GM and the Volt in 2010
General Motors already set a target date to complete their electric car tagged as the Chevrolet Volt. The target date is by the end of 2010. Word has it that there are those skeptical about this. Although this is the case, GM still has high hopes of completing the Volt come 2010. The goal is to design a vehicle that can run for 40 miles using solely battery power although it has an on-board engine (gasoline-powered) that will serve as a backup. Meaning, it the Volt runs beyond 40 miles, the vehicle will then be bale to use fuel in order to build up more energy that will lead to more mileage. The Volt will make use of an outfitted lithium-ion battery packs that have the capacity to hold charges longer compare to nickel metal hydride batteries. As the latter is the one used by most vehicles nowadays, having the former will surely give the Volt an edge.
The lithium-ion technology is said to be the “biggest challenge in producing a plug-in.” This is because many are developing the said technology so as automakers can lower the cost of the batteries per se and boosting power as well as the vehicle’s storage capacity. The Chief of General Motor’s Global Product Development Bob Lutz, said that the Volt plug-in hybrid is planned to be road-tested by early next year. However, its release will be sometime near the end of 2010. The production of the Volt is vital to GM’s overall effort to hurdle the environmental technology glory from Toyota. Aside from this, it also serves as a good way to further make vehicles safer to the environment as we surely can’t do without them.
Source: news.xinhuanet.com
