The
Chevrolet Volt is a
plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by
General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most
fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to General Motors the Volt can travel 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 km) on its
lithium-ion battery alone. The EPA official
all-electric range is 35 miles (56 km), and the total range is 379 miles (610 km). The EPA rated the Volt's combined city/highway
fuel economy at 93
miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-e) in
all-electric mode, and at 37 mpg
-US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg
-imp) in gasoline-only mode, for an overall combined gas-electric fuel economy rating of 60 mpg
-US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg
-imp) equivalent (MPG-e). The Volt operates as a pure
battery electric vehicle until its plug-in battery capacity is depleted; at which point its
gasoline engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range. The Volt's
regenerative braking also contributes to the on-board electricity generation. In order to improve performance, the
internal combustion engine may at times be engaged mechanically to assist both electric motors to propel the Volt.
The
suggested retail price for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt in the U.S. starts at US$40,280 before the US$7,500
U.S. federal tax credit and
additional incentives are available in some locations. The 2012 Volt base price will be US$1,005 less than the 2011 model, as the base configuration has been defeatured. The 2011 Volt is being sold only in selected U.S. markets and nationwide availability of the 2012
model year is expected by November 2011. The 2012 Volt will be available in Canada in the third quarter of 2011, and the suggested retail price starts at CAD 41,545 (US$43,568) before any
available rebates. The initial Canadian launch is also limited to selected markets and availability in the rest of Canada is expected before the end of 2012. In the
Eurozone the Volt platform will be sold as the
Opel/
Vauxhall Ampera, and is expected to be sold for about €42,900 (US$58,000) including
VAT before
any government incentives. In the United Kingdom the Vauxhall Ampera is expected to be priced at GB£33,995. Exports to Europe and China are scheduled for late 2011.
Among other awards and recognition, the Chevrolet Volt won the 2009
Green Car Vision Award, 2011
Motor Trend Car of the Year, 2011
Green Car of the Year, 2011
North American Car of the Year, and 2011
World Green Car. Despite the awards earned and the positive reception from many
automotive critics, there has been some controversy and concerns in the media. These include the extent of the federal government participation in the Volt development during
General Motors' 2009 government-led bankruptcy; concerns about the Volt's relatively high sales price; and complaints about price markups due to the Volt's initial limited supply.
http://www.chevrolet.com/volt/