At the VOLT expo, where supposedly GM was "coming clean" about the
VOLT, GM succeeded in pulling the wool over the eyes of the press,
some of whom came away with the impression that the Lithium VOLT
pack had one third the weight of an equivalent NiMH EV1 pack.

Even some EV journalists came away with the impression that the VOLT
400 lb. Lithium pack is one third of the EV1 NiMH pack weight for
the same energy.

GM was comparing the two 16 kWh packs, that in the EV1 and that
in the Volt, trying to show that the VOLT pack was one-third the
weight for the same energy.

But only 8 kWh of the VOLT is addressible; and the 16 kWh for
the EV1 is only sort-of correct. Correct ONLY for the original
Delco lead pack!

In fact, the 16 kWh that GM had shown was not the NiMH EV1 pack,
but the Delco lead EV1 pack, which weighed 3 times what the
VOLT pack weighed for the same energy capacity (16 kWh).

GM refuses to even talk about the 26 kWh NiMH Ovonics pack, which
weighed 1000 lbs. and contained 26 kWh.

Nor, of course, do they consider the 1000 lb. Toyota NiMH pack,
which holds up to 30 kWh for an energy density superior to that
which the VOLT delivers:

8/400 <<appx<< 30/1000 kWh/lb

In fact, Lithium compared to even the Ovonics pack

8/400 <<appx<< 26/1000 kWh/lb

that is, the Lithium pack in the VOLT has a LOWER energy density
than the NiMH, contrary to Lutz' claims.

So the question is, why would GM claim it needed to go to Lithium,
if the energy density of Lithium is LOWER than that of cheaper,
proven NiMH??

Only by misdirection was the GM team able to cover-up this
important fact.

Even for the Lead PSB pack,

8/300 or .026 kWh/lb. is not that far off from 18/1300 or .014
kWh/lb.

More embarrassing, the very low cost Lead Acid pack has an energy
density more than half of the supposed super-duper Lithium pack.
And the lead pack doesn't require cooling, and each module STILL
only costs 20,000 yen, about $200 at current exchange rates for
about .8 kWh.

A 400 lb. NiMH pack would hold up to 12 kWh, all of which is
useable, while the 400 lb. Lithium VOLT pack would hold 16 kWh, but
only 8 kWh would be useable, not counting the cooling equipment.

Hence, the effective energy density of NiMH is 12/8, or 50%, GREATER
THAN GM's LITHIUM, which is still unproven and ultra-expensive.

And don't forget, Phoenix seems to be stumbling too, so the only
REAL Lithium cars, so far, are the Tesla and the eBox.

But certainly, you have to hand it to GM, to pull the wool over the
eyes of so many, so openly!

Ignorance abounds!

Doug