The Chevrolet Volt heralds a new era in the
electrification of the automobile by creating a new
class of vehicle known as the Extended-Range
Electric Vehicle, or E-REV.
The Volt uses
electricity to move the wheels at all times and
speeds. For trips up to 60 km, the Chevrolet Volt is
powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh,
lithium-ion battery. When the battery’s energy is
depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator
seamlessly provides electricity to power the Volt’s
electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining
the charge of the battery. This mode of operation
extends the range of the Volt for several hundred
additional kilometers, until the vehicle’s battery
can be charged. Unlike a conventional battery-electric
vehicle, the Volt eliminates “range anxiety,” giving
the confidence and peace of mind that the driver
will not be stranded by a depleted battery.
The Chevrolet Volt can be plugged into a standard
household 230v outlet for charging. The vehicle’s
intelligent charging technology enables the Volt’s
battery to be charged in less than three hours.
Charge times are reduced if the battery has not been
fully depleted. GM estimates that it will cost less
than one euro at night for a full charge that will
deliver up to 60 km of electric driving.
On the road, the Chevrolet Volt offers spirited
driving performance in a remarkably quiet interior.
More than 220 lithium-ion cells contained within the
Volt’s battery pack provide ample power. The Volt’s
electric drive unit delivers the equivalent of 150
hp/110 kW, 370 Nm of instant torque, and a top speed
of 161 km/h. The lack of engine noise, combined with
special sound-deadening materials, makes the
Chevrolet Volt an extremely quiet vehicle to drive.
GM estimates that the Chevrolet Volt will cost
about two euro cents per km to drive while under
battery power, compared to 12 euro cents per km
using gasoline priced at €1.50 per liter. For an
average driver who drives 60 km per day (or 22,000
km per year), this amounts to cost savings of €2,200
annually. Using night-time electricity rates, GM
estimates that an electrically driven kilometer in a
Volt will be about one-sixth of the cost of a
conventional gasoline-powered vehicle.
The Chevrolet Volt is expected to be built at
GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck manufacturing facility,
subject to GM successfully negotiating satisfactory
government incentives. Production is scheduled to
begin late 2010 for models in the United States.
Pricing has not been announced.
