The car plugs into your house current for it's charges. After 40 miles, a small 4-cylinder internal combustion engine using premium-grade gasoline creates electricity on-board using a 55 kW (74 hp) generator to extend the Volt's range to more than 300 miles. Unlike most current commercially available hybrid electric vehicles, the Volt is a series hybrid and thus actual propulsion is accomplished exclusively by the electric motor. In order to avoid maintenance problems caused by the same gasoline stored in the tank for months, the Volt has a sealed and pressurized fuel tank to avoid evaporation, and as a result, the fuel filler has to be depressurized before opening the tank. As part of General Motors' most recent S1 filing with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission, the company made the statement that the Volt's all-electric range will vary from 25 to 50 miles depending on terrain, driving technique, temperature and battery age.
In the first unmonitored real world drive, Popular Mechanics achieved an EV range of around 33 miles. When the car's batteries were depleted and it was in "charge sustaining mode," city fuel consumption of 32 mpg and a highway fuel consumption of 36 mpg on premium gasoline.
The Volt will be initially sold in seven regions: California, Washington DC, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Austin, Texas. Nationwide availability in the U.S. and Canada is scheduled to begin in one year to 18 months after the initial launch.
Here are the highlights that caught my eye:
1... The price tag is $41,00. ( more expensive than a BMW Z-4) However, The Volt is currently eligible for a US$7,500 U.S. federal tax credit and other benefits available in some locations.
2... For that money, you only get a three-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. However, the battery is warranted to 100,000 miles. In other words, after the car has fallen apart, you still have good batteries.
3... A "real world" 33-36 mpg isn't much for 41 grand.
4... You're stuck driving a car that is programmed to make artificial noises while driving on city streets to warn pedestrians, because otherwise the car is completely silent. I can see people hacking into that sound program in the future and instead of car sounds ... Oldies... Rap.... fart sounds.... who knows?
5 ... As the Wall Street Journal stated: "It is wise that the companies limit production. Except for consumers who want to say that they have one of these wonders of science and ingenuity in their driveways, the vehicles are nearly useless."
http://247wallst.com/2010/07/28/gms-vol ... z1234XtQRq
