GM begins pre-production of the Chevy Volt

Chevrolet revealed the Volt Electric Vehicle as a concept back at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The first pre-production Volts have already rolled off the assembly line. Most of these vehicles will be used for the testing purposes and in order to validate the vehicle’s production quality and design efficiency. These pre-production models will also be used to develop the final software and controls for the new vehicle, including the way that the driver interacts with the new EV. Like all test vehicles, some will have short lives, as they’ll be crash tested after the GM engineers have run every test possible on them. Everything from endurance testing, to battery and drive train interface examinations, the design team will even go so far as to test the windshield wipers and the doors ability to be opened and slammed over and over again.

Approximately 80 of the extended-range electric vehicles will be produced over the next year or so, putting General Motors ahead of their pre-production deadlines for the electrifying automobile. The American automaker hopes to start producing road going Chevrolet Volts for retail sales by the end of Fall 2010.