volt

Behind the fly-off-the-shelf popularity of products like Apple's iPad and iPhone are hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs--mostly overseas. Is it possible to create more of those jobs here in the U.S. to combat chronically high levels of unemployment?

Personal computing is moving rapidly beyond the laptop. And there's no better example than Apple, whose most popular products are arguably now the iPhone and the iPad. The surging demand for anything Apple is causing a seismic shift in chip manufacturing to Asia, the hotbed of new silicon ecosystems. Though companies like Hewlett-Packard and Dell also play a … Read more

You have a chance to bid on the first production Volt available to the masses. General Motors has put the first Volt off the assembly line up for auction. The electric vehicle, with extended range, will have a MSRP of $41,000.

The car up for auction has a Viridian Joule exterior, light neutral interior with dark accents and loads of extras, including the premium trim package, rear camera and park assist package, and polished wheels. The auction also includes a 240-volt charging station and home installation (a $1,500 value).

How to bid for the car is as easy … Read more

General Motors said today it would hire 1,000 engineers and researchers in Michigan over the next two years to develop more electric cars and hybrids as it launched its battery-powered Chevrolet Volt.

"Volt clearly demonstrates that we are well on our way and it is especially true when it comes to the electrification of the automobile," GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said at a ceremony marking the start of production of the plug-in hybrid.

The Volt, which tops the Toyota Prius for fuel economy, is a first-of-its-kind vehicle that GM has touted as a symbol of its … Read more

On the heels of General Motors' huge IPO last week, the company today announced a $163.2 million investment in its Flint and Bay City, Mich., and Defiance, Ohio, plants.

The multimillion-dollar investment will be used in part to support engine production for the Chevrolet Volt, the Chevrolet Cruze, and a new Chevrolet small car to be built in the United States. The investment will protect 184 jobs at the three sites, GM said in a press release.

Flint Engine Operations manufactures the Ecotec 1.4-liter engine, used in the Chevrolet Cruze, and a 1.4L variant, used in the … Read more

General Motors today detailed the highly anticipated fuel economy label for the Chevy Volt, and it varies greatly depending on driving habits.

The EPA fuel economy label on the gas-electric Chevy Volt gives it a combined rating of 60 miles per gallon. There are separate ratings for electric-only driving, which is 93 "miles per gallon equivalent," and for gas-only driving, which is 37 miles per gallon.

On a full battery charge, the Chevy Volt, which GM hopes to start selling next month, drives about 35 miles. After that distance, a gas engine kicks in to run a generator … Read more

Now that the electric Nissan Leaf has gotten an official fuel economy rating, all eyes are on the Chevy Volt, the other high-profile electric vehicle soon coming to market. Although there's no definitive rating just yet, Chevy Volt drivers will experience a wide range of mileage regardless of what's on the sticker.

The Environmental Protection Agency is using "miles-per-gallon equivalent" (MPGe) as it top-line metric when evaluating battery-powered cars in order to help consumers make comparisons among gas, diesel, all-electric, and hybrid options.

In the case of the Nissan Leaf, which will be available for sale … Read more

Every year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Green Car Journal crowns one new car the Green Car of the Year. This year that vehicle is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

In previous years, this honor has gone to vehicles as varied as the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid to Toyota's Prius, while the last two years have been dominated by Volkswagen and Audi's TDI vehicles. This year, Chevrolet brings it back to the electric camp with its solution to what GM calls range anxiety: a range extended EV powertrain that starts as an electric, but features a gasoline engine that … Read more

LOS ANGELES--For anyone who worries that the auto industry isn't putting its energy behind electric vehicles, it may be time to relax.

If one thing was clear after the first day of the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday, it was that EVs and other green vehicles may finally be ready for prime time. With Chevrolet's Volt winning Green Car of the Year this morning, and Honda and Toyota both showing off big EV plays yesterday, it's clear that the industry is no longer afraid of green vehicles.

To be sure, most of the EVs on display … Read more

General Electric plans to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, giving the budding EV business a significant boost.

Initially, GE will purchase 12,000 vehicles from General Motors--starting with the Chevrolet Volt, which has just become available to early buyers this month. The company said it will be the biggest single fleet purchase of electric vehicles so far.

GE said that it intends to convert at least half of its fleet of 30,000 vehicles. But the move into electric vehicles is also geared at boosting demand at its grid equipment and fleet management businesses. GE sells an EV … Read more