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Chevy Volt launch extended to four more states
The Chevy Volt, as pictured in Austin, Texas, where it will be introduced later this year
The Chevy Volt, as pictured in Austin, Texas, where it will be introduced later this year
Motor manufacturer General Motors is expanding its launch of the Chevrolet Volt to include four more US states.
The company was planning to introduce the extended-range electric vehicle to California, Michigan and Washington DC later this year.
It said yesterday that Texas, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will now be added to its launch markets.
Speaking in Austin, Texas, yesterday, GM chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre said the move was a response to the “intense interest” in the Volt from customers around the country.
The vehicle looks set to be made available in Austin and New York City in late 2010, with the rest of Texas and New York, along with New Jersey and Connecticut, in early 2011.
Diverse
Mr Whitacre said: “We can add markets as diverse as Texas and New York because the Chevrolet Volt can handle both urban commuting and longer trips, in Austin summers and Manhattan winters.”
The Volt will offer a 40-mile electric-only range, boosted by 300 miles with its onboard gasoline generator.
“The Volt can be your primary vehicle, giving you the freedom to drive gas-free without the stress of planning every trip around the battery’s charge level,” explained Mr Whitacre.
The Volt, which comes with a portable 120-volt charging cord suitable for a standard residential outlet, can be charged in about nine to 10 hours.
A 240-volt system would charge the lithium-ion battery in three to four hours. The first buyers of the Volt could be eligible for a free fast-charging system as supported by a US government-funded scheme (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).
Pricing for the vehicle has not yet been announced.
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