The Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Hybrid

The upcoming Chevy Volt is a serial hybrid-electric plug-in vehicle. This means that the electric motor does all the work and that the combustion engine only provides juice when the battery bank is depleted. A great idea for a motor vehicle, but not original. In the late 90's, GM announced a concept serial hybrid named the Impact and then later the EV1. You can see a picture of it here. Instead of wasting the past 12 years, GM could have been producing and refining this beauty. Imagine where we would be today if GM had stayed the course and not buckled under the iron fist of Big Oil.

Nevertheless, if GM will actually market and produce these cars, it will be a smashing success. Imagine being able to drive 40 miles each day without using a drop of gasoline. I have been imagining it for years but the auto manufacturers have let me down. By the end of 2010, GM tells us the Chevy Volt will hit the showrooms, but of course it will be in limited quantities. I want the Volt today and I want a choice of colors in my dealer's showroom!

From the GM Volt website:

The Extended-Range Electric Vehicle that is redefining the automotive world is no longer just a rumor. In fact, its propulsion system is so revolutionary, it's unlike any other vehicle or electric car that's ever been introduced. And we're making this remarkable vision a reality, so that one day you'll have the freedom to drive gas-free.

Chevy Volt is designed to move more than 75 percent of America's daily commuters without a single drop of gas.(2) That means for someone who drives less than 40 miles a day, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.(1)

Unlike traditional electric cars, Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It will use a lithium-ion battery with a gasoline-powered, range-extending engine that drives a generator to provide electric power when you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range.

Chevy Volt. Fully charged 2010.

“We have devoted significant resources to this project: Over 200 engineers and 50 designers are working on the Volt alone, and another 400 are working on related subsystems and electric components. That's how important we think this is, and that's how much stock we place in the future of extended-range electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt.”

--- Tony Posawatz, Vehicle Line Director