GM hopes for a 200-mile range electric car: CEO

Chevrolet Volt / General Motors

(MoneyWatch) General Motors (GM) believes a company it backs may develop an electric car battery that can go up to 200 miles on a single charge, GM CEO Dan Akerson said this week.

Speaking at an employee meeting, Akerson said a small battery company backed by GM is working on a lithium-ion battery that can store more energy than the current generation. That should lead to a range of at least 100 miles per charge, and possibly as much as 200. "I think we've got a better than 50-50 chance to develop a car that will go to 200 miles on a charge," said Akerson. "That would be a game changer."

GM's current electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, can go only about 35 miles on one charge before its backup gasoline engine kicks in. The Tesla S claims 300 miles on a charge but it has a much larger battery and is a much more expensive car.

However, the Volt's possibility of backup power seems to be boosting its sales vs. all-electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf.

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The company developing the new battery is Envia Systems, based in Newark, Calif. GM invested $7 million in Envia in 2011. "These little companies come out of nowhere and they surprise you," Akerson told employees.

Envia seems to be faring better than A123 systems, which this week was rescued and taken over by a Chinese auto parts company. Analysts say that electric car battery firms that survive likely will have an alliance with major companies, as Envia does.

[Osprey4]

People need to stop drinking the EV koolaid. No one has yet demonstrated that any of these vehicles are cost-effective as compared to traditional gasoline or diesel engines. Even in the unlikely event that EV technology becomes cheap enough for the masses (without huge government subsidies), this will in turn lower oil prices making conventional vehicles cheaper to operate.

Believe me, I'm not anti-EV. Show me an EV that can go 200 miles between charges and costs less to own and operate than my Accord, and I'll line up to buy one. But that day is 20 years off.

[danwat1234]

no I don't believe 100 miles up from 38 miles. Envia's new batteries definitely aren't more than twice the capacity of existing batteries. More cargo/passenger space and weight will be taken up by the battery if they make a 100 mile version.
Wait for nanowire lithium ion.

[sjc_1]

With hybids, EREVs, EVs, synthetic fuels made from natural gas and biomass, we can eliminate OPEC imports from the middle east by the end of this decade. We will have to actually DO it rather than just talk about it like the last 40 years.

[unclebernies]

The faster we do it the faster we can tell OPEC to take a walk.