The new Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt – electric vehicle with extended range

Introducing the Chevrolet Volt

“From its core to its aesthetics, the Volt is all about making the electric driving experience one that is as intuitive, fun, and instinctive as any other vehicle its size out there today.” Wayne Brannon – President Chevrolet Europe

Arriving at the end of 2010 in the US and in 2011 in Europe, the new Chevrolet Volt won’t be just a new car, it will be an entirely new class of electric car. It’s the first electric vehicle that can create its own electricity.

The Volt’s state of the art liquid-cooled battery is backed up by an onboard 1.4L generator that can charge the battery while driving to extend Volt’s range to more than 300 miles.

Here’s how it works: plug it into a standard 230V outlet, let it charge for up to three hours, and then it’s ready for up to 37 emission-free miles. After that, the Volt – and more importantly you - can keep on going thanks to the range-extending generator.

The Volt’s sleek design and innovative technology has made it one of the most talked about future cars, stimulating as many questions as it does answers.

The Volt at a glance

• Vehicle type: 5-door, 4-passenger front-wheel drive
• Battery: 16kWh lithium-ion liquid-cooled rechargeable battery
• Battery range: up to 37 miles1
• Battery charge time: less than 3 hours1
• Total range: more than 300 miles (using onboard generator)1
• Generator: runs at constant rpm
• Brakes: Electro-hydraulic, regenerative front/rear ventilated discs with ABS
• Tyres: Goodyear “Fuel Max” low-resistance
• CO2 emissions for the first 37 miles: 0 g/100 miles: 0 g/100 km1
• Top speed: 100 mph1
• Power: 111kW / 150hp1
• Torque: 370 Nm1 - instant torque

From concept to production – the story of the Volt

The brief for the Chevrolet Volt was clear from the start:

• Build an emissions-free car for today’s real drivers and their needs
• Make it uniquely able to create its own electricity and keep going beyond its battery range
• Give it dynamic ride and handling characteristics
• Include safety features like airbags, StabiliTrak, along with innovative features like front and rear parking aid with camera
• Exceed expectations in terms of luxury, interior fit & finish, comfort, design aesthetics and technology to make the Volt extremely fun to drive and fun to own

In other words, Volt had to be engineered as the best solution for modern drivers with a revolutionary electric power source, world-class handling and interior comfort.

As the Volt’s design advanced, so did its technology. A new type of lithium-ion battery pack was combined with a small 1.4L petrol generator to provide charging while driving. This generator’s role was to recharge the battery by creating its own electricity, allowing Volt to move way beyond the kind of range-limitation that affects electric-only vehicles.

Aerodynamics also played a huge role in the fine-tuning of the Volt during its journey from concept car to production model. Thousands of hours of aerodynamic testing — the most in Chevrolet’s history — also allowed designers to minimize wind resistance and drag, refining the Volt’s shape to push fuel economy even higher.

Take a look inside

“We’ve designed the Volt to have best-in-class quality, outstanding presence, premium features throughout, and an interior that’s second-to-none” - Andrew Farah, Vehicle Chief Engineer

Inside, the Volt exceeds expectations of space, comfort, convenience and equipment – including an industry first touch-sensitive infotainment system on the centre console.  And it delivers them in a variety of interior colours, lighting and trim options. Here are some more of the highlights that set the Volt apart:

• High resolution 7” full colour reconfigurable LCD instrument cluster display
• High-resolution 7” full colour centre console-mounted touchscreen display typically seen on high-end luxury vehicles
• Navigation radio with 60GB hard disk drive with DVD, MP3 playback, music/movie/media storage and RDS
• Bluetooth music streaming and hands-free phone operation
• Bose high-efficiency stereo designed specifically for Volt to deliver the kind of world-class audio-acoustics expected from Bose, with minimum energy consumption, 6 speakers and subwoofer
• Keyless ignition with intuitive pulsating power button and audio feedback/chirp
• Automatic climate control with humidity sensor
• Remote vehicle starter system to allow for a pre-cooled or pre-heated cabin (including the heated seats - an industry first)

Volt – four different driving modes

Depending on where you are and what you’re doing, the Volt’s four driving modes mean it can adapt and offer you an optimal response – and even save you money:

• Normal – the mode you’ll use most of the time
• Sport – the mode for more aggressive driving
• Mountain – when you’re in extremely hilly areas, this mode optimizes the driving experience accordingly
• Hold – this mode, designed specifically for Europe, allows you to operate in extended-range mode and hold the battery’s charge, so that you can decide when you need to run at 0-emissions. It’s great for some of the major European cities that charge tolls according to your vehicle’s emissions

Volt – regenerative braking

Volt’s regenerative braking allows the car to recapture energy while it’s in motion, boosting the duration of the battery charge and, in turn, the car’s range.

Chevrolet Volt - saving you money

Volt is the best choice for today’s environmentally-conscious motorists: complete mobility on the one hand and environmental responsibility on the other, with the added benefit of lower running costs.

And then there’s the financial benefit: Chevrolet Volt will cost you around 0.03p per mile. On a full charge, you can expect to drive up to 37 miles. That’s 37 miles of extremely affordable electric driving. Seen across a whole year, the Volt costs no more to fuel than a standard household appliance.