Saturday, March 8, 2014

2016 Chevy Volt To Debut With New Look, Platform

volt-concept

Rumor has it that next year, GM will debut an all-new 2016 Chevy Volt that gets a new look and a new front-wheel drive platform. Combined with other rumors, such as an all-new three-cylinder generator and a potential 200-mile range, the second-generation Volt is shaping up to be a real contender.
Edmunds cited an unnamed source that says next year GM is going to reveal the 2016 Volt with a different, but not dramatically restyled look. It should still look like a Volt, I guess? More important though is the announcement that the 2016 Chevy Volt will debut on an all-new front-drive platform. Hopefully this new platform is more conducive to the Volt’s battery layout, though the current layout has already racked up hundreds of millions of electric driving miles.
So while I’m at it, let’s look at a round-up of other next-gen Volt rumors. The one I put the most stock in is the rumor of a new, three-cylinder engine to serve as the generator. That should give it better fuel economy and running efficiency, while shaving some weight at the same time.
Less likely is the rumor that the next-gen Volt will have an enormous increase in driving range, such as 200-miles some rumors seem to suggest. Even 100 miles would probably be a stretch, though I’m willing to bet GM will up the electric-only range to over 50 miles. That would give the Volt a lot more versatility, even if the price stays about the same.
Other than that, I don’t think GM is planning to rock the plug-in hybrid too much. The Volt has proven a steady seller, if not a break-out success, and if GM can find way to shave costs while improving performance, it might convert more believers to the hybrid flock.


Source: Edmunds

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