An-electric version of the Chevrolet Volt will be built, to take on competitors such as the Nissan Leaf, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz has confirmed.
The standard Volt can run for up to 40 miles on a charge, before switching to a 1.4-litre engine starts up to generate electricity to power the car. It will go on sale in the US later this year, and in Europe in 2011.
Read our Chevrolet Volt first drive
Lutz told reporters at the Detroit motor show that it would be "technologically trivial" to build the all-electric version of the car.
"Once you've done the Volt, pure electric is trivial. You just leave some parts out," Lutz said.
Lutz also warned that electric vehicles may not get the full stated range on fully electric power because of weather, atmospheric conditions, terrain and driving habits.
"It varies a lot more than the range variation with a gasoline-powered car depending on your driving style," Lutz said, confirming he had got just 28 miles from a Volt during extreme cold weather.
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Re: All-electric Volt plans revealed
Re: All-electric Volt plans revealed
Wake up, global warming or not, fossil fuels are still a limited resource and now China and India are jumping on board in a big way, one that's getting more limited (and expensive) every year. Me, I think that the surge in technology be it electrical or otherwise is far more interesting than any petrolhead arms race and will ultimately leave it far behind in performance as well as efficiency. Just wait a few years and you'll all be upgrading your electric motors and battery packs instead of bolting on trumpet exhausts and trick ignition systems. Personally, I'm planning on running the Porsche on fermented coffee grounds and whatever the cat brings in.
Re: All-electric Volt plans revealed
it's stupid decisions like this that kill off gm! they should give me the job.. ;)