Green LEAF, Shocking VOLT -- GM Doesn't Get It, Again

This week Nissan North America announced that it will begin taking reservations for its zero-emission electric automobile, LEAF, this coming spring.  This is based on strong initial demand, with over 22,000 people contacting the company about the car since it was unveiled in August. A fully charged LEAF can travel up to 100 miles at a top speed of 90 miles per hour. It seats five and has five doors. Most importantly, it does not have a gas engine and has zero tailpipe emissions.

To be sure, not all of the people who've shown initial interest will buy a LEAF. Yet Nissan is literally moving the needle in bringing the next generation of low- and zero-emission vehicles to market. Compare LEAF to Chevrolet's entry into the market with its VOLT.  The VOLT still runs on gasoline, getting 230 miles per gallon, and can go no farther than 40 miles after charging— less than half the distance of a fully charged LEAF.

Of course, it's already well known that GM had a fully electric and zero-emission car brought to market back in 1996 with its EV1.  No need to go into what happened because there are many culprits that sent that idea to the scrap heap. Perhaps it was simple timing that worked against it. However, now that the timing is in any auto manufacturer's favor to bring these new vehicles to a public with a growing demand, one would think that GM would be more advanced than it is. GM has the technology but still is not bringing a fully electric car to market.

And let's talk about the name. LEAF symbolizes green, life, and vitality.  VOLT sounds like a punishment. How did WATT not make the grade? Note to GM...you were bailed out with taxpayer money. Now it's time to do better in both technology and branding.

Jonathan A. Schein is publisher of MetroGreenBusiness.com and GreenBusinessCareers.com

Follow Jonathan A. Schein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaschein

Comments

[jsarets]

Electric drive is extremely promising as a transmission. It will replace the clutch and gearbox. Then it will eliminate the driveshaft and differential. Ultimately, it may even make disc brakes obsolete.

But as an automotive fuel, electricity has major limitations that I believe will confine the plug-in electric car to certain niche applications such as city cars, fleet vehicles, and status symbols.

Pure battery-electric vehicles such as the LEAF stand a chance at long-term success as city cars. But plug-in hybrids such as the Volt will probably always remain status symbols due to their complexity.

Electrochemical and electrostatic storage cells are never going to compete with liquid fuels on the basis of energy density or cost density. LiFePO4, LiMnO2, LIC, EDLC, BaTiO3 -- I've studied them all.

Plug-in advocates tout the multi-source capability of electricity. Even though most electricity is generated from fossil fuels, in the future, we'll adopt more sustainable sources.

But liquid fuels also have multi-source capability. Even though most liquid fuels are produced from fossil sources, in the future, we'll adopt more sustainable sources of alcohols and alkyl esters.

I'd like a biodiesel-fueled series hybrid with a constant-speed turbocharged direct-injected flat-4, a pair of harmonical­ly-signale­d polyphase induction motors, and a 1-2kWh double-layer capacitor.

That would have a lower environmental impact than any of your precious plug-ins.

[sheeple723]

GM is smart to recognize that battery technology is not there yet, and has created a car that has the range of a regular car while using a fully electric drivetrain. Once battery technology reaches a sufficient level, the gas generator will be taken out of the system... seems logical to me.

[michmudder]

In the last month my battery has died unexpectedly numerous times (woops --I must have forgotten to recharge it again) on both my laptop and cell phone. If I ever get a BEV, the tow truck guys are going to be make a living on me. And my kids are no better. I think GM has the right idea here.

[JShep]

If you are a two car family, the Leaf offers the best green driving solution. If you are single, the Volt would be the better choice. There should be a market for both.

[Overtone]

For future solutions to the shortcomings of both the LEAF and the VOLT, see the article: 5 Steps to Revive the Auto Industry and the Economy. Read it on the Aesop Institute website: http://www.aesopinstitute.org

The brief two pages outline little known breakthrough technology that opens paths to cars that need no fossil fuel or recharge.

Later, more advanced versions can turn cars into power plants, wirelessly able to sell power to the local utility when parked.

Imagine the impact of cars and trucks that emit no pollution and can pay for themselves, as well as end the need to build coal or nuclear power plants!

Visualize electric cars that need no recharge! Also, hybrids with engines that need only one gallon of water as fuel every 1,000 miles. As impossible as it sounds, these technologies are now on the horizon.

Rowan University recently published results of experiments that can only be explained by a new source of energy. Other laboratories can readily reproduce them. Skeptical scientists should see that these experiments are reproduced rapidly, so that they may form their own conclusions.

The experiments indicate that one barrel of water can equal 200 barrels of oil!

These revolutionary technologies hold promise of generating millions of green jobs!

They will change much of what is now believed about energy.

[Indra]

GM never did have a clue. That's why they are in the condition they are in now. It is obvious from their weak and feeble condition that they do not know what they are doing.

[TryToBeFlexible]

I usually drive less than 40 miles per day. But, about 10 times a year, I drive way more than 100 miles. So, with the LEAF, I would be stranded on the side of the road after the battery discharges completely, or would need to rent a car for the day. Or, with the VOLT, 97% of the time, I would be all electric, and on those special hectic busy days, it would just convert to gasoline for the top part of the mileage.

Yet you think the LEAF is just way better? Huh? You LIKE getting stuck on the side of the road, or paying a fortune and wasting a couple hours on renting and returning a car (which rental would use gasoline anyway)?...

Are you sure you can't see why the VOLT would be better option?

[Russycle]

A few people in the US of A participate in this institution called "marriage". And it's not uncommon for these "married" people to own two cars. Yet strangely, when leaving town on long trips they often take only one car and leave the other at home. So for a few people, the LEAF makes a lot of sense as a second car.

No, it's not for everybody. Neither is a Corvette, but Chevy's been selling them for over 50 years.

[BLBass]

Hear hear. On the branding issue, I never minded Volt; I thought the connotation of power was appropriate (electric vehicles do have a stigma as wimpy, after all), although certainly Watt is actually a unit of power! Leaf will probably sell better to early adopters, people for whom environmental concerns trump mature technology, while the Volt is probably aiming at a broader market despite being first-generation tech at best. I think you're right that this is a miscalculation on the part of GM. The mass market simply won't be buying electric vehicles in the near future, so the Volt's marketing scheme would be better used with a later-generation vehicle.

[michmudder]

Yes, indeed. GM says the Volt will get 230 mpg. But you don't mention that Nissan boasts that the Leaf will get 367 mpg. Ford is to be building an electric Focus in Wayne Michigan in 2010, but fortunately they aren't bragging about its presumed mpg rating.

[sangazure1]

How can Leaf get 367 mpg if it doesn't use any gasoline? Did I miss something somewhere?

[michmudder]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/12/nissans-leaf-claims-367-m_n_257448.html

[curanipedoug]

There is no mystery here. The extraction of money is a process which appears stupid even backward.
A good idea is modified to a simple form that can be put through a series of improvements, yielding several sales rather than just one. EV1 worked and would be cutting ege today-can't have that.