GM plans upgrades to Chevy Volt throughout lifecycle

One intriguing prospect of GM's upcoming Voltec technology -- the drivetrain used on the 2010 Chevrolet Volt -- is the ability to drastically alter the vehicle's dynamics through a software update. Such improvements will be implemented on the fly and they won't need to wait until further versions of the vehicle are introduced. Future implementations of the Voltec powertrain will likely appear in higher-end vehicles, as foreshadowed by the Cadillac Converj concept from this year's Detroit Auto Show.

When the time finally does come to introduce a second generation of the Chevy Volt, the biggest area of improvement may be made to the battery pack. In lieu of crafting a pack that allows for more electric-only range, GM's engineers will reportedly focus on reducing its size and cost. Since the battery is easily the most expensive single piece of the Voltec pie, this should help GM turn a profit on the second-gen. Volt.

[Source: Reuters]