Chevrolet Volt |
|---|
|
| Topic Navigation |
|---|
|
Wikipedia: Chevrolet Volt
Page Sections History Multimedia Photographs Documents Article Index |
History
The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Automotive Industries page on 11 September 2018, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid car manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Buick Velite 5 in China, Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in the United Kingdom and as the Opel Ampera in the remainder of Europe.
Sales of the 2011 Volt began in the United States in mid-December 2010, followed by various European countries and other international markets in 2011. Global combined Volt/Ampera-family sales totaled about 134,500 units by the end of December 2016. The U.S. is the leading market, with 113,489 Volts delivered, followed by Canada with 8,884 Volts sold through November 2016. Just over 10,000 Opel/Vauxhall Ampera cars had been sold in Europe as of June 2016, with the Netherlands leading the European region, with almost 5,000 Amperas and over 1,000 Volts registered. The Volt/Ampera family of vehicles is the world's all-time best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle as of December 2016.
The Volt operates as a pure battery electric vehicle until its battery capacity drops to a predetermined threshold from full charge. From there, its internal combustion engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range as needed. When the engine is running it may be periodically mechanically linked (by a clutch) to a planetary gear set, and hence the output drive axle, to improve energy efficiency. The Volt's regenerative braking also contributes to the on-board electricity generation. Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cycle, the 2013/15 model year Volt all-electric range is 38 mi (61 km), with a combined electric mode/gasoline-only rating of 62 mpg‑US (3.8 L/100 km; 74 mpg‑imp) equivalent (MPG-equivalent).
The second-generation Volt's improved battery system and drivetrain increased the all-electric range to 53 miles (85 km), its EPA-rated fuel economy in charge-sustaining mode to 42 mpg‑US (5.6 L/100 km; 50 mpg‑imp), and the combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode to 106 MPG-e, up from 98 MPG-e. Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. and Canada began in October 2015 as a 2016 model year.
The Volt has won several awards, including the 2009 Green Car Vision Award, 2011 Green Car of the Year, 2011 North American Car of the Year, 2011 World Green Car, 2012 European Car of the Year, and 2016 Green Car of the Year. Controversies regarding the Volt include the extent to which the U.S. federal government may have participated in the Volt’s development, which continued through General Motors' 2009 government-led bankruptcy, and concerns about the battery-pack fire risk following a crash test that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) performed on a Volt in 2011. At the completion of its investigation, NHTSA concluded that no discernible defect trend exists.
| Date | Media or Collection Name & Details | Files |
|---|---|---|
| 25 July 2007 | General Motors Brings Chevrolet Volt Car to Washington VOA News |  Article Page - 4.1MB - 2:16 |
| 21 November 2011 | Chevrolet Volt Battery Pack #3 Test National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Windows Media Video - 30:38 |
| 24 November 2011 | Chevrolet Volt Battery Pack #2 Fire National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Windows Media Video - 4:22 |
 |
2013 Geneva International Motor Show Photo ©2013 Norbert Aepli, Switzerland This photograph is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. View photo of Chevrolet Volt at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show - 3.1MB |
 |
Die Cast Model Photo ©2011 Bill Crittenden C.A.R.S. in Miniature January 2011 After Christmas Banquet January 8, 2011 View photo of Chevrolet Volt Die Cast Model - 2,508KB |
| Date | Document Name & Details | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| April 2011 | Calspan On-Site Electric Vehicle Crash Investigation Vehicle: 2011 Chevrolet Volt National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |  PDF - 1,556KB - 47 pages |
| 18 May 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS No. 103: Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems 2011 Chevrolet Volt, Passenger Car National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 2.4MB - 36 pages |
| 18 May 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS No. 110: Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4536 kilograms or less 2011 Chevrolet Volt, Passenger Car National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 2.7MB - 43 pages |
| 18 May 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS No. 114: Theft Protection 2011 Chevrolet Volt, Passenger Car National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 4.7MB - 28 pages |
| 6 June 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 214: Dynamic Side Impact Protection (Rigid Pole) 2011 Chevrolet Volt 5-Dr Hatchback National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 4.8MB - 116 pages |
| 20 October 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 214: Dynamic Side Impact Protection (Rigid Pole) 2011 Chevrolet Volt 5-Dr Hatchback National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 4.7MB - 125 pages |
| 20 October 2011 | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 305: Electric Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection 2011 Chevrolet Volt 5-Dr Hatchback National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 3.2MB - 40 pages |
| January 2012 | Chevrolet Volt Battery Incident Overview Report National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 18.9MB - 135 pages |
| 25 January 2012 | Volt Vehicle Fire: What Did NHTSA Know and When Did They Know It? Hearing before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform United States House of Representatives | PDF - 3.7MB - 110 pages |
