Revolutionary Chevrolet Volt order books are now open – the Chevrolet Volt takes the range anxiety out of electric motoring. Using its mould-breaking E-REV technology (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) the Volt will never leave its driver stranded, unlike other electric cars that will only travel a finite distance between charges. This is thanks to an onboard petrol generator, which sustains battery power when the range is depleted so that the car can still be driven, with the wheels powered by its electric motor until it can be recharged.
Furthermore, Chevrolet has announced the first two dealerships that will sell the Volt, as well as the final enhanced UK specification and pricing.
Initially, the car will be available through two dedicated Volt centres – Cambridge Chevrolet in Cambridgeshire, and Phoenix Chevrolet in Wimbledon, SW London.
“We chose these two dealerships to appeal to the broadest reach of Volt buyers,” said Chevrolet UK Managing Director, Mark Terry. “Cambridge is a city geared toward the environment and new technology, as well as being home to the Faraday Institute, named after the inventor of electricity, while London is clearly where many existing users of electric vehicles reside, as well as where the industry sees the potential for the biggest initial growth in sales of EVs and their derivatives, such as E-REV.”
The final UK specification of the Volt has also been announced, to include such premium features as heated leather seats, Bluetooth with voice recognition and embedded phone, electronic keyless ignition with touch button start, 17-inch alloy wheels, ambient LED-based interior lighting, solar absorbing glass, DAB Digital Radio and an energy-efficient six-speaker stereo system that uses minimal electricity to operate.
Other specification highlights include fully programmable door locking, cruise control, air con, a 7-inch LCD screen with Driver Information Centre, touch-sensitive controls on the centre console, a pedestrian alert system, rear camera and front and rear park assist and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Only one trim level will be available, priced at £29,995 after the UK government’s Low Carbon Vehicle grant (£34,995 pre-grant).
Options include a high tech audio system featuring sat nav, DVD-ROM and MP3 playback facility, seven energy-efficient BOSE speakers with sub-woofer, voice recognition and a hard drive with 30Gb of music storage priced at £1,745, 17-inch polished alloy wheels at £490 and a range of special and metallic paint options, from £495.
As the first car in the world to feature E-REV technology, the Volt has already picked up several awards, including North American Car of the Year, Green Car of the Year, Motor Trend Car of the Year 2011 and 2011 World Green Car.