#CAS09 Chevrolet held a small press conference this afternoon, the day before the Chicago auto show opens to the press, to highlight the contributions of two suppliers to the Chevrolet Volt program.
Goodyear, which will supply the tires for the 2011-model extended-range electric vehicle (GM gets mad when you call it a hybrid) revealed some details on the low-rolling-resistance rubber that should help Chevrolet attain its goal of 40-mile all-electric range. Specifically, the Assurance FuelMax tires will provide an extra mile of range in the Volt's electric mode compared to a conventional tire. According to Goodyear, the tires' rubber compound uses "functional polymers" that allow the tire to rebound more easily than a conventional tire. That's useful because the flattened patch of the tire that contacts the road regains its circular shape more easily as it rotates around. Goodyear says this equates to lower rolling resistance. And according to the company, a 10-percent reduction in rolling resistance can mean a 1-to-2 percent fuel-efficiency gain for the vehicle. Critically, this is achieved, says the company, while maintaining the grip level of a conventional all-season tire.
Bose was also in attendance, touting the new Energy Efficient Series audio system that it has designed for the Volt. The system is said to be 30 percent smaller, 40 percent lighter and 50 percent more energy-efficient than a standard Bose audio system in a similarly sized car. This is accomplished largely through proven technology, pieces of which Bose has used previously in other car audio systems. The two main components of the system are a "switching" amplifier that is lighter and more efficient than a conventional linear amp. This sort of amp has been used in other Bose applications. The system's loudspeakers also use neodymium magnets in place of a conventional speaker's ferrite magnets, which are three times heavier. Again, this variety of magnet is used by speaker makers in other applications. Bose claims that the reduction of energy use for its system is equivalent to removing 50 pounds of mass from the vehicle.
All of this indicates that a project like the Volt can push suppliers to find efficiency in unexpected places, which is great. But can we drive the car already?
compliance says:
04:42 PM, 02/10/09
I wonder if the other companies were shoveling as much BS as Bose was.
altimadude00 says:
06:45 PM, 02/10/09
it will be exciting to see when other carmakers start disseminating these technologies into other cars. Lighter and more power-efficient components can only help as cars get more technology-laden.
redliner says:
07:00 PM, 02/10/09
Over-hyped. Does this mean the car will "under-deliver?"
estreka says:
03:43 AM, 02/11/09
In my experience, Bose is heavily overrated in the car audio market.
wetwilly says:
07:37 AM, 02/11/09
IMHO the real purpose of this exercise is less to highlight suppliers and more to explain why the Volt is going to cost $40K.
bbechtel16 says:
01:27 PM, 02/11/09
1 mpg? I'll take real tires please. Low roll resist tires are for Priuses.
bbechtel16 says:
01:28 PM, 02/11/09
I mean..."1 mile?" or "1 or 2 percent?"
SUPERBADD75 says:
07:48 AM, 02/12/09
1 mpg here, 1 mpg there, they add up. finding 5 extra mpg in my Trailblazer would make it somewhat reasonable! i really hope the Volt is as good as it's being touted to be. i want to see GM succeed, and i want American automakers to offer something that no other manufacturer does. we were once the best in the world in every industry, now we're an also-ran in many.
as for Bose, it's pretty decent but the Mach stereo in my wife Mustang is far superior. of the factory upgrades i've experienced, i'd have to say that Harmon Kardon seems to be the best overall, but like i said the Mach stereos aren't shabby at all.
benson2175 says:
12:30 AM, 02/13/09
There's a reason other cars don't have speakers with neodymium and switching amplifier, and it's not because neodymium and switching amplifiers sound better. There's also a reason other cars don't have fancy low resistance tires. These things sound special but I don't expect they'll be special in that good way.