GM promised a production Volt in 2010, giving Weber just over three years to do a job that typically would take twice that time—and that’s for a conventional car. And since the Volt is an electric vehicle with a gasoline engine used only as a generator to recharge the batteries, all the mechanical and electronic technology would have to be developed from scratch. To this end, GM set out on an unprecedented parallel development path with teams working on the car and the powertrain simultaneously, both trusting that the other would come through. Fast-forward two years to the 2009 Detroit auto show, and Weber says he is still on track with the Volt program. In an exclusive interview with CARandDRIVER.com, Weber talked about GM’s biggest Volt news, the announcement that GM will build Volt battery packs in-house. Weber says, "We don’t want anybody between us and the cell." To this end, GM is building a factory where it will produce the T-shaped battery packs for the Volt. The individual cells will be supplied by an outside company (they are a commodity item that can be sourced from a variety of suppliers), but GM will have final authority over the thermal, structural, and electrical control considerations.
According to Weber, GM’s decision to make the battery packs in-house guarantees that precise engineering requirements can be met. While Weber didn’t admit the following, it also prevents other car companies from getting quick access to these advanced battery packs, which are the most challenging components in bringing electric vehicles to market. As such, Weber figures GM may beat other car companies with an extended-range electric vehicle to market by a year or even two.
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