Spy photographers recently spotted a mule for the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, but it was later revealed that it was actually just a ride and handling mule and had the drivetrain from the donor Chevrolet Malibu . Another round of shots emerged showing a Volt mule with an electric drivetrain, but it was revealed that it wasn’t using a lithium-ion battery pack. But GM is apparently testing the real deal behind closed doors as GM chairman Bob Lutz revealed that a test mule for the Volt with lithium-ion batteries is on the road testing.
In an interview with The Detroit News, Lutz revealed that a lithium-ion powered Volt mule is undergoing testing, and even poked fun at the recent spy shots of the not quite so complete mules. “We’ve got the first car running (with lithium-ion batteries) … and what the guys get on ‘sightings’ is a picture of an old Malibu with black wheels and a very long extension cord,” he said chuckling at the thought.
Because lithium-ion battery technology is seen as the Volt‘s biggest hurdle, it’s a major milestone that GM is able to test the Volt’s (pre)production powertrain in a mule this early.
The Volt’s lithium-ion batteries reached another milestone earlier this year when engineers discovered a way to simulate 10 years of use in just 2 years of testing.
With the lithium-ion powered Volt on the road testing somewhere, it shouldn’t be long until spy photographers capture the first images.
