Plug-In Volt Hitting the Road

GM is ready to test the much-hyped Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid that everyone in the automotive media can’t seem to stop talking about. The Volt’s propulsion system — the parts that make it go — will be put to the test in a mule vehicle. A mule is an industry term that describes a new car being tested under the guise of an older one. In this case, the Volt will look like a last-generation Chevy Malibu.

A number of journalists checked out the Volt program in Michigan last week, and AutoWeek came away with some tidbits about the interior resembling the new Malibu’s dual cockpit setup. It even went so far as to call the styling reminiscent of 1960s Corvettes.

These road tests are important, but GM still doesn’t expect to have a fully drivable version until 2009. The on-sale date is still projected as 2010. A GM spokesperson said the Volt is the company’s “No. 1 priority.”

GM to road-test Volt propulsion systems this month (AutoWeek) 

Comments

No way in he11 GM gets this out on time. Bob Lutz already said the production version will look nothing like this as the concept Volt was more aerodynamic in reverse than forward. Not that it should be rushed...but the sooner the better.

Who is really going to pay $40k+ for it? Oh wait ...probably the person that owns a Suburban Hybrid. This way they show off how green they are at the country club.

Ziggy-
Where did you get $40k+? Everything I've heard is around $35k.

Bob Lutz never met a lie he didn't like. I recall when he said the Cobalt would surpass the competition by leaps and bounds. Yeah, on the way to the rental car parking lot. Until the likes of Bob Lutz and Bob Nardelli are blacklisted from Detroit things will never change. My hard earned dollars will continue to be spent with the proven commodities - Toyota and Honda.

Inflation, or hyperinflation.

So this is essentially an electric car with an on-board generator. Sounds like a great idea. I wonder what it will be like to drive? I suppose it could be tuned to be fast or frugal. Or even have a switch to change its bias.

Dan -
Lutz has even said the first gen will likely cost $40k
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/01/26/bob-lutz-first-gen-volt-might-cost-40-000/

Here's another one where Lutz says it might be as high as $48k -
http://wot.motortrend.com/6240642/according_to_lutz/lutz_speculates_volt_could_cost_as_much_as_48k/index.html

Ziggy-
Very interesting. I hadn't seen those. The last I had heard was:

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/02/chevy-volt-to-d.html

which sounded pretty definitive, but is older than the article stating $48k.

So wow, that is very pricey if that's how it ends up. I think they would have a very hard time marketing that.