Volt is an electric car that uses gas to create its own electricity. Plug it in, let it charge overnight, and it's ready to run on a pure electric charge for up to 40 miles(3) — gas and emissions free. After that, Volt keeps going, even if you can't plug it in. Volt uses a range-extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it for hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.

Features

 -7" LCD touch screen and 7" digital reconfigurable LCD instrument cluster.
 -Remote vehicle starter system preconditions the cabin.
 -Bose® Energy Efficient sound system with six speakers and a subwoofer.
 -30 GB Hard Disk Drive for digital music storage.
 -High feature Navigation includes voice recognition.
 -XM Radio(11) with XM NavTraffic®/Weather with three trial months.
 -OnStar®(12) with Directions and Connections Plan®(13) standard for five years.
 -Industry-first "mobile apps" capabilities via a smartphone device or web.
 -8 standard air bags(14):
 -Dual-stage front air bags for driver and front passenger, knee air bags, side-impact air bags and roof-rail air bags.
 -Three-point seatbelts in front seating positions. 
 -LATCH (Lower Anchors and Top tethers for Children) system - rear seats.
 -8-year/100,000 mile(15) battery warranty.
 -Available leather-appointed seats.

Technology

Volt is an electric vehicle with a range extender. Well, what does that mean? It means Volt runs on electricity from its battery, and then it runs on electricity it creates from gas. Let's assume you have a fully charged battery. Now, depending on the weather, the electrical features that are turned on and how you drive, you can drive up to 40 miles on the electricity stored in the battery — totally gas and emissions free. After that, its gas-powered, range-extending generator automatically kicks in to provide electrical power. So Volt can go for several hundred additional miles, until you can plug it in or fill it up again.

The Volt propulsion system is powered exclusively by electricity. When its battery runs out of charge, it uses a small amount of gas in its onboard generator to create more electricity — enough to keep Volt going for hundreds of miles. While hybrids and battery-only electrics will also help us reduce our dependence on petroleum, Volt is a solution that seems to have greater possibilities for the future.

Battery

On a pure electric charge, Volt can travel up to 40 miles,(3) which means more than 75% of people can commute on battery power alone without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions.(4) The battery combines the power of more than 200 lithium-ion battery cells. Each cell is about the size of a 5- by 7-inch photo frame, weighs nearly a pound and can store up to twice the power of a similarly sized nickel metal hydride battery cell from today's hybrid vehicles.

When you compare lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride battery technologies, it's clear why lithium was picked to power Volt. As you can see in the charts, lithium is superior in terms of power density, energy density and cycle life.

A great battery is nothing unless it lasts. That's why Chevy teamed up with LG Chem to design the most durable and reliable battery possible. Each battery cell is encased in a polymer-coated aluminum package to withstand harsh climates. It also uses meticulously developed anode, cathode and electrolyte chemistries to improve the battery life under high temperature conditions and a wide range of charge states. A liquid thermal cooling and heating system keeps the battery at a comfortable temperature as it's being charged and discharged.

Mobile

With the new OnStar mobile app, Volt owners can use a smartphone to access their vehicle’s current electric range and fuel efficiency. Plus, managing the Volt charging functions is easy with this application. You can look up the battery’s charge level, check on what time your Volt will be fully charged and ready to go, or even change charging priorities remotely with just a couple of taps. You can perform other commands remotely too — like unlocking doors or activating the remote start. The OnStar mobile app will be available when the Volt launches later this year.

Warranty

The Chevrolet Volt provides customers with a standard, 100,000-mile/8-year warranty(10) on its advanced, lithium-ion battery. The Volt's comprehensive battery warranty covers all 161 battery components, 95 percent of which are designed and engineered by GM, in addition to the thermal management system, charging system and electric drive components.

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