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Yesterday morning we finally hopped into a Chevy Volt mule with outgoing GM product czar Bob Lutz for a spin around the Warren Tech Center. What's it feel like? It's utterly unremarkable and appliance-like. More »
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Ever wonder what the plug-in unit for the Chevy Volt looks like? Well now you know. Here at the Paris Motor Show the display car is tethered to the very slanted display stand by way of extension cord and locking plug-in mechanism. The power port is, as expected, hidden behind the "Volt" name plate ahead of the mirrors, though we expected it would flip up, apparently the plate slides forward. Pretty trick-looking if you ask us. More »
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Edmunds Inside Line stirred up kind of a hornets nest yesterday when they reported the Chevy Volt won't use the engine to recharge the battery, spurring a similar story from us. Both of us were told by GM PR we were correct in making that assertion. Turns out the PR team was having the same problems both us and Inside Line were having in understanding how the Volt's engine/battery/motor system will work. GM's VP for Global Program Management, John Lauckner, rebuffing the initial claims, stated, in no uncertain terms, the engine can recharge the battery, but recharging the battery is not its objective. Whatever that means. All we know is engines are most efficient when operated at a steady state — tons of tricks can be implemented to optimize performance at a constant RPM, and that's the plan for the Volt. More »
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Edmunds Inside Line is reporting the Chevy Volt apparently doesn't use the engine to recharge its batteries while driving, going against what every media outlet — CNBC, the buff books and every web site including this one — have reported as fact for the past two years. Confusion apparently stems from a press release issued when the concept version of the Chevy Volt was first revealed in 2007 indicating: More »
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An aspiring designer at GMInsideNews has taken it upon himself to restyle the Chevy Volt, responding to criticism that the plug-in corporate savior is a bit on the bland side. Aside from applying a selection of questionable hues to the Volt, he sketched in "lightning bolt zigzag style headlights" in an effort to give the design some teeth. The beltline has also been jacked into a pseudo-G6 high-rise tribute, resulting in an effort that's arguably more derivative than the prevealed Volt we've already seen. What do you think? Full renderings in technicolor goodness after the jump. More »
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The Line on the Inside at Edmunds has cobbled together a series of quotes allowing them to say what they think without actually saying what they think: The 2010 Chevy Volt is ugly. Quoting Jane Nakagawa of their own Edmunds AutoObserver, they bust on the Volt pretty hard, calling it "a huge disappointment" and "completely unacceptable." Harsh. If the "leaked images of the Volt" with their recklessly unflattering photo angles are to be believed, the Volt may be ugly, but we'll reserve judgment until we see it in the flesh tomorrow morning during the live unveil at the Renaissance Center. [Edmunds InsideLine] More »
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We all know the story on the 2011 Chevy Volt by now — inline hybrid, electric motors, giant T-shaped lithium ion battery, 40 mile all-EV range, late 2010 debut date and "on-board range extender." Well, we didn't know so much about that last one until now. GM is confirming the same 1.4-liter in-line four-cylinder set for duty in the Chevy Cruze will be doing the electricity-generating duties for the Volt. More »
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While the 2011 Chevy Volt is proceeding down the path from vaporware to successful range testing to production ready, its price seems to remain stubbornly in the land of the lost. The original goal was to have it on the road for around $30,000, in April, Maximum Bob dropped the bomb saying the price may come in at $48k. Well, Minimum Rick seems to be following his "Wait a month and clean up after Bob" modus operandi yet again. Wagoner, who definitely gives a shit about global warming, is now saying the Volt may actually come in below the original target. More »
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UPDATE: The 2011 Chevy Volt's been officially UN-officially revealed! According to the General's vice-main-man and product czar "Maximum" Bob Lutz, the Chevy Volt's litihum-ion battery is no longer the biggest worry for the Volt program. While a decision hasn't yet been made on an official supplier for what they're terming the "T-Pack" — it's still a coin-flip away from being either Continental or CPI — the packs installed in the Malibu panel-covered Volt mule seem to be delivering the promised 40-mile all-EV range. Keep in mind, this is installed in a late-model Malibu test mule, without the correct drive unit doing the work. Given the November 2010 production target for making this a 2011 Chevy Volt isn't getting any further away, news like this is probably going to be dropped into the General's "Good" category. [GM-Volt.com] More »
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