(continued from above)
Designed, engineered, built and delivered to customers in 29 months, the Volt
will go on sale at Chevrolet dealers before the end of 2010. It is offered in
one very well-equipped standard trim level, along with two option packages: a
Premium Trim Package and a Rear Camera and Park Assist Package.
The
Chevrolet doesn't like to view Volt as a hybrid. They view it as a
one-of-a-kind, all-electrically driven vehicle designed and engineered to
operate in all climates. Powered by GM's revolutionary Voltec propulsion system,
it consists of a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and electric drive unit that
provide pure electric range between 25 and 50 miles, depending on terrain,
driving techniques and temperature. A 1.4L gasoline-powered engine extends the
range up to an additional 310 miles on a full tank of fuel by operating the
vehicle's electric drive system until the car can be plugged in and recharged or
refueled. This distinguishes the Volt from electric-only vehicles, which cannot
be operated when recharging is not immediately available - such as during a
power interruption or on a long-distance trip.
Every major element of the
Volt was designed and analyzed for efficiency, including its highly aerodynamic
exterior, lightweight wheels, specially designed tires, energy-saving premium
stereo system, and more. This attention to detail makes the Volt one of the most
aerodynamic and energy-efficient vehicles in the market.
The Volt
Redefines Electric Drive
The heart of the Chevrolet Volt is its
Voltec propulsion system, which combines pure electric drive and an efficient,
range-extending engine, giving to the Volt up to 350 total miles of range.
The Volt's long-life battery consists of a 5.5-foot, 435-pound (198.1 kg)
T-shaped, 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack manufactured in Brownstown Township,
Mich. It supplies energy to an advanced, 149-hp electric drive unit to propel
the vehicle. Using only the energy stored in the battery, the Volt delivers
between 25 and 50 miles of fuel- and tailpipe emissions-free electric driving,
depending on terrain, driving techniques and temperature.
The Volt
battery is designed to deliver value, safety, quality, performance, durability
and reliability. It is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. Since
2007, GM engineers have completed more than one million miles and four million
hours of validation testing of Volt battery packs, as well as each pack's nine
modules and 288 prismatic cells. The development, validation and test teams have
met thousands of specifications and validated each of the Volt battery's 161
components, 95 percent of which GM designed and engineered.
When the
battery energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly transitions to extended-range
mode. Power is inverted from a technically advanced, 1.4L 84-hp gasoline-powered
onboard engine to the electric drive unit to provide up to 310 additional miles
of range.
Chevrolet Volt: Review (2/2)
