Reference Auto

General Motors (GM) is set to surge ahead in electric vehicle technology when it rolls out the new Chevrolet Volt, that can generate its own electricity, in the US market.

Although electric vehicles have revolutionised car technology, there is one bump that was hindering their progress: the problem of recharge in case long distances needed to be travelled. But with GM leapfrogging with the new technology, things could change. In fact, the ability of the Volt to generate electricity could pave the way for an electric car not needing a recharge at all!

However, it may be hard for the average citizen to flock for the Volt as it could come with a whopping price tag of $41,000.

There is a 1.4L generator that charges the battery while driving and allows a driver to travel over 300 miles at one go. A diesel variant of the Volt is slated for launch in about two years.

For 40 to 80 km, the Volt is fuelled by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery is exhausted, a 1.4-litre gas-powered engine/generator propels the Volt till about 500 km on a full tank.

There are a litany of safety features such as airbags and StabiliTrak present in the Chevrolet Volt. Parking is almost effortless with features such as front and rear parking aid with camera. The electric car can reach maximum speed of 100 mph. While speeding, there is no need to worry as the electro-hydraulic brakes allow the driver to take total control of the speed.

Some other features include: touch-sensitive infotainment system, movie player backed up by 60 GB hard disk Bluetooth, humidity sensor, automatic climate control, keyless ignition, high resolution 7” coloured LCD instrument cluster display, navigation radio, DVD and mp3 player, among others.

GM is set to achieve the feat of producing the first electric vehicle that will witness mass production in the US. The Volt can be driven for over 40 miles at a stretch on one charge and its 16 kWh battery is a liquid-cooled one. Since it accepts 120-240 VAC, there is no need to worry about charging as it can be done anywhere.

According to president Chevrolet (Europe), the Volt is all set to make electric driving intuitive and fun. Recently, Chevrolet Volt’s semi-finished models were taken to the Michigan unit’s assembly line, which is a clear signal that the car is all set for commercial launch. The new Volt is likely to be rolled out in the US towards the year end and hit Europe’s roads early next year.

GM is currently making semi-finished electric cars and plans to deliver them in November next year. Chevrolet Volt is an emission-free car that will have to vie with the Nissan Leaf in the US market. Chevrolet may hope that the Volt will see car buffs make a beeline, especially in the wake of stringent pollution norms in the US, and if that happens, GM will have to scale up production in a big way to meet demand.

Though the Chevrolet Volt may take GM miles ahead in technology, the steep price is likely to be the only factor that can come in the way of the Volt and its customer.