GM's credibility gets energy boost from the Chevy Volt plug-in electric car

January 10, 6:21 PMGreen Car ExaminerEvelyn Kanter

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GM's first plug-in electric is still at least a year away, but the Chevrolet Volt is a crucial part of GM's future survival.

GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz --  the same guy who pilots a MIG jet fighter for relaxation, the same guy who a few years ago raved about the potential of a 16-cylinder Tomahawk concept motorcycle he was unveiling -- now is squarely behind the Volt and pushing its production. 

Here's what he says about the on-going research and development of this revolutionary -- for GM -- vehicle, on the Chevrolet Volt blog --

"We have moved on to the next phase of engineering development for the vehicle. That means that we’ve moved from the Volt test mules using previous-generation Malibu bodies (affectionately known as “MaliVolts”) to test vehicles using vehicles from our next-generation global compact car architecture.  It instantly feels several price classes higher than what it actually is, due to the level of refinement."

Okay, Bob, enough with the corporate-speak.  What's happening with the Volt?  It's been a couple of years now since it was introduced -- with great fanfare -- as a concept. 

It's still a concept, and still due to be introduced in 2010, as a plug-in electric.  But unlike other plug-ins, like the GEM electric and the Mitsubishi MiEV, which are pure electric plug-ins, the Volt is a unique plug-in hybrid.  Huh? 

For trips up to 40 miles, the Volt is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. When the battery's energy is drained,  a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator kicks in to  to power the Volt's electric drive unit while it also charges the battery.  Like a regular hybrid, or the 'limp home' mode on your run-flat tires.  This energy kick can take you several hundred additional miles, until you can get to an electrical outlet to recharge the vehicle's battery.  

This will be a big selling point -- the Volt eliminates what GM is calling "range anxiety," giving drivers the confidence and peace of mind that you won't be stranded out of juice and without an extension cord.  And the NAV system will help you get to an outlet in time.

The Chevrolet Volt can be plugged either into a standard household 120v outlet or a heavy-duty 240v for charging. It will re-charge in less than three hours on a 240v outlet or about eight hours on a 120v outlet, or less if the battery has not been fully pooped out.  Depending on what your friendly local utility company charges for electricity, it could cost you around 80 cents  for a full charge that will deliver up to 40 miles of electric driving.  That's less than a small Starbucks super duper latte whatever.  GM estimates that charging the Volt every day will eat up less electric energy annually than the average home's refrigerator and freezer units.

So let's go already.  Let's get this thing on the road already -- the thing that GM says will deliver the equivalent of 150 horsepower and a top speed of 100 mph from around 200 lithium-ion battery cells.   Show me what you can do with a bunch of billion dollars of my taxpayer-funded bail-out bucks.

Photo courtesy General Motors