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For years the Chevy Volt has been rumored to be in the design stages. That rumor finally has become a reality. Confirmed for 2010, Chevy Volt is in the design stages and is primed to make a large impact when it hits the market. The electric technology in this vehicle is primed to redefine the automotive world. In fact, its propulsion system is so revolutionary; it's unlike any other vehicle or electric car that's ever been introduced. Chevy in bringing this model to market, is making this dream a reality so that someday, we may be able to drive gas free.
Most of today's commuters drive less than 40 miles to work. The Volt is designed to make an impact for these commuters bringing them to work without using a single drop of gas. That means for the average consumer, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.
A non traditional electric car, the 2010 Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It utilizes a lithium-ion battery in combination with a gasoline-powered, range-extending engine that drives a generator to provide electric power when you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range. For 2010 Chevy Volt becomes Fully Charged.
Being one of the most aerodynamic vehicles in GM history, Volt has design surfaces that allow for maximization of airflow. It has a rounded, flushed fascia; a closed grille; aerodynamically shaped side mirrors; sharp rear edges; and a purpose-designed rear spoiler that allows air to attach and then detach quickly at the rear to reduce drag. Hundreds of hours were spent in the wind tunnel examining and adjusting things like the front and rear corner panels, the rear spoiler, the rocker panels, and the side mirrors to make sure Volt sliced though the air as easily as possible.
As in all electric cars, the acceleration was instant when the gas pedal is pushed. The torque and response is similar to a car with 250 horsepower. The Volt is smooth and quiet. It doesn't continue the whirring sound found in early electric cars. It is effortless to drive. It looks like Volt is going to live up to the hype and deliver on the promise that GM users have put forth.
GM has moved on to the next phase of engineering development for the vehicle. That means that they've moved from the Volt test mules using previous-generation Malibu bodies (affectionately known as 'MaliVolts') to test vehicles using vehicles from our next-generation global compact car architecture.
First appearing as a concept car, the Volt had a slightly different appearance. It had a squarer, more aggressive design. Attempting to fulfill the promise of the 40 miles per gallon without using a drop of gas, the engineers had to work hard to achieve reduced aerodynamic drag while keeping the Volt's attractive exterior look. This produced a rounder, smoother appearance that resulted in a 30% improvement for the coefficient of drag (a measure of how well a moving vehicle resists friction caused by air). This improvement is vital to Volt's efficiency. Since the Volt relies on electricity as its primary fuel source, preserving the power stored in its battery is most important. Making the Volt more aerodynamic means the battery doesn't have to work as hard and will last longer, which benefits the owner by helping to extend its gas-free range.
This build will not only spawn vehicles like the Volt, but also the Chevrolet Cruze and others like it. Having gone into some testing, GM is reporting that the driving dynamics are terrific in that architectural system. It instantly feels several price classes above what it actually is due to the level of refinement, GM testers say.
The relative quiet and absence of vibration stand out, among other things. The chassis integrity felt outstanding with good steering response, good breaks, and good turn-in.
As for the power train and propulsion system, GM couldn't be more pleased. It was 30 degrees and windy and flurrying during their test scenario. They started with about a 60-percent charge on the battery pack, to see how it would perform and when the engine would kick on.
To their delight, GM went about 19 silent, electrically powered miles before that engine engaged. And when it did, it was so quiet and non-jarring that they had to tell me it had come on, because they weren't looking at the tachometer. The engine was quiet and non intrusive in this particular test.
Right now, the engine is tuned rather aggressively so that once it did kick on, it tended to cut in and out quite a bit at low speeds. But Gm plans to find the right balance to address that. That's why they're doing all this development work. There were concerns about what it would be like when the engine kicks on, whether it would excite the structure and cause all kinds of vibrations and such, but testers say it wasn't an issue. It was wonderfully masked, and will continue to improve as testing continues. Visit Chevrolet.com to find out more about the future of the electric car.
After 30 miles of driving testers couldn't be more satisfied with the vehicle, the development, or the team behind it. Chevy Volt is scheduled for a 2010 market date, probably beginning to see production sometime in fall of 2009. Click here to read more details on the Volt.
