CHEVROLET VOLT SERIES

It’s no surprise the substantially improved Gen II Volt earned a second 10 Best Engines trophy for 2017. When the first-generation Volt was named a 10 Best Engines winner after it was launched in 2011, WardsAuto editors called it, “a car that revolutionizes mobility” and “a magnificent achievement that marries the best attributes of all-electric vehicles with those of fun-to-drive, fuel-efficient gasoline cars.” That goal became the Chevy Volt extended-range EV. He convinced his bosses that ceding eco-friendly leadership to Toyota’s parallel hybrids was a major mistake because, even if each one was sold at a loss, they would result in more effective brand building than pouring that same money into advertising.īut instead of trying to imitate Toyota, Lutz pushed GM engineers to create something special to one-up the Prius. Then Bob Lutz arrived in 2001 as vice chairman of product development. GM decided the cost of HEVs couldn’t be justified by the projected efficiency gains over much more affordable advanced conventional powertrains. GM’s EV team did build some parallel-hybrid prototypes back then but couldn’t work out a winning business case for production. Most observers agree that General Motors missed a prime opportunity after its innovative battery-electric EV1 failed in the marketplace in the late-1990s.Īfter that setback, it jumped right past gasoline-electric parallel hybrids to more expensive “2-mode” hybrids intended primarily for trucks, and much longer-term fuel-cell research while Toyota leapt into the eco void with its Prius hybrid, followed by a variety of others, to become the perceived leader in environmental friendliness.

CHEVROLET VOLT SERIES

This installment of the 2017 “Story Behind the 10 Best Engines” series looks at the development of the second-generation Chevy Volt propulsion system. WardsAuto’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding powertrains for 23 years.

Chevrolet volt