Chevy Volt is no ‘electric Camaro’

For efficiency’s sake GM’s electric car will look a little tamer than the concept car, but still no Prius.

WARREN, Mich. (CNNMoney.com) — General Motors is on track to begin production of the Chevrolet Volt in 2010, according to GM executives involved in the car’s development. But consumers should ready themselves for something a little tamer-looking than the concept car GM revealed in January 2007.

A recent visit to GM’s Design Center in Warren, Mich., provided a look at design sketches and life-size models of the interior and exterior of the production Chevrolet Volt. Parts of the models were kept covered, but large portions of the front and rear ends of the life-size models were revealed.


Designs are very nearly finalized, according to Bob Boniface, head of design for the Volt program, with only minor details needing to be worked out.

The Volt will run on electric power stored in large lithium ion batteries. Plugging the vehicle into a wall outlet overnight will provide enough to power to drive the four-door sedan about 40 miles, GM (GM, Fortune 500) says. Beyond that, a small gasoline engine will act as a generator to pump more electricity into the batteries.

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