It's the big headline currently on GM's media news site:

"2011 Chevrolet Volt Reinvents Automotive Transportation In A Complete No Compromises Electric Package"

Um, well, no. Even conceding that all engineering projects involve compromise and chalking that phrase up to marketing hyperbole, the Chevy Volt isn't as electric as GM pretends it is. And it isn't as electric as GM has been saying for the past three years. You know, GM statements like this one:

"The Chevrolet Volt is not a hybrid. It is a one-of-a-kind, all-electrically driven vehicle designed and engineered to operate in all climates."

In fact the Chevy Volt is a plug-in hybrid and it has more in common with conventional "series-parallel" hybrids like the Toyota Prius than the marketing hype led us to believe. There are circumstances in which the Volt operates with the internal combustion engine directly driving the front wheels. That's right, like a Prius.

At the heart of the Volt is the "Voltec" propulsion system and the heart of Voltec is the "4ET50" electric drive unit that contains a pair of electric motors and a "multi-mode transaxle with continuously variable capacity." This is how GM describes it:

"Unlike a conventional powertrain, there are no step gears within the unit, and no direct mechanical linkage from the engine, through the drive unit to the wheels."

The 4ET50 is, however, in fact directly bolted to the 1.4-liter, four-cylinder Ecotec internal combustion engine. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery pack runs down, clutches in the 4ET50 engage and the Ecotec engine is lashed to the generator to produce the electric power necessary to drive the car. However, under certain circumstances — speeds near or above 70 mph — the engine will directly drive the front wheels in conjunction with the electric motors.

Source: InsideLine

Late-night comic and "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, who has been courted by General Motors Co. to help build buzz for the Chevrolet Volt, zinged the automaker with a backhanded compliment to the highly anticipated electric car.

GM executives gave Leno a Volt late last year to test drive, but the noted gearhead -- who says he is excited about the Volt launch later this year and hasn't ruled out buying one -- likened the extended-range electric car to an underwhelming compact model being phased out by GM's Chevrolet brand. More in the jump!

"If you didn't know, you might think it's a Cobalt or a Camry," Leno said in an interview with The Detroit News to promote a Saturday charity performance at the Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills. Leno will be inducted into the Walter P. Chrysler Legacy Circle along with former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, NASCAR champion Richard Petty and the late Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner.

"I don't think there's a lot of cachet in having the first one," said Leno, who owns a 17,000-square-foot garage stocked with rare and exotic vehicles. "It's meant to be a people mover, not a people impresser.

"It's not like when you pull into Bob's Big Boy parking lot with the Volt, you're going to open the hood," Leno said, referring to a landmark classic car hotspot in Burbank, Calif.

Yes, you do, GM spokesman Rob Peterson said.

"We've pulled into Bob's Big Boy parking lot, opened the hood and drawn some great attention," he said, noting the Volt was at the diner late last year in conjunction with the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Source: Detroit News

The Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range will provide customers with an unprecedented, standard, eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on its advanced, lithium-ion battery. It is the automotive industry’s longest, most comprehensive battery warranty for an electric vehicle, and is transferable at no cost to other vehicle owners.

“The Chevrolet Volt’s batteries have exceeded our performance targets and are ready to hit the road,” said Micky Bly, GM executive director, global electrical systems. “Our customers are making a commitment to technology that will help reduce our dependence on petroleum. In turn, we are making a commitment to our customers to deliver the highest standards for value, safety, quality, performance and reliability for an unprecedented eight years/100,000 miles.”

The Volt’s comprehensive battery warranty covers all 161 battery components, 95 percent of which are designed and engineered by GM, in addition to the thermal management system, charging system and electric drive components.

Source: GM

Hot on the heels of Tesla Motors making headlines with its initial public offering, the electric-car maker decided to unveil the Tesla Roadster 2.5, and updated version of its popular Roadster electric sports car.

“Although development of the Model S is our main focus, this shows that we still care a great deal about improving the Tesla Roadster,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “These improvements are a direct result of customer feedback and come only a year after release of Roadster 2.0, showing an exceptionally rapid pace of innovation. Where feasible, we will also offer existing customers the ability to purchase the upgrades now available in version 2.5.”

What news for the Tesla Roadster 2.5? First off a new look includes a new front fascia with diffusing vents, a new rear diffuser, directional forged wheels available in both silver and black, new seats with more comfort/lumbar support, power control hardware that enables spirited driving
in exceptionally hot climates, an optional 7″ touchscreen display with a rear back-up camera and interior sound reduction including new front fender liner material make the cabin even quieter.

The Tesla 2.5 Roadster is available for order now.

Source: eGMCarTech

The Chevrolet Volt engineering team is hanging out in the hot deserts of Arizona putting their fuel-sipping baby under hot weather testing.

“While the Volt is designed to operate in all weather and temperature conditions, one of the tests it is undergoing in the desert is the Hot Soak Evaluation, where temperatures inside the cabin can exceed 175 degrees F,” GM said in a statement. The test is done by ‘baking’ the Volt in the sun for several hours, then opening everything in the car, cycle all of the electric accessories, and then taking the car down the ride handling track to check for rattles, squeaks and other noises. More in the jump!

“The car performed well,” said senior durability test engineer Steve Pratt. “The air conditioner cooled things off from our interior temperature of 138 degrees down to a nice comfortable temperature for driving.”

Oh, and if by the trailer hitch seen in the video (posted after the jump) you’re wondering if the Volt will be equipped with handle towing – it won’t. That’s just the engineering team putting the Volt through some weight training via Grade Load testing. The test allows engineers to put stress on the engine and chassis to see how well they will perform while climbing a mountain at temperatures above 100 degrees F.

Refresher: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is powered by 16-kWh, “T”-shaped lithium-ion battery that powers the electric drive unit, which allows it to drive 40 miles on battery power alone. According to GM’s preliminary specs, the system puts out 150-hp and a maximum torque of 273 lb-ft, allowing the Volt to go from 0-60 mph in about 9 seconds, hitting a top speed of 100 mph. The battery can be re-charged by plugging into a household outlet and takes less than 3 hours to recharge on 240 volts, and about 8 hours on a standard 120-volt outlet. The Chevrolet Volt also carries a 1.4 4-clyinder engine that allows the five-door, FWD sedan to travel additional miles while averaging a fuel-economy of 50 mpg. A fully charged battery and full tank of gas will allow the Volt to travel 300 miles.

Source: eGMCarTech

The rumored extended range electric crossover we saw revealed in General Motors' design patent drawings is now a reality. The Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concept will make its debut tomorrow at the Beijing Motor Show, and just as we suspected from seeing Volt design chief Bob Boniface's name on the patent, this five-passenger crossover rides on the same Voltec architecture as the Volt.

The new Chevrolet concept integrates design elements from the Volt, including the headlight, taillamps and grille, with a five-door hatch body style very similar to the larger Orlando and a length about four inches longer than the current HHR.

Propulsion comes from the same 150 horsepower engine and 16 kilowatt-hour battery used in the Volt. However, its larger frontal area and increased drag mean that this one only has a 32-mile electric range as opposed to the Volt's 40 miles. The Crossover has full seating for five and 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats. The dashboard appears to be lifted directly from the Volt, including the dual LCD displays. We wouldn't be at all surprised to see this as the second Voltec product in the GM North American lineup. If built, this would likely be classed as a light truck and do wonders for GM's CAFE numbers on that side of the business.

Source: AutoBlog

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday joined Japan's Ministry of Transport in opening a formal defect investigation into brake problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius.

The U.S. investigation, to be conducted by DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was announced shortly after Toyota startled media and industry watchers early Thursday with the acknowledgement that it had been aware of Prius brake issues for months and that it had already implemented a fix to some cars, without notifying Prius owners or the general public.

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said it has received 124 reports from Prius owners "alleging a momentary reduction in braking performance while traveling over an uneven road surface, a pothole or a bump."

ODI already has been conducting preliminary fieldwork and said four of the complaints involve crashes, with injuries in two instances.

From its Torrance, California, headquarters Toyota Motor said it would cooperate with the NHTSA investigation and will keep the agency informed of the progress of its own work.

Source: InsideLine

Tesla, the US-based maker of high-performance electric cars, is aiming to launch a volume-selling BMW 3-series-sized saloon by 2015 in a bid to lift total Tesla volume to around 200,000 cars a year.

Tesla’s chairman and CEO, Elon Musk, founded PayPal and a business called SpaceX that builds satellites for the US government.

He recently revealed the Tesla Model S luxury saloon, which will go into production in mid-2012, priced at around $50,000 (likely to become £50,000 in the UK). More in the jump!

That model will spawn “at least two” offshoots, probably a crossover and a coupé, and lift Tesla volume to between 30,000 and 40,000 cars per year.

The new Tesla ‘3-series’, which Musk says will be the model that finally optimises the automotive technology his engineers have been developing for all future Teslas, will further lower the entry price to the Tesla range to around $30,000 and, with offshoot models, could push total volume towards 200,000 a year.

Like the Model S, the new saloon will have a monocoque aluminium structure formed from Tesla’s own stampings, with assembly in a new Tesla factory in southern California.

Equipping the factory to make Tesla’s new models — anything up to six separate models using the same basic architecture and mechanical hardware — will require $500 million.

Tesla is also due to increase its presence in the UK and Europe with the expansion of a new European HQ in London later this year.

Source: Autocar

Speaking for the first time publicly at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche’s new CEO, Michael Macht, said that the Stuttgart automaker is “considering and working hard on an electric-powered sports car that would meet the high demands of the Porsche brand.”

“I am also convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sports car in its line-up,” said Macht. He cautioned that so far the available battery technology is not “sufficient to meet Porsche’s strict requirements.”

Macht said that Porsche engineers are working hard on improving battery technology and that “an electric sports car would therefore only make sense for Porsche if it offers performance and a cruising range similar to that of current sports cars in the market.”

“We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid – in the Cayenne, the Panamera and maybe in the not too distant future also in a racing car or a production 911. Why not?,” he said.

Source: eGMCarTech

Fisker says that its 403-horsepower Karma high-performance luxury hybrid will average an impressive 67 mpg in the combined cycle and it will emit just 83 g/km of CO2. The automaker says that the extra-green sedan will cost about $0.03 per mile to operate.

Fisker had a production-ready version of its Karma high-performance hybrid-electric sedan on display at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Though not quite a series production model, the Karma on display was significantly closer to production than the concept car shown previously. Ultra-luxurious inside and out, the Karma is aimed at well-heeled enthusiasts looking to use a little less fuel.

The Karma’s styling is modestly tweaked from the concept car and the interior is considerably better finished. Every surface is covered in hides with a rubbery finish – good for cornering, bad for entry/exit. Fisker showed the Karma with two sets of golf clubs in the trunk, further illustrating its no-compromises intent.

Production is expected to begin in mid- to late-2009. The company says it is sold out of the $87,900 (base price) through mid-2010.

Source: LeftLaneNews

It's been seven months since Tesla first announced its intentions to build the Roadster Sport, a higher performing version of its standard electric sportscar, and the Silicon Valley-based automaker has finally offered up some real high-res images of the EV along with a bevy of details on what makes the Sport extra special.

First and foremost, the Sport's hand-wound electric motor adds a bit more oomph to the already quick Roadster, taking off two-tenths of a second in the rush to 60 mph (it now checks in at just 3.7 seconds). Also included are bare carbon fiber hood louvers and rear spoiler, a push-button transmission selector to replace the aluminum shift knob and a central touch screen that displays estimated range along with the total number of oil barrels saved over a fossil-fueled automobile.

Source: AutoBlog

If you have recently been curious as to what that number 23 next to a smiling, cutesy electrical outlet meant, the secret is now out. The cryptic ad campaign was the new GM’s way of dropping hints to the expected 230-mpg city rating for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

In a press conference this morning, CEO Fritz Henderson discussed the new methodology under development by the EPA for rating plug-in hybrids that leads GM to expect a 230-mpg city score for the range-extended electric Volt. This new system weights vehicle ratings based on the expectation that they will travel more city miles than highway miles on electricity only. To define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins, the EPA calculates the kilowatt hours used per 100 miles traveled. GM is expecting the Volt, which is said to travel up to 40 miles using only electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, to use as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in the city. Using a national average of about 11 cents per kWh, GM anticipates the average Volt customer would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel up to 100 miles.

Henderson is withholding a highway fuel-economy rating but said it and the overall combined score will also be triple-digit numbers. Pricing for the Volt is still up in the air but many expect to see it top the $40,000 mark, although a government tax credit of $7500 is projected. The 230-mpg city fuel economy estimate further adds to the mountain of hype surrounding the Volt and Henderson assures that GM is not “over-promising” on the numbers.

Source: Car and Driver

GM says that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt electric drive unit helps the Volt produce produces 150-hp and 273 lb-ft of torque allowing it to hit a top speed of 100 mph. Earlier today during a live chat with Jon Lauckner, GM’s Vice President of Global Program Management, and one of the Chevy Volt’s founding fathers, a question about the Volt’s performance specifications was asked.

“0-60 will be approx 8.5-9 seconds depending on how many people are in the car, luggage, etc. But, thanks to the characteristics of electric motors (max torque at 1 RPM), the launch feel of the Volt is equivalent to a 250 hp V6 engine…and even capable of squawking the tires, which I’ve done,” said Lauckner.

Asked whether it is possible to create an all-wheel-drive version of the Voltec drive train Lauckner said: “Definitely possible, but not planned at this time.”

Source: eGMCarTech

Reviewers have praised the 2011 concept Dodge Circuit EV. Many have driven the prototype model and Chrysler previously announced that the vehicle would be produced, then speculation came suggesting the program was canceled especially in light of the economic issues. However, there is now new evidence indicating the program may still be underway.

Chrysler is currently testing prototypes of the Circuit EV in Michigan, Arizona, and the UK. Chrysler has proving ground in both of the U.S. states, but why would prototypes be in testing around the world if the program is cancelled and there is no hope for production.

Chrysler recently announced their commitment to electric vehicles. They will introduce their first EV next year, but will the Circuit make the list down the line? According to Lou Rhodes, the president of Chrysler's ENVI division which focuses solely on electric vehicles, the Circuit may still be a possibility. More in the jump!

In an interview with Car and Driver, Rhodes spoke in some detail about the Circuit's future. He may have let a few words slip out to intrigue listeners or they may have been words planned to unofficially state that the program is still underway. Either way, here are the details. According to Rhodes, the Circuit would be produced at the Lotus factory and then shipped to a U.S factory for electric component install. The prototype vehicles are undergoing constant modifications one of which will cut the 0-60 mph time by a half second.

Rhodes says that Chrysler intends to sell 100,000 EVs which will reduce costs due to the scale of the effort. The Circuit EV could undercut the price of the Tesla Roadster by "tens of thousands" according to Rhodes.

Much of this information is probably still speculation, but drawing from the clues hinted at by Rhodes, its believable that the Circuit EV may still see production someday. With constant focus and effort put into the program, it's unlikely that its merely for eye appeal.

Developing prototypes and testing prototypes costs money and takes up precious time. Why invest both time and money into a product that isn't intended for production? To date, Chrysler has spent an estimated 3 years perfecting this vehicle, hopefully it only takes a few more until the production version become a reality.

Source: All Cars Electric

While owners of the current Tesla Roadster get the benefit of driving their bad ass electric vehicle today, people who are on the list for a 2010 model will get a few benefits that make 2009 owners jealous. Tesla Motors Club member DrComputer wrote about "a conversation with Ted at corporate" that revealed some improvements to the new cars. A tipster sent in a similar list of upgrades. The upgrades include:

* New power electronics module
* Better cooling for the power electronics
* Improved AC with variable speed fans
* Built in WiFi cards that connect the Roadster to the Internet (unless you turn the feature off) and gives Tesla the ability to interact with the car remotely. Also, this could open the door to mobile phone apps that talk to the car.
* Glove box locks when you lock the car (to leave it out with the top down)

Both sources mention the ability to switch vehicle performance modes – from Range to Standard or Performance (but not back to Range) – with the key instead of needing to change modes via the screen. There has been no official confirmation about these upgrades, but none of them would surprise us if they were true.

Source: AutoBlog