Chevy Volt Will Rock Electric Car Industry

By: Andy Hodges
Staff Writer
Published: May 20, 2009

Chevy Volt Helps Reduce Our Dependency On Foreign Oil

General Motors Corp is one step away from introducing the 2011 Chevy Volt to the market. The electric car industry just might be surprised on how fast the Chevrolet Volt came from three concepts. While many things can happen hereafter until next year, the automaker is still on-track to release its latest automobile technologies.

Hybrid cars are about fuel efficiency than running on electric power. Hybrids do their job by extending mileage to save gave while reducing carbon emissions. However, GM is doing something completely different.

The Chevy Volt is designed to be a stand-alone electric vehicle. It will get its power from a 110 volt standard home outlet. The automobile can travel up to 40 miles entirely on battery power.

Moreover, the vehicle can also create electricity while storing it. This is one of the remarkable technics about the Volt. According to recent statistics, about three-quarters of people in the United States drive 40 miles or fewer round trips to work.

The onboard lithium-ion battery is the same technology that powers mobile cell phones. However, the Volt's battery is much larger and more expensive. GM is right now planning to make lithium-ion batteries inexpensive while meeting several safety standards.

What happens when you go more than 40 miles, and you run out of power? Well, the Volt comes with a small internal combustion engine which will kick-on as a generator. This generator changes mechanical energy (energy from moving parts) into electrical energy.

This is the part that is exciting about this new electric automobile. As the generator runs, it will automatically recharge the battery on the go. The internal combustion engine can use gasoline, E-85 ethanol, biodiesel, or even a fuel cell as a source of alternative energy.

The auto industry is facing its darkest times, but in an effort to rebuild and reduce our dependency on foreign oil, car manufacturers are moving towards alternative fuels and electricity. It is almost like a cartoon or a sci-fi movie, but it is coming very soon.