Chevrolet

Chevrolet Volt

The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle car that was manufactured across two generations by General Motors, and also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in the United Kingdom and as the Opel Ampera in the remainder of Europe. Volt production ended in February 2019. While similar in some ways to hybrid vehicles, the Chevy Volt is an electric car with an onboard gasoline generator. Sales of the first-generation Volt began in the United States in mid-December 2010, followed by some European countries and other international markets in 2011. Global combined Volt/Ampera-family sales totaled about 177,000 units by the end of October 2018. The U.S. was the leading market, with 157,054 Volts delivered through the end of 2019, followed by Canada with 16,653 Volts sold through September 2018. Just over 10,000 Opel/Vauxhall Ampera cars had been sold in Europe as of June 2016. Until December 2018, the Volt/Ampera family of vehicles was the world's bestselling plug-in hybrid vehicle. When it was discontinued, the Chevrolet Volt was still listed as the top-selling plug-in hybrid in the American market. The Volt operates as a pure battery electric vehicle until its battery capacity drops to a predetermined threshold from full charge. From there, its internal combustion engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range as needed. While running on gasoline at high speeds the engine may be mechanically linked (by a clutch) to the car's gearbox, improving efficiency by 10% to 15%. The Volt's regenerative braking also contributes to the on-board electricity generation. Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cycle, the 2013‍–‍15 model year Volt all-electric range is 38 mi (61 km), with a combined electric mode/gasoline-only rating of 62 mpg‑US (3.8 L/100 km; 74 mpg‑imp) equivalent (MPG equivalent). The second-generation Volt's improved battery system and drivetrain increased the all-electric range to 53 miles (85 km), its EPA-rated fuel economy in charge-sustaining mode to 42 mpg‑US (5.6 L/100 km; 50 mpg‑imp), and the combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode to 106 MPG-e, up from 98 MPG-e. Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. and Canada began in October 2015 as a 2016 model year. The Volt won several awards, including the 2009 Green Car Vision Award, 2011 Green Car of the Year, 2011 North American Car of the Year, 2011 World Green Car, 2011 SAE Best engineered car, 2012 European Car of the Year, and 2016 Green Car of the Year.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: General Motors EV1

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First generation (2010–2015)

The production design model officially unveiled on September 16, 2008, as part of General Motors (GM) centennial celebration at the Wintergarden headquarters in Detroit. The production model differed greatly in design from the original concept car. The carmaker cited necessary aerodynamic changes needed to reduce the concept car's high drag coefficient of Cd=0.43 down to Cd=0.28, still higher than the Toyota Prius Cd=0.25. Another reason was the use of General Motors's new global compact vehicle platform Delta II to keep costs reasonable, and shared with the 2010 model year Chevrolet Cruze. Another significant difference from the concept car was the seating, as the production Volt seats four rather than five passengers. This change was due to the higher-than-usual central tunnel that runs from the front console to the rear seat that houses the car's T-shaped battery pack. After the concept was put into the pipeline for production, GM began looking for a partner to develop the Volt's lithium-ion battery pack. The carmaker evaluated about 25 battery cell chemistries and constructions from around two dozen lithium-ion battery makers around the world. Due to their more promising cell technologies, two companies were selected in June 2007, Compact Power (CPI), which uses a lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) cell made by its parent company, LG Chemical; and Continental Automotive Systems, which uses lithium iron phosphate based cylindrical cells made by A123Systems. By the end of October 2007 CPI (LG Chem) delivered their finished battery pack prototypes, and A123 delivered theirs by January 2008. GM's testing process was conducted at the laboratory the carmaker had created for the GM EV1 program. The battery packs included monitoring systems designed to keep the batteries coo

Second generation (2016–2019)

The second generation Chevrolet Volt was unveiled at the January 2015 North American International Auto Show. Retail deliveries began in the United States and Canada in October 2015 as a 2016 model year, with 1,324 units delivered in the U.S. that month. Availability in the American market was limited to California and the other 10 states that follow California's zero emission vehicle regulations. GM scheduled the second generation as a 2017 model year to be released in the 39 remaining states by early 2016. Manufacturing of the 2017 MY Volt began in February 2016, and the first units arrived at dealerships at the end of February 2016. The 2017 model complied with stricter Tier 3 emissions requirements and was available nationwide. The second generation Volt had an upgraded powertrain with a 1.5-liter engine that uses regular gasoline; the 18.4 kWh battery pack had new chemistry that stored 20% more electrical energy using fewer cells, 192 compared with 288 on the 2014 Volt. It had a new power controller that was integrated with the motor housing; the electric motors weighed 100 lb (45 kg) less and used smaller amounts of rare earth metals. GM engineers explained that the second generation Volt was developed with extensive input from Volt owners. The improvements allowed the 2016 Volt to deliver better EPA ratings than the first generation model. The all-electric range was rated at 53 mi (85 km), up from 38 mi (61 km) attained by the 2015 Volt. The gains in efficiency allowed the second generation to improve its combined fuel economy in gasoline-only (charge-sustaining) mode to 42 mpg‑US (5.6 L/100 km; 50 mpg‑imp), up from 37 mpg‑US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg‑imp) for the previous model. The second generation rating for combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode

Sales

== Reception == Awards and recognition. Awards received by the Volt included the following: U.S. organizations 2009 Green Car Vision Award by the Green Car Journal at the Washington Auto Show for "a bold and far-reaching approach that promises to bring an exceptionally fuel efficient model to consumers at reasonable cost." 2011 Car and Driver Ten Best Cars. For the first time ever Car and Driver magazine included an electrically powered car among its 10 best. 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The magazine commented that "In the 61-year history of the Car of the Year award, there have been few contenders as hyped – or as controversial – as the Chevrolet Volt." 2011 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal. The magazine editors explained that "This award welcomes a new genre of mass-production electric vehicles to the consumer market, with the Volt as the first-ever electric vehicle to take top prize." 2011 Automobile of the Year by Automobile Magazine. The editors commented that the Volt "...is genuinely an all-new car, in the most simplistic sense as well as in the greater notion that the Volt is unlike any vehicle we have ever driven." 2011 North American Car of the Year announced at the 2011 North American International Auto Show. Forty-nine American and Canadian automobile writers chose the Volt. The nominees were judged based on "innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value". Listed among the 2011 Greenest Vehicles of the Year by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Listed among the 2011 Best Green Cars by Mother Earth News. 2011 Edison Award – Gold in the Transportation Category, Personal Transportation Segment. 2012 Best Resale Value Award in the category of electric cars by Kelley Blue Book. 2011 The Volt ranked first i

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q927395CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_VoltCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1361508828 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chevrolet_Volt_(Mk_I)_CWashington_DC_Metro_Area,_USA.jpgCC BY 4.0 · Photo: OWS Photography · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-carLink only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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