In Brief

      
“We have significantly expanded our commitment to electrically-driven vehicles at GM, and are now in the midst of an extraordinary transformation,” Robert Lutz, the Vice Chairman of Global Product Development at GM, said in a speech at the Los Ageles Auto show, December 2009. Lutz went on to say, “GM is moving from a company that, for 100 years, has been based on mechanically driven automobiles, to one that will eventually be focused on electrically driven vehicles. This is a big deal”.

The Volt is not pure electric and has a petrol generator which recharges the batteries after the first 65kms. Unlike most current hybrids this means the Volt’s propulsion is powered exclusively by the electric motor. As 75% Americans daily use of a vehicles is less than 65kms (average is 53kms), many will drive this plug-in hybrid on an electric basis only and not use the petrol generator.

The Volt was unveiled in August 2009 and deployment is planned for California in 2010. It has been reported that GM will team up with three utilities and install 500 charge stations for residential, commercial and public use.

GM has also stated that a European version of the Volt (the Opal Ampera) and an Australian version (Holden) will be available in 2011 and 2012 respectively.



Click here for the Volt website.