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AUTOS: Volt Electric Cars Start Pre-Production
Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com   
06/25/2009
Warren, Mich
 
General Motors began building the first pre-production versions of Chevrolet Volt this week, aiming to introduce the extended-range electric vehicles to the public by the end of 2010.

Chevrolet Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer Andrew Farah takes the first pre-production vehicle for a test drive Tuesday in Warren. (Photo: General Motors) ยป More Photos
Most off the pre-production Volts will be used for the testing and validation of production and design, and to develop final software and controls, including the way that the driver interacts with the vehicle.

About 80 of the electric cars will be built during the next year.

Volt is basically a plug-in hybrid that uses home current to charge its lithium-ion battery, which provides about 40 miles of pollution-free driving on electric power alone. Once the battery's energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator seamlessly provides electricity to power the Volt's electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery.

This mode of operation extends
the range of the Volt for several hundred additional miles until the vehicle's battery can be recharged. Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Volt eliminates "range anxiety," giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.

The design of the Volt production car has evolved from the original concept that was unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
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