Sep 16 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Jewel Gopwani Detroit Free Press

General Motors Corp. this morning unveiled the production version of the Chevrolet Volt, as part of the automaker's centennial celebration, called GMnext.

"The Volt is symbolic of what General Motors stands for today. Certainly that means cutting-edge technology, exciting design, fast and efficient product development," said GM Chairman Rick Wagoner. "The Volt symbolizes General Motors' commitment to the future."

Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman of product development, then drove out the silver Volt before the crowd at the Wintergarden in the downtown Renaissance Center.

GM calls the Volt, viewed as potentially industry-changing technology, an extended-range electric vehicle. It is expected to drive 40 miles on an electric charge alone and about 400 miles using an onboard gas-burning generator to recharge its lithium-ion battery. The electric motor alone drives the wheels.

An overnight charge is expected to cost less than "your favorite" cup of coffee, and annually use less energy than a typical home refrigerator, the company said in a statement today, revealing more details about the car.

In designing the Volt as a hyper-efficient vehicle, GM needed "superb aerodynamics" said Lutz, but it still starts with great design. "The Volt is beautifully proportioned, nice and slick," he said.

In 2007, GM unveiled an edgy design for the concept Volt at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with lofty promises of unprecedented fuel efficiency.

"At the time a lot of industry experts said that could not be done," Wagoner said. "For close to a year now, we've run prototype battery packs through test after test and our confidence ... has grown with every lap at the test track at the Milford Proving Grounds."

If GM and its partners can develop strong enough lithium-ion batteries -- like giant cell-phone batteries -- the car will go into production at Detroit-Hamtramck in November 2010.

Standard features in the Volt will include a touch screen to display vehicle information, and Bluetooth capability for cell phones and music streaming. Drivers will be able to configure the instrument display, which will be shown on a LCD screen, GM said in a statement this morning. The vehicle will be able to seat four, and have a top speed of 100 miles per hour.

The vehicle will also include touch-screen climate and infotainment controls, and an optional navigation system with an onboard hard drive for maps and music storage.

After Lutz rolled out the Volt, Wagoner said: "GM's second century starts now."

Contact JEWEL GOPWANI at 313-223-4550 or jgopwani@freepress.com.

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