GM shrinks Volt's gas tank, range drops from 600 to 340 miles

[VH_Supra26]

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One of the many things General Motors boasted about when it unveiled the Volt concept at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 was its 600-mile range. This was achieved partially by the battery pack, which could sustain a (theoretical) charge allowing the Volt to run for 40 miles without reverting to the gasoline engine/generator, as well as a 12-gallon fuel tank. According to Kicking Tires, GM has shrunk the size of the tank by an unknown quantity and the result is a reduction in range from 600 to 400 miles – or 360 miles without the aid of battery power.

The General maintains that since most owners don't travel more than 40 miles in one day, it wasn't necessary to fit the Volt with a larger tank. That reduction in capacity will save some weight, but what will it cost in public perception? The hype surrounding GM's supposed savior and game-changer are based on two figures: range and cost. If GM can deliver on both counts, they might have a hit on their hands. If not, the Volt will be DOA the day it hits dealers.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/08/gm-shrinks-volts-gas-tank-range-drops-from-600-to-340-miles/

[sherpagoodness]

gm screw something up......NEVAR!!!

[Vincent]

I'm guessing they decreased the capacity and came up with an excuse after finding out it wasn't going to get 600 miles on a 12 gallon tank. Really makes no sense to worry about 25lbs when it requires a 200 mile reduction in range.

It'll be nice if the Volt is a ground-breaking hit that leads the way for other manufacturers, but my confidence continues to go down.

[inferno14u]

This has to be one of the things they are doing to cut cost to try to make the car profitable. They want to get it close to 30k, and they won't be able to deliver as promised at that price point unless they start cutting corners somewhere.

[Corrosive]

Still 40 miles a day for free is cool with me *provided you charge it over night.

[Prelude_S]

By sizing down the tank? O yeah, that's going to cut a lot off. Be real dude, they're cutting the tank down because they can't realistically get 600 miles on a single tank.

[OneArmedScissor]

This has to be one of the things they are doing to cut cost to try to make the car profitable. They want to get it close to 30k, and they won't be able to deliver as promised at that price point unless they start cutting corners somewhere.
THIS KIND of price cutting is very typical of GM and also very typical of their failures.

If you read back for the past 10-15 years of repeated product failures (not meeting projected demands or lowered expectations) this is what always happens.

[TXBlackout03]

Total range doesn't mean anything.

Electric range is king along with the EPA sticker. That's where all the bragging rights are.

If the EPA says Volt is able to break the magic 100 mpg barrier (quite possible) it will be a huge deal psychologically. People quibble now over a couple of MPG's... we could easily be talking a huge chasm between the Volt and everything else.

A bigger question... will our incompetant marketing know what to do with it?