hybrid vehicles.

He says that although the addition of hundreds of pounds of batteries typically would be a detriment to any vehicle’s dynamics, because of their placement roughly in the center of the Volt’s chassis, the Volt’s weight distribution will much closer to the ideal -– and entertaining -– 50 percent front/50 percent rear ratio than any conventional front-wheel-drive vehicle displays.

Lauckner says with near 50/50 weight distribution and the 0-60-mph target of around 8.5 seconds, “the Volt will not disappoint” in terms of driving dynamics.

Michelle Krebs:  is Editor-in-Chief of AutoObserver.com. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.