General Motors inched closer to making the Chevrolet Volt a reality in November 2010. The vehicle's innovative gas-electric powertrain is being test-driven for the first time on public roads and is hitting its target of 40 miles on pure electric power.
"Today is a big day," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told Edmunds' AutoObserver.com in an exclusive interview Tuesday. "Today is the first day it is running on the street on battery power."
Lutz said the Volt's powertrain, comprised of an advanced lithium-ion battery and a small gasoline engine, was installed into a mule vehicle and is being driven on public roads around the automaker's proving grounds in Milford, Michigan. More important, Lutz said, the battery is hitting GM's goal of 40 miles on pure electric power.
"It is reliably meeting its objectives," Lutz confirmed. "Even with a rough calibration, even with the wrong drive unit, the wrong body, etc. etc., it has been hitting its 40 miles on electric power."
What this means to you: Odds are improving that you'll be able to buy a Chevy Volt in 2010. source: Michelle Krebs, AutoObserver.com
The line I bolded was the most interesting to me... why are they using the wrong parts in the car? And how much more gains will be possible with the RIGHT pieces in the puzzle?
Chevrolet Volt - Progress Notes
