Chevy Volt unveiled

Until recently, only Toyota, Honda and Ford sold gas/electric hybrid vehicle in the U.S. It was in November last year that General Motors announced its intention to produce a Plug-in Hybrid SUV.

GM today unveiled the the Chevrolet Volt at the Detroit’s North American International Auto Show.

The car uses what GM calls E-FLEX technology - GM’s next-generation electric propulsion system. The Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range.

The Volt is called a plug-in hybrid because its batteries can be charged from a standard household outlet. It can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the Volt can go 40 city miles. When the battery is depleted, a tiny 1L, three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine spins at a constant speed to create electricity and replenish the battery.Thus, the car would never run out of electricity, even if driven around the clock. The engine functions solely to power an on-board generator.

In addition, the Chevrolet Volt is designed to run on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per petroleum gallon.

Would love to see this vehicle becoming a reality rather then just remain a concept.

Related Links:
- GM Seeks Green Cred With Chevy Volt
- GM shows Chevy plug-in concept
- GM unveils Volt plug-in concept
- The Story of the Volt


Tags: Chevrolet E-FLEX Hybrid car Volt