GM's Chevy Volt

GM will guarantee the original performance of the Volt pack for that amount of time – in other words it will still have a nominal 40-mile range after 150,000 miles. If it doesn't live up to that spec, the pack will be replaced free of charge. GM will also be posting their videos and photos here. Want to know when the next Volt event will occur, go to the events page . GM as a whole shared that confidence and at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show unveiled an early concept-car version of the Volt. To the surprise of even Lutz, it was the hit of the show.

GM is still wrangling with the Environmental Protection Agency over the vehicle's efficiency, but executives say the final number should be north of 100 mpg for both types of power. GM also confirms it will eventually rid itself of the Hummer, Saab, and Saturn brands, all of which are under strategic review. Hummer and Saab are being shopped around to interested parties?which are few and far between?with Saab possibly entering reorganization as early as next month if a buyer is not found and a bailout deal fails to materialize with the Swedish government. GM looked at 27 different battery companies before choosing to work with these two, and it’s important to understand that not all lithium ion battery technology is equal. For example, Tesla Motors is using the same type of battery that you would find in a laptop, but GM decided to take a different route to avoid the prohibitive cost of this system.

GM anticipates Volt buyers will plug their cars into home electric sockets each evening and then drive more than 40 miles (65 kilometers) a day on the overnight charge. The Volt would thus reduce our nation's petroleum consumption and, presumably, its production of greenhouse gas emissions. GM seems to be perpetually behind the technology curve, and to bet on them getting this right seems foolhardy at best. That being said, there is always that chance that they might surprise me, and if they do that they will do more than make a profit, they will have saved an American icon. GM subjected the Volt to 700 hours in the wind tunnel, as every five counts of drag represents a quarter mile of electric range. For example, a 5-mm lip inserted into the rear spoiler and the streamlined design of the side mirrors add a quarter mile to the Volt?s range.