On the 16th September 2008, almost 160 years after their first automobile invention, GM has unveiled an extended range, mass-produced, electric vehicle. In fact, GM has created a new class of vehicle known as the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or E-REV.
It is aptly called the Chevrolet Volt and uses lithium ion battery cells, 220 of them giving it a 16kWh battery for a 40-mile drive (64kms) on purely electric power. Once you run out of electric oomph there is a four-cylinder, 80hp internal combustion engine for extending your driving range. The gasoline/E85-powered engine generator provides electricity to power the Volt's electric drive unit while sustaining the battery charge.
The Volt’s 150hp electric motor will get you to 60mph in around 9 seconds and it is spacious enough that you can take three friends with you for an eco-friendly drive, plus their baggage. The Volt recharges in 3hours at 240V or around 8 hours at 110V. A green rechargeable option is to put solar panels on your garage roof and charge your extended range EV with renewable power during the day. Currently, more than 50% of American electricity is generated from coal burning plants according to Time Magazine.
GM estimates the Volt will cost about 2 cents per mile on electric power (based on 10 cents a kwh for the electric charge in the US), versus about 12 cents per mile for gas at $3.60 per gallon (assuming a 30mpg consumption). For Canadians living in BC with hydro rates at 7.2 cents/kwh and an estimated 10.6 cents per km for 1.35C$/litre of gas, if you drive 20,000kms a year and less than 64kms in a day using only the electric power, you could save 1940C$ on your driving costs. However there is no firm word on the proposed cost of the Volt, news reports are estimating between $30,000-$40,000.
Production is meant to be sometime in late 2010 for the US and is expected to help turn around GM after a bad last few years. The Associated Press reported that GM lost $57.5 billion in the past two years. The manufacturer of the HUMMER and numerous trucks and SUVs just might be finally admitting it is the green way or the highway for American automakers.
Visit: http://gm-volt.com/
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