As last week came to a close, Greg Rineberg babeled about the need for society to drive small, fuel efficient cars. For the most part I fundamentally agree. Earlier at the office, while thumbing through a colleague’s issue of Men’s Journal I happened across a snippet that really piqued my interest. Behold, the Chevy Volt.  The eco-friendly Chevrolet concept that marries aggressive lines with environmental sensitivity. Instantly impressed, I bolted to my cubicle and fired up Google.

Chevy Volt

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. All rights released.

I was promptly pointed to the Chevrolet website, and before me lay a bad ass front end. Sure it looks great, but its green capabilities flaunt the car’s true colors:

The New Electric Vehicle

Introducing a new kind of electric vehicle — Concept Chevy Volt. It’s unlike any previous EV (electric vehicle), thanks to its innovative rechargeable electric drive system and range-extending power source. It can be configured to run on electricity, gasoline, E85 or biodiesel. So you have at least a couple of options for the most efficient drive — all made possible by GM’s innovative E-Flex Propulsion System.

Electricity, gasoline, E85 or biodiesel … how exactly is that going to work? Let’s start by investigating the E-Flex Propulsion System.

  • Electric drive system
  • Range extender: 53 kW direct engine-mounted generator and 3-cylinder 1.0L Turbocharged, intercooled internal combustion engine
  • Dual (left- and right-side) charge ports
  • Onboard battery pack
  • 12-gallon fuel saddle tank

Additional Benefits

  • 120-kW electric motor is equivalent to a 160-hp engine
  • Instantaneous torque in electric mode means acceleration faster than traditional torque curve in certain gasoline-powered engines
  • 0–60 in 8 to 8.5 seconds
  • Battery life is about 10 years

Browsing some more, it became evident that auto engineer’s at Chevy are pulling out all the stops to make this car viable for any commute. For those living close to the salt mines:

If you’re lucky enough to live less than 20 miles away from work, you could drive solely on electricity every day. That means zero gasoline and zero emissions. Recharge Concept Chevy Volt every night with a common 110-volt household outlet. Then drive it up to 40 miles daily on a single electric charge.

Now if you are like me, and embark on a round trip quest of 120 miles everyday, the Volt boasts the ability to get an amazing 150 MPG!

You can use electric power exclusively for up to 40 miles of your trip. Then the range-extending power source — which creates electricity from gasoline, E85 or biodiesel fuels — seamlessly kicks in to recharge the lithium ion battery pack as required. Expect an estimated 150 equivalent miles per gallon when you use this electric battery and gasoline-combination to drive approximately 60 miles per day.

This all sounds pretty amazing, yet I have to temper my excitement with the realization that this car is still only a concept. There is no guarantee this product will come to fruition. But with potential competition coming from other automakers such as Ford and Toyota, it seems production of the Chevy Volt is inevitable. The Men’s Journal article suggested a release in 2010. This conveniently aligns with my target year to purchase a new car. Of course, a high-tech machine such as this will most likely exceed my price range - but hey, a guy can dream. Besides, my inner self is conditioning my faultier senses towards becoming more environmentally aware. With the Volt, I could do what’s right, save money, and look cool doing it!

Hopefully I can report back with more information as I delve deeper into this exciting project. In the meantime, check out autobloggreen.com for more details from the Detroit Auto Show.

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