GM Begins Tests of Lithium-Ion Batteries

WARREN, Mich. — General Motors said it is equipping test vehicles with the lithium-ion batteries that will be used in its extended-range plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt when the car launches in two years. Lithium-ion batteries are currently used in consumer electronic devices like cell phones and laptops, but they pose challenges for use in vehicles because they overheat and can cause catastrophic meltdowns.

The lithium-ion batteries are being placed this month in test versions of a Chevrolet Malibu that has been equipped with the internal systems being made for the Volt.

That will allow the automaker to test the battery in drive situations and marks a major step in developing Volt hybrid vehicle that officials have vowed will be on the market by November 2010. It was first unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show.

''It's the No. 1 priority project within GM,'' said Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt. ''This program is not theory, it's reality.''

The Volt, which GM views as a mainstream vehicle that can recharge through ordinary household outlets, has been closely watched by the auto industry. The vehicle would be powered by an electric motor fed by lithium-ion batteries.

Fully charged, the Volt could drive about 40 miles without using any gasoline, and a small conventional engine would recharge the vehicle, extending its range and allowing it to get the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon.

The automaker has estimated it will sell about 100,000 Volts a year by 2012.

GM officials, speaking during a media event at its engineering center in the Detroit suburb of Warren, said they have yet to decide on the engine or select one of the two suppliers who have developed the batteries. But to meet the aggressive deadline, they have begun testing battery packs for performance and durability.

Testing is underway by more than 60 researchers at facilities in Warren and Milford, Mich., and Mainz-Kastel, Germany.

The automaker also is putting the batteries through accelerated-life testing in laboratories — simulating in about two years the vibration, varying temperatures and energy consumption they would endure in 10 years and 150,000 miles of real-world driving situations.

''Our aim is to prove function and life without having a vehicle,'' said Roland Matthe, engineering group manager of the E-Flex Rechargable Energy Storage System.

''This project is not normal. There's a lot of simulation up front. We hope we have done everything right," Matthe said.

Andrew Farah, the Volt's chief engineer, showed reporters three-dimensional images of how the nearly six-foot long battery pack, electric motor and other parts would be situated in the Volt's chassis. While he didn't reveal exterior design details, he said the car is based on GM's next-generation global compact vehicle.

The automaker has no plans to develop a diesel version, but officials said they are working on other alternatives.

Among the development and design challenges yet to be solved is long-term storage of fuel, because officials estimate at least 70 percent of drivers might drive only on battery power and never turn on the engine.

Tony Posawatz, the Volt's vehicle line director, said it will likely require owner education.

''It's not going to be like a regular car in that regard,'' Posawatz said. ''You may end up changing the fuel more often than your oil.''

Paul Lacy, an auto analyst with the consulting firm Global Insight, said he was surprised to hear that customers will need to be trained, because most buyers will expect that the car to be much like the traditional ones they've driven.

''It's almost a whole new world for the average consumer,'' he said.

GM has many hurdles to clear before 2010, Lacy said, including addressing the environmental and logistical issues of charging the cars. He said that to be successful, GM will need to work on developing a public grid to handle it.

Still, Lacy said he's convinced the Volt will arrive on time, though its production volume could be miniscule.

''The work they're doing is very impressive,'' he said. ''They've put a great deal ... into making a viable, volume-capable product. But we don't know enough yet to make judgment on how it's going to fare.''