April20
In Shanghai Friday, General Motors unveiled its second Volt concept car. Showing the versitility of GM’s E-Flex fuel system, this Volt concept is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a gasoline motor.
The car is capable of traveling about 300 miles of combined fuel cell and battery driving, producing no emissions, GM claims. This version of the Volt features a battery pack that is about half the size of the one shown in the gasoline powered Volt. The fifth generation of GM’s hybrid system is also have the size of the one featured in its predecessor, the Chevy Sequel but still offers the same performance and range as its predecessor.
The E-Flex system was first unveiled at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show and was equipped as a gasoline powered serial hybrid which would have been capable of obtaining gas mileage of more than 150 miles per gallon.
I bet it has a kick-ass cigarrette lighter
Now that GM is on their 5th generation hybrid system, It would be nice if they’d actually sell any
Looks like a great car. Not so gay like the prius.
Everything I’ve heard says that the gas motor version will be out way sooner than anyone thinks
im hearing itll be out by 2010, which isnt that Bad. defIniTely something i would Consider. the only t H ing that bugs me is that its a response to the green movement, prius. which tells me they were capable of the technology but waited. oh well better late then never.
Pretty nice little car, way cooler than the Prius for sure.
Comparing this to the Prius is a false comparison, yes they are both hybrids, but I don’t really consider this a car that competes against the Prius and its segment. The fact that it has a hybrid powertrain isn’t enough to compare it to the Prius. I thought that was pretty obvious, but apparently most people here are absent of any objective thought.
If the production model is half as good as this, it will be far superior to the Prius. What exactly DOES the Prius have going for it besides being a hybrid anyway? Take that away and it’s just a poorly-styled compact.
The US Volt concept is a coupe isn’t it? Interesting to see this 4-door show up with a few minor styling differences.
Acura TL-ish in front.
Meh
GM has made hybrid buses for some time.
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/adv_tech/300_hybrids/index_bus.html
I would buy this or the gas version if they come out.
Looks good. Should be in the showrooms now.
Yes, the Prius peeves me unlike any other car on the road. This is way better
Hi LamborghiniZ,
What other elements would this vehicle or the Prius need in order to be considered the same segment. I tend to think they are part of the same market segment “hybrid vehicles”, plain and simple. There is no need to break segments down any further. Would a Prius be considered a compact hybrid and the Volt a sports hybrid? Either way, I would choose this over the dull styling of the Prius. GM needs to push this car to market, it would appeal to so many people, but the time needs to be sooner than later.
Just what GM needs…pie in the sky. IF they spend half as much time and money redesigning their compacts, they’d be much better off. Cant wait for all the current Hybrids to “come to Jesus” when their batteries fail…that will wake people up to the reality of cost and environmental impact they truly have. IMO, diesel and IC Hydrogen would be the better way to go in the near future. When Fuel cells mature, then that will be a good alternative too.
Lambo - I’m pretty disappointed in you. Not only are you a lib, but you’re playing total favorites with your dad’s prius. Truth is, this Volt is much better than the Prius. The Volt is a “series” hybrid as apposed to the Prius which is parallel. The Volt will be much more efficient. I hate the damn things, and I had to tell you this? Come onnnn, you’re off your game.
The mani difference between a Prius and the Volt, today?
You can buy a Prius, the Volt is still a “concept”, and can be purchased.
When the Volt is out, THEN we can make real world comparions on MPG, price, etc..
I like the Volt, but what decade is it coming out?
take care/not offense.
I need to type better! The Volt Can’t be purchased yet( I said CAN, in my statement above ).
Gettin’ too old!
lol.
take care.not offense.
The Prius has got to be the ugliest car next to the EV1 and those old Citroen’s from the 60’s. So far im happy with my 4cyl. Ranger that gets me around 22-25mpg when I drive to and from my work that is a whopping 4 miles round trip. But… I would like to have two vehicles: A Diesel, Hybrid, Electric or NGV car for my work commute and daily routines, and my lifted Silverado or Superduty with a Diesel to haul my toys
Now all I need is a better job 
You got to realize people that for the longest time the only reason Toyota, Honda and all the other Asian car companies did well was they only produced fuel efficent cars. But when gas was cheap GM, Ford and Chrysler were raking in the dough with SUV sales. Flashback to 1973, remember the oil crisis? The detroit companies are late in the game and are playing catch-up sort of to the foreign companies. Seems like things are changing though… The Chevy Silverado gets better mpg then the Tundra and the Titan
We did drive a Prius last Summer, and it was acceptable.
It handled better than my Sonata.
Not as good as our tC, though.
It is larger than the tC, smaller than the Sonata(maybe that is why, for handling differences?).
I did chirp the tires, when I floored it, to get onto the road(heavy traffic area), for a stop. Did just fine. Shocked me. Thought we’d get go-kart-like take off.
Think the battery gives ya instant Torque.
What I liked:
hatchback : roomy for real people, and the hatch back, IMHO, trumps any sedan’s trunk.
About 0-60 of 10 seconds, or so,about on par of the new I-4, 173HP Sebring automatic or Lancer automatic.
So, I guess it’s in the ball park.
MPG…. well, that’s the top deal about it.
I like the strange, bizzarre shape,lol.
In my town, though, the few Priuses there are, people ignore their looks, where as my 04 Sonata, they gawk like a Martian landed( see a lot of 06-07 Sonatas, but fewer 02-05 Sonatas).
Same for the tC. See NONE, but ours. in our area of 13K people.
Anyhow…MSRP has shot up from around 20K just 3 years ago, to over 23K msrp. Why? Sales went up.
Still…. Toyota claims they’ll lower prices when battery prices go down. I bet! lol.
Maybe if China gets here with a 15K hybrid, they’ll lower Prius prices.
Anyhow, I would like to see a 3 or 5 door version of this cool looking Volt, and it be out by 2009, at least.
Rumors have it that a hybrrid version will be out either in 09, or 2010, as a 2010 model.
If they can keep prices close to Civic Hybrid… I mayhave ot check it out( this is what, 171 inches long, where as the Civic is what, 177 inches long, and Prius 176 inches+, so that 1/2 foot “less” of car should save a few bucks?).
If they could even bring out this car, and get say 45 city, 44 hwy(civic gets 51 city, hwy 50, IIRC), and 20-21K msrp…I might have to check it out!
Especially since they have a 5/100K warranty.
Problem is, rumors have Hyundai with a hybrid by 2010, the Elantra, and a few others.
Should be some choices by 2010, if everyone follows through.
take care/not offense.
its inevitable that this thing will be compared to the prius. only because they are alternative powered green machines. forget the fact theyre powered differently.
okay, just imagine when this is released, the first magazine that gets a chance will do a comparo between the two, which one gets better mpg..and so on.
Dear GM,
Can we get a E-Flex Version of the 2004 Chevrolet Nomad Concept Car?
not to sure i like it very much
ZzZzZzZzZz…huh Saturn Corsa VxR?!?!? coming to the US no………………
It looks great but I don’t care for hybrids. Still I hope they can get this on the road soon because you know it will sell because most people are hybrid crazy right now. But they have to be careful and not rush it into production because this could end up backfiring if there are problems with it.
Why do GM concept cars never make it to market ?
Instead we get committee designed cars.
Oops, can’t forget the bean-counters in the next room.