Video: Driving Northwest: A sneak peek at the Chevy Volt

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Before I begin, a note to tech and eco enthusiasts. To view the entire interview with GM’s John Lauckner and see extensive footage of the Volt inside and out check out our podcast on Apple iTunes called Drive. Go to the iTunes store and search for “car reviews.” Drive will come right up under podcasts.

The great thing about the future is it’s always changing. We do our best to predict it but no amount of research and information can guarantee what’s to come. According to "Popular Science" circa 1970, we should all be zipping around in turbine powered flying cars that run on solar power. Perhaps next year.

Who in 1970 could have predicted the mighty GM in its current state? Consult the business section if you want the details but the short story is things are not good in the house that William C. Durant built. And so to cut a wide swath across all the negativity, GM has a bold plan. It’s called Volt. It doesn’t fly, nor is it solar powered. Volt is an electric car … with a gas tank.

Future shock

You may have heard of it. Chevrolet, the division that will sell it, has been teasing Volt for a while now. Essentially the Volt works like this: Plug it into a regular 110 outlet for 8 hours to charge a 6-foot battery pack that runs between the front and rear seats. With 220, it’s good to go in 3 hours. The lithium ion battery pack then has the moxy to travel 40 miles purely on electric power. What to slog from Seattle to Portland? No problem. Once that battery is depleted a small 1.4-liter gas engine kicks on to run a generator that provides the juice to take Volt the rest of the way to the Rose City. Important to note, the gas engine is not connected to the wheels in any way like a hybrid. It only runs a generator. Volt is not a flying car but it’s a neat idea.

Will Volt charge up using the generator? Kinda, sorta. When the load on the generator is light, say during coasting, braking or waiting at a stoplight, that electricity is diverted to the batteries. It doesn’t make financial or ecological sense to have the gas engine running simply to enrich a battery. What will be the equivalent MPG if Volt is running at extended distances using the gas powered generator as its primary power source? I have no idea. But one advantage is that the engine can be tuned to run its most efficient powerband when generating electricity.

While the car shown to the automotive press in Phoenix, Arizona is not drivable, GM says it is what the Volt will look like. There are complaints that the final form isn’t nearly as sexy as the concept Volt. To the wind though, the production car is like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, being that it’s the most aerodynamic car GM has ever produced. The concept that looked like a buff muscle car is the equivalent of a barn door in the wind tunnel. GM is testing the drivetrain right now under 2-year-old Malibu bodies. Ah, the future never looked so vanilla.

What does the future hold?

Other than range,what can a Volt owner expect when production starts in November of 2010? It will be quiet because it’s an electric car. GM says they’re working on an exterior “soundtrack” of futuristic sounds so it won’t scare cyclists and pedestrians. Forget to unplug it as you leave for work and it won’t budge. Sorry, it won’t warn a driver about leaving a coffee mug on the roof.  

Volt should have the acceleration of today’s Honda Civic given the 150 horsepower rating of the electric motor. Electric cars have lots of low-nd torque so Volt could really pop off the line. I’ll guess handling should be pretty good with a battery pack that runs along the floor between the front and rear seats. While that gives it a low center of gravity, it also eliminates any chance of getting three passengers in the rear seat. Volt will seat four. 

Advance design is shockingly familiar

Inside the Volt looks like a cross between an iPod and the home of a mod 70’s graphic designer. The sleek white center stack has touch control surfaces, no real buttons per se. The LCD display gauge cluster behind the steering wheel will be configurable by the driver. An additional 7-inch LCD screen in the center stack displays climate control, audio, navigation and standard Bluetooth connectivity. It also appears to show the charge schedule. GM stresses the car will operate just like a Malibu, no radical Star Trek-like user interface. Controls like the shift lever and turn signals will be just like any other car. In short, an owner won’t have to attend classes or learn Klingon to learn how to drive their vehicle.

Looking through the car on display, Volt seems to have the creature comforts owners expect in a car. There’s a Volvo like cubbie hole behind the center stack that can hold a small purse. The good news for coffee junkies is plenty of cup holders. The trunk looks to be large with a low flat floor. There’s a glass panel in the back like Prius and the old Honda CR-X.

The road ahead

While the future looks rosy for Volt, there are some concerns. While GM shies away from any price tag, the high $30,000 range seems inevitable. This will be softened with federal tax credits and operating costs. Because of the low cost of electricity in the Northwest a full charge should cost around 65 cents. Early adapters will be driving all-new technology and though GM pledges these folks won’t be shaking out bugs or defects a skeptic has to wonder.

GM engineers point out that battery technology is in its infancy. Stop and think about it and it’s clear the large battery pack only has the energy equivalent of a gallon of gas. The availability of batteries is also a concern. A Ford executive explained to me the other day that the hybrid Fusion and Milan sedans were delayed a year because of a lack of reliable battery supply. The eco-minded will remind us we’re still using power, in many cases coal is its source. Until we find a truly clean source of electricity, the Volt is not completely benign.         

My big gripe with Volt is that it won’t start production until November 2010. Additionally, I have to believe that initial production will be slow and deliberate. GM says they are simply lifting the veil of the development process because of the rabid interest in the car. Given what Bob Lutz has said about the Prius being a terrific marketing tool it’s clear Chevy is using the glow of Volt as marketing. Will people grow weary of this? Maybe not, but look at the movie "Transformers," which featured the upcoming Camaro. You have to believe interest in the revived muscle car peaked before the car was even for sale (and it’s STILL not available). Certainly competition is brewing for Volt at other car companies.

The jolt GM needs

But for now Volt shows great promise. GM says they believe electrification of the car is all but inevitable. Those who don’t drive over 40 miles a day will never use a drop of gas. That’s good in so many ways. I’ve told the good people at Chevy that I’m interested in getting one myself to share my experience with you. I’ll let you know how it goes come 2011. I’d be more excited if it flew but for the near future, the Volt seems to be the spark GM needs.