In 2008, GM finally released photos of the long-awaited Chevy Volt hybrid electric vehicle to mixed reviews. The production version of the Volt has a much less dramatic form than the concept car — more like the Toyota Prius parallel hybrid than the high-end sports car it was originally intended to be — as suggested by the sleek profile of the concept car and a price tag upwards of $40,000 before tax incentives.
Designers had little choice in the matter of looks, however, with the smooth lines and abrupt rear end necessary to reduce drag and wring as much range as possible out of the lithium-ion battery pack powering the car. GM announced that the T-shaped battery pack had met their 40-mile range requirement, though at the time of this post, the company was still deciding between Continental and CPI as battery suppliers.
The Chevy Volt operates much differently than the Toyota Prius. The Volt is a series hybrid, meaning that its gasoline engine is used only to charge the battery pack and is not connected to the drive-train mechanically. The battery pack can provide 40 miles of driving as a pure electric vehicle, and for longer trips the gas engine kicks in to charge the battery pack and provide range-extending capabilities of 400 miles or more.
The Prius, on the other hand, is a parallel hybrid, meaning that both the gasoline engine and the electric motor work in parallel to drive the wheels. Another difference is that the Volt is a plug-in hybrid; the driver can plug in the car when they return home. If the daily commute is less than 40 miles round-trip, the Volt can probably be driven entirely on electricity from the grid, without ever needing a tank refill.
Both Honda and Toyota are working on plug-in hybrids of their own, and there are systems available to convert a Toyota Prius into a 100 mpg plug-in hybrid. However, because the hybrids from Honda and Toyota are all parallel hybrids (they rely on the gas engine for a significant amount of power when accelerating), they are much less effective as plug-in hybrids.
While it is disappointing that GM had to make such drastic changes to the styling of the Volt, it is still exciting to have the world’s largest automaker back on track supporting alternative transportation technologies. Electric Vehicle Authority looks forward to providing our readers with continuing coverage as we learn more about the new Chevy Volt plug-in series hybrid, which was slated to begin production in 2010 for the 2011 model year.
