Recently the famous Detroit automaker, General Motors (GM, Financial), has provided a teaser of what to expect from the new hybrid electric Chevy Volt 2016 which would be launched soon by the auto honcho. The glimpses of the new model were provided ahead of the CES 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The photos were tweeted by a number of tech news publications present in the event, with GM having presented the new electric model to a private group of Volt supporters last month. There is currently a lot of speculation on what this new vehicle launch could mean for GM and there is some insider information available on the car specs. Let’s dig deeper and find out what got shared from GM’s end and if this model could serve as a game changing model for the automaker.
As conveyed by reliable sources
A series of pics provided by the automaker shows the vehicle treading on snow, travelling effortlessly through tough roads without any problem. This new model is trusted to pack a 1.5 litre four-cylinder-gas engine and a much efficient, smaller and lighter battery pack than its immediate predecessor.
There are some vital changes that have been brought about to the engine operation in the new Chevy Volt. While the current model operates on battery power only until a certain limit is reached after which the internal combustion engine starts to power the car, in the new model it can be powered by both the gas power plant and the electric motor even at low speeds. This way, the battery aids in improving the fuel efficiency of the new Chevy Volt power plant.
The looks are stated to be similar to the Cadillac ELR hybrid, and the steering-wheel mounted paddles can tailor the driver’s experience to the needs of the individual. Thanks to the ground-up design, the new Volt would be significantly lighter than the current model in the showrooms. Thus, with weight reduction on the way, the Volt’s electric range should grow from 40 miles to around 50-60 miles range.
Creating a competitive field
Analysts are of the opinion that this upcoming Chevy Volt would directly compete with Tesla Motors’ (TSLA, Financial) upcoming Model X. With just 3% of all cars sold in the U.S. being electric vehicles, and Tesla grabbing over 0.2% of this market in the U.S. in 2014, it might be concluded that the electric vehicle manufacturer has created a brand name in the U.S.
The Chevy Volt would be priced around $7,000 to $10,000 less than the current model which costs $34,185. As the price is expected to be reasonable enough to compete in the EV segment, it might be able to overthrow Tesla from the EV market throne.
Concluding thoughts
As more specs are likely to be shared on the new Chevy model during the CES 2015 all eyes are glued to the show for further detailed specs which could drive the sales of EVs for GM. With the new Chevy Volt ready to make its debut later this month at the North American International show in Detroit to be held next week, all interested buyers need to stay tuned to get more information on the latest product from the GM workshop about to hit the roads this year.
