OK, the cake is being cut as General Motors celebrates its 100th birthday. And the big gift was the rollout of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.
Here are some of the Volt's details:
-- The car will travel 40 miles on electric power alone, as the Volt carries a battery pack made up of 220 lithium-ion cells. The pack generates 16 kilowatt hours of electricity. It can be recharged in about three hours when plugged into a 240-volt line, or about eight hours with a 120-volt line.
-- The four-passenger Volt has a top speed of 100 mph. Its electric motor cranks out 273 lb-ft of torque and the equivalent of 150 hp.
-- The interior includes a driver-configurable liquid-crystal instrument display, seven-inch touch-screen information display, touch-screen-style climate and infotainment controls, an optional navigation system with onboard hard drive, and Bluetooth connection technology.
-- The chassis includes an independent MacPherson strut suspension in front and a compound crank twist axle in the rear, four-wheel disc brakes with full regenerative capability, and electric power steering.
-- Here are the dimensions: Wheelbase, 105.7 inches; overall length, 177.0 inches; width, 70.8 inches; height, 56.3 inches; cargo volume, 10.6 cubic feet.
GM says its plans to build the Volt in its Hamtramck assembly plant in suburban Detroit, but it is still negotiating with governments for incentives to convert the plant. GM says it will begin Volt production in late 2010.
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