The Street: Tech: Chevrolet Volt 2.0: What to Expect

[Robert G]

Chevrolet Volt 2.0: What to Expect

The Street

By Anton Wahlman 11/27/12 - 06:00 AM EST

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- This week marks the two-year anniversary of the Chevrolet Volt commencing production. It is also one year before it is believed that the next generation Volt -- the 2.0 -- will start production.

The purpose of this article is to speculate about what we can expect from Chevrolet Volt 2.0.

Let's first establish some facts about the Chevrolet Volt to date. The first production run from November 2010 until June 2011 was around 4,000 units. That was version 1.0.

Then came Volt 1.1, which was made from July to December, 2011. It added a more advanced door lock system, and rejumbled some buttons on the dashboard.

Volt 1.2 entered production in February 2012 and added compliance with California's carpool lane privileges. It was with this release that sales increased from a few hundred units per month, to around 2,000 per month -- in the US.

Production of Volt 1.3 started in June 2012 and had a variety of improvements, from interior and exterior cosmetics, to more importantly improved all-electric range -- up from 35 miles to 38. Once these cars hit dealerships, sales grew to around 3,000 per month -- in the US.

The current U.S. sales rate is now 36,000 per year, but to get the total number you would have to add sales in Europe, Canada and Australia as well. The problem is that these numbers are not yet easily obtainable, but vague indications are that sales in those geographies combined are not yet exceeding 2,000 per month. So the global sales number is currently not exceeding the 60,000 per year rate, which was GM's goal for 2012.

GM reports that as of today, all Volts sold have been driven a total of over 157 million miles. Overall reliability appears to have been among the best of any car on the road to date.

The development of the Volt 1.0 started in 2006 and was essentially completed in most vital aspects by the time the production version of car was shown to the public in September 2008. The work on Volt 2.0 started taking shape in 2010.

By now -- November 2012 -- the car is fully baked, undergoing the kind of durability testing that will ensure customers who buy a 2014 Volt can drive it reliably for millions of miles over more than a century to come.
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[SierraGS]

Where is the 5-passenger Volt?

Will the 2.0 version give the Volt more passenger space and utility?

[JBsZ06]

The volt is a truly impressive automotive achievement. Gentleman on this forum discuss 188 mpg as an average after one full year of regular usage. I am floored by the implementation and excellence of execution by GM. The volt is fun to drive as well.

I can't wait for the Cadillac ELR to release. Should be an exciting turning point of how Americans view the voltec platform

[mchicha]

any ide how ampera is doing in sales?

[rueben44]

The Chevy dealer in downtown Houston has a boat load of Volts in front of the dealership so they must really be selling well in that location. I stopped and checked them out again and I must say I just love that car.

[70AARCUDA]

...loved the "jump" in all-electric range from 35 miles to 38 miles--wow, a whole 8.6% improvement!

[ne_one]

The timing and "2.0" classification are a little dubious.

To this point, all indications are that the ELR and next Volt upgrade will be a Voltec 1.5-level incremental upgrade.

[germeezy1]

Just wait until GM releases the hot air friction range extender powered by the hot air expelled by many of the Volt pundits, and PIMFJOHNonly81mpg.

[edsuski]

...loved the "jump" in all-electric range from 35 miles to 38 miles--wow, a whole 8.6% improvement!

Actually, battery technology has historically moved along at a near snails pace. An 8.6% increase in two years, adding virtually zero cost to the batteries, is quite significant. If that continued for a decade - the all electric range would be nearly 60 miles. If 78% of Americans travel 40 miles or less per day - what percentage could use virtually zero oil if the range increased to 60 miles? Trust me - the oil companies are loosing sleep over the prospects....

[HermPerez]

All battery tech improvements for the next decade will be aimed at lowering the cost down, after that is done then perhaps range will be increased unless they decide to restore the cramped 5th seat of the Delta II platform. Volt is already using a 2nd generation battery.

60 miles of range would be sweet, but many people are routinely getting 50 today.. extra battery capacity should be an extra cost option. Also they should offer a coupe.