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Chevrolet’s Volt – a Feasible Electric Vehicle Concept?

Sunday, 07 January 2007 Written by Steve Rothfuss

Chevrolet Volt Concept – Front Quarter

A lot of publicity has been made about the demise of the electric vehicle these days and GM’s role in “pulling the plug” on their pioneering EV1 program. But this year at the North American International Auto Show, General Motors is displaying a possible “next step” for the fabled plug-in cars. Appropriately dubbed the “Volt” – this car features a 161 HP electric motor and a lithium-ion storage pack with 16 kWh of capacity which offers a range of 40 miles on battery power alone.

Once the battery is expended, a turbocharged 71 HP three-cylinder gas motor is used to spin a 53 kW generator, to replenishes the battery pack. GM calls this “range extending” capability, but I see it as an extension of the existing hybrid technology that is found in many cars today like the Toyota Prius. The Volt can also be plugged directly into your 110V-AC outlet at home to charge the battery packs. Currently though, the existing battery technology is seen to be the most limiting factor in making vehicles such as the Volt an honest replacement for the everyday car. That task will most likely fall to the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.