With production still over a year away, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is still very much a work in progress. Our Senior Editor in Detroit Dan Pund recently had a chance to see just how much work has been done thanks to a brief test drive in one of Chevrolet's development mules.
He reports that the Volt does in fact move under pure electric power, and it does so in a way that makes it feel like a properly sorted sedan. No, he didn't go far enough to test the range, or even engage the gasoline-powered generator for that matter, but that's why it's called a mule.
First Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Volt Prototype First Drive
firstwagon says:
08:16 AM, 04/30/09
So far they've shown they can make an electric car that can travel a short distance under electricity (just like everyone else) and they shown that the Cruze drives like a car.
Seems to me they still have a long way to go before they have a production car.
It's potentially one of the most interesting new cars to come along in memory but I'm more then a little concerned there are a lot more engineering issues still to be solved then we know about.
brn says:
08:54 AM, 04/30/09
While not as cynical as firstwagon, I've some similar concerns. These test drives are interesting, but I've yet to see the gas engine kick in or see it cruise at 70mph.
I'd really like to see this thing do things that make it different than your "standard" electric car.