Topics to be discussed in the presentation

Volt is an electric car that can create its own electricity. Plug it in, let it charge overnight, and it's ready to run on a pure electric charge for up to an EPA estimated 35 miles1 - gas and tailpipe emissions free. After that, Volt keeps going, even if you can't plug it in. Volt uses a range-extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it on a single tank of gas.

Technology

Volt is an electric vehicle with a range extender. Well, what does that mean? It means Volt runs off electricity from its battery, and then it runs off electricity it creates from gas. Let's assume you have a fully charged battery. Now, depending on the weather, the electrical features that are turned on and how you drive, you can drive up to an EPA estimated 35 miles on the electricity stored in the battery - totally gas and emissions free. After that, its gas-powered, range-extending generator automatically kicks in to provide electrical power. So Volt can go for several hundred additional miles, until you can plug it in or fill it up again.

See how Volt compares

The Volt propulsion system is powered exclusively by electricity. When its battery runs out of charge, it uses a small amount of gas in its onboard generator to create more electricity - enough to keep Volt going for hundreds of miles. While hybrids and battery-only electrics will also help us reduce our dependence on petroleum, Volt is a solution that seems to have greater possibilities for the future.

Save money

Electricity is an extremely affordable way to power a car - the average American pays less than 12 cents per kilowatt hour. In other words, if you drive 35 miles or less that could work out to be about a $1.50 a day. And that can add up to big savings.

Power Grid

The power that you use for heating, cooling, cooking, refrigeration, light, sound, computers and entertainment comes to your house from the power plant through a network of transmissions and distribution power lines called the power grid. Various sources generate this power: wind, sunlight, water, natural gas, coal, oil and biofuels. To put it simply, the power grid is the system by which electricity is brought to your home.

Volt allows you to use the power grid more efficiently if you charge it during off-peak hours. According to the US Department of Energy this is usually from around 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.4 Depending on where you live, charging during off-peak hours can save you the most money. If you'd like to know whether reduced off-peak electricity rates are offered in your area, contact your local electric company.

Battery

On a pure-electric charge, Volt can travel up to an EPA estimated 35 miles. The battery combines the power of more than 200 lithium-ion battery cells. Each cell is about the size of a 5-inch by 7-inch photo frame, weighs nearly a pound and can store up to twice the power of a similarly sized nickel metal hydride battery cell from today's hybrid vehicles.

Why lithium-ion?

When you compare lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride battery technologies, it's clear why lithium was picked to power Volt. As you can see in the charts, lithium is superior in terms of power density, energy density and cycle life.

Durable design