First 2011 Chevrolet Volts reportedly won't be E85 capable

According to the knowers-of-all-things-Volt over at GM-Volt.com (which incidentally just got a very nice site redesign), the initial batch of first-model-year Chevrolet Volts won't be flex-fuel capable as initially planned. Says vehicle executive Tony Posawatz, "We are finalizing some of our options and the associated timing that goes with them. The E85 capable emission package will have its timing finalized soon... It will not be available for November 2010."

It will apparently take a full year or so to get flex-fuel capability built into the Volt's 1.4-liter four cylinder engine/generator package. Of course, none of this matters all that much if you plan to almost exclusively operate your extended-range electric vehicle using the electric motor and lithium ion batteries, eschewing as much reliance on fossil fuels as possible... but even that strategy won't be possible all of the time.

Chevy beefs up 2011 Silverados

Chevrolet has unveiled the 2011 Silverado HD truck lineup with a new chassis to deliver towing, payload capability, and a new Duramax 6.6L diesel engine and Allison 1000 transmission combination for efficient fuel economy. The new truck is expected to go on sale this summer.

Chevrolet said that the 2011 Silverado HD lineup offers: a fully-boxed frame assemblies, new asymmetrical leaf-spring rear suspensions, an improved 6.0L Vortec 6L90 powertrain, a new exhaust brake system, large brakes, efficient ride, handling and steering, and safety and functional technologies including 170-degree-opening rear access doors on extended cab models and connectivity.

According to Chevrolet, the new line-up grows to eleven 2500HD models and eight single and dual-rear-wheel 3500HD models, including a new 3500HD Crew Cab with a 6.5-foot cargo box.

In addition, the 2011 Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD models are represented by a dome-style hood, a new grille and full-width chrome steel front bumper. It also includes a new lineup of 17, 18 and 20 inch wheel/tire combinations.

Special Edition of the Corvette 427

I think there is no human on the planet that doesn’t know about the big disaster from Haiti. A lot of people thought they should give a helping hand and so did this automaker namely Corvette by building a special edition of the Corvette 427 which is great but pretty normal from big auto makers.

This special edition of the Corvette 427 comes with the regular 7.0 liter engine that is able to develop 505 horsepower. The special edition of the Corvette 427 added a Single-style stripe, some chrome exterior badges, a painted spoiler, body color door handles, a dark titanium leather and also a crystal red center trim plate to mark the car as aspecial edition of the Corvette 427.

2011 Chevrolet Volt

As you can see Chevrolet was busy, they worked (and still working) at a new project, I’m talking about the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. This car looks very promising, I like very much the body and I like even more the fact that she is an electrical car, as you all know, electric cars are the future.

As I said Chevrolet Volt is an electrical car, but also the car is able to run on fuel too. Now a little bit more info about the electric specs, the car is powered by a big lithium ion battery, the battery can be charged at a regular outlet. It takes up to 3 hours to charge the battery full at 240v, and up to 8 hours at a regular 120v.

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Up until now, General Motors has remained deliberately vague in public about the scheduled Job 1 date for Chevrolet Volt production. Given the complexity and new technology involved in the program, the automaker's reluctance is understandable. After all when you don't know what the future holds or what problems will crop up, you don't want to put a misleading date out there, years in advance.

Internal schedules, on the other hand, are something else altogether. Every program needs to have deadlines so that people know how much time and resources to allot for a given task. Those internal gantt charts have undoubtedly had the magic Volt Job 1 date on them for several years. Among the stakeholders that need to when a vehicle will launch are the dealers that have to schedule orders for inventory. Around about this time of year, automakers usually brief dealers on when the current model year vehicles will end production and new ones will start.

General Motors releases video on how the Chevrolet Volt works

By now, a lot of us have probably been hammered with lectures and tutorials about the idea of electric cars and how it’s going to revolutionize the auto industry in the future.

One of the most visible proponents of electric cars has been General Motors and with the Chevrolet Volt, the auto conglomerate has the ideal car to show everyone the merits of EV driving without compensating for performance and reliability.

But for every on

General Motors releases video on how the Chevrolet Volt works

By now, a lot of us have probably been hammered with lectures and tutorials about the idea of electric cars and how it’s going to revolutionize the auto industry in the future.

One of the most visible proponents of electric cars has been General Motors and with the Chevrolet Volt, the auto conglomerate has the ideal car to show everyone the merits of EV driving without compensating for performance and reliability.

But for every on

GM's Chevrolet Volt

Meet the 2011 Chevy Volt, General Motors answer to hybrid cars like Toyota's Prius.
ABC News's Bret Hovell test drives the electric Chevy Volt.

You won't get the chance to buy it until the end of the year, but ABCNews.com was invited to preview the Volt on a closed course outside RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.

If you haven't driven an electric or hybrid car before, the first thing you notice after stepping on the gas-peddle is how quiet it is. An electric engine powered by a 400 pound lithium-ion battery allows the car to whisper along while barely making a sound.

You also notice how quick the Volt is. Because of the way electric motors are designed, power and torque are available from the starting line.

The car plugs into your standard household outlet, and will take about eight hours to fully charge, according to General Motors spokesperson Dave Darovitz. If your commute takes you further than the battery's 40 mile range, an onboard gas engine/generator kicks in, allowing you to travel between 300-400 miles before refueling.