Chevy Volt Climbs Steep Mountain in Name of Research

Like the iMiEV electric car before it, climbing another steep Japanese mountain range, the Chevy Volt has just demonstrated that it can do the hard stuff. It can get you up a long steep mountain climb in the snow.

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And like the Japanese iMiEV—which works for the Japanese Post Office—our own “Government Motors” electric vehicle might be initially sent to work for government agencies in this country (that buy 750,000 thousand vehicles a year), because President Obama signed an Executive Order last week that requires every Federal Agency to cut fuel use 30% over the next nine years.

This guarantees a market for the taxpayers’ own more fuel efficient car, as it only needs a few drops of gas for its battery charger. (And this should also give a boost to all the solar-paneled parking spaces that we’ll need to fire up all these EVs without adding to the coal grid)

Pike’s Peak—America’s mountain—tests the worst you might have to do to your car, like climb to the top of a mountain in snow and then inexplicably leave it idling with the air-conditioning on high.

The Volt climbed the 19-mile road to the 14,110-foot top of Pike’s Peak, that is routinely used to test cooling and climate control systems. Like many mountain roads, it has a series of W-shaped switchbacks that are treacherous at high speed. It normally is a two hour drive roundtrip, and Park Rangers advise caution.

The Volt’s speed up the mountain is not recorded (the iMiEV speed was documented in a youtube video), but was better than expected according to the Lead Calibration Engineer. But you can at least get an idea of the stress this was subject to, in this video of the Pikes Peak route, note – not by the Volt.

The test in the Volt’s case was also to see how well it performed in the extended-range generator mode, under the duress of the continuous sustained energy needed to climb the very long steep grade, and see how much the speed and power would be reduced when it is climbing for a long time in charge-sustaining mode with the engine-generator running. Results were supposedly good, but no details were supplied.

The Pike’s Peak test site was also a good opportunity to look at how much energy could be regenerated to recharge the battery through braking on the way back down; and the Volt apparently successfully replenished the battery on the way down, with all that regenerative braking.

One aspect was quantified, and it was a first. The National Park Service said that after it got to the bottom, the brakes were among the coolest they had ever tested.

Image: John Blanchard, Lead Calibration Engineer, Chevrolet Volt

Source: Green Car Reports

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Tags: 30% fuel efficiency Executive Order, GM Volt, John Blanchard, test regerative braking, Volt test Pikes Peak

About the Author

Susan Kraemer writes at CleanTechnica, CSP-Today, PV-Insider , SmartGridUpdate, and GreenProphet. She has also been published at Ecoseed, NRDC OnEarth, MatterNetwork, Celsius, EnergyNow, and Scientific American. As a former serial entrepreneur in product design, Susan brings an innovator's perspective on inventing a carbon-constrained civilization: If necessity is the mother of invention, solving climate change is the mother of all necessities! As a lover of history and sci-fi, she enjoys chronicling the strange future we are creating in these interesting times. Follow Susan on Twitter @dotcommodity.

russ

Amazing! Everything seems to have gone perfect. No data given to support any statements but it was all great?

I am all for EV’s and hybrids – all for cleaning the mess up – but the executive order just signed will probably also lead to all sorts of silly stuff that does not serve being done.

I can just see the PV panels going up in Seattle in the name of that executive order. Seattle has far too many cloudy days for PV power to be practical but just watch.
russ

Amazing! Everything seems to have gone perfect. No data given to support any statements but it was all great?

I am all for EV’s and hybrids – all for cleaning the mess up – but the executive order just signed will probably also lead to all sorts of silly stuff that does not serve being done.

I can just see the PV panels going up in Seattle in the name of that executive order. Seattle has far too many cloudy days for PV power to be practical but just watch.
russ

Amazing! Everything seems to have gone perfect. No data given to support any statements but it was all great?

I am all for EV’s and hybrids – all for cleaning the mess up – but the executive order just signed will probably also lead to all sorts of silly stuff that does not serve being done.

I can just see the PV panels going up in Seattle in the name of that executive order. Seattle has far too many cloudy days for PV power to be practical but just watch.
http://greenoptions.com/author/susan Susan Kraemer

There’s other options than PV, russ. Seattle can install geothermal ground heat exchangers.

Here’s something that works best in cooler climates http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/cool-energys-solarheart-brings-solar-power-to-cold-climates/

which works like this

http://www.coolenergyinc.com/solar.html
http://greenoptions.com/author/susan Susan Kraemer

There’s other options than PV, russ. Seattle can install geothermal ground heat exchangers.

Here’s something that works best in cooler climates http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/cool-energys-solarheart-brings-solar-power-to-cold-climates/

which works like this

http://www.coolenergyinc.com/solar.html
MaysvilleMike

Hi, Susan–

I’ve often wondered why more isn’t written about certain low-tech solutions. Maybe because they are less glamourous. Or simply need a good writer.

Such as John Hait’s PAHS [Passive Annual Heat Storage], developed in Montana.

Or, the even simpler “Joseph Orr’s Mud-Heat Storage” system in Wyoming, published some 30 yrs ago in Mother Earth News.

Or, Russell Finch’s solar-earth heat storage system [not geo-thermal], written up by EarthToys Aug. 2003. Finch calls himself “Nebraska’s Only Citrus Grower.”

Or Idaho-based Mike Oehler’s “Earth-Sheltered Greenhouse.” See his book.

Or, Massachusetts-based Bob English’s simple “solar-powered ice-box”–note the word “ice”. Not exactly ‘solar-powered,’ but you will like the site. Click on http://www.fourmileisland.com . I’ve been to Bob’s house, and helped myself to a cold drink in August, taken from his simple & genuine ‘ice-box.’

Have fun!

MaysvilleMike
MaysvilleMike

Hi, Susan–

I’ve often wondered why more isn’t written about certain low-tech solutions. Maybe because they are less glamourous. Or simply need a good writer.

Such as John Hait’s PAHS [Passive Annual Heat Storage], developed in Montana.

Or, the even simpler “Joseph Orr’s Mud-Heat Storage” system in Wyoming, published some 30 yrs ago in Mother Earth News.

Or, Russell Finch’s solar-earth heat storage system [not geo-thermal], written up by EarthToys Aug. 2003. Finch calls himself “Nebraska’s Only Citrus Grower.”

Or Idaho-based Mike Oehler’s “Earth-Sheltered Greenhouse.” See his book.

Or, Massachusetts-based Bob English’s simple “solar-powered ice-box”–note the word “ice”. Not exactly ‘solar-powered,’ but you will like the site. Click on http://www.fourmileisland.com . I’ve been to Bob’s house, and helped myself to a cold drink in August, taken from his simple & genuine ‘ice-box.’

Have fun!

MaysvilleMike
MaysvilleMike

Hi, Susan–

I’ve often wondered why more isn’t written about certain low-tech solutions. Maybe because they are less glamourous. Or simply need a good writer.

Such as John Hait’s PAHS [Passive Annual Heat Storage], developed in Montana.

Or, the even simpler “Joseph Orr’s Mud-Heat Storage” system in Wyoming, published some 30 yrs ago in Mother Earth News.

Or, Russell Finch’s solar-earth heat storage system [not geo-thermal], written up by EarthToys Aug. 2003. Finch calls himself “Nebraska’s Only Citrus Grower.”

Or Idaho-based Mike Oehler’s “Earth-Sheltered Greenhouse.” See his book.

Or, Massachusetts-based Bob English’s simple “solar-powered ice-box”–note the word “ice”. Not exactly ‘solar-powered,’ but you will like the site. Click on http://www.fourmileisland.com . I’ve been to Bob’s house, and helped myself to a cold drink in August, taken from his simple & genuine ‘ice-box.’

Have fun!

MaysvilleMike
MD

WA has many option

Geothermal

Wind

Run of river hydro

Wave

I’m in E. WA and we have a lot of sun, wind, biomass…

It all just takes capital to get it done, why the State does not sell bonds like the entire US did during WW2 I have no idea…
MD

WA has many option

Geothermal

Wind

Run of river hydro

Wave

I’m in E. WA and we have a lot of sun, wind, biomass…

It all just takes capital to get it done, why the State does not sell bonds like the entire US did during WW2 I have no idea…
ChuckL

Electric vehicles have a use in many applications. As high torque applications are one of these applications and climbing mountains is one of these, I see nothing amazing in this.

I believe that these vehicles will have great applications in any application that is primarily a local use. This includes local delivery service, including mail, UPS, and FedEx. It would also be great for those who always fly and rent rather than drive on vacations. It surely eliminates the inclusion of local flavor into the areas that are passed over though.

By putting EV s into local fleet use, many agencies could also install high voltage recharging stations that could greatly cut the charging time.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE THEM WONDERFUL FOR ALL OF US.
ChuckL

Electric vehicles have a use in many applications. As high torque applications are one of these applications and climbing mountains is one of these, I see nothing amazing in this.

I believe that these vehicles will have great applications in any application that is primarily a local use. This includes local delivery service, including mail, UPS, and FedEx. It would also be great for those who always fly and rent rather than drive on vacations. It surely eliminates the inclusion of local flavor into the areas that are passed over though.

By putting EV s into local fleet use, many agencies could also install high voltage recharging stations that could greatly cut the charging time.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE THEM WONDERFUL FOR ALL OF US.
ChuckL

Electric vehicles have a use in many applications. As high torque applications are one of these applications and climbing mountains is one of these, I see nothing amazing in this.

I believe that these vehicles will have great applications in any application that is primarily a local use. This includes local delivery service, including mail, UPS, and FedEx. It would also be great for those who always fly and rent rather than drive on vacations. It surely eliminates the inclusion of local flavor into the areas that are passed over though.

By putting EV s into local fleet use, many agencies could also install high voltage recharging stations that could greatly cut the charging time.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE THEM WONDERFUL FOR ALL OF US.
http://greenoptions.com/author/susan Susan Kraemer

Still, for those of us who live up hills, a test of EVs on hills is encouraging news.

(Actually it’s routine testing. Obviously all cars have to go up hills!)
http://greenoptions.com/author/susan Susan Kraemer

Still, for those of us who live up hills, a test of EVs on hills is encouraging news.

(Actually it’s routine testing. Obviously all cars have to go up hills!)