| The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, | | | | "More than half of all Americans live within 20 |
| four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas | | | | miles of where they work (40 miles round trip). In |
| engine to create additional electricity to extend its | | | | that case, you might never burn a drop of gas |
| range. The Volt draws from GM previous | | | | during the life of the car." |
| experience in starting the modern electric vehicle | | | | In addition, the Chevrolet Volt is designed to run |
| market when it launched the EV1 in 1996, | | | | on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 |
| according to GM Vice Chairman Robert A. Lutz. | | | | percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 |
| "The EV1 was the benchmark in battery | | | | mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per |
| technology and was a tremendous achievement," | | | | petroleum gallon. |
| Lutz said. "Even so, electric vehicles, in general, | | | | General Motors has also announced it has |
| had limitations. They had limited range, limited | | | | awarded advanced battery development |
| room for passengers or luggage, couldnt climb a | | | | contracts to two suppliers to design and test |
| hill or run the air conditioning without depleting the | | | | lithium-ion batteries for use in the Saturn Vue |
| battery, and had no device to get you home | | | | Green Line plug-in hybrid SUV. |
| when the batterys charge ran low. | | | | One contract has been awarded to Johnson |
| "The Chevrolet Volt is a new type of electric | | | | Controls Saft Advanced Power Solutions, LLC, a |
| vehicle. It addresses the range problem and has | | | | joint venture between Tier 1 automotive supplier |
| room for passengers and their stuff. You can | | | | Johnson Controls and Saft. Another agreement |
| climb a hill or turn on the air conditioning and not | | | | was signed with Cobasys, in partnership with |
| worry about it." | | | | A123Systems. Cobasys, based in Orion, Mich., is a |
| The Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a | | | | joint venture between Chevron Technology |
| 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. | | | | Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., and |
| When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the | | | | Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. A123Systems, |
| Volt can deliver 40 city miles of pure electric | | | | based in Watertown, Mass., is a leading |
| vehicle range. When the battery is depleted, a 1L, | | | | manufacturer of high power lithium-ion batteries. |
| three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at a | | | | The two test batteries, one from Cobasys |
| constant speed, or revolutions per minute (rpm), | | | | A123Systems and the other from Johnson |
| to create electricity and replenish the battery. | | | | Controls Saft , will be evaluated in prototype |
| According to Lutz, this increases the fuel | | | | Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrids beginning |
| economy and range. | | | | later this year. While both are lithium-ion batteries, |
| "If you lived within 30 miles from work (60 miles | | | | the chemistry differs significantly. The suppliers |
| round trip) and charged your vehicle every night | | | | also use unique methods in the design and |
| when you came home or during the day at work, | | | | assembling of the battery packs. |
| you would get 150 miles per gallon," Lutz said. | | | | |