GM says it has finalized Volt’s design, battery production still a challenge

Larry Burns, GM’s vice president of R&D, said that GM has settled on a final design for the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, saying that the vehicles development is officially complete. Burns said that designing the Volt was a big challenge for GM, since it needed to fit a battery pack that is ‘the size of a linebacker’ into a car that is the size of the Chevrolet Cobalt, while providing enough room for four passengers.

The finished Volt will bear a “clear family resemblance” to the concept shown at last year’s Detroit Auto Show, Burns said. “But it won’t be a twin.”

GM has set a production goal of 2010 for the Volt, but incorporating the lithium-ion battery for mass development is still a challenge. Incorporated into its E-Flex system, the battery is said to provide a range of 40 miles.

“Doing one battery isn’t an issue,” he said. “The issue is doing thousands and thousands of batteries that last years and years.”

Recently reported, Bob Lutz claimed that the price of the Volt could run up to $48,000 due to the cost of development.

 

Source: Detroit News

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