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