Production Volt pics....

[Dr Mordrid]

Very early test production, but Voltec drive has made the transition....

[Evildead666]

Wow. Its delivered with a garden in the back seat ?
the charger looks too much like a pistol. Also looks like someone tripping over that cable could end up with an expensive repair bill...

[Dr Mordrid]

I think they're trying to show it has a apreciable trunk & fold-down seating like other hatchbacks.

This connector is similar, though by no means identical, to the locking power connectors used to connect parked RV's to power.

I also think the idea is not to be a total f***ing klutz.

[Evildead666]

I was joking about the garden, lol.
Thats even with the back seats up, so it has pretty good load space.
The pistol-adapter actually looks more like a garden hose adapter now, the more I look at it...

Hey, SOMEONE is bound to trip over the wire at some time....the car side looks very solid, all metal, except for the opening hatch that looks like it could be damaged....

I suppose its all been tested to death tho, so should be no worries...

edit : I just hope they start remaking cars that last now, instead of planning parts to fail so the service and parts costs can be had....

[Elie]

I would wait to see reviews by those who buy in to the Volt, especially in the winter time when it's -19 degrees celcuis here in Canada.

[Mehen]

Having to take the bus here because its -30C for a week would really suck...

[Dr Mordrid]

I would wait to see reviews by those who buy in to the Volt, especially in the winter time when it's -19 degrees celcuis here in Canada.

Inclement weather mode;

sensor detects battery temp

if too cold for battery operation the range extender generator starts up and powers the drive motor, battery warming system and accessories. After the battery is at operating temperature it takes over and the range extender shuts down.

if too hot the same thing happens, but instead of a heater a cooling unit brings the battery temp down to its operating range, whereupon the battery takes over and the range extender shuts down.

This is a very large advantage for range extended EV's over battery-only EV's.

The current range extender will be a gas/E-85 flex-fuel engine/generator, but an early upgrade will be the option of a biodiesel engine - probably in an Opel at first. Later a fuel cell or EEStor power cell could be put in without having to reinvent the rest of the drive line. GM is keeping a close eye on EEStor.

That's why they call the basic system E-Flex...flexibility.

Chrysler is taking the same tack with their ENVI division cars.

[az]

I like the exterior quite a lot (except for the faux-grille. Looks like designers will need some time to acclimate to the new conditions), especially the audi-style tail and honda-inspired headlights as well as the whole silhouette. But the fake windows and horrible center console are still there, and the trunk looks a bit narrow. But of course they needed space for the batteries somewhere.

[Dr Mordrid]

The battery is T shaped and mounted low with the crossbar under the rear seat and the leg in the tunnel.

Volt uses a variant of the twisted beam rear suspension with horizontal shock struts and the frame behind the fenders. Not as large or complex as McPhersons (which are on the front), but they still need room. Twist beam suspensions are light.

What fake windows?

The grill is functional - air is taken in around the edges with the central panel being part decorative/part aerodynamic.

Center console is a matter of taste. I kinda like it.

[az]

What fake windows?

The dark frames below the side windows.

The grill is functional - air is taken in around the edges with the central panel being part decorative/part aerodynamic.

That central part is what I'm referring to. The designers of VW's BlueMotion Polo, for instance, obviously didn't know what to do without the need for holes either. Both results are ugly (though the Polo quite a bit more so).

Center console is a matter of taste. I kinda like it.

No, it isn't. It's a matter of usability. Or, in this case, unusability. You need tactile feedback when using your car's radio, etc, because you are supposed to keep your eyes on the road.

And it's also ugly, but yes, that is a matter of taste.