Info From RJ's Fireside Chat on June 2nd (w/ mention of LFP batteries)

[E.S.]

Despite the fireworks, lots of folks love Bolt.

Not many are happy with GM's overall performance and reliability. Despite that being said, their Bolt EV truly is a bad ass little EV. Part of me is debating about keeping mine when I get my Rivian.

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[Max]

performance and reliability

Any issues with yours?

 

[SANZC02]

I know it is hip these days to do GM bashing but I like the company. I have owned a ton of their cars and except one that had transmission issue around 100K, I loved all of them. Despite the fireworks, lots of folks love Bolt.

I agree have had more GM cars in my life than any other brand, always had good luck with them.

My only issue now with the truck is they essentially electrified the Avalanche and called it a Silverado EV, they should have gave it a new name or called it an Avalanche.

I think Ford did better with the Lightening here from a naming and pickup model.

Edit: If GM had a Tahoe EV I would certainly be in line for one.

 

[Max]

My only issue now with the truck is they essentially electrified the Avalanche and called it a Silverado EV, they should have gave it a new name or called it an Avalanche.

Easy fix: Pick your own name. Here some options: Sparky, Zeus or Flux

 

[EVTrucking]

I know it is hip these days to do GM bashing but I like the company. I have owned a ton of their cars and except one that had transmission issue around 100K, I loved all of them. Despite the fireworks, lots of folks love Bolt.

I am looking forward to the Silverado EV!

 

[AllInev]

Question for the group, and likely answering my own question in asking it...

With the obvious advantages of LFP over Lithium Ion packs, I assume the reason they are only really using them in the lesser range models is because they need more batteries to make up the range/loss of pack efficiency, thus the chasis packaging on the R1 platform can only allow for an LFP pack that occupies the same space as the 314 mile pack, but only deliver 250ish?

Yes, the LFP batteries are less energy dense, so to get 314 miles you'd have to take up more space than the current non-LFP battery "large" pack.

 

[hiimisaac]

Yes, the LFP batteries are less energy dense, so to get 314 miles you'd have to take up more space than the current non-LFP battery "large" pack.

They're also just heavier, so I don't think I responded well. Lemme try again:

The question is -- are they going to extend the battery pack into the Max Pack area, carry the extra weight, and take the range reduction to max out the range?

Or are they going to fill the Large Pack space, and it's going to be a less kWh battery and thus get less range.

 

[SANZC02]

They're also just heavier, so I don't think I responded well. Lemme try again:

The question is -- are they going to extend the battery pack into the Max Pack area, carry the extra weight, and take the range reduction to max out the range?

Or are they going to fill the Large Pack space, and it's going to be a less kWh battery and thus get less range.

My understanding was the EDV vehicles and the small battery on the R1 vehicles were going to be using LFP.

 

[hiimisaac]

My understanding was the EDV vehicles and the small battery on the R1 vehicles were going to be using LFP.

That's correct. But we have no details other than early next year in consumer models. And since LFP battery packs are heavier, we have two questions to answer. They're mutually exclusive.

1) Are they going to have a 135kWh pack, made possible by extending it into the Max Pack space, and that's how they're able to achieve 260+ miles; or
2) Are we going to get a smaller kWh pack (105 is what ABetterRoutePlanner has listed) and that's why they're only able to go 260+ miles.

 

[SANZC02]

That's correct. But we have no details other than early next year in consumer models. And since LFP battery packs are heavier, we have two questions to answer. They're mutually exclusive.

1) Are they going to have a 135kWh pack, made possible by extending it into the Max Pack space, and that's how they're able to achieve 260+ miles; or
2) Are we going to get a smaller kWh pack (105 is what ABetterRoutePlanner has listed) and that's why they're only able to go 260+ miles.

I have never heard them say the 135 and 180 packs were changing, only that the smaller standard pack would use LFP. The smaller pack puts rang in the mid 200s and should be around 105 kWh but Rivian went away from using kWh on thier packs awhile ago have just been using standard, large, and max when referencing them. That should tell is when they say standard it is the smaller 105 kWh pack they are referencing.

 

[hiimisaac]

I have never heard them say the 135 and 180 packs were changing, only that the smaller standard pack would use LFP. The smaller pack puts rang in the mid 200s and should be around 105 kWh but Rivian went away from using kWh on thier packs awhile ago have just been using standard, large, and max when referencing them. That should tell is when they say standard it is the smaller 105 kWh pack they are referencing.

Ah, cool, I just googled and they mentioned 105kWh at some point in 2020. That's fine; 260 miles is more than enough for *most* people, and is right in line with estimated mileage for the Large Pack when you factor in LFP charging to 100% while NMC will recommend a 75% charge limit for daily driving.

 

[hiimisaac]

And what seems to be right on queue, RJ put a video of their dual motor assembly line in action! LETS GO, DUAL MOTOR ORDER PEOPLE! LETS GET HYPE

RJ Scaringe (@rjscaringe) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[Autolycus]

I think there are battery pack size variations as well. There was one article (can’t find it now) that was talking about smaller packs in denser areas and larger packs in more rural areas based on needs. It was specifically discussing to daily mileage differences in those use cases.

That would be my guess as the range goes down as the truck size goes up suggesting they may be using the same battery.

That EDV 900 looks like a streeeetch van.

The EDV 500 and 700 should use the same battery. The EDV 900 will counterintuitively use a smaller battery. That's because, as @SANZC02 referenced, urban delivery vans drive far fewer miles than rural ones, while delivering significantly more packages in a day. Think of the deliveries to an apartment building vs. a rural neighborhood. 300 apartments could fill an entire large van and so that van may only make 2 short round trips in a day. Whereas a van doing rural deliveries could drive miles between stops for individual packages.

 

[E.S.]

Any issues with yours?

None, not even the LG chem battery issue (mine is a '17 model). If I did have to complain about anything is that I wished the vehicle did 300 miles instead of 267 (despite stating it will only do 250). I'll restate: I'm not a Chevy fan in even the most remote of ways, but I got to give credit where it's due. Chevy did really well here, especially now that they dropped the '22 Bolt's price down to just under $27k.

 

[Inkedsphynx]

1) RJ seriously thinks that the entire new car market will be entirely electric vehicles within the next 7.5 years?! That is crazy talk. I know other people have said this too, but there is no way in heck that is accurate. If he seriously thinks that and isn't just saying that for PR reasons, then I'm selling my stock right now. This man is not fit to run a company.

https://www.wardsauto.com/industry-news/washington-state-adopts-nation-s-earliest-ice-phaseout-targe

If anyone wants to sell a vehicle in Washington, yes, they will be. California isn't far behind and is the biggest consumer market for vehicles in the country.

No, it is not crazy talk. It's the future and it's happening now. Welcome to it.

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