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Chevy Volt chief engineer takes drive in first pre-production prototype [w/VIDEO]

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

Chevrolet Volt Integration prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery

The technicians and engineers at General Motors' Pre-Production operations center at the Warren, MI Tech Center have been hard at work for the last several weeks finishing up the first of about 75 integration prototypes of the Chevy Volt. They worked so hard, in fact, that the first car was completed a week ahead of schedule. These are the first actual running prototypes and include pretty much all of the production-intent hardware in a production body shell. As is typical of these integration prototypes, items like the light clusters aren't quite done yet. The intended bulbs are included in a flat black plastic cluster with the proper arrangement but the covers and internal sculpting are missing.

Chief engineer Andrew Farah took IVER #1 (that's Integration Vehicle Engineering Release #1) out for a brief drive after it was completed and checked out and, according to the video after the jump, everything worked smoothly. While the car looks pretty much like the Volt that was unveiled last September, if you look carefully you will notice one difference. From the original concept to the styling buck we have seen for the last nine months, the charge port was always hidden under the trim piece just ahead of the driver's side mirror. There is now a flap looking much like a gas cover just below that on the fender. The charge port sits behind that flap. According to Volt spokesman David Darovitz, this is the production intent configuration. Dave, we're ready for our test drive anytime, you have our number. Check out the video with Andrew Farah after the jump.

Gallery: First Chevy Volt integration prototype

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevy Volt chief engineer takes drive in first pre-production prototype [w/VIDEO]

Chevy Volt chief engineer takes drive in first pre-production prototype [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wagoner now driving Volt mule to Congress

Michael Harley — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM, Earnings/Financials

Click above for our high-res 2011 Chevrolet Volt gallery

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will be taking advantage of the media circus surrounding his drive from Detroit to Washington D.C. tomorrow. As it seems every press outlet will be covering the roadtrip adventures of the three Detroit leaders as they travel via wheeled transportation to the capitol to beg for billions (remember, no corporate jets this time), Wagoner has wisely dumped the ho-hum hybrid Chevrolet Malibu in favor of a Chevy Volt mule in a Chevy Cruze body during at least the last few highly-visible miles of his journey. Wagoner will still trek part of the route to Washington in the hybrid Malibu, but just not all the way. To take full advantage of the public display, GM will also bring a show version of the highly-anticipated 2011 Chevy Volt to the capitol and put it on display when Wagoner arrives at the Russell Senate Building around 9:30 AM. If you are in the neighborhood (Delaware Ave. and C Street), Wagoner will be briefly talking to the public before he opens his heart to Congress. Thanks, TKTK.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Wagoner now driving Volt mule to Congress originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM wants tax incentives to build Volt in Detroit

Michael Harley — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Plants/Manufacturing, GM

Click on the above image for a high-res gallery of the Volt Concept

With both hands extended, General Motors has asked Detroit City Council members for tax breaks to ensure the highly-anticipated hybrid electric-powered Chevrolet Volt will be built in their city. This news comes on the heels of GM asking Congress for a tax break to ensure the price remains near $30,000 when it arrives in showrooms in 2010. Enough already. Stuck in the turmoil of a $38 billion loss last year, pending job cuts, UAW strikes, and in the midst of an economy favoring fuel-efficient vehicles (as pickups and SUVs roll down the assembly line), GM is scrambling to survive. Whether it arrives as a hybrid, or in all-electric versions, the Chevrolet Volt can't come to market soon enough... regardless of who GM panhandles.

Gallery: Chevy Volt Concept

[Source: The Detroit News]

GM wants tax incentives to build Volt in Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM considering all-electric Volt to meet Cali requirements? How about no battery?

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Technology, Chevrolet, GM

The hopes and dreams of electric car aficionados for a purely battery powered successor to the late, lamented EV1 may soon be satisfied. Or not. It all depends on ... you guessed it, the battery. However, the latest utterings from Maximum Bob have people buzzing again. Mr. Lutz spoke to EV site PetroZero the other day and intimated that a purely battery-powered variant of the upcoming Volt is a possibility, leaving the range extender on the cutting room floor. This is actually not a new idea and dates back to the earliest dates of the Volt program. During a media briefing back in December 2006 several weeks before the Volt's public release, the Volt team showed us images like the one above that included several different powertrain configurations. The premise was to demonstrate the flexibility part of E-Flex. This included a variant with a larger battery and no engine to charge it. This pure EV was described as something that could be built if and when the range and more importantly the cost of the battery reaches a point where it could be successful in the market. Ditching the battery. on the other hand, won't happen because the inefficiencies inherent in transforming from mechanical to electrical to mechanical power without a battery to store regen energy and grid power just wouldn't make sense.

Finally, the PetroZero article indicates that Lutz will be driving the first Volt prototype within the next week. Lutz's use of the word prototype rather than mule led the author to believe this was an actual car with Volt bodywork. We checked with GM's Rob Peterson, who confirmed that such actual prototypes are still many months away and Lutz would actually be driving the Malibu-bodied mule that is now running with a lithium ion pack installed.

[Source: PetroZero via AutoblogGreen]

GM considering all-electric Volt to meet Cali requirements? How about no battery? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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