The New Prius Volt

BZZZZT

Not.

 

That doesn't sound credible to me; disgruntled ex-employee perhaps?

 

There might be a clue there as to why he was laid off.

 

I've heard the Volt structure described as a skate-board...it is built around a T shaped tunnel that holds the Battery and is quite unique (though designed to ultimately accomodate a variety of bodies and styles)...It is a big part of the huge development costs that went into this vehicle...It is probably not in any way derived from the Prius structure. Was your new friend perhaps on the cleaning staff?

 

Volt is Delta II, like the Astra, Cruze, and upcoming Zafira.

Think your friend is a little confused...

 

The skateboard was designed for multiple vehicles, but really cant be used for anything other than the Volt. The size/power constraints limit it, to designs that all look like the current volt.

 

The Toyota Matrix & Pontiac Vibe were built at the same plant. GM used it as a learning tool to help "understand" the Japanese way of doing things. They did in fact learn a lot even though they ended the relationship early.

Ford uses the HSD from Toyota in the Escape & Fusion, they just tweak the software to work they way they prefer. Sometimes reinventing the wheel is NOT the best way to do things.

It is in fact extremely common for manufacturers to work together, they just don't always make it public.

The Volt is NOT built on a Prius unibody. No way no how.

 

I also say i can understand why he was laid off.

 

It began long before the matrix/vibe. The toyota/GM "partnership" started at the NUMMI plant in california in the mid 80's. Toyota came to show GM how to build a quality car, and GM was too proud to take any of toyota's lessons seriously.

its a pretty interesting relationship, one where GM very easily could have changed it's fate for the better had they simply pulled their heads out of their butts.

 

Hm, gasoline engine assisting an electric motor? i wonder where chevy got that magical idea from.

ok i know the gas motor is small and meant for recharging batteries only, but its still a hilarious similarity.

 

The Geo Prizm was basically a Corolla; my roommate in college had one.

 

Seems to me Comrade Obama is doing everything possible to cripple Toyota. I can't imagine his car companies would use a Toyota frame or any thing else.

 

Yes the early geo prisims were just licensed toyota corollas because GM couldn't figure out how to make a small, reliable, and fuel efficient car. i don't think they figured it out yet.

 

I think it had more to do with GM paying their employies that build the cars twice as much as Toyota did. And 10k cars don't have much profit in them anyways, so that 1k profit Toyota got GM paid it to the workers plus some thus loosing money on each car.

Ford got the idea build the focus in mexico and pay 1-3$ an hour, then they can compete with Toyota.

 

Ford and Toyota both use an eCVT PSD. CVT's have been around a hundred years. The Ford and Toyota transmission architecture is very different. Neither invented the hybrid. They have cross licensed patents. They both just settled a patent suit from a company that claimed the invention.