Click above to watch a video with slides of the production Chevy Volt
We got our first sneak peek at the production Chevy Volt last week, but a recent presentation by Bob Boniface, director of design for the Volt, has revealed a bit more. We've pasted a video of the presentation and slide show after the break, and in it Boniface notes how the concept's straight lines and tight corners have been smoothed over and rounded out in an effort to reduce turbulence. This streamlining improves the Volt's fuel mileage, range on electricity and the amount of regenerative braking that can be captured. Also seen for the first time is a rear shot of the Volt, showing a pronounced "vertical fin," and a new rear spoiler design. Likewise, the side-view mirrors' mounting arrangement was revised for reduced aerodynamic drag. These changes, along with countless others which have not been fully revealed, have allowed the Volt's engineers and designers to increase EV-only range by six to seven miles.
While we're salivating over all the little tidbits of information on the Volt, we look forward to its official debut expected in Paris at the Motor Show this October. However, recent rumors indicate that the extended-range electric-vehicle could be seen at GM's Centennial celebration on September 16. Thanks for the tip, Emil!
[Sources: GM-Volt, Green Fuels Forecast, The Detroit Free Press]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Epyx @ Aug 18th 2008 3:37PM
Looks "kinda" like the back of the old SVX. A nice looking rump in the case of the Subaru so hopefully it does resemble it.
Flashpoint @ Aug 18th 2008 3:39PM
Electric cars don't change anything unless we take oil out of the equation entirely.
Just as the Toyota Prius makes up for its emissions savings in thee fact that the factories needed to build its various parts are dirty and polluting - the Chevy volt as well as all electric cars following it will likely be to.
We need a combination of Nuclear power and Natural energy (solar, wind, etc) to truly revolutionize America. If we manage to do it, China and Russia will follow. If China, Russia , India and America cut their polluting, the CO2 problems will recede ( we also must stop deforestation)
GM, ford and Chrysler need to all be headed in the same direction and we need a Congress with a spine to jack up prices on imported polluting vehicles from Toyota and Honda and Germany.
And before anyone says: "well you don't want the government involved in everything...blah blah blah"...then be sure you are ready to take the government's say out of the social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and right to die euthenasia.
boog @ Aug 18th 2008 3:51PM
where in the world are you going with this rant? get over yourself. thank you for coming to an article about an electric vehicle and spewing your political agenda. an agenda that is clearly not well thought out, and mostly rhetoric.
as far as I can tell, no matter what your political slant is, a car that doesn't use much gas is a good thing.
azzo45 @ Aug 18th 2008 4:01PM
You want more nuclear power? Where do you plan on storing the waste & the radioactive water (used during cooling) created by these plants??
Nuclear plants run by electric companies who short-change basic maintenance of their own power grids. Same electric companies that have had numerous safety issues with their nuclear plants?
Detroit Edison customers are still paying for the blunders of the Fermi II nuclear plant... run so poorly that Edison was forced to shut it down to avoid numerous lawsuits (on a variety of safety issues).
Kodd @ Aug 18th 2008 4:03PM
Flashpoint- your theory works if you are figuring that if it wasn't for the Prius, Volt, etc, that these plants wouldn't exsist. The truth is, Toyota can't make Priuii fast enough to keep up with demand, so if they weren't making that car at these plants they would need them to build more Camarys or some other vehicle.
As far as electricity goes, the two main forms of power generation in the US are Coal and Nuclear power. Coal plants have taken HUGE steps in becoming cleaner and more efficent.
I'll aggree that we should be looking to even cleaner/renewable resources, but using that argument to bash on electric/hybrid cars just doesn't hold water.
ugg.tryptophan @ Aug 18th 2008 4:36PM
who cares
Aki @ Aug 18th 2008 4:46PM
Flashpoint's post is a paradox: on one hand, it seems to use coherent sentences. On the other, it's full of uninformed, ignorant dreck.
Solar/nuclear powered car? Are you serious? What fanatasy sci-fi book have you been reading to think that we have the tech to have mini-controllable fission generators in cars? What would you do in an accident, when radioactive material sprays all over the freeway? Solar powered cars? Nevermind the cost of solar cells, the energy yield that's not nearly enough to cover a commute--it'd still require a factory "to build its various parts are dirty and polluting", borrowing your own words.
Jacking up import tariffs on "polluting" German and Japanese imports. Yeah. Right. Because we all know Ford with its crossover SUVs and trucks is so eco-friendly.
It's too bad you can't filter stupid from the internet.
Jrejre @ Aug 18th 2008 4:52PM
If you could filter stupid from the internet you could surf it from beginning to end in 15 minutes.
Torrent @ Aug 18th 2008 4:59PM
sooo...........What's your point?
letstakeawalk @ Aug 18th 2008 5:03PM
LOL @ Jrejre...
I've been to the end:
http://www.shibumi.org/eoti.htm
naggs @ Aug 18th 2008 5:11PM
nuclear power is by far the cleanest, safest, and greenest reliable source of energy...
of course he wants more, so does the founder of greenpeace
AMcA @ Aug 18th 2008 9:46PM
I'm all for taking the government's say out of gay marriage, abortion and the right to die!
RGS @ Aug 18th 2008 3:46PM
I don't get why all of these are being referred to here as pictures of the "production" Volt. Even if GM is referring to them that way internally or in marketing materials, that's not really what they are, right? They may show what the production car will look like, but they're hardly actual photographs of a car that rolled off a factory assembly line. Wouldn't "final design" or something like that be more accurate than "production"?
azzo45 @ Aug 18th 2008 3:51PM
What don't you get? "Production" means 2010 model (a car you will be able to buy)...
...& styling differences from the CONCEPT Volt (one that was a one off showcar & you could NOT buy)
Tim @ Aug 18th 2008 4:29PM
Why do you want to take away the punchbowl? i doubt that this thing will see the light of day under the current management. Not enough time or money.
If it does I'll wait til the incentives get slapped on the hood (sarcasm).
OT More GM incentives on the way...
http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/08/18/2008-08-18T193124Z_01_N18443054_RTRIDST_0_GM-INCENTIVES-UPDATE-3.html
ricotubbs @ Aug 18th 2008 4:44PM
RGS, I'm with you. I guess this is the production Volt only if GM intends to fabricate/assemble all Volts by hand and if the bodies will be made of clay.
azzo45 @ Aug 18th 2008 9:03PM
Rico, you & RGS don't know much about the car design process do you? During the "clay" stage the styling team is well aware of what is easily manufactured. Those changes in clay will be cast or digitized for fascia molds or stamping. The Volt is scheduled for 2010....
... the clay stage is over in 3-4 months GM will assemble a body-in-white with actual production parts. They will tweak things on the exterior & the interior.
There is no "EASY" Button... pushed right before the 2010 launch... "PRODUCTION" on those slide show photos is correct because it shows the production design direction of the Volt. Barring a major roadblock in pre production... this is what you are gonna get!
ricotubbs @ Aug 19th 2008 12:28AM
azzo45, It must have been extremely difficult for someone of your superior knowledge and intellect to read our comments....
...I am sorry if I offended you by my mere presence on this board.
If you don't mind, I'm leaving now for a long drive in my clay car to ponder my ignorance.
azzo45 @ Aug 19th 2008 9:00AM
Hey rico... Sonny Crockett called & said he doesn't remember you being so sensitive!
Still don't get that clay is just an early production tool, eh rico? it represents the production surface intent.
ricotubbs @ Aug 19th 2008 10:23AM
azzo45, Just so you know, I'm very well-informed on the car design process. Impossible as it must seem, the point of my lighthearted comments managed to go over your head.