Three years after presenting the first concept of the Volt electric car with extended-range capability at the Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet recently announced that the Volt will launch in California and Michigan in late 2010. The initial Volt launch markets will play a vital role in validating retail market readiness for electric vehicles.
The broad electrification of cars will require a substantial support infrastructure. Therefore, Chevrolet is partnering with U.S. utility companies and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as part of an extended, real-world demonstration and research program to advance vehicle electrification and establish vehicle charging programs to pave the way for consumers.
The Volt stands out from other electric or hybrid propulsion systems that are currently available on the market. Volt drives up to 60 kilometers (MVEG) on electricity, stored in a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the battery’s energy is depleted, an onboard generator sets in and produces electricity to power the electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This extends the range of the Volt to more than 500 kilometers and makes it a real alternative for customers driving a car with regular combustion or diesel engines today. To recharge, the Volt can be plugged into any 230V household outlet.
Volt production for the U.S. market is scheduled to begin in late 2010 at GM’s Hamtramck plant in Detroit, Michigan. GM’s combined Volt-related investments in Michigan sum up to $700 million, covering eight facilities. Detroit-Hamtramck will be the final assembly location for the Volt, using tooling from Grand Blanc, lithium-ion batteries from GM’s Brownstown Township battery pack manufacturing facility, camshafts and connecting rods from Bay City, stampings and the Volt’s 1.4L engine-generator from Flint, Michigan. Battery production at Brownstown Township already started in January this year.
Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe, said: “We are very excited about the progress currently being made in the U.S. The information and learnings resulting from the activities and partnerships in California and Michigan will be very valuable for us as we map out our plans for the launch and distribution of the Chevrolet Volt in Europe.”
2011 will mark the centenary of the Chevrolet brand. On November 3, 1911, the Chevrolet Motor Car Company was founded by Swiss engineer Louis Chevrolet and American entrepreneur Billy Durant. Chevrolet Europe plans to celebrate the 100-year anniversary with the start of production of the Chevrolet Volt for Europe.
“I am sure that Louis Chevrolet, a great engineer in his own right, would be very proud knowing that a car like the Volt carries his name. The Volt marks a new category of electric cars and is an important step toward the electrification of the automobile in the future. In 2011, when we look back at 100 years of passion for cars. The Volt will focus our attention on the next exciting 100 years of Chevrolet,” says Brannon.
Source: http://media.opel.com/content/media/intl/en/news/news_detail.brand_gm.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2010/CHEVROLET/03_02_presskit_chevrolet_volt
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