An anonymous source inside GM said that the American giant might develop a cheaper version of Chevrolet Volt, at the expense of a smaller mileage.

While the new Chevrolet Volt have not been launched on the markets yet, Chevrolet is seriously thinking at developing a cheaper version of it. The cheap Volt might be a rival of the hybrid and diesel models with smaller prices and will have a mileage of around 20 miles in full electric mode. Chevrolet Volt can run in full electric mode between 25 and 50 miles, then the internal combustion engine starts to recharge the batteries. The exception is the barrier of 100 mph, when the engine starts automatically.

According to some sources inside General Motors and quoted by Favstocks, Chevrolet might cut off $10,000 from the production price of Volt, only be redesigning in, raising the production numbers, a new battery, or a combination of the three. As well, they might reduce the autonomy in full electric model, a move that would increase the fuel consumption and the CO2 emissions, but would transform Chevrolet Volt into a cheaper car.

For now, GM officials didn’t speak about the rumor. Chevrolet Volt would have a major advantage, at least on the US market, if it has a starting price of $31,000, getting support from the US Government, that would offer a price reduction based on environmental funds specifically collected. On the other hand, increasing Volt’s production might lead to other problems, as the dealerships are already overworked, as the plant producing Volt’s batteries is already working at full capacity.

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Opel has released the first official picture with the series version of Ampera. The electric / hybrid model with extended autonomy will be presented in world premiere at Geneva Motor Show 2011.

The series version of the Opel Ampera model, the European brother of Chevrolet Volt model, will be presented in world premiere by the German automaker in its own stand at Geneva Motor Show. The model with electric propulsion that can be a hybrid in series configuration when the battery is low will be presented for the first time in the final configuration, the previous two editions from Geneva Motor Show was dedicated to the pre-production versions of the German model.

Because the model is classified as an electric / hybrid vehicle, Ampera don’t pay pollution tax, despite the fact that it is equipped with a gasoline engine that supports the propulsion system. The model battery can be loaded in just four hours and the 100% running in electric mode may take place over a distance of between 25 and 50 miles, which is more than the average distance traveled by the commuters from Europe.

The Opel Ampera battery can be charged from a standard 230V AC outlet in just four hours, say the officials from Opel. Therefore, the vehicle could be charged even if you are at work. In the next years, is probably that the commercial places will provide charging facilities for the electric vehicles.

According to the official press release that accompanying the first official picture of the German model, Ampera can reach a top speed of 100 mph, while the acceleration from 0-60 mph is achieved in 9 seconds.

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Dan Akerson, CEO of General motors, confirmed a hybrid version of Cadillac SRX and announced that the GM plans will built twice more Chevrolet Volt units in 2011 than initially planned.

The officials of Chevrolet US announced that General Motors will double the production number for Volt during 2011. The Americans aim to build 45,000 Chevrolet Volt units  per year in 2012, and for 2011 they want to build not less than 25,000 vehicles. The reason behind the increase in production numbers is the high demand registered by this model and its introduction in more and more Chevrolet and General Motors dealerships.

The end of 2011 will mark Chevrolet Volt’s debut on the European market. The Europeans will also receive its version built by Opel and called Ampera, a vehicle that benefits from the same Voltec drive train. First, the Volt units shipped to Europe will be built at the GM plant in Hamtrack, Michigan, but the Americans might also use a European plant to built Chevrolet Volt in order to reduce the costs.

As about the hybrid version of Cadillac SRX, Dan Akerson said that “is very likely” for the model to enter production. Despite Volt’s success, the model will not be built in a Cadillac version, staying a member of the Chevrolet family for the US market.

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Ford brings at Detroit Auto Show two green versions of the C-Max model: Energi and Hybrid. The first can be recharge at an outlet and the second is like to be a more economical hybrid than Fusion Hybrid.

After the electric Focus revealed yesterday, Ford continues to surprise at Detroit Motor Show by two other ecological models, both developed on the new series version of the C-Max model and also on the C segment platform, scheduled to host 10 different cars in 2014.

The surprises prepared by Ford are called C-Max Energi, the first vehicle can be recharged to an outlet from the Ford range and C-Max Hybrid, a derivative with hybrid drive train. Although the guys from Ford have not published enough informations about the two new models yet, Ford wanted to clarify that the both versions will receive a set of lithium-ion batteries developed in Ford laboratories from Michigan.

The new C-Max Energi promises a total autonomy of 500 miles, but ensures more miles in electric mode, after an outlet, rather than the newest hybrid from Detroit, Chevrolet Volt.

On the other hand, the new C-Max Hybrid wants to be a more economical alternative than the current Ford Fusion Hybrid, which currently guarantees an average consumption of 41 mi/gal and is officially designated the most economical sedan in United States.

The new models will reach on the market until 2012, but Europe will get them somewhere in 2013.

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Hyundai Sonanta, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf are the three finalists of the North American Car of the Year 2010 contest. The winner will be officially announced on January 10, 2010.

The Detroit Auto Show 2011, expected to open its gates next month, will also mark the announcement of the new winner of the North American Car of the Year award. The competition’s officials have already revealed the names of the three remaining finalists, the big final being disputed between Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and Hyundai Sonata.

Volt and Leaf arte the first electric models designed for mass sales, both contestants already being the winners of numerous awards. More than this, Nissan Leaf comes with the title of European Car of the Year 2010, award that will probably weigh in during the American competition.

Hyundai seems to be the traditional candidate, which can’t count on the green label to impress the jury. But the Korean model counts on the comfort and the handling already appreciated by the journalists, and also on the quality of the materials it offers. If Sonata manages to beat Volt and Leaf, the car would bring the second North American Car of the Year award for the Korean automaker, who also won this distinction with Hyundai Genesis.

The North American Car of the Year jury is made of 50 Canadian and American journalists, who will give their verdict on January 10.

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Chevrolet auctioned the first Chevy Volt unit that left the assembly line. The car, for sure, one that will enter the history books of modern cars, was bought for not less than $225,000.

The American automaker today announced that they officially closed the auction for the first Chevrolet Volt unit that left the assembly line. It’s the first production Chevy Volt, and it was sold for not less than $225,000. The American electric car managed to total an impressive numbers of purchase requests.

The final value of the car is no doubt a record, considering that the starting price was set to only $50,000. The money from the auction will be donated to support the educational initiatives of Detroit Public Schools Foundation.

The American automaker puts all its hopes in the new Chevrolet Volt to help them solve their financial problems. Powered by an electric motor of 150 HP, Volt is able to travel a distance of 40 miles only with the energy stored in the lithium-ion batteries.

Chevrolet Volt’s resources help the electric car sprint from o to 60 mph in 9 seconds and hit a top speed of 100 mph. Volt’s autonomy is extended with the help of a 1.4-liter gasoline engine of 84 HP, capable of recharging the lithium-ion battery and so provide energy for the electric motor.

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Lately, the whole world is making a real fuss about the electric cars and how environmental-friendly they are. More than this GM and Nissan already started the production of two electric models and it looks like everyone wants one. But is Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt cheaper and more eco-friendly than petrol models?

Some say yes. But if you stop for a second and analyze the problem you can see that things are not so eco-friendly as they look like. The automakers say that their electric cars have zero CO2 emissions, which is true. But the electric cars use electricity as main power source, but obtaining the electricity is not so eco-friendly.

Anyway the experts seem to agree that the electric cars are more eco-friendly than the conventional powered cars, so it’s easy to see that the masses tend to believe them from the increase in electric cars demand.

But some of the owners of the electric cars have put the costs in front the CO2 emissions when decided to buy one. But what’s the price of an electric car? About $30,000. And how much you pay for a mid-size car? About $20,000. So, you’re telling me that the $10,000 difference is compensated by the fact that you don’t have to pay for fuel? In how many years?

Another minus of the electric car is the poor autonomy of the models already developed. So, you have to wait for 7 hours to recharge the batteries and then run for 100 miles, but if you overuse it you only get a 50 miles autonomy, and that’s limiting your traveling flexibility.

Anyway, if we sum up we can see that the technology available for the electric vehicles is not offering us what we expected when we first bought the eco-friendly car, and probably there are still a lot of people putting things like this, that’s why the electric cars sales are still not meeting expectations.

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The GM plant in Hamtrack, Detroit have already started the Chevrolet Volt production. The American electric model has scored 60 mpg in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests.

GM have started the production of Chevrolet Volt in the Detroit-Hamtrack plant. Volt is the first model to feature the Voltec drive train and is seen by General Motors as being the brand’s salvation for the future. Chevrolet Volt will be available on seven markets in the first phase of the sales, and then the electric car will hit other markets. The United States EPA have labeled Volt with 60 mpg, which is the equivalent of 3.92 liters per 100 km in the metric system.

Chevy Volt is equipped with with a lithium-ion 16 kwh battery. The model delivers 150 HP and develops 273 lb-ft of torque. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in about 9 seconds, and the top speed of the electric sedan from Chevrolet is of 100 mph. As you probably know, besides the electric motor the model features a internal combustion engine, running as a generator. According to some informations, the unit comes to help the electric motor at high speeds, but Bolt is not a hybrid like Toyota Prius is, but an electric model.

The internal combustion engine is there to recharge Volt’s battery and is not used all the time during driving. In the electric mode, the vehicle has a mileage between 25 and 50 miles with zero CO2 emissions. After the battery runs off, the internal combustion engine will offer energy for the electric system, working as a generator.

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Chevrolet officials announced they are facing a “huge demand” for Volt and that they’ve asked their partners to help them increase the production capacity of the model.

The General Motors officials announced they will increase the production capacity of Chevrolet Volt in order to be able to answer the unexpected number of demands for this model. The best clients are represented by the fleets, the biggest ordered being of 12,000 Chevrolet Volt units and belonging to GE. GE is one of the companies with the biggest car fleets in United States of Ameriac, so there’s likely that the new Volt units they ordered to replace a big part of the General Electric car park.

Apparently, Chevrolet will build more than 55,000 Volt units in the next two years. The value was figured out from the statements made by GM officials, but Volt’s production capacity was not yet unveiled. Since GE ordered more Chevrolet Volt units than GM will build in 2011, we are expecting a big move from the American automaker during next year, in order to respond to GE’s demand.

It seems that GM got in touch with the Koreans of LG Chem, responsible for producing Volt’s batteries, for increasing the production capacity. For the whole chain to work, LG Chem must supply a higher number of batteries, without the possibility of a partnership between GM and another company, as the Koreans have a six years exclusive contract for Chevrolet Volt units’ batteries.

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Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf will fight this year for the Green Car of the Year title. Ford Fiesta, Lincoln MKZ and Hyundai Sonata hybrid complete the list of the five finalists.

The finalists of the Green Car of the Year 2011 have been chosen. The five models in the final are Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The winner of the contest will be announced next month at Los Angeles Auto Show.

Nissan Leaf is an electric vehicle which has an autonomy of 100 miles with a single battery charge, and the car’s top speed is of 90 mph. The vehicle developed by Nissan has an electric motor that offers 107 HP and is powered by a lithium-ion battery.

For a complete recharge of the battery, the owners of such a mode have to wait 8 hours, and if they don’t have the time, they can choose for a 30 minutes recharge, and the battery is recharged 80%.

Chevrolet Volt is the second electric model nominalized for the Green Car of the Year 2011. The American model is capable of developing 150 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque. The electric engine has a 16 kwh lithium-ion battery and it’s assisted by a 4 cylinder 1.4-liter conventional engine.

Hyundai Sonata hybid is the first eco model that occurred in the Korean automaker’s yard. Unlike the standard version, Sonata Hybrid features some aesthetic changes of the front. In the electric mode, the Korean car can run with speeds up to 70 mph.

The fourth model chose for the Green Car of the Year 2011 final. The American model is equipped with an four-cylinder 2.5-liter engine which runs in the Atkinson cycle and is mated to an electric engine. The total power Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is of 191 HP, and in electric mode it ca run with up to 45 mph.

The last finalist on the Green Car of the Year 2011 list is Ford Fiesta model which has a 1.6-liter petrol engine. After the EPA tests (United States Environmental Protection Agency) the Ford’s subcompact scored 40 mpg fuel consumption. Last year’s competition winner was Audi A3 TDI, and in 2008 Green Car of the Year award was won by Volkswagen Jetta.

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