Photo Proves Volt is Not a Doorstop

After much hemming and hawing, we are relieved to see that the Chevy Volt can at least move. The photo above was provided by GM to AutoblogGreen and shows the body of a last-generation Malibu. According to Autoblog the engine under the lopsided hood is the Volt's E-Flex powertrain, proving, at the very least, the Volt will be able to drive around a test track a few times.

Many unknowns remain for GM, including the lithium-ion battery, the automaker's own 2010 deadline, and the final sticker price. The battery — still in development by two different companies — must be able to get the car 40 miles on a single charge. Whether or not GM can accomplish this before the quickly approaching deadline is up for debate. In the meantime, the price has floated up to $35,000, and may even go beyond that as designers struggle with various technological issues.

Still, we have proof the Volt is a driveable vehicle. That's a start.

Clarification of the Chevy Volt mule spy shots (AutoblogGreen)

Comments

[Gary]

Hey, thanks for the laugh as I almost cracked a rib! Last generation Malibu + Bob Lutz + 40 miles on a charge + $35g = GM.

NO THANKS, I'll stick with proven companies who instead of talking like Lutz, actually deliver. They're called Toyota and Honda.

[Bloke]

I don't see how a photo proves anything.

[ziggy]

There has been a video on youtube for the last 2 years of a Volt prototype that was driven out of a driveway and down a street. They have already proven it can move. They should keep their mouths shut until they have something better than 40 miles per charge and $35k!

[js]

What a big disappointment. :(
After all those talks in the last 2 yrs, looks like they still won't be able to deliver the promised car.

[Commodore]

Gary, my biased import-humping friend, did you know that hybrids and electrics were all developed by Detroit before Toyonda? Did you know that domestics produced cars like the Prius before Toy decided to make it into a marketing campaign for their company thereby getting us stuck in this transitional, hybrid-craze that does nothing to solve the problem? Now we have automakers like Porsche jumping on that bandwagon, the same one you have jumped on developing more and more cars that STILL run on gasoline, they just have a wasteful electric motor that will be a nightmare when it comes to disposing of it and those toxic batteries.

So why don't you just support these projects GM is undertaking like the Volt and the Vue which will both be plug in hybrids, able to go without gasoline for 40+ miles. It won't hurt you to give companies like GM a chance when they just might develop the best alternative technology to get us off foreign oil

[Jason]

I want GM to make the Volt because I like the styling. I could not care less if it runs on gasoline, electric, hydrogen, or soda.

[Jack]

How does Commodore know what kind of car Gary drives? The outdated computer name says it all and I wouldn't be surprised that he drove a GM product.

40 miles per charge - that REALLY is funny!!

[sczech]

Commodore,

I thought you were a little more professional than just the average name calling poster. And you still stick with the same argument and yet you have not offered any support for it. Why should someone get behind GM? Have they done any that has shifted the automotive landscape lately? Have they even offered an option, like the Prius? If you think that campaign has done so well for Toyota why don't they copy it? Or maybe they are with the Volt, but they just don't actually have the product yet. Will they ever? I see no reason to support this type of advertising with no product behind it.

Offer some links or something. Or else I guess it all just in your head.

[IFCAR]

I don't see why anyone is complaining about 40 miles of all-electric in a hybrid car. It's not as if the Volt would die on the street after 40 miles.

[DodgeFan]

Bloke,

The last generation Malibu is being used as a test bed for the drive train. Something undercover. Its not going to be the Volt. The use of the last generation Malibu as a test bed has already been noted in articles on car.com. The reason why the price will probabily be high is because the cost of the Volt initially is expensive. Thats why GM rolled out the dual hybrid drive train on trucks/SUV first that can absorb some of the extra cost better.

[Bloke]

I still don't see how a picture of a Malibu, which wires on it proves anything. Yes, I understand other cars have been researched and developed this way, but I have heard so much about this car for a good while and everytime something comes up all they say is, "there are still major things to work out like the batteries...". That seems like something pretty fundamental is missing to me for a prototype that is going to ready in a few years. I just don't believe it is going to be anytime soon that we will see this. And I agree with a few others, 40 miles is good for some, but I don't think it will help most unless they have another vehicle. I applaud the effort, and hope they succeed, I just think all hype is a ways off from the actual product.

[Dave T.]

Bloke,
Agreed the batteries are the biggest question. That's why we phrased it that way. They're testing drivetrain and electrical systems though which are pretty darn important in any new car development. A lot of regular gas cars are developed in the same way with mules and in the same type of timeline. It just proves that GM is on its way. Not that it'll be ready on time or at a price. HENCE the way we wrote the entire post.

[ziggy]

Commode -

Gm did develop some hybrid technology about 15-20 years ago but they just couldn't get the car out of the garage and they abandoned the idea. At least other manufacturers (mainly Japanese) decided that it was the future and continued to develop it. One Million Prius' sold worldwide. Guess it was a good idea after all. What gets me is that there are some independent entrepenuers out there that have developed electric technology that can produce enough power to go 100 miles on a charge but GM with it's millions of dollars can only get 40 miles.

[Bloke]

All I am saying is I have a hard time trusting GM's propaganda. I think the article is great though, keep up the good work.

[Jonathon Nierengarten]

You guys are awfully pessimistic. GM is the company that, while slow to respond to market changes, created many mass-produced firsts. Automatic transmission, front wheel drive, the V8. C'mon! They've outsourced the most difficult part of this project (the batteries) to companies that have nothing to gain if they can't live up to their word of producing the batteries needed. Think about it. The contract to do this is worth BILLIONS of dollars. Why on earth would they fail with that kind of money being waved in their face?
Think about it.

[Joey1]

I don't think that the battery manufacturer would fail on purpose... That would seems somewhat dumb...

If they failed, it would be because they didn't get the logistics right, not because they weren't motivated.

[Jonathon Nierengarten]

Joey,

That's a reasonable shot of pessimism. The reason I think that the small, independent company will do it is with the kind of money GM will pay for the work, and the fact that we're talking about much less bureaucratic slow - moving machines. I think they'll hire whatever talent is needed to get the research done and make it happen. This is America.... for the right price, anything can be accomplished. But I certainly acknowledge that you have the same odds of being right as I do. Let's hope that they can get it done!