WASHINGTON – The Washington Auto Show opens to the public Wednesday. One of the biggest attractions will be the Chevy Volt, a new electric car.
General Motors gave the media, including ABC 7’s Kris Van Cleave, lawmakers and few other people a chance to get behind the wheel of the car Chevy is largely betting its future on. The plug-in electric sedan could shock GM into recovery.
Three years ago, the Volt was just a concept because it lacked the battery technology to power it. Now, the car is pretty much ready to go. ABC 7 Talkback:
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Car Safety Researcher August Burgett said the Volt, “Handles well, acceleration, smooth ride, very impressive performance.”
“What stands out the most, with the electric motors and electric drive system, it’s just silence when you drive,” added Trent Warnke, Volt Development Engineer.
The core of the car is a 400 pound lithium-ion battery that runs under the passenger cabin. It will get 40 miles on a single charge. If you keep driving, an onboard gas powered generator starts to extend the car’s range somewhere between 300 and 400 miles. That’s different from most hybrid engines that kick in when you go over a certain speed. Plug it into a standard outlet, give it eight hours and the battery is full again.
According to Chevy Spokesman Rob Peterson, “It’s very capable of being the environmental friendly vehicle that first car for a family that can do anything of everything.”
As promised, the first thing you’ll notice when you push the start button is the Volt is silent. Even when revving the engine there’s very little noise.
In sport mode, the Volt accelerates quickly and has a top speed of around 100.
It’s high tech from its look and feel inside. From your smart phone, you can start the car, warm it up, cool it down or tell it when to charge.
“A lot of people say they feel like they are driving their iPod,” remarked Peterson.
For the most part, the car got high marks from test drivers Tuesday. One observation is that the backseat is a little cozy.
The car is expected to be in showrooms in our area by November or December. The price hasn’t been announced, but there’s speculation it could be up to $40,000, but there is a $7,500 tax credit.
Source: wjla.com
