How the Volt will deal with stale gas...

[c0mp13x]

Source: http://gm-volt.com/2009/08/19/volt-runs-without-gas-though-needs-it-occasionally-cant-run-without-battery

Volt Runs Without Gas Though Needs it Occasionally, Can’t Run Without Battery

August 19th, 2009 | Posted in: Battery, Fuel, Generator

http://www.gm-volt.com/r/volt-chassis.jpg

Since the Volt is at its core and electric car, people often ask whether it will be able to run without any gas in its tank.

According to Volt vehicle line engineer Tony Posawatz, “the VOLT can run without gas since it is an EV.”

Here’s how he explains it:

We will provide many tips to customers on how they can get the most out of their VOLT as we continue the education process, work our demo programs and train our dealers and customers at the point of sale. For example, we will recommend that they keep some gas in their tank to avoid range anxiety and if they are always driving in EV, we want to make sure that once every month or so, we can perform a maintenance run on the engine (for keeping the engine parts lubricated and the gas from getting stale).

This will be done automatically for the customer because of the intelligence built right into the car. We don’t want to have the customers worry about putting additive in their gas tanks like snowmobilers and boaters have to. If the customer runs primarily in EV mode, we would also suggest that they not keep their tank full. That’s a lot of extra mass to carry around. Prior to a long trip is the right time to gas up at one of our countries 170,000 gas stations.

As to whether the car can run without its battery he says “the VOLT can run with an injured battery but not without a battery in the car.”

Finally Posawatz declares “the VOLT is a very smart car, it will be the smartest device on the smart grid of the future.”
:happy0025:

[jstdadd]

The smartest "Government Manufactured" device on the smart grid of the future.

[Rhodomel]

The smartest "Government Manufactured" device on the smart grid of the future.

You are truly biased against GM or the Volt. You failed to see that the Aptera 2h could be improved upon the strategies suggested above for the Volt. It is an excellent scheme so far and I hope that the Aptera 2h can be at par or better than that used in the Volt to keep the gen set lubricated and the gas from going stale.

[jstdadd]

I am truly biased against GM. The government took on all their liabilities and took over 61% ownership. The US Government now owns all the GM SuperFund toxic waste cleanup. How can private industry compete with the US government, when it cannot lose money? (They just have to tax us or send us further into debt.) Do you think the US Government will take on the liabilities of all the carmakers to level the playing field? GM was profitable last quarter, immediately after returning from bankruptcy.

You are correct that the Aptera will also have to run its Internal Combustion Engine to keep the fuel system clean; gas stabilizers could play the part of keeping gas from going stale. I didn't fail to see that - it seems obvious to me and not worth saying.

As far as being the "smartest device on the smart grid", do you think they compared the Volt to the Aptera to make that statement? I seriously doubt it.

[KarenRei]

Just saw this quote... not sure I completely agree with the sentiment, but I found it amusing nonetheless:

The Volt is like a "horseless carriage" carrying around a horse with it just in case the gasoline motor ran out of fuel.

[jstdadd]

Just saw this quote... not sure I completely agree with the sentiment, but I found it amusing nonetheless:

...and the horse is on life-support, and a bunch of people are standing around beating it, and PETA is nowhere to be found!

[Ardie3301]

Funny!

However, the Aptera 2h will fall into that selfsame category.
Its the price society must pay until it changes its collective mind.

How many of us grumbled when the headlight hi-beam switch moved from the foot button on the floor to that flimsy turn signal stalk?
How many of us howled when the industry got rid of window wings?
How many of us squealed when the industry went to "space saver" tires?
And where was our senator when ashtrays disappeared?


How many of us worry that we will need to carry an onboard battery charger in the guise of a gasoline engine/generator?

-- Ardie

[paddler13]

OK, I'm 0 for 5 on that list of things that were supposed to bother me.

[randyd]

OK, I'm 0 for 5 on that list of things that were supposed to bother me.

Same here. Although I do miss "window wings" 2 or 3 times per year, I don't (didn't) howl about their demise.

I actually cheered (and still do) when ashtrays disappeared from each of:

airplanes
offices where I worked or visited
restaurants
rental cars
hotel rooms
bars that I visited.
friends houses
etc.


But that is off-topic. :happy0025:

Regarding taking a generator along, those who are truly worried might prefer the 2h to the 2e. As for me, I am not worried at all. I may choose to take a generator along on a few long trips, but I don't expect to use the Aptera for long trips very often (if ever).

[iwannaptera]

window wings?

[Airgetlam]

The front part of your side window used to be a separate window on another hinge, so that you could open it and push air in towards the windshield or your body, depending on how much you opened it. Now, side windows are a single slab of glass, and there's no more personal body cooling :)

[randyd]

window wings?

http://classicponycars.com/images/66GTfastback.jpg

In this picture of a classic Mustang, the "wind wing" or "window wing" is the glass triangle at the front of the passenger window, partially obscured by the rear view mirror. The wind wing could open and pivot. If opened just a bit, the car's slipstream created a venturi and so it vented air out very quietly and efficiently. If opened further, the corner of the wing would actually scoop air out of the slip stream and direct a near-leaf-blower-quantity of air directly at the passenger. (Ditto for the driver side wind wing.) It was great for those cars without air conditioning.

[OC-LA driver]

I've seen several cars from the '20s and '30s that have little forward-facing pop-up scoops, between the back edge of the hood and the base of the windshield, which directed a rush of air directly onto the driver's and front passenger's feet. My mom remembers one such car which had no ductwork behind the scoop; the dash forced air down around the ankles. She remembers streetlights flashing on her feet through the scoop when they drove at night with the vents open.

[jstdadd]

http://classicponycars.com/images/66GTfastback.jpg

In this picture of a classic Mustang, the "wind wing" or "window wing" is the glass triangle at the front of the passenger window, partially obscured by the rear view mirror. The wind wing could open and pivot. If opened just a bit, the car's slipstream created a venturi and so it vented air out very quietly and efficiently. If opened further, the corner of the wing would actually scoop air out of the slip stream and direct a near-leaf-blower-quantity of air directly at the passenger. (Ditto for the driver side wind wing.) It was great for those cars without air conditioning.

A friend had one of those...drove it 'till the wheels fell off...' which was about 60,000 miles.

One of the nice things about the 'wing windows' was that your insurance company would tell you to 'break the smallest window' if you locked your keys in your car - and that was the smallest window. It was also nice if you were in a car in winter where the other person in the front seat wanted the heat on the 'nuclear meltdown' setting - you could keep from sweating by opening that little window and directing it full on your face.

They were always the site of wind noise at high speed. Many developed a horrid whistling sound because they could not be closed tightly - so you would jam a match pack or cigarette butt in it somewhere to stop the noise - then promptly lost that when you next opened it. I believe that the noise issue is why they are not on modern cars. They also had a propensity for leaking in heavy rain and usually dripped on your leg. You could throw a cigarette or match out of it without opening the window, but you risked getting the hot box in your face if it got caught in the windstream.

A lot of small airplanes still have them, on the left (pilot's) side, so when taxiiing you don't melt or have to leave the door open for ventilation. Once in the air there is usually a way to get enough air into the cockpit to stay reasonably comfortable without air conditioning (which usually doesn't work, anyway.)

EDIT: Oh, yeah, if you drove through a swarm of bees or flies (like lovebugs in central Florida) you could be assured of catching one in the face if that window was open all the way.

[Danny]

... I believe that the noise issue is why they are not on modern cars.


If I remember correctly, it was related to aerodynamics more than noise. Even today, cars are supposed to be more economical with the windows up using the air conditioner rather that driving with the windows down. Wind wings completely changed the air flow.

[rayfellow]

If I remember correctly, it was related to aerodynamics more than noise. Even today, cars are supposed to be more economical with the windows up using the air conditioner rather that driving with the windows down. Wind wings completely changed the air flow.

And it adds several dollars to the cost of production. I've owned several cars with the wind wing. It was an easy way to get a little outside air inside. On the flip side, they usually whistled unless you had match book in the lock to hold it secure to the seal.

[Ardie3301]

I believe that getting rid of the window wings was all about cost.

They deleted the glass, the window wing frame, the seals, the hinge mechanism, the latch mechanism, and (most of all) the assembly cost involved in putting two of them on the car.

-- Ardie
And I still miss ashtrays, even though I don't smoke. They made handy little storage drawers for all kinds of stuff. Pencils, loose change, gum, you name it...