General Motors on Monday showed off what direction its alternative fuel vehicle are headed in, unveiling the production model 2016 Chevrolet Volt and the Chevrolet Bolt EV concept at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
DETROIT, MI - General Motors on Monday showed off what direction its alternative fuel vehicles are headed in, unveiling the production model 2016 Chevrolet Volt and the Chevrolet Bolt EV concept at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
GM CEO Mary Barra told a crowd gathered at the Cobo Center that the new Volt will get an electric range of 50 miles before needing to switch to gasoline - an increase of about 30 percent from its predecessor. The 2016 Volt gets more than 400 miles of driving range.
Other highlights from GM:
• New two-motor drive unit is up to 12 percent more efficient and 100 pounds lighter (45 kg) than the first-generation drive unit
• Two-motor design enables 19 percent stronger zero-to-30 mph acceleration
• Battery capacity has increased to 18.4 kWh using 192 cells (96 fewer than current generation) with weight reduced by more than 20 pounds
• Regen on Demand feature enables driver control of energy regeneration via a convenient paddle on the back of the steering wheel
• New 1.5L range extender, designed to use regular unleaded fuel, offers a combined GM-estimated fuel efficiency of 41 mpg (EPA estimate pending)
• Stronger body structure and quieter ride
• New braking system with improved capability and blended Regen feel
• New, five-passenger seating with available rear heated seats
• Location-based charging capability
• 120V portable cord set has a simpler, compact design with more convenient storage location
• Available illuminated charge port
"The 50 mile range for the new Volt hit the nail on the head, increasing range over the prior generation by nearly a third," said Akshay Anand, an analyst at Kelley Blue Book. "With more electric vehicles coming out on the market, range relative to price will be a key differentiator, especially for plugin hybrids. 50 miles sounds a lot better than 49 for marketing purposes, and there's no doubt Chevy knew this when engineering the next gen Volt. How it sells remains to be seen until fuel prices increase again."
Also on Monday, the Detroit automaker unveiled its Bolt EV concept. As expected, the all-electric vehicle gets a range of 200 miles. Barra said GM aims to price it at about $30,000.
"The Bolt EV concept is a game-changing electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity," Barra said. "Chevrolet believes electrification is a pillar of future transportation and needs to be affordable for a wider segment of customers."
The Bolt is expected to compete against the forthcoming, more affordable Model 3 by upstart, electric carmaker Tesla.
"I love the thought of a 200 mile ranged electric vehicle for $30,000," said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book. "Sticker before tax rebates will be closer to $37,000 but this shouldn't matter since this will likely have a solid lease right out of the gate. I wouldn't call it a Telsa killer but the bar will be pretty high for Telsa model 3."
General Motors delivered more than 274 vehicles last month, marking its best December in seven years. That was en route to posting a 19 percent sales increase for all of 2014, the Detroit automaker reported.
For all of 2014, Chevrolet sales were up 4.4 percent to 2,033,442 units. Sales of the Volt sales fell 18.6 percent to 18,805 units in 2014, compared with 2013.
More than 40 vehicles are expected to be unveiled at the 2015 NAIAS. The show runs Jan. 12-25 in Detroit. Press preview days are Jan. 12-13, followed by industry preview Jan. 14-15 and a charity preview on Jan. 16.
The show will be open to the public Jan. 17-25. More than 750 vehicles will be on display, and some 800,000 attendees are expected to pass through the Cobo Center's doors for the event. Tickets to the 2015 public show days are $7 for senior citizens and children between 7-12 years old; $13 for adults; and free for children 6 and under. For more information on tickets, visit naias.com.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter