It’s no surprise. Not only is the Chevrolet Volt easily one of GM’s most ambitious projects (new technology, short timeline), but we have also been hearing many rumors that the European Opel brand will get its own version of the gas/electric hybrid. So, very few were surprised at the official announcement from General Motors at the Paris Auto Show that Opel’s Volt will arrive in 2011 (Chevrolet’s will debut in 2010.)
"Since fuel economy and the whole issue of ecological driving is as important in Europe as it is in North America, we made a decision that we’re going to trail the North American Volt with an Opel version of that vehicle in the 2011 time frame," said Hans Demant, managing director of Opel.
Opel will utilize the technology and powertrain from Chevy’s Volt, but says it will likely change the design for its customers. The final product will likely still look a lot like the Volt considering the final shape was chosen for its low aerodynamic drag.
Bob Lutz is a man in demand. After our interview time with him about the Chevrolet Volt, Lutz was quickly whisked away to go to New York. At first we didn’t know exactly why, but now its clear we were the warm up interview for Stephen Colbert.
General Motors spent a lot of time, money and political capital in the Chevy Volt. The car that started out as just another concept last year has become the company’s springboard for its second hundred years. In fact, in the time GM set aside to talk to the press about its 100th anniversary, almost all of the occasion was taken up by information on the Volt.
With this in mind, it is worth going through a detailed breakdown of what GM wants you to know, including what it has accomplished and what GM still has to complete on its Volt.
Full article after the jump
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Most car companies usually do not reveal too much about their new cars before they are for sale, and General Motors is no exception. But when you’re Bob Lutz, the rockstar of the automotive world, and the Volt is like having a new album, then it’s time to promote. GM is doing an uncharacteristically large amount of press well before the production Volt hits the showrooms in late 2010. Lutz sat down with a few Journalists including TopSpeed to explain why the Volt turned out like it did, and what to expect between now and when it hits the showrooms.
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General Motors officially turns 100 years old today, and as expected, the production version of the Volt was given its first public showing. GM’s Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner introduced the vehicle, while Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz was given the honor of driving it on stage.
The exterior of the car was faithful to preliminary reports and spy shots. Although the look has changed from the concept, it still carries the same overall effect of the car that GM has been showing since last year. The interior’s mostly white backlight dash does look iPod inspired as first reported. There is no new news about the drivetrain make up of the car that should go 40 miles on a battery charge.
Keep looking at TopSpeed all this week for more details on products and news from GM’s 100th anniversary.
After thousands of spy shots, rumors and speculations, GM has finally revealed the 2011 Volt production version. The official unveiling was held in Detroit and celebrated GM’s 100 anniversary.
The Volt uses electricity to move the wheels at all times and speeds. For trips up to 40 miles, the Volt is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. When the battery’s energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator seamlessly provides electricity to power the Volt’s electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This mode of operation extends the range of the Volt for several hundred additional miles, until the vehicle’s battery can be charged. Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Volt eliminates "range anxiety," giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.
The Chevrolet Volt can be plugged either into a standard household 120v outlet or use 240v for charging. The vehicle’s intelligent charging technology enables the Volt’s battery to be charged in less than three hours on a 240v outlet or about eight hours on a 120v outlet. Charge times are reduced if the battery has not been fully depleted. At a cost of about 80 cents per day (10 cents per kWh) for a full charge that will deliver up to 40 miles of electric driving, GM estimates that the Volt will be less expensive to recharge than purchasing a cup of your favorite coffee. Charging the Volt about once daily will consume less electric energy annually than the average home’s refrigerator and freezer units.
According to GM’s preliminary specification, the 2011 Volt’s electric drive unit delivers 150 hp and 273 lbs-ft of torque. It is capable of a top speed of 100 mph.
Press release after the jump.
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The embargo has been broken: the first official images of the Volt production version have been revealed on the internet. Stay tuned! More details and images will follow this week and the official unveiling is possible for the next Tuesday.
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Previous rumors said that GM will show a near-production version of the Volt will be revealed to the employees this month. But Automotive News reported today that a production model of the Chevrolet Volt gas/electric vehicle will be revealed next week to both employees and media at GM headquarters in Detroit. The TopSpeed Team will be at GM headquarters to cover the event.
On September 16th, GM will celebrate its 100th anniversary and the production Volt will be revealed to celebrate the event. "The rumors that a production version of the Volt will show up at the celebrations are true," a GM source told Automotive News Europe. "The car will be a true representation of what the production version looks like and be somewhat different from the concept versions."
Speaking at the London auto show in July, Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of global product development, said, "A production model will be showing this fall, but not at Paris (auto show)." Preproduction models of the Volt will be built next year and full production should begin in 2010. A European version will follow in 2011.
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