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Follow on Google News | Wally Edgar CHEVROLET Dealer -- VOLT Named Top PickCHEVROLET VOLT: The top products of 2010
By: GORDY O'CONNOR It’s an EV early adopter’s worst nightmare: running out of juice, miles from the nearest charging station. With the VOLT, CHEVROLET is intent on squelching those fears. When the car’s 16-kilowatt- AERODYNAMIC DESIGN Extending the EV’s range means minimizing drag, which can lead to bland shapes. “We didn’t want the automotive equivalent of Brussels sprouts,” says Bob Boniface, the Volt’s lead designer. So engineers added details such as a gently sloping rear hatch, a flat bottom and small creases and fins that manage airflow. The result is GM’s most aero-efficient car since the EV1. USER INTERFACE Two 7-inch WVGA displays (one of which is a touchscreen) POWERTRAIN When the Volt’s battery pack is discharged, the 1.4-liter gas-powered four-cylinder engine kicks on to spin the 74-hp generator. The engine doesn’t top off the battery but simply runs long enough to maintain performance. The generator and 149-hp traction motor are connected to the wheels via a planetary gearset in a way that’s similar to the Toyota Prius’s transmission. This arrangement allows both motors to power the wheels, a strategy that keeps each motor in its most efficient—and refined—operating range. BATTERY PACK The 300-volt lithium-ion battery pack is composed of 288 cells, grouped vertically like files in a drawer. To extend battery life, the pack never fully charges or depletes. A 250-micron-thick, sponge-like membrane separates the plates and holds the organic carbonate electrolyte through which the charged lithium ions flow. A dedicated liquid-cooling circuit maintains the pack’s temperature to within 2 degrees. SOURCE: Popular Mechanics (Illustration by Razvan Maftei) VISIT Us At:http://www.wallyedgar.com Call Toll Free at: 1-866-933-9569 # # # About us: Celebrating our 25TH year. We serve multiple Counties in and around the Detroit Automotive Communities. Located 3 miles north of THE PALACE of Auburn Hills in Lake Orion Michigan.We are ONE mile east of the GM ORION ASSEMBLY.1-866- End
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