Secondary-Use Chevrolet Volt Batteries Power Their Way Into the Record Books

More than 4,739 TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games fans helped set a Guinness World Records™ title for the most number of people generating electricity in one week

2015-07-24

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Toronto – Chevrolet has put their secondary use battery technology in the record books by setting a Guinness World Records title for the most people generating electricity in one week at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games.

From July 17th to July 24th, participants at the Chevrolet Power of Play exhibit in CIBC Pan Am Park raced family and friends head-to-head on a 1,038 foot competitive marathon slot car track, powered by secondary-use Chevrolet Volt batteries. Participants controlled the speed of the cars and charged the batteries by riding on six stationary bicycles, generating electricity with their own pedal power.

A total of 4,739 people generated more than 13,000 electrical watt hours of electricity over the course of the week. To put the record in context, that amount of energy could power a Chevrolet Volt to drive 60 km.

This application of Chevrolet’s secondary use battery technology is part of the innovative work-taking place at General Motor’s Canadian Engineering Centre in Oshawa, and a demonstration of the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability.

“We wanted to use our Power of Play demonstration not only to offer a fun, interactive way for fans to have their own friendly competition, but also to put our technology in the record books,” said Hossein Hassani, Director of Enterprise Marketing for General Motors of Canada. “Power of Play has been an illustration of the potential secondary uses for the batteries in Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles, as well as a means to test how renewable energy sources can generate stored electricity while minimizing environmental impact.”

“Building sustainable modes of transportation is vital to moving to a low-carbon future. We are pleased to see that Chevrolet and GM of Canada are taking a leadership role in developing electric cars and sustainable battery technology through engineering work done right here in Ontario,” said Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

The Chevrolet Volt batteries used in the exhibition are batteries that have exceeded their eight-to-ten-year lifespan on the road. Even after the end of that lifespan, they still have fifty to seventy per cent capacity remaining. That capacity can be used to provide backup power, peak rate shaving and renewable energy storage for both commercial and non-commercial uses, and it can deliver waste reductions and economic benefits on an industrial scale.

Chevrolet has been actively pursuing secondary use applications at the Canadian Engineering Centre since the launch of the first Volt in 2011. It is currently being used as a backup and auxiliary power source for the General Motors IT data centre in Milford, Michigan, and it is estimated that the technology could power a whole house for about 10 hours.

For more information about the Chevrolet Volt, visit www.chevrolet.ca.

About GM Canada

Headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, General Motors of Canada Limited (GMCL) employs more than 9,000 people across the country and is a recognized leader in green manufacturing. GMCL markets the full range of fuel-efficient Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and related services through Canada’s largest automotive dealer network. More information regarding GMCL models can be found at www.gm.ca, or by following @GMCanada on Twitter.www.facebook.com/BuickCanada

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