DETROIT – General Motors continues to make its critically acclaimed Chevy Bolt the all-electric compact vehicle, but it was the Volt that paved the way for the Bolt, and if we see the hybrid Volt as a bridge to the Bolt then perhaps its work is done and GM is ready to burn that bridge.
When GM unveiled the Chevy Volt at the 2007 Auto Show, it was referred to as a moon shot and it felt like it. Long before we could envision a Bolt or a Tesla, here came a car that could drive 40 miles on an electric charge.
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"The Volt is safe, it's a marvelous machine, it represents so much about what is right about General Motors and frankly about American ingenuity and manufacturing," said GM Chairman Dan Akerson, testifying in 2012 about the Chevy Volt.
The Volt was a hit with critics, it slipped seamlessly between its two power sources, running on electricity until the battery was depleted and then flipping over to its gasoline engine. Which meant most drivers cover their commute using only battery power.
It never caught on with buyers. There were worries over the safety of the enormous battery and gas prices never quite provided the incentive the Volt needed.
Local 4's Devin Scillian drove the Volt for three years, and he said it was the best car he's ever had. When the lease was up he averaged 182 miles a gallon. However, Scillian gave the vehicle up for the Cruze because he needed more space.
At the Beijing Auto Show in April, GM showed off a crossover version of the Volt under the Buick badge called the Velite 6. It's aimed at the Chinese market, but there's no word yet on whether it might make its way into U.S. showrooms.