Chevrolet Volt

Official Chevy Volt specs have not yet been released. But some technical details are locked in, one year prior to the first production Volts hitting the streets.

• The Chevy Volt’s electric motor is rated at 150 horsepower.
• Top speed is listed at 100 mph.
• Acceleration is estimated at "under 9 seconds" from zero to 60 mph.
• When you factor battery energy use, the Volt is likely to be rated by the EPA at about 80-100 miles per gallon.
• The Volt’s 16 kilowatt-hour battery has 8 kilowatts of usable energy.
• Charging is accomplished from either a 120-volt or 240-volt line. Both will use the same charging port and connector.
• It takes roughly 8 hours to charge the battery on 120 volts, and 3 to 3.5 hours on 240v.
• The 2011 Chevrolet Volt will deliver up to 40 miles of battery-only range on the EPA city cycle, a driving circuit with an average speed of about 20 mph.
• Aggressive acceleration, sustained high-speed driving, exceptionally hot or cold ambient temperatures, hills, mountains and other such stuff will diminish the Volt's battery-only range.
• The 1.4-liter, flex-fuel engine and attached generator kick on when the Volt's battery has approximately 30 percent of its charge remaining. The engine-generator then remains the Volt's principal source of electrical power until the battery is recharged.