Yes, it is true that the Chevrolet Volt is one of the most anticipated cars in years. I for one am very excited about getting them here at Classic Chevrolet. I know many others are as well because our phones do not stop ringing with orders and questions. It’s a very exciting time in the world of GM and Chevrolet. I was doing some light reading this morning and came across a story from USA Today about the women that are behind the Chevrolet Volt and it was inspiring. Every time I read about this car I get more and more excited. It’s the same feeling I got right before the newly designed Camaro was finally available for purchase and we all know how great that car was for Chevrolet and GM. I wanted to share this story with you and get your thoughts on it as well. Are you excited about the Chevrolet Volt? For those of you that are be rest assured that your Texas Chevy dealer will keep you posted on the latest news regarding the Chevrolet Volt and we will let you know when you can come check one out here at our store.
The most eagerly awaited car of the year is the Chevrolet Volt, the first next-generation extended-range electric car to hit the road. General Motors has a lot riding on the car, and it took a lot of workers to make it. Many of them were women in what has been traditionally the boy’s club that was yesterday’s auto industry. GM pulled together some biographies of some of the key women involved in the design of the Volt. Interestingly, each one is a mom. Here is what GM wrote about them:
Design – Nina Tortosa, pictured above, is the lead aerodynamicist on the Volt team. Her team has spent more than 500 hours of time in the wind tunnel with the Volt, often testing and tweaking changes in 1 millimeter increments. While their work is done in small measures, the cumulative impact is significant: Nina estimates that aerodynamic development on the Volt extended the electric-only range by almost seven miles at highway speeds. She has two children, ages four and five. Nina was born in Barcelona, Spain, and graduated from Mounds View High School, just outside Minneapolis.
Infrastructure - Britta Gross is director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization. She is working to prepare utilities and to get communities across the country “plug-in ready,” not just for Volt but for the wave of electric vehicles predicted to be on the horizon (Global Insight estimates that plug-in electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles could represent 20 to 60 percent of the market by 2030). This includes working with state and local governments on purchase incentives, with utilities to develop smart-grid and smart-charging technologies, and companies and municipalities to iron out home charging processes and to install charging stations at work places. Britta has two children, age 12 and 17; growing up, she lived in Kansas City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge.
Powertrain - Pamela Fletcher is the chief engineer for Volt and Plug-In Hybrid Propulsion Systems. She is responsible for the integration of the propulsion system components, including the lithium-ion battery pack, electric motors, and onboard engine generator, to ensure the cars meet customer expectations and business requirements. For the Volt this means creating an electric car with extended-range capability. Pamela has three children, ranging from 24 to 27 years of age; she grew up in Sarahsville, Ohio.
Marketing- Cristi Landy is the Volt product marketing manager. Cristi holds a degree in electrical engineering, and was part of the team that developed the Volt Concept in 2006. Currently, she acts as a liaison between Engineering and Marketing. As an example, Cristi helped identify the features and capabilities of the smart-phone application for Volt owners. This feature allows the driver to remotely heat/cool the cabin while the Volt is still plugged into the wall charger. This is much more efficient that using power from the battery for heat or air conditioning, extending the electric-only range of the Volt. Cristi has twin boys, age 10; growing up, she lived in Brookfield, Wis., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Manufacturing – Teri Quigley, pictured below, is the plant manager at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly. Teri is responsible for preparing the plant and executing the launch of the Chevrolet Volt on the same assembly line as the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne. This includes production changes to accommodate the installation of the Volt’s unique powertrain, including the training and safety protocols to install the Volt’s six-foot long, 400-pound lithium ion battery pack. Teri has four children, ranging in age from 14 to 26, and has two grandchildren; she grew up in Dexter, Mich.
I thought you guys might like to meet the new electric car from GM. Introducing the all new 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Personally I am very excited about this new car and can’t wait to see what other people think about it. This is a different direction for GM and this much anticipated car is on a lot of peoples minds right now. Check out these figures courtesy of Consumer Reports.
The Chevrolet Volt is one of the most-hyped cars expected to debut this year, with all-new drivetrain technology that General Motors has termed EREV, translated as “extended-range electric vehicle.”
Yesterday, the company brought two examples up to our test track, along with several engineers to explain the car, point out its new features, and allow the staff to get behind the wheel. GM drove the two cars to our Connecticut Auto Test Center from Milford, Michigan—a trip of about 750 miles.
The Volt’s electric drive motor is rated at 110 kW, equivalent to about 150 hp. It uses another motor/generator—GM engineers call this an “electric machine”—connected to the gas engine rated at 50 kW. This is used to start the engine and also provides electrical power to drive the vehicle when the battery is depleted. The gas engine is a 1.4-liter four cylinder similar to the Chevrolet Cruze base engine, though configured for this unique application.
The Volt uses about half the capacity of its 16 kWh lithium-ion battery. This ensures good durability of the battery pack and provides extra boost than can be delivered from the engine-driven generator so the driver sees/feels no difference between EV mode and gas engine. To maximize the battery’s life expectancy, the battery is never allowed to run completely down, nor is it ever allowed to take a maximum charge.
On long up hills, such as what you might experience climbing the Rocky Mountains, if that battery reserve is used up, the car’s power may be reduced to what’s available from the generator. GM engineers say there are only seven or eight such grades in the United States, and they have designed the car to be able to maintain the speed limit on these roads. The car has a “mountain mode,” which will increase the size of the battery reserve to assure there is enough power to maintain speed even on the longest, steepest hills. The trade off is reduced range.
GM has said before that the car will have a 300-mile overall range (including 40 miles on pure electric), but they have never before disclosed the capacity of the gasoline fuel tank. It will likely hold about nine gallons, in which case the range based on these figures would be well above 300 miles. The tank will be pressurized, so it will take a few seconds for the fuel door to pop open.
The Volt comes with a 20-foot, 110-volt charge cord. When plugged in, the car’s on-board charger tests the circuit to ensure that the house system is safe to connect to. A yellow light shows on top of the dashboard while the circuit is being tested. Once it passes, the car-horn chirps briefly, and the light turns green. If it fails the test, the light stays yellow, and the charger unit indicator lights show a fault.
Volt owners will receive OnStar for free for an extended period. Dedicated OnStar agents will be able to answer a wide range of questions about using an electric car. In addition, OnStar will automatically work with any Volt buyer to help arrange installation of an appropriate 240-volt electrical outlet for home charging.
GM is also building an app for iPhone and Android smartphones that will interface with the Volt to control and set up charging. It will also be able to interact with OnStar. Perhaps most significantly, Volt customers will be able to download their electric utility rates, and the software in the car will automatically set the car to charge when energy rates are lowest. The car can then notify a phone when the charge is complete.
GM says it will take four hours to fully charge a Volt from a 220-volt designated charger, which will need to be professionally installed at your house (at an extra cost), or about 10 hours on a standard 20-amp, 110-volt outlet.
The four-passenger Volt has individual seats in the rear that fold down, as the large “T” shaped battery takes up the space between the back seats.
The white, iPod-like center stack will also be available in gray and nearly all the switches are touch sensitive like an iPod and have a click sound associated with them.
The most common reaction to driving the Volt is that it is quiet and the linear power delivery provides good acceleration, but the sedan feels heavy in the corners. It weighs about 3,800 pounds, making it porky for a car of this size.
The Volt will initially be sold in Los Angeles; Washington, DC; and Michigan in November. Within about a year, GM plans to have them available at select dealers nationwide. Chevrolet is expected to announce the price this summer. Overall, it’s an impressive piece of technology, but the proof will be how it performs in the real world. We look forward to buying our own Volt and putting it through our full test regimen once it goes on sale. —Eric Evarts
Want to see it in action? Check out the video.
I am not sure what dealerships in Texas are going to get this car when it goes live but you can guarantee that your Fort Worth Chevy dealer will keep you posted.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
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Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at hagen@classicchevytexas.com
Yes, it is true that the Chevrolet Volt is one of the most anticipated cars in years. I for one am very excited about getting them here at Classic Chevrolet. I know many others are as well because our phones do not stop ringing with orders and questions. It’s a very exciting time in the world of GM and Chevrolet. I was doing some light reading this morning and came across a story from USA Today about the women that are behind the Chevrolet Volt and it was inspiring. Every time I read about this car I get more and more excited. It’s the same feeling I got right before the newly designed Camaro was finally available for purchase and we all know how great that car was for Chevrolet and GM. I wanted to share this story with you and get your thoughts on it as well. Are you excited about the Chevrolet Volt? For those of you that are be rest assured that your Texas Chevy dealer will keep you posted on the latest news regarding the Chevrolet Volt and we will let you know when you can come check one out here at our store.Infrastructure - Britta Gross is director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization. She is working to prepare utilities and to get communities across the country “plug-in ready,” not just for Volt but for the wave of electric vehicles predicted to be on the horizon (Global Insight estimates that plug-in electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles could represent 20 to 60 percent of the market by 2030). This includes working with state and local governments on purchase incentives, with utilities to develop smart-grid and smart-charging technologies, and companies and municipalities to iron out home charging processes and to install charging stations at work places. Britta has two children, age 12 and 17; growing up, she lived in Kansas City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge.
Powertrain - Pamela Fletcher is the chief engineer for Volt and Plug-In Hybrid Propulsion Systems. She is responsible for the integration of the propulsion system components, including the lithium-ion battery pack, electric motors, and onboard engine generator, to ensure the cars meet customer expectations and business requirements. For the Volt this means creating an electric car with extended-range capability. Pamela has three children, ranging from 24 to 27 years of age; she grew up in Sarahsville, Ohio.
Marketing - Cristi Landy is the Volt product marketing manager. Cristi holds a degree in electrical engineering, and was part of the team that developed the Volt Concept in 2006. Currently, she acts as a liaison between Engineering and Marketing. As an example, Cristi helped identify the features and capabilities of the smart-phone application for Volt owners. This feature allows the driver to remotely heat/cool the cabin while the Volt is still plugged into the wall charger. This is much more efficient that using power from the battery for heat or air conditioning, extending the electric-only range of the Volt. Cristi has twin boys, age 10; growing up, she lived in Brookfield, Wis., and Jacksonville, Fla.
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