|  General Motors has unveiled the Chevrolet Volt concept, the company's first plug-in hybrid vehicle, at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Chevrolet Volt concept is the first vehicle to use GM's new E-flex family of propulsion systems. GM claims the Volt delivers triple-digit fuel economy and can travel up to 640 miles without a fuel fill-up or a battery recharge.
The Chevrolet Volt concept sedan, powered by the E-flex System - GM's next-generation electric propulsion system - and sporting an aggressive, athletic design, could nearly eliminate trips to the gas station. The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range.
The lithium-ion battery in the Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours per day. When it is fully charged, the Volt offers a driving range of 40 miles. To increase the useful range of the Volt, it includes a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that operates at a constant speed to create electricity and charge the battery. The engine is designed to run on E85 fuel, which is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The engine does not power the vehicle, it is only used to produce electricity to recharge the battery and only the electric motor powers the vehicle.
The Volt conveys an immediate message of agility and sophistication, with exterior proportions more commonly associated with classic sports cars. Twenty-one-inch wheels and sheer, taut surface relationships reiterate the statement. The Chevrolet Volt’s athletic design challenges the notion that an environmentally conscious vehicle can’t be beautiful and possess an aesthetic spirit that matches its driving characteristics.
The Volt concept sedan carries dimensions similar to a Chevrolet Cobalt, with an overall length of approximately 170 inches (4,318 mm), a height of 52.6 inches (1,336 mm) and a width of 70.5 inches (1,791 mm). However, the Volt’s proportions, dictated by the layout of its electrically driven powertrain system, make it distinctly different from its mainstream Cobalt sibling.
The Volt’s proportions, combined with large wheels, wide front and rear tracks (64 inches / 163 mm, front and rear) and a tight wheel-to-body relationship, enable a sporty, confident stance. Other key proportional highlights include a dash-to-axle length that positions the driver far rearward of the front wheels; large 21-inch by 7.5-inch wheels; short front and rear overhangs and departure angles that deliver a sense of taut, compact energy. Also, the offsets between the upper glass elements and tire planes (the glass is inboard of the face of the tires) contribute to the sedan’s balanced stance and enhance the vehicle’s dynamic static image, resulting in pure, athletic proportions.
The interior environment of the Volt was designed to appeal to an urban dweller who desires a smart, daily-use vehicle, according to Wade Bryant, design director, GM Design.
According to Bryant, the interior team and the exterior designers worked closely together to make the Volt look like one vehicle. Two examples of their collaboration are the dual beltline and the door hinge that’s visible outside of the car. “We designed this as one element that comes inside the door and becomes the interior pull handle,” said Bryant. “It’s all about integration, refinement and thoughtfulness.”
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