'chevy volt'

For all their differences under the hood, the electric cars coming to market do a pretty good job of disguising their electric identities. That will make these vehicles more attractive to potential buyers, but don't expect auto sales to flip electric like a light switch.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to drive a number of electric vehicles at the Business of Plugging In auto industry conference in Detroit. I can report what many car reviewers will tell you: these are real cars. You really can forget that old notion of rickety golf carts.

Step into a … Read more

The Chevy Volt is as much a software engineering accomplishment as it was a mechanical engineering challenge, according to General Motors.

General Motors today plans to bring the Chevy Volt to IBM's Raleigh, N.C., offices to show off the electric car and celebrate its partnership with IBM's software business in making the Volt.

With the Volt, GM aimed to not only break new ground in electric powertrains but it also decided to make a demonstrably high-tech car, complete with an Internet connection and smartphone-inspired in-car controls. To make that happen, software engineers took on one of the … Read more

General Motors plans to produce as many as 60,000 Chevy Volt cars in 2012.

While not an official announcement, Doug Parks, GM's global vehicle line executive, told The Detroit News his company expects to produce 10,000 to 15,000 Volt electric cars in 2011, but that in 2012 GM may ramp up its production of the hybrid-electric car to as much as 60,000 cars.

"Starting in '12, we'll be in this max rate of 60,000....We have the ability to increase volume and crank that up, We don't have any firm plans … Read more

Getting to the bottom of the Chevy Volt fiasco, beaming your iPod screen on your dash, the littlest Aston Martin gets a green light, and the world's most advanced driving simulator.

• Is the Chevy Volt a fraud, or just unfairly parsed?

• iPhone as radar detector

• The Prius will get a bigger sibling

• 10 concept cars that got lost in translation

• Pioneer shows laser-based HUD

DETROIT--General Motors' OnStar subsidiary today unveiled a Web site that lets Chevy Volt drivers manage charge times and track their mileage.

The MyVolt.com site, which can be accessed from a PC or smartphone, lets Volt drivers schedule Volt charging much the way they would program a thermostat. Over time, OnStar will let people automate more features, such as radio station settings, from the Web, said OnStar president Chris Preuss here today.

The application includes a wizard that walks the driver through battery charge scheduling. A person could choose to have the Volt charge as soon as it's plugged … Read more

In an article being echoed around the Web, Motor Trend reporter Frank Markus lays out in detail how the Chevy Volt transmits power to its wheels. And unlike GM's press releases claim for the car, the power does not solely come from the electric motors.

According to GM's materials on the Volt, "When the battery energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly transitions to extended-range mode. Power is inverted from a technically advanced, 1.4L 63-kW (84-hp) gasoline-powered onboard engine to the electric drive unit to provide up to 310 additional miles of range."

But GM left … Read more

Chevrolet's quest for more vehicles that match the styling appeal of the Equinox crossover and Camaro muscle car will continue in the next several years.

For instance, a more upscale Impala is in the works, with a low production volume and limited rental fleet sales, one source says. That would follow the example set by the 2010 Ford Taurus. But the new Impala is not coming until the 2014 model year.

In the nearer term, Chevrolet will prepare for rising federal fuel economy standards by decreasing the displacement of its V-6 engines, adding more four-cylinder engines, and introducing redesigned small cars.

Here are Chevrolet's 2011-13 model year highlights:

Spark: This minicar will enter the United States as a 2013 model with three- and four-cylinder engines. General Motors Co. is expected to build the first Sparks for this market in South Korea, home of the Spark's sibling, the five-door Daewoo Matiz hatchback. Spark production may move to Mexico later.

The Spark already is on sale in Europe, South Africa, and other markets. Expect midcycle updates in time for the U.S. model's debut.

Aveo: GM will start producing the redesigned subcompact in mid-2011 at Orion Township, Mich. The car will be longer and wider than the current Aveo and have a five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. Production is expected to reach 60,000 to 70,000 annually. … Read more

Some General Motors dealers across the U.S. have been attempting to profit from would-be early adopters of the Chevy Volt by tacking on high premiums.

In the last few days, car sites have become awash with anecdotal complaints about various dealerships telling interested buyers they will have to pay more than the price GM announced in July if they want one of the first run cars.

The most egregious example reportedly took place at one Southern California Chevy dealership, which unwittingly told an Edmunds.com staffer via e-mail that he would have to pay $20,000 in addition to … Read more

NASHVILLE--The Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf have less in common, aside from the hype behind them, than you might think. But marketers are preparing the two battery-powered cars for head-to-head battle for green-conscious American consumers, even though the two will compete head-on in just a handful of markets.

Last week, General Motors said it will price the Volt at $41,000, a stiff $8,220 above the Leaf's retail price, set in March, of $32,780. The Volt's price includes a shipping charge; Nissan hasn't set the Leaf's shipping charge. Also, a buyer of either car is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

But backed by anticipated strong residual value from an aggressive eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on the Volt, GM said it also will offer a lease on the battery-driven Chevy of $350 a month for 36 months after a $2,500 down payment.

That plan clearly targets the Leaf's lease plan of $349 a month for 36 months after $1,999 down. And leasing likely will dominate electric-car transactions for the near future, said Mark Perry, Nissan North America's director of Leaf product planning.

"It doesn't matter," Perry said as he drove to an electric-vehicle conference in San Jose, Calif., last week. "We're still the most affordable electric vehicle."

Nissan immediately said it would offer an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on the Leaf, citing "U.S. market competitive conditions." … Read more