Plug In America leaders (and probably lots of other EV afficionados) have been suggesting to GM for quite some time now that they should make an all-electric version of their upcoming Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid (or, as they like to call it, their extended-range electric vehicle). Apparently, they were listening!
GM Vice-chairman Bob Lutz told reporters at the Detroit auto show today that a all-electric Volt is coming, though he wouldn’t say exactly when, the Associated Press reported. The PHEV Volt goes on sale at the end of this year for around $40,000, and buyers can lower the cost through the $7,500 federal tax credit and up to $6,000 more in tax credits in some states.
Now that GM has the first-generation Volt together, it would be “technologically trivial” to drop the engine and make an all-electric version, Lutz acknowledged to reporters. We at Plug In America like to think that we had something to do with GM moving in that direction, and I bet the upcoming competition from Nissan’s all-electric Leaf didn’t hurt either!
Sherry Boschert (@sherryboschert on Twitter)
Volt photo (c) GM Corp.
I own a Suzuki swift but I like the more powerful engine response of any GM cars. Japanese have pioneered most of the green car technologies that ever existed today. I love to drive one in the future but gasoline stations should be equipped with charging cells as well. Hope there are suzuki parts that would be marketed for electric usage as well.