Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Q&A: What happens if the Chevy Volt sleeps with the fishes?


Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Mitsubishi, Green Daily


Chevy Volt water testing - Click above to watch the video after the break



Ever wonder what will happen if an electric vehicle is submerged under water? It seems to be a valid concern, what with all those amps seemingly ready to discharge at a moments notice into the ocean blue. Worry not, electric car fans, automakers like General Motors have got your backs.



Our friends at GM-Volt.com sat down with Lance Turner, who currently acts as lead engineer in the Volt battery lab after previously working on the EV1 project, and he did his best to lay those watery fears to rest. According to Turner, the Volt's battery pack will be sealed up tight with special attention paid to the high voltage lines between the battery pack and the inverter.



Apparently, The General has been down this road before with the EV1. An entire electric car was placed inside a container and seawater was slowly added. When the water reached the battery, a series of protective measures shut the car down and sensors placed on dummy occupants proved that no harm had been done.



Just for fun, click past the break for a video of a Volt IVER prototype being water tested for leaks. You'll also see an image of a Mitsubishi iMiEV being tested in the water for safety, proving GM's not the only automaker testing its EVs in this manner.



[Source: GM-Volt.com]

Continue reading Q&A: What happens if the Chevy Volt sleeps with the fishes?

Q&A: What happens if the Chevy Volt sleeps with the fishes? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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