volt

GM ups Volt, Ampera production outlook

General Motors said yesterday that it will make 60,000 Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera plug-in hybrids in 2012, up from its previously announced 45,000 production outlook.

GM also said that its Volt and Ampera production will be 16,000 in 2011, up from a previous forecast of 15,000.

The plant in Detroit that makes the two plug-in hybrids will shut for four weeks starting in early June, which will crimp already tight supplies, GM said.

Volt, the poster car for GM's effort to tilt its model lineup toward fuel-efficiency from gas-guzzling, will experience delays in dealer deliveries this summer as gasoline prices could soar over $4 per gallon, GM said.

"Already in tight supply, the number of Volts available for delivery to retail customers will be further restricted over the next three months before production resumes and the Volt and the Opel Ampera begin being exported to Europe and China," GM said in a statement.

Volt sales are to be especially reduced in June and July, GM said.

In April, Volt U.S. sales were 493, and for the first fourth months of this year sales were 1,703. It debuted late last year. … Read more

This Day in Tech: More rumors about the next iPhone

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wednesday, May 18.

Neat trick: Wireless laptop dock Samsung's Central Station senses your computer is nearby and--without any silly, tangled cords--connects to it wirelessly. Ain't that cool? Seriously, it's the little things in life that bring CNET editors joy. Read the full review

WritePad 5 buddies up with Evernote for app marriage New WritePad 5 app for iPad, Android adds ability to sync with another popular app, Evernote. Marriage points to future where unrelated apps from diverse … Read more

Chevy Volt to be assembled at solar-powered plant

In its first year the Chevrolet Volt has garnered several awards, including 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year, Green Car Journal's 2011 Green Car of the Year, and Automobile's 2011 Automobile of the Year. And now the electric car with extended range is going to be built in a solar-powered facility.

General Motors announced it is building the photovoltaic solar array, the largest in Southeast Michigan, at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. Sunlight will help to create the $41,000 Volt.

Once it's completed, the 516-kilowatt project built by GM and DTE Energy will generate 54,750 … Read more

Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf ace their crash tests

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today that the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf performed quite well in its first-ever crash tests on "mainstream" electric cars.

According to the IIHS, the Volt and Leaf earned the highest rating of "good" for front, side, rear, and rollover crashes. Both vehicles qualified for the organization's Top Safety Pick award, given to vehicles that deliver "state-of-the-art crash protection."

"The milestone demonstrates that automakers are using the same safety engineering in new electric cars as they do in gasoline-powered vehicles," the IIHS said in … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1450: Lick my 9Volt (Podcast)

Can you tell Brian Tong is back on the show? Actually, we're legitimately wondering whether a home-brew electroshock like battery licking could produce video game skill improvements like DARPA is seeing with their electroshock research. No, really. Also, Google shuts down Google Video, President Obama wants a universal login that's not Facebook Connect, and Match.com just got a whole lot more trustworthy. --Molly

Tips to maximize Chevy Volt fuel economy

Most Chevrolet Volt owners probably apply the same driving habits long practiced by hybrid owners, such as braking and accelerating gently, to conserve energy and maximize battery power. But they may not know that small, seemingly inconsequential choices, like how they choose to warm the Volt's interior on a chilly day, can also makes a difference in how far they can go on battery power alone.

Chevy Volt vehicle line director Tony Posawatz has lots of practice eeking the most out of his Volt's 16 kWh battery, and says that even during Michigan's cold winter months he'… Read more

Interview: GM's Posawatz says future of luxury could be electric

Despite a heavy marketing campaign and major public outreach, for some reason people still seem to think that the Chevrolet Volt is just an expensive hybrid with unimpressive fuel economy. But even if the public doesn't get the difference between serial and parallel hybrids, the folks over at the Edison Awards do--the Volt beat out the Nissan Leaf and the Copenhagen Wheel by Senseable City Lab to win the Gold medal in the Personal Transportation segment.

At the Edison Awards ceremony last week, I got a chance to chat with Tony Posawatz, Vehicle Line Manager for the Volt. Posawatz … Read more

Car Tech Live 210: CNET gets the Chevy Volt (podcast)

Toyota and Microsoft head for the clouds, 2010 the safest year ever on U.S. roads--the technologies behind that, what Lexus has up its green sleeve in New York, and we hit the road in the 2011 Chevy Volt.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 210 SHOW NOTES

• 2011 Chevy Volt review and video

• Microsoft and Toyota team on telematics

• New way to monitor where all the bad accidents are

• Largest automotive lithium ion battery plant completed

• CNET's LOLCars gallery!

Chevy, Ford win gold medals at Edison Awards

GM's Chevrolet Volt and Ford's MyFord Touch and MyKey won the domestic carmakers' gold medals at the Edison Awards gala held in New York last night.

The technology awards show highlights breakthrough products and services and recognizes innovative industry leaders. Basically, it's like the Oscars for technology companies, but with much, much longer speeches and videos.

In the Personal Transportation segment, the Chevy Volt beat out the Copenhagen Wheel by Senseable City Lab and the Nissan Leaf for first place. Senseable City Lab and Nissan earned the silver and bronze medal respectively.

Ford was the big awards … Read more

CNET Car Tech: 2011 Chevy Volt

You can literally count the truly influential new cars of the postwar era on two hands with a couple fingers left over. With the arrival of the Chevy Volt, there's one less finger free. But does that guarantee the Volt will do all it's expected to? Brian Cooley takes you for a drive to check the tech.