The Volt is Still on Track

Chevy Aims to Roll Out Volt in 2010

Despite the economic downturn and trouble in the auto industry, the Chevy Volt remains on track to hit the market in late 2010.  Although GM lost $6 billion in the first quarter of this year and is surviving on government loans the Volt, along with other 2010 modle year vehicles, remain a top priority. GM has continued to produce eye-catching design and performance vehicles such as the Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura, and Cadillac CTS.
Furthermore, the 2011 Chevy Volt’s extended-range technology could eventually appear throughout GM’s product lines.

The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by General Motors. The Volt’s propulsion system will be based on GM’s new Voltec (formerly known as E-Flex) platform, which differs significantly from GM’s earlier BAS Hybrid and Two-Mode Hybrid systems. With fully charged batteries, enough stored electrical energy will power the Volt for 40 miles, a distance capable of satisfying the daily commute of 75% of Americans.  After 40 miles, a small 4-cylinder gasoline internal combustion engine drives a 53 kW generator effectively extending the Volt’s potential range to as much as 640 miles on a single tank of gasoline. The electrical power from the generator is sent to either the electric motor or the batteries, depending on the state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack and the power demanded at the wheels. The distribution is controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle No external charging station will be required. Unlike most current commercially available electric hybrids, the actual propulsion of the Volt is accomplished exclusively by the electric motor, and the internal combustion engine is used as another charging method.