When the wrap comes off the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt in January, it will pack a more powerful 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a higher-capacity battery that will help deliver quicker acceleration and more range.
General Motors confirmed today that this inline-four, part of a trio of new Ecotec three- and four-cylinder engines that will power 27 global models within the next three years, would show up under the second-gen Volt's hood. After an initial production year in Mexico, the engine will be built in Flint, Michigan; the General also stated that the Volt's electric drivetrain will be assembled in Warren, Michigan. Previous reports of GM using a three-cylinder engine have proven incorrect.
In non-hybrid applications, the 1.5-liter is said to make 113 horsepower and 108 lb-ft of torque; GM did not announce power figures as they pertain to the Volt, but figure on something less given the engine's directive as a range-extending generator that drives a separate electric drive motor. It will take the place of a 1.4-liter unit that makes 84 horsepower and 93 lb-ft of torque, and requires premium gas for maximum efficiency. The new engine will burn regular-grade fuel.
According to GM, the two electric motors (one serves primarily to drive the wheels, the other is connected to the gas generator but can also supply power to the wheels) will operate far more often in tandem than do the motors in the current Volt. That applies in both EV and extended-range hybrid mode, and the car will offer a 20 percent improvement in electric-powered acceleration. The two-motor setup, which now integrates a power inverter, is 100 pounds lighter and is said to run between five and 12-percent more efficiently.
The lithium-ion battery is 30 pounds lighter and comprised of 96 fewer cells for a total of 192. GM said LG Chem, which manufactures the cells at its plant in Holland, Michigan, boosted storage capacity by 20 percent on a volume basis. GM is vague about what this means; it could be that the battery is now rated as highly as 19.2 kWh or that the Volt will avail itself of more of the stated current capacity figure. (It could also be that both operational and overall capacities have been raised.) Currently, the Volt uses roughly 10 kWh of total capacity to protect and preserve the battery over the vehicle's lifetime. Either way, we should expect EV range beyond 40 miles. The Volt is presently rated by the EPA at 38 miles.
- Deep Dive: GM's New Small Engine Family
- What a Jolt: Next-Gen Base Chevy Volt Could Be Named "Bolt"
- Chevrolet Volt Research: News, Reviews, Photos, Pricing, and More
We won't get any more Volt intel—including official EPA estimates and whether an additional, cheaper variant that could cost under $30,000 will be offered—until the Detroit auto show nears in January.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment