General Motors announced today that it will offer a standard, eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on the lithium-ion battery in its upcoming Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle.
The guarantee is longer than the 5-year warranty offered on most of the company’s internal combustion engines. The automaker is trying to allay concerns over the long-term viability of battery systems, which are the single most expensive piece of equipment in electric vehicles.
GM said the warranty will also be transferable at no cost, if the vehicle is sold within the warranty timeframe.
The warranty covers all 161 battery components in addition to the thermal management system, charging system and electric drive components. The lithium-ion battery cells are being manufactured by LG Chem (051910.KS).
The Volt has a range of about 340 miles and is powered with electricity at all times. For up to the first 40 miles, the Volt is powered solely by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery, using no fuel and producing no emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery runs low, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank of fuel.
GM says The Volt is the only mass-market electric vehicle with a battery that can be warmed or cooled. The battery is designed to provide reliable operation, when plugged in, at temperatures as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 C) and as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (+50 C). In cold weather, the battery will be preheated during charging to provide full power capability. In hot weather–the most challenging environment for a battery–the Volt’s battery can be chilled during charging. The Volt’s liquid thermal management system can also be powered during driving by the battery or engine/generator.
Fully charging or fully depleting a battery shortens its life. The Volt’s energy management system is designed to never fully charge or deplete the battery. The Volt’s battery has top and bottom “buffer zones” to help ensure long life.
GM’s Brownstown Township plant, which began building prototype batteries in January, soon will begin regular battery production.
Last week, GM confirmed plans to rollout its electric vehicle in four U.S. markets by the end of this year.
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Toyota (NYSE: TM) plans to introduce three new green vehicles in 2012, according to a CNET story–at the link below.
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