An assembly line , often called progressive assembly , is a manufacturing process where the unfinished product moves in a direct line from workstation to workstation, with parts added in sequence until the final product is completed. By mechanically moving parts to workstations and transferring the unfinished product from one workstation to another, a finished product can be assembled faster and with less labor than having workers carry parts to a stationary product.
110-528: The Chevrolet Bolt EV (marketed in Europe as Opel Ampera-e ) is a battery electric subcompact hatchback manufactured and marketed by General Motors under its Chevrolet brand from late 2016 until mid-2021 and again from early 2022 to late 2023. In mid-2023, GM officials said they would discontinue the Bolt; after outcry, they announced plans but no date for a next-generation model. The first-generation Bolt
220-625: A B-segment entry on its own platform , the GM BEV2 . It does not share elements with the GM Gamma platform cars like the Chevrolet Sonic / Spark . The EPA classifies the Bolt as "small station wagon", with less than 130 cu ft (3,681.2 L) of interior volume. GM refers to the Bolt as a crossover and puts it under the category of SUV on its website. The passenger volume is 94 cu ft (2,700 L), and cargo space
330-576: A production line . Ships moved down a canal and were fitted by the various shops they passed. At the peak of its efficiency in the early 16th century, the Arsenal employed some 16,000 people who could apparently produce nearly one ship each day and could fit out, arm, and provision a newly built galley with standardized parts on an assembly-line basis. Although the Arsenal lasted until the early Industrial Revolution, production line methods did not become common even then. The Industrial Revolution led to
440-524: A series powertrain are also called range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), such as the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma . Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are a subcategory of electric vehicles that includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). The electric vehicle conversions of hybrid electric vehicles and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (aka all-combustion vehicles) belong to one of
550-547: A solar PV system on Adelaide's central bus station . Rides are zero-fare as part of Adelaide's public transport system. Proterra 's EcoRide BE35 transit bus, called the Ecoliner by Foothill Transit in West Covina, California, is a heavy-duty, fast charge, battery-electric bus. Proterra's ProDrive drive-system uses a UQM motor and regenerative braking that captures 90 percent of the available energy and returns it to
660-482: A G2 Cruise AV in November 2017; they reported the choices made by the car's programming were conservative, but the self-driving system had minimal disengagements over the short 2.4 to 3 mi (3.9 to 4.8 km) trips. In January 2018, Cruise showed renderings and a prototype of its planned 4th-generation (G4) AV, which removed the traditional driver's controls such as the steering wheel and pedals and largely retained
770-747: A battery charge limit of 90% to their existing inventory while urging current 2017–2019 Chevy Bolt owners to enable the "Hill Top Reserve" option (2017-2018MY) or to set vehicle "Target Charge Level" (2019-2022MY) to 90%. A final software update was expected to remedy the charging capacity to 100% sometime in April 2021. As of November 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed five known fires with two injuries and recommends parking recalled vehicles outside, away from homes, until they have been repaired. On August 20, 2021, Chevrolet extended
880-532: A bottleneck. Only japan black would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop the variety of colours available before 1914, until fast-drying Duco lacquer was developed in 1926. The assembly line technique was an integral part of the diffusion of the automobile into American society. Decreased costs of production allowed the cost of the Model T to fall within the budget of the American middle class. In 1908,
990-482: A chance for people to externalize facets of their personalities. Marxists argue that performing repetitive, specialized tasks causes a feeling of disconnection between what a worker does all day, who they really are, and what they would ideally be able to contribute to society. Furthermore, Marx views these specialised jobs as insecure, since the worker is expendable as soon as costs rise and technology can replace more expensive human labour. Since workers have to stand in
1100-566: A combined EPA -rated range of 238 miles (383 km). For city driving, the EPA rated the Bolt range at 255 miles (410 km), and due to its relatively high drag coefficient , its range for highway driving is 217 miles (349 km). The Ampera-e has a certified range of 320 miles (520 km) under the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test cycle with a full battery, and achieved a range of 240 miles (380 km) under
1210-487: A distance of 3,100,000 kilometres (1,900,000 mi). They were made locally by Advanced Vehicle Systems. Two of these buses were used for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Beginning in the summer of 2000, Hong Kong Airport began operating a 16-passenger Mitsubishi Rosa electric shuttle bus, and in the fall of 2000, New York City began testing a 66-passenger battery-powered school bus , an all-electric version of
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#17327727408461320-570: A gradual, logical development of industrial engineering : What was worked out at Ford was the practice of moving the work from one worker to another until it became a complete unit, then arranging the flow of these units at the right time and the right place to a moving final assembly line from which came a finished product. Regardless of earlier uses of some of these principles, the direct line of succession of mass production and its intensification into automation stems directly from what we worked out at Ford Motor Company between 1908 and 1913. Henry Ford
1430-604: A larger info screen. In addition, the electronics were updated with new software, and the L2 charging system was increased to allow charging at 48 amps, up from 32 amps. Dimensions of the vehicle remain unchanged. GM also began selling a Bolt EUV crossover SUV alongside the existing Bolt EV hatchback that year. The EUV and EV share the same BEV2 platform; however, the EUV has an extended wheelbase and some improved features. The Bolt's battery uses "nickel-rich lithium-ion" chemistry, allowing
1540-670: A maximum loaded weight of 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg). The concept of battery electric vehicles is to use charged batteries on board vehicles for propulsion. Battery electric cars are becoming more and more attractive with the higher oil prices and the advancement of new battery technology ( lithium-ion ) that have higher power and energy density (i.e., greater possible acceleration and more range with fewer batteries). Compared to older battery types such as lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion batteries for example now have an energy density of 0.9–2.63 MJ/L whereas lead-acid batteries had an energy density of 0.36 MJ/L (so 2.5 to 7.3x higher). There
1650-432: A powered variant of the cycle rickshaw . The large-scale adoption of electric two-wheelers can reduce traffic noise and road congestion but may necessitate adaptations of the existing urban infrastructure and safety regulations. Ather Energy from India has launched their BLDC motor powered Ather 450 electric scooter with Lithium Ion batteries in 2018. Also from India, AVERA – a new and renewable energy company
1760-462: A proliferation of manufacturing and invention. Many industries, notably textiles , firearms , clocks and watches , horse-drawn vehicles , railway locomotives , sewing machines , and bicycles , saw expeditious improvement in materials handling, machining, and assembly during the 19th century, although modern concepts such as industrial engineering and logistics had not yet been named. The automatic flour mill built by Oliver Evans in 1785
1870-455: A sequence of workstations. Each task requires a given task duration for completion. The assignment of tasks to stations is typically limited by two constraints: (1) a precedence graph which indicates what other tasks need to be completed before a particular task can be initiated (e.g. not putting in a screw before drilling the hole) and (2) a cycle time which restricts the sum of task processing times which can be completed at each workstation before
1980-608: A small change made to the battery chemistry that increased the EPA-rated range by 21 miles (34 km). Physically, the battery is 50.2 in (1,280 mm) wide, 71.1 in (1,810 mm) long, and 7.3 to 13.7 in (190 to 350 mm) high, weighing 947 lb (430 kg). Other specifications include a 200 hp (149 kW) and 266 lb⋅ft (361 N⋅m) interior permanent magnet electric motor, acceleration from 0–30 mph (0–48 km/h) in 2.9 seconds and 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in less than 7 seconds, and
2090-431: A team consisting primarily of Peter E. Martin , the factory superintendent; Charles E. Sorensen , Martin's assistant; Clarence W. Avery ; C. Harold Wills , draftsman and toolmaker; Charles Ebender ; and József Galamb . Some of the groundwork for such development had recently been laid by the intelligent layout of machine tool placement that Walter Flanders had been doing at Ford up to 1908. The moving assembly line
2200-406: A time. In traditional production, only one car would be assembled at a time. If engine installation takes 20 minutes, hood installation takes five minutes, and wheels installation takes 10 minutes, then a car can be produced every 35 minutes. In an assembly line, car assembly is split between several stations, all working simultaneously. When a station is finished with a car, it passes it on to
2310-434: A top speed of 91 mph (146 km/h). The 72-slot/8-pole electric motor is integrated with a single-speed transmission and differential, to form a single modular drive unit that connects directly to the front axles. The single-speed transmission has a final drive ratio of 7.05:1. The Bolt EV is tall hatchback design, with a curb weight of 3,580 pounds (1,620 kg). Despite its height of nearly 63 inches (1.6 meters),
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#17327727408462420-602: Is 17 cu ft (480 L) (381 liter). The Bolt's doors, tailgate, and hood are aluminum . The driver can adjust the level of regenerative braking as the accelerator pedal is lifted. The front seats are asymmetrical to maximize cabin volume while accommodating airbags. GM planned for over-the-air software updates during 2017 but the feature was finally released to the Bolt in April 2018. In 2015, Chevrolet acknowledged confusion between two vehicles with similar-sounding names; Bolt and Volt . Chevrolet's marketing chief, Tim Mahoney, subsequently announced GM would keep
2530-685: Is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that uses energy exclusively from an on-board battery . This definition excludes hybrid electric vehicles . BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of internal combustion engines (ICEs) for propulsion. They derive all power from battery packs and thus have no internal combustion engine, fuel cell , or fuel tank . BEVs include – but are not limited to – motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, railcars, watercraft, forklifts, buses, trucks, and cars. In 2016, there were 210 million electric bikes worldwide used daily. Cumulative global sales of highway-capable light-duty pure electric car vehicles passed
2640-489: Is believed to be one of the first industrial assembly lines (or disassembly lines) to be utilized in the United States starting in 1867. Workers would stand at fixed stations and a pulley system would bring the meat to each worker and they would complete one task. Henry Ford and others have written about the influence of this slaughterhouse practice on the later developments at Ford Motor Company. According to Domm,
2750-472: Is consumed. A country with a high share of renewable energy in its electricity mix will have a low C.I. In the European Union, in 2013, the carbon intensity had a strong geographic variability but in most of the member states, electric vehicles were "greener" than conventional ones. On average, electric cars saved 50–60% of CO 2 emissions compared to diesel and gasoline fuelled engines. Moreover,
2860-495: Is expected to take a loss of US$ 8,000 to US$ 9,000 per Bolt sold. A GM spokesman declined to comment about expected profitability. Opel refuted that in December 2016 and stated that GM has battery cell costs of $ 130/kWh, and industry is not yet optimized for mass production . A UBS tear-down in 2017 suggested slightly smaller losses per vehicle, of $ 7418 on a base spec, or $ 5520 on a higher spec vehicle. They estimate that by 2025
2970-428: Is generally regarded as the father of mass production. He was not. He was the sponsor of it. As a result of these developments in method, Ford's cars came off the line in three-minute intervals or six feet per minute. This was much faster than previous methods, increasing production by eight to one (requiring 12.5 man-hours before, 1 hour 33 minutes after), while using less manpower. It was so successful, paint became
3080-471: Is going to launch two models of electric scooters at the end of 2018, with Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery technology. India is the world’s biggest market for bicycles at 22 million units per year. By 2024, electric two-wheelers will be a $ 2 billion market with over 3 million units being sold in India. The Indian government is launching schemes and incentives to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in
3190-425: Is needed. This DC power is supplied by the battery pack, and the controller regulates the power to the motor, supplying either variable pulse width DC or variable frequency variable amplitude AC, depending on the motor type. The controller also handles regenerative braking , whereby electrical power is gathered as the vehicle slows down and this power recharges the battery. In addition to power and motor management,
3300-522: Is referred to as a battery pack , which is a group of multiple battery modules and cells. For example, the Tesla Model S battery pack has up to 7,104 cells, split into 16 modules with 6 groups of 74 cells in each. Each cell has a nominal voltage of 3–4 volts , depending on its chemical composition. Electric cars have traditionally used series wound DC motors, a form of brushed DC electric motor . Separately excited and permanent magnet are just two of
3410-517: Is still a long way to go if comparing it to petroleum-based fuels and biofuels, however (gasoline having an energy density of 34.2 MJ/L -38x to 12.92x higher- and ethanol having an energy of 24 MJ/L -26x to 9.12x higher-). This is partially offset by higher conversion efficiency of electric motors – BEVs travel roughly 3x further than similar-size internal combustion vehicles per MJ of stored energy. BEVs include automobiles , light trucks , and neighborhood electric vehicles . Battery electric trains in
Chevrolet Bolt - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-627: Is used to power the Mountain View Community Shuttles. This technology was supported by the California Energy Commission, and the shuttle program is being supported by Google. Thunder Sky (based in Hong Kong) builds lithium-ion batteries used in submarines and has three models of electric buses, the 10/21 passenger EV-6700 with a range of 280 km (170 mi) under 20 mins quick-charge,
3630-635: The Blue Bird TC/2000 . A similar bus was operated in Napa Valley, California , for 14 months ending in April 2004. The 2008 Beijing Olympics used a fleet of 50 electric buses, which have a range of 130 km (81 mi) with the air conditioning on. They use lithium-ion batteries , and consume about 1 kW⋅h/mi (0.62 kW⋅h/km; 2.2 MJ/km). The buses were designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology and built by
3740-582: The Bolt name. Autoblog projected similar confusion among European customers where the Opel Ampera-e (the Bolt variant) is just one letter off from the Opel Ampera , the previous-generation Chevrolet Volt sold in Europe – suggesting the names could confuse customers who think the new all-electric hatchback is closely related to the old plug-in hybrid hatchback. Tata Motors has had a car named
3850-833: The Bolt on the market since 2014, and has registered the trademark in India and other countries. The Cruise AV is a Bolt EV-based autonomous vehicle developed and tested by Cruise Automation , whose majority owner is General Motors; GM acquired Cruise in March 2016. Pre-production versions of the Bolt EV were built at Orion Assembly in March 2016 and sent to Cruise, which modified the cars by adding sensors in San Francisco. The modified pre-production vehicles were photographed in San Francisco in May. Fifty of these first-generation (G1) Bolt EV-based Cruise AVs were tested from June 2016 in
3960-539: The San Francisco Bay Area and Scottsdale, Arizona . After its acquisition by GM in March 2016, Cruise began working with GM engineers to develop the 2nd-generation (G2) Cruise AV, which would be assembled alongside regular production Bolt EVs at Orion Assembly. The G1 Cruise AV has two roof-mounted LIDAR sensors, four small round headlights, and the Chevrolet "bowtie" logo on the front grille, while
4070-605: The United States , the first battery-electric, fast-charge bus has been in operation in Pomona, California , since September 2010 at Foothill Transit . The Proterra EcoRide BE35 uses lithium-titanate batteries and is able to fast-charge in less than 10 minutes. In 2012, heavy-duty trucks and buses contributed 7% of global warming emissions in California. In 2014, the first production model all-electric school bus
4180-807: The automotive industry , its success was dominating, and quickly spread worldwide. Ford France and Ford Britain in 1911, Ford Denmark 1923, Ford Germany and Ford Japan 1925; in 1919, Vulcan (Southport, Lancashire) was the first native European manufacturer to adopt it. Soon, companies had to have assembly lines, or risk going broke by not being able to compete; by 1930, 250 companies which did not had disappeared. The massive demand for military hardware in World War II prompted assembly-line techniques in shipbuilding and aircraft production. Thousands of Liberty ships were built making extensive use of prefabrication, enabling ship assembly to be completed in weeks or even days. After having produced fewer than 3,000 planes for
4290-405: The brushless DC electric motor . Once electric power is supplied to the motor (from the controller), the magnetic field interaction inside the motor will turn the drive shaft and ultimately the vehicle's wheels. EV battery storage is a key element for the global energy transition which is dependent on more electricity storage right now. As energy availability is the most important factor for
4400-430: The fuel tank in internal combustion engine -powered cars, and is made on the same assembly line as the Chevrolet Sonic at a combined rate of 90,000 per year. Although the car is assembled near Detroit, it has only 20% domestic-parts content. Analysts expected Bolt production at 22,000 per year, and Ampera-e at a few thousand. Production may increase to 30,000 to 50,000 per year according to demand. Regular production
4510-421: The social alienation and boredom that many workers feel because of the repetition of doing the same specialized task all day long. Karl Marx expressed in his theory of alienation the belief that, in order to achieve job satisfaction, workers need to see themselves in the objects they have created, that products should be "mirrors in which workers see their reflected essential nature". Marx viewed labour as
Chevrolet Bolt - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-464: The 1890s. Battery vehicle milk floats expanded in 1931, and by 1967, gave Britain the largest electric vehicle fleet in the world. Hybrid electric vehicles use both electric motors and internal combustion engines, and are not considered pure or all-electric vehicles. Hybrid electric vehicles whose batteries can be charged externally are called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and run as BEVs during their charge-depleting mode. PHEVs with
4730-665: The 2017 North American Car of the Year, an Automobile magazine 2017 All Star, and was listed in Time magazine's Best 25 Inventions of 2016. The Ampera-e was discontinued after 2018. By the end of 2020, GM had sold 112,000 Bolt and Ampera-e cars worldwide. The first-generation Bolt has been subject to at least three recalls. At least 16 Bolts have caught fire, leading to a recall to fix or replace battery components and GM's August 2021 advisory to park in open areas, at least 50 feet (15 m) away from other vehicles. GM Korea began developing
4840-444: The 2020 model year, the Bolt has an EPA all-electric range of 259 miles (417 km), up from 238 miles (383 km) for the 2017–2019 model years, and EPA fuel economy rating of 119 mpg‑e (17.6 kWh/100 km) for combined city/highway driving. Battery electric vehicle A battery electric vehicle ( BEV ), pure electric vehicle , only-electric vehicle , fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle
4950-422: The 2022 model year, the Bolt received front and rear styling revisions, along with a revised interior. The front end carries new headlights, along with a new faux-grille and trim. The tail lights and the tailgate hatch also differ slightly from the previous model. Inside, the shifter was replaced with gear shifter buttons and the seats were upgraded and now are slightly larger, with more padding. The interior received
5060-654: The 20th century, the majority of the world's battery electric road vehicles were British milk floats . The 21st century saw the massive development of BYD electric trucks. In March 2012, Smith Electric Vehicles announced the release of the Newton Step-Van, an all-electric, zero-emission vehicle built on the versatile Newton platform that features a walk-in body produced by Indiana-based Utilimaster . BYD supplies DHL with electric distribution fleet of commercial BYD T3 . Although electric cars often give good acceleration and have generally acceptable top speed,
5170-800: The Bolt EV was headed for production, and would be available in all 50 states. GM also has plans to sell the Bolt in select global markets. In January 2016, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the production version of the Chevrolet Bolt was unveiled. During GM CEO Mary Barra 's keynote at the show, Chevrolet confirmed an estimated range of 200 miles (320 km) or more, an approximate US$ 30,000 price tag (after government incentives), and stated it would be available in late 2016. Barra projected in February 2016 that
5280-795: The Bolt in 2012 with a team of 180 people with the project code G2KCZ (G2 for Gamma 2nd-generation platform, K for hatchback, C for Chevrolet, and Z for electric car). Its initial concept debuted at the 2015 North American International Auto Show . As of June 2015, General Motors had tested more than 50 hand-built Bolt prototypes at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan . The cars were tested at Proving Grounds and overseas for ride and handling dynamics, cabin comfort, quietness, charging capability, and energy efficiency. Alan Batey, head of General Motors North America, announced in February 2015 that
5390-525: The Bolt will make a profit of about $ 6000 per vehicle. Final assembly took place at GM's Orion Assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan, which received a US$ 160 million upgrade for Bolt production. Manufacture of the battery, motor, and drive unit started in August 2016 at LG, Incheon, South Korea. The car is designed for flexible production by having some of the battery in the same position as
5500-574: The EV-2009 city buses, and the 43 passenger EV-2008 highway bus, which has a range of 300 km (190 mi) under quick-charge (20 mins to 80 percent), and 350 km (220 mi) under full charge (25 mins). The buses will also be built in the United States and Finland. Tindo is an all-electric bus from Adelaide, Australia . The Tindo (aboriginal word for sun) is made by Designline International in New Zealand and gets its electricity from
5610-600: The European version, marketed as the Opel Ampera-e (or Vauxhall Ampera-e in the United Kingdom), would enter production in 2017. In March 2016, GM released photos and a short pre-production video of the Bolt at the company's Orion Assembly plant outside Detroit, testing manufacturing and tooling. The car's user interface was developed in Israel . An unnamed source cited by Bloomberg News estimated that General Motors
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#17327727408465720-582: The G2 has five LIDARs and the same styling as the regular production Bolt. A fleet of 130 G2 Cruise AVs were completed by June 2017, with an expanded, better-integrated sensor suite. The G2 (and G3) Cruise AVs are equipped with five roof-mounted LIDARs , 16 cameras, and 21 radars (both long- and short-range as well as articulating). The first G1 Cruise AV was retired and sent to the Henry Ford Museum in March 2019. A prototype 3rd-generation (G3) Cruise AV
5830-535: The Jinghua Coach. The batteries are replaced with fully charged ones at the recharging station to allow 24-hour operation of the buses. In France , the electric bus phenomenon is in development, but some buses are already operating in numerous cities. PVI, a medium-sized company located in the Paris region, is one of the leaders of the market with its brand Gepebus (offering Oreos 2X and Oreos 4X ). In
5940-648: The Mexico City ePrix takes place on a road course, a modified version of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Special-purpose vehicles come in a wide range of types, ranging from relatively common ones such as golf carts , things like electric golf trolleys , milk floats , all-terrain vehicles , neighborhood electric vehicles , and a wide range of other devices. Certain manufacturers specialize in electric-powered "in plant" work machines. Three-wheeled vehicles include electric rickshaws ,
6050-449: The Model T price. These goals appear altruistic; however, it has been argued that they were implemented by Ford in order to reduce high employee turnover: when the assembly line was introduced in 1913, it was discovered that "every time the company wanted to add 100 men to its factory personnel, it was necessary to hire 963" in order to counteract the natural distaste the assembly line seems to have inspired. Sociological work has explored
6160-499: The Orion Township factory would be retooled at a cost of $ 4 billion to produce Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickup trucks, starting in 2024. The affordable segment targeted by the Bolt was expected to be filled by the Chevrolet Equinox EV as GM shifts its EVs to Ultium third-generation battery technology. On April 25, 2023, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the Bolt and Bolt EUV would be discontinued at
6270-552: The TerraVolt energy storage system, which in turn increases the total distance the bus can drive by 31–35 percent. It can travel 30–40 miles (48–64 km) on a single charge, is up to 600 percent more fuel-efficient than a typical diesel or CNG bus, and produces 44 percent less carbon than CNG. Proterra buses have had several problems, most notably in Philadelphia where the entire fleet was removed from service. For most of
6380-575: The United States Military in 1939, American aircraft manufacturers built over 300,000 planes in World War II. Vultee pioneered the use of the powered assembly line for aircraft manufacturing. Other companies quickly followed. As William S. Knudsen (having worked at Ford, GM and the National Defense Advisory Commission) observed, "We won because we smothered the enemy in an avalanche of production,
6490-501: The building it would stop at various stages where new parts would be added. From the upper level, where other parts were made, the lighter parts would be lowered over a balcony and then fixed onto the machine on the ground level. When the machine reached the end of the shop, it would be completed. During the early 19th century, the development of machine tools such as the screw-cutting lathe , metal planer , and milling machine , and of toolpath control via jigs and fixtures , provided
6600-513: The cells to run at higher temperatures than those in GM's previous electric vehicles, allowing a simpler and cheaper liquid cooling system for the 60 kWh (220 MJ) battery pack. The battery pack is a stressed member and weighs 960 lb (440 kg). It accounts for 23% of the car's value, and is composed of 288 flat "landscape" format cells. Cells are bundled into groups of three connected in parallel, and 96 groups connected in series compose
6710-403: The center of gravity is less than 21 inches (53 cm) above the ground, thanks to the under-floor mounting of the battery pack. This yields surprisingly stable handling during cornering. Bolt uses the now-common kammback /hatchback low-drag body design, with sweeping curves leading to an abrupt back end. It was initially reported to have a drag coefficient of C d =0.32 but GM says
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#17327727408466820-490: The controller performs various safety checks such as anomaly detection, functional safety tests and failure diagnostics. Most electric vehicles today use an electric battery , consisting of electrochemical cells with external connections in order to provide power to the vehicle. Battery technology for EVs has developed from early lead-acid batteries used in the late 19th century to the 2010s, to lithium-ion batteries which are found in most EVs today. The overall battery
6930-554: The country, and is aiming to be a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles within the next five years. China has experienced an explosive growth of sales of non-assisted e-bikes including the scooter type, with annual sales jumping from 56,000 units in 1998 to over 21 million in 2008, and reaching an estimated 120 million e-bikes on the road in early 2010. China is the world's leading manufacturer of e-bikes, with 22.2 million units produced in 2009. An increasing variety of personal transporters are being manufactured, including
7040-645: The de-carbonisation process is constantly reducing the GHG emissions due to the use of electric vehicles. In the European Union, on average, between 2009 and 2013 there was a reduction in the electricity carbon intensity of 17%. In a life-cycle assessment perspective, considering the GHG necessary to build the battery and its end-of-life, the GHG savings are 10–13% lower. Assembly line Assembly lines are common methods of assembling complex items such as automobiles and other transportation equipment, household appliances and electronic goods . Workers in charge of
7150-419: The electricity is generated. Electric cars are having a major impact in the auto industry given advantages in city pollution , less dependence on oil and combustion, and scarcity and expected rise in gasoline prices. World governments are pledging billions to fund development of electric vehicles and their components. Formula E is a fully electric international single-seater championship. The series
7260-489: The electricity used to power them may do so in its generation. The two factors driving the emissions of battery electric vehicles are the carbon intensity of the electricity used to recharge the Electric Vehicle (commonly expressed in grams of CO 2 per kWh) and the consumption of the specific vehicle (in kilometers/kWh). The carbon intensity of electricity varies depending on the source of electricity where it
7370-477: The end of 2023 to make room for GM's "new generation of electric vehicles." The announcement drew public outcry. On July 25, 2023, Barra said there were plans for a second-generation Bolt using Ultium hardware and Ultifi software. Plans for this new Bolt only include the Bolt EUV body style. GM ended Bolt production on December 20, 2023. The Bolt was designed from 2012 by a team of 180 people at GM Korea as
7480-400: The engine has been installed on the second car, the second car moves to the hood assembly. At the same time, the third car moves to the engine assembly. When the third car's engine has been mounted, it then can be moved to the hood station; meanwhile, subsequent cars (if any) can be moved to the engine installation station. Assuming no loss of time when moving a car from one station to another,
7590-688: The external features of the G2, but further development of the G4 Cruise AV was canceled to concentrate on their next generation autonomous vehicle, the Origin , which was unveiled in January 2020 and lacks driver controls entirely. The Origin is scheduled to be introduced in January 2023. Cruise received approval to test cars without safety drivers on public roads in October 2020; the first SAE Level 4 vehicles tested by Cruise were G3 AVs. The safety driver
7700-409: The final production vehicle has C d =0.308. Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) five-cycle test methodology, the Bolt fuel economy is rated at 119 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (mpg-e) (17.6 kWh/100 km) for combined driving, 128 mpg‑e (16.4 kWh/100 km) in city and 110 mpg‑e (19 kWh/100 km) in highway. The Bolt EV has
7810-674: The form of BEMUs (battery electric multiple units) are operated commercially in Japan . They are charged via pantographs , either when driving on electrified railway lines or during stops at specially equipped train stations. They use battery power for propulsion when driving on railway lines that are not electrified, and have successfully replaced diesel multiple units on some such lines. Other countries have also tested or ordered such vehicles. Chattanooga, Tennessee , operates nine zero-fare electric buses, which have been in operation since 1992 and have carried 11.3 million passengers and covered
7920-556: The help of Henry Maudslay and others, designed 22 types of machine tools to make the parts for the rigging blocks used by the Royal Navy . This factory was so successful that it remained in use until the 1960s, with the workshop still visible at HM Dockyard in Portsmouth , and still containing some of the original machinery. One of the earliest examples of an almost modern factory layout, designed for easy material handling,
8030-479: The idea forth to Henry Ford , but Pa Klann's slaughterhouse revelation is well documented in the archives at the Henry Ford Museum and elsewhere, making him an important contributor to the modern automated assembly line concept. Ford was appreciative, having visited the highly automated 40-acre Sears mail order handling facility around 1906. At Ford, the process was an evolution by trial and error of
8140-623: The implementation of mass production of an automobile via an assembly line may be credited to Ransom Olds , who used it to build the first mass-produced automobile, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash . Olds patented the assembly line concept, which he put to work in his Olds Motor Vehicle Company factory in 1901. At Ford Motor Company , the assembly line was introduced by William "Pa" Klann upon his return from visiting Swift & Company's slaughterhouse in Chicago and viewing what
8250-553: The individual parts. They would then assemble them into the final product, making cut-and-try changes in the parts until they fit and could work together ( craft production ). Division of labor was practiced by Ancient Greeks , Chinese and other ancient civilizations. In Ancient Greece it was discussed by Plato and Xenophon . Adam Smith discussed the division of labour in the manufacture of pins at length in his book The Wealth of Nations (published in 1776). The Venetian Arsenal , dating to about 1104, operated similar to
8360-407: The like of which he had never seen, nor dreamed possible." In his 1922 autobiography, Henry Ford mentions several benefits of the assembly line including: The gains in productivity allowed Ford to increase worker pay from $ 1.50 per day to $ 5.00 per day once employees reached three years of service on the assembly line. Ford continued on to reduce the hourly work week while continuously lowering
8470-531: The longest stage on the assembly line determines the throughput (20 minutes for the engine installation) so a car can be produced every 20 minutes, once the first car taking 35 minutes has been produced. Before the Industrial Revolution , most manufactured products were made individually by hand. A single craftsman or team of craftsmen would create each part of a product. They would use their skills and tools such as files and knives to create
8580-604: The lower specific energy of production batteries available in 2015 compared with carbon-based fuels means that electric cars need batteries that are a fairly large fraction of the vehicle mass but still often give a relatively low range between charges. Recharging can also take significant lengths of time. For journeys within a single battery charge, rather than long journeys, electric cars are practical forms of transportation and can be recharged overnight. Electric cars can significantly reduce city pollution by having zero emissions . Vehicle greenhouse gas savings depend on how
8690-539: The more strict Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures (WLTP). Opel expected the Ampera-e to achieve a NEDC range of about 500 km (310 mi). Before the Tesla Model 3 was introduced in July 2017, the Bolt was the only plug-in electric car with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of less than US$ 50,000 capable of delivering an EPA -rated range of over 200 miles (320 km). As of
8800-424: The next. By having three stations, three cars can be operated on at the same time, each at a different stage of assembly. After finishing its work on the first car, the engine installation crew can begin working on the second car. While the engine installation crew works on the second car, the first car can be moved to the hood station and fitted with a hood, then to the wheels station and be fitted with wheels. After
8910-561: The one million unit milestone in September 2016. As of October 2020 , the world's top selling all-electric car in history is the Tesla Model 3 , with an estimated 645,000 sales, followed by the Nissan Leaf with over 500,000 sales as of September 2020 . During the 1880s, Gustave Trouvé , Thomas Parker and Andreas Flocken built experimental electric cars, but the first practical battery electric vehicles appeared during
9020-419: The one-wheeled self-balancing unicycles , self-balancing scooters , electric kick scooters , and electric skateboards . Several battery electric ships operate throughout the world, some for business. Electric ferries are being operated and constructed. The motor controller receives a signal from potentiometers linked to the accelerator pedal, and it uses this signal to determine how much electric power
9130-415: The pack, which is rated at 160 kW peak power. GM offers a battery warranty of 8 years / 100,000 miles (160,000 km), and has no plans for other battery sizes. In October 2015, General Motors said they would purchase the Bolt's battery cells at a price of $ 145 per kilowatt hour from LG Chem , representing a minimum of $ 8,700 in revenue per car. The cost is reportedly about $ 100 cheaper per kWh than
9240-404: The part to the next workman for his own. (3) Use sliding assembling lines by which the parts to be assembled are delivered at convenient distances. Designing assembly lines is a well-established mathematical challenge, referred to as an assembly line balancing problem. In the simple assembly line balancing problem the aim is to assign a set of tasks that need to be performed on the workpiece to
9350-418: The prerequisites for the modern assembly line by making interchangeable parts a practical reality. Steam-powered conveyor lifts began being used for loading and unloading ships some time in the last quarter of the 19th century. Hounshell (1984) shows a c. 1885 sketch of an electric-powered conveyor moving cans through a filling line in a canning factory. The meatpacking industry of Chicago
9460-525: The price LG was giving other customers at the time. GM estimated a cell price of $ 130/kWh in December 2016. While initially expected to share its lithium-ion battery technology with the second-generation Chevrolet Volt , the production version of the Bolt uses batteries with a different chemistry more suited to the charge cycles of a long-range electric vehicle, compared to the more frequent charging/discharging of hybrids and short-range EVs. The 2020 model year's battery capacity increased to 66 kWh because of
9570-422: The price of a Model T was around $ 825, and by 1912 it had decreased to around $ 575. This price reduction is comparable to a reduction from $ 15,000 to $ 10,000 in dollar terms from the year 2000. In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay. Ford's complex safety procedures—especially assigning each worker to a specific location instead of allowing them to roam about—dramatically reduced
9680-421: The rate of injury . The combination of high wages and high efficiency is called " Fordism ", and was copied by most major industries. The efficiency gains from the assembly line also coincided with the take-off of the United States. The assembly line forced workers to work at a certain pace with very repetitive motions which led to more output per worker while other countries were using less productive methods. In
9790-428: The recall from the manufacturer, as GM expects the expense to be $ 1.8 billion. LG Chem had to pay $ 1.9 billion to GM. Some of the recalled battery packs were repurposed in grid batteries . Cars which have had the battery-replacement recall done have the 259-mile (417-kilometre) range of the 2020-up Bolt, and the new batteries are warrantied for 8 years from the date of installation. In January 2022, GM announced that
9900-462: The recall to include all Bolt models (both EV and EUV ) and model years (2017-2022) totaling the number of recalled Chevy Bolt cars to nearly 142,000. GM will replace the recalled vehicles' batteries, citing manufacturing defects by its partner LG, which could be responsible for the shorting of deficient battery cells. Amid further investigation, GM says it will ramp up production of replacement battery cells with LG Chem , while seeking reimbursement for
10010-405: The tools and the men in the sequence of the operation so that each component part shall travel the least possible distance while in the process of finishing. (2) Use work slides or some other form of the carrier so that when a workman completes his operation, he drops the part always in the same place—which place must always be the most convenient place to his hand—and if possible have gravity carry
10120-432: The two categories. In China, plug-in electric vehicles, together with hybrid electric vehicles are called new energy vehicles (NEVs). However, in the United States, neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) are battery electric vehicles that are legally limited to roads with posted speed limits no higher than 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), are usually built to have a top speed of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), and have
10230-401: The types of DC motors available. More recent electric vehicles have made use of a variety of AC motor types, as these are simpler to build and have no brushes that can wear out. These are usually induction motors or brushless AC electric motors which use permanent magnets. There are several variations of the permanent magnet motor which offer simpler drive schemes and/or lower cost including
10340-569: The vehicle a separate model from the Bolt. Externally, the G3 Cruise AV may be distinguished from the G2 by the color of the rooftop sensor package (black on the G2, white on the G3) and the two articulating radars: on the G2, these are black and replace the side rear-view mirrors on the G2; on the G3, these are white and are mounted just above the front wheels. Members of the press were invited to ride in
10450-418: The vitality of an economy the mobile storage infrastructure of EV batteries can be seen as one of the most meaningful infrastructure projects facilitating the energy transition to a fully sustainable economy based on renewables. A meta-study graphically showing the importance of electricity storage depicts the technology in context. Electric vehicles produce no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in operation, but
10560-446: The work-piece is moved to the next station by the conveyor belt. Major planning problems for operating assembly lines include supply chain integration , inventory control and production scheduling . Consider the assembly of a car : assume that certain steps in the assembly line are to install the engine, install the hood, and install the wheels (in that order, with arbitrary interstitial steps); only one of these steps can be done at
10670-608: The works of assembly line are called assemblers . Assembly lines are designed for the sequential organization of workers, tools or machines, and parts. The motion of workers is minimized to the extent possible. All parts or assemblies are handled either by conveyors or motorized vehicles such as forklifts , or gravity , with no manual trucking. Heavy lifting is done by machines such as overhead cranes or forklifts. Each worker typically performs one simple operation unless job rotation strategies are applied. According to Henry Ford : The principles of assembly are these: (1) Place
10780-431: The world. In 1922, Ford (through his ghostwriter Crowther) said of his 1913 assembly line: I believe that this was the first moving line ever installed. The idea came in a general way from the overhead trolley that the Chicago packers use in dressing beef. Charles E. Sorensen , in his 1956 memoir My Forty Years with Ford , presented a different version of development that was not so much about individual "inventors" as
10890-591: Was called the beginning of modern bulk material handling by Roe (1916). Evans's mill used a leather belt bucket elevator, screw conveyors , canvas belt conveyors, and other mechanical devices to completely automate the process of making flour. The innovation spread to other mills and breweries. Probably the earliest industrial example of a linear and continuous assembly process is the Portsmouth Block Mills , built between 1801 and 1803. Marc Isambard Brunel (father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel ), with
11000-618: Was conceived in 2012, and the inaugural championship started in Beijing on 13 September 2014. The series is sanctioned by the FIA. Alejandro Agag is the current CEO of Formula E. The Formula E championship is currently contested by ten teams with two drivers each (after the withdrawal of Team Trulli, there are temporarily only nine teams competing). Racing generally takes place on temporary city-center street circuits which are approximately 2 to 3.4 kilometres (1.2 to 2.1 mi) long. Currently, only
11110-593: Was delivered to the Kings Canyon Unified School District in California's San Joaquin Valley . The bus was one of four the district ordered. This battery-electric school bus, which has four sodium nickel batteries, is the first modern electric school bus approved for student transportation by any state. In 2016, including the light heavy-duty vehicles, there were roughly 1.5 million heavy-duty vehicles in California. The same technology
11220-465: Was developed and manufactured with LG Corporation . Sales of the 2017 Bolt began in California in December 2016; it was released nationwide and international markets release in 2017. A rebadged European variant was marketed as the Opel Ampera-e in mainland Europe. In 2017, the Bolt was the second-best-selling plug-in car in the United States. It was named the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year,
11330-549: Was developed for the Ford Model T and began operation on October 7, 1913, at the Highland Park Ford Plant , and continued to evolve after that, using time and motion study . The assembly line, driven by conveyor belts , reduced production time for a Model T to just 93 minutes by dividing the process into 45 steps. Producing cars quicker than paint of the day could dry, it had an immense influence on
11440-453: Was expected to begin in October 2016 at 25,000-30,000 the first year. Initial regular production had begun by early November 2016 at a rate of 9 per hour, gradually increasing to 30 per hour. Retail deliveries began in California in December 2016. Bolt production was halted on August 23, 2021, while battery production was redirected to replacements under a recall affecting the 140,000 Bolt EVs that had been produced up to that time. Production
11550-508: Was initiated at the factory of Richard Garrett & Sons , Leiston Works in Leiston in the English county of Suffolk for the manufacture of portable steam engines . The assembly line area was called ' The Long Shop ' on account of its length and was fully operational by early 1853. The boiler was brought up from the foundry and put at the start of the line, and as it progressed through
11660-437: Was not restarted until April 4, 2022. In November 2020, 50,932 Chevrolet Bolt vehicles of model year 2017–2019 were recalled due to potential fire risk. According to GM, these vehicles contained high voltage batteries produced at LG Chem 's Ochang plant that may pose a risk of fire "when charged to full, or very close to full, capacity". As a precautionary measure, Chevrolet issued software updates that allow dealers to install
11770-407: Was referred to as the "disassembly line", where carcasses were butchered as they moved along a conveyor. The efficiency of one person removing the same piece over and over without moving to another station caught his attention. He reported the idea to Peter E. Martin , soon to be head of Ford production, who was doubtful at the time but encouraged him to proceed. Others at Ford have claimed to have put
11880-568: Was relegated to the passenger's (right-hand) front seat and did not have access to the traditional controls. Later in 2021, a G2 Cruise AV nicknamed "Poppy" was filmed for a short promotional video while undergoing testing in San Francisco . The California Public Utilities Commission approved Cruise's application in June 2022; with the permit, Cruise plans to start offering driverless revenue taxi services in San Francisco with Cruise AVs. For
11990-473: Was shown in September 2017; Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt said the G3 AV was designed to incorporate redundant systems and was ready to be scaled up for mass production at the Orion Township factory. In addition, the G3 AV uses fault-tolerant electrical, communication, and actuation systems unique to the automated vehicle and not shared with the Bolt EV. With the completion of 50 G3 Cruise AVs in fall 2017, GM now considers
12100-638: Was the Bridgewater Foundry . The factory grounds were bordered by the Bridgewater Canal and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway . The buildings were arranged in a line with a railway for carrying the work going through the buildings. Cranes were used for lifting the heavy work, which sometimes weighed in the tens of tons. The work passed sequentially through to erection of framework and final assembly. The first flow assembly line
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