All-electric car propulsion switches seamlessly to back-up engine

Chevrolet has taken the wraps off its all-new Volt plug-in electric vehicle that can travel up to 50 miles on electricity and 310 miles on gas without stopping to refuel or recharge.

The five-door, four-passenger 2011 Chevy Volt boasts of the Voltec propulsion system, which seamlessly switches between the 16kW Li-ion battery and 111kW (149hp) electric drive unit delivers between 25 miles and 50 miles of electric driving and an onboard 1.4L engine that gives up to 310 miles of extended range.

Chevrolet said the 2011V is not a hybrid but an all-electrically driven vehicle designed and engineered to operate in all climates. When a charging post is not available, the user can run the onboard engine for up to 310 miles. The 5.5-foot, 198.1kg T-shaped, 16kWh Li-ion battery pack with 161 components has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. Each battery pack's nine modules and 288 prismatic cells were put through one million miles and four million hours of testing and validation. GM designed and engineered 95 percent of the battery components.

Designers used high-strength steel and a full raft of vehicle safety technologies to provide occupant protection before, during and after a crash.

The Volt also features configurable displays, Chevrolet Mobile App powered by OnStar MyLink, and MyVolt.com web portal enhance owner experience. Chevrolet also provides five years of OnStar Directions and Connections service, including Automatic Crash Response, stolen vehicle assistance and connected navigation.