NAIAS2015 Sneak Peek: 2016 Chevrolet Volt: Comments

[Drew Dowdell]

With one week to go before the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the pictures will really start rolling out now. Today we got a much clearer look at the 2016 Chevrolet Volt due to be fully revealed next week.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today, the 2016 Volt peeked its nose through the curtain to give us a better look at it's face. The upcoming Volt will have powertrain improvements rumored to give the EV a 12% gain in electric only range, some of that will come from a more interactive regeneration mode that is currently available on the Cadillac ELR. The regeneration mode is controlled through paddles on the steering wheel.

Recently Mark Reuss Vice President of GM Global Platform Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain and Andrew Farah, Volt Chief Engineer took the 2016 Volt out for a spin to discuss the Volt regeneration mode feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXCKarf7s9Y

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt officially debuts on Monday, January 12th at 7:35am at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. We will be on hand to bring you all the latest news and developments from the show.

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Source: GM Media

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[Paolino]

I'm not sure how I feel... if you buy an electric car, shouldn't it be as efficient as possible?  You start having people control the regenerative brake properties on the steering wheel, and you're adding a distraction.

[G. David Felt]

I agree with Paolino, the regeneration should be maximized and you should not have the option to play with the settings also, I am not wowed with this sneak peak. I really hope it is better than what they have stated.

[Drew Dowdell]

The regeneration is like a second brake pedal. The reason you want to control it is because you want to be able to control your rate of deceleration.

I sorta do this now with the cruise control, nudging my speed up or down with traffic using my thumb.

[Drew Dowdell]

Note to self, don't post articles while exhausted without letting someone else read them first....

[Cory Wolfe]

Design wise, this has a Honda/Acura feel to it so far. 

[Drew Dowdell]

Design wise, this has a Honda/Acura feel to it so far. 

 

I see a lot of this:

 

[William Maley]

Design wise, this has a Honda/Acura feel to it so far. 

 

Great, now I see the Honda Insight in the Volt's design.

[G. David Felt]

 

Design wise, this has a Honda/Acura feel to it so far. 

 

I see a lot of this:

 

 

This is what the MB concept looks like to me. MB with a compliment to Chevy on the F15 Concept.

[Blake Noble]

Design wise, this has a Honda/Acura feel to it so far. 

 

Yeah, it looks like a Civic/ILX.

[G. David Felt]

I honestly understand people who will look for the cheapest and most dependable or the message that it is the most dependable thing around but Honda just has ZERO appeal to me as an auto maker. Their auto's are boring, too small and just not comfortable. They have built what I always thought would happen. Over priced throw away auto's.

[hyperv6]

I think GM has done their job well as some of you are comparing this EV hybrid car to normal everyday gasoline cars. That is just what Chevy was targeting.

 

GM has from the start wanted the Volt to be the EV car that many would consider a normal car in looks and driving. They do not want the Leaf, Prius Science fair look.

 

To make a EV car look normal is no easy task as the Aero is so important just for range. I forget the exact number but the sharp edge on the rear bumper on the Volt is work several miles of Electric range. Yes just that one sharp edge. Other features also have to remain in play in the design to keep the range up. To make the car look more normal like a regular car can be damaging to the range so if they have succeeded protecting or increasing the range then they did their job based on the comments.

[ocnblu]

So far it looks downmarket from the current model.

[Drew Dowdell]

We'll see a bit more clearly tomorrow.  (or late this evening if you stay up late enough)