Spawn of Volt: More details on more variants
Click above for live high-res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt
GM is not going to let the Volt or its E-Flex powertrain get lonely. The first Volt -- the one due in late 2010 -- hasn't been finished yet, yet is so popular that GM is publicly theorizing about how far it can spread the technology through the empire. Ideas include a smaller car with a smaller battery pack that could go 20 miles on pure electric, and be much cheaper. A proper wagon, just "a little bit bigger," could also make the cut.
And those variants don't all need to be Chevrolets. Other GM brands will certainly be blessed with Volt technology, if not an outright case of brand engineering. Cadillac is one of the wolves thought to be circling the Volt's henhouse, and using Volt systems in a Caddy might allow GM to make a profit on such a car without tax breaks. If there were a more economical Volt with a shorter electric range, Saturn would seem to be a prime candidate.
It looks like the sole E-Flex powertrain option not planned is an electric-only car, one without a range-extending gasoline engine. GM feels that people would find it too risky to have no backup. But back to that first car, the plain vanilla Chevy Volt that's still two years away from showrooms – a Volt team member doesn't appear to have forgotten the prime directive: "You always have to do the first car right and well." Amen.
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt - Live Reveal
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt - Interior
[Source: CNN Money]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BLS 11:15AM (9/19/2008)
I will take the slightly larger proper wagon and also a Pontiac or Cadillac branded smaller and sportier. Or even better Nomad.
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No Welfare for GM 11:35AM (9/19/2008)
See I thought that what should have been done from the get go, as far as I know now Volt is Civic size, I think it would have been better to make it a little bigger. I like it the way it is now, but this is USA, so price=size.
No Welfare for GM 11:16AM (9/19/2008)
I really hope it works out. Because GM need a really popular and profitable car, and thats just to afford to pay Rick Wagoner, now to make a real profit..
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Shipey 11:17AM (9/19/2008)
more variants = more buyers = economy of scale = lower point of entry
That's good for everyone.
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TBlueMax 11:27AM (9/19/2008)
I would be quite happy with a slightly smaller Opel/Saturn Flextreme (hatch/wagon) model if GM were able to offer under $30K w/ at least 20 mile electric range.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/10/officially-official-opel-flextreme-concept-40g-km-of-co2-and/
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No Welfare for GM 11:36AM (9/19/2008)
Would that be like Astra?
fawgcutter 12:37PM (9/19/2008)
@No Welfare for GM
That would be more like the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira people mover, another Delta-platform vehicle.
Because E-Flex is built around GM's Delta II platform, they can almost turn any planned car built on it into an extended range electric vehicle.
for example:
Chevy Cruze
Chevy Orlando
Next Gen Astra(?)
Next Gen Zafira(?)
etc.
Frylock350 11:40AM (9/19/2008)
I vote that they make a Volt Coupe for Pontiac. Just dont' call it G? anything.
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Chase 11:45AM (9/19/2008)
-- If there were three Toyotas with the top-end synergy drive of the Prius, "Prius" wouldn't be the branding that comes to mind when someone mentions the word "green." -- Think about that, "Prius" isn't just the strongest green brand of automobiles, it's the strongest green brand of any industry.
If GM wants to duplicate that, they need to not just make the Volt stack up well against other companies, they need the Volt to stack up well against _everything_, including their own cars.
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Chase 11:54AM (9/19/2008)
And at that, why haven't we seen any effort from GM to solidify the link between saving the earth and the Volt?
It's like GM is just assuming people appreciate the honesty in admitting that green vehicles are fashion right now. People don't -- saving the earth is selfless while fashion is selfish. Sure, it's selfish to want to show people that you're selfless, but people don't admit that fact even to themselves, so why should GM?
joey.chan83 12:19PM (9/19/2008)
off topic here, but it's interesting to see how the North American companies bad talk the Chinese for seeing similarities in terms of design. My first look at the Volt, and doesn't it seem strange that the headlights look exactly like the '06 Acura TL?
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DKB_SATX 12:37PM (9/19/2008)
Wagon please! I strongly prefer proper wagons or at least squared-off hatches like the Rabbit. I'm disappointed that Subaru has abandoned proper wagons in the US, the Legacy Wagon is no longer available (tall-tippy Outback only), the Impreza Wagon is more a sloping-rear-window hatch with less usable cargo space, and the new Forester is BIG, taller, more SUV-like. The Lutzinator wanted that stupid Pontiac El Camino instead of a wagon, I'm just glad they're talking a Volt Wagon instead of a Volt El Camino.
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Johnnie 12:45PM (9/19/2008)
Does anyone else think the body looks like the old Dodge Stratus?
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Alex 12:53PM (9/19/2008)
This car will become the town whore for GM, it must for the money invested in it. I would expect all their brands to get a version of the powertrain and with the time spent on aerodynamic perfection for this car I would expect the many of the design elements will cross brands as well.
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krry beahrt 1:20PM (9/19/2008)
It's bee a wel-known fact for over two months that at least two main (and one mini) variant are already waiting in the wings. The Caddy Provoq concept will no doubt either be an exact or close (depending upon whether the Provoq concept, like the original Volt, has the aerodynamics of a brick) copy. We've already seen Saturn and Opel Flextreme minivan concepts and we
know Opel and Saturn will get one of the first variants.
I assume Pontiac would be next, with something typically sporty.
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Jamarr 1:34PM (9/19/2008)
WAAAAAAAAAAAY off topic but I finally figured it out. This thing looks like a Fusion.
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Lazar Bel 10:00PM (9/19/2008)
My question; how much will the Volt battery change out at 150,000 miles cost? The car will likely cost $20K more than the Honda Insight. That's 4000 gallons of gasoline at $5.00 per gal - 180,000 miles at 45 mpg. And then you have to buy a battery for the Volt? You can throw the Honda in the trash and buy another and still be ahead. Nothing is free. The Battery and the initial high cost of the Volt will make it much less than cheap to drive. The price must come down for GM to survive.
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nmmalone 5:38PM (9/19/2008)
The interior is soooo ugly!
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KnightmareCS 3:46AM (9/20/2008)
Chevy - Sedan
Cadillac - Wagon
Saturn - Smaller Hatch
Pontiac - Coupe
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Rman91Bird 10:16PM (9/20/2008)
they all need all of them