GM Korea's Volt EV to hit the market on February 1

GM Korea's Volt EV to hit the market on February 1. February. 01, 2017 06:57. by Eun-Taek Lee nabi@donga.com. GM Korea is set to unveil its new plug-in hybrid car “Volt” in Korea on February 1. The next-generation Volt is reportedly capable of travelling up to 676 kilometers when fully charged.

The second-generation Volt runs on two electric motors and a 1.5-liter gasoline engine. A total of 192 high-voltage lithium-ion battery cells provided by LG Chem are added on the Volt, which is 96 battery cells less than the first-generation model, contributing to reducing the weight of car by 10 kilograms while enhancing the efficiency by 12 percent. The maximum driving range solely by electricity records up to 89 kilometers, which increases to 676 kilometers when combined with a gasoline engine.

The Volt is produced as a plug-in hybrid car equipped with an internal combustion engine, a rechargeable battery and an electric motor. Instead, GM Korea prefers to call it “EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle),” highlighting the Volt’s relatively longer driving range by electricity compared to its market rivals. It is estimated that it would take five hours to be fully charged using a destination charger.

For the front of the Volt, GM Korea has designed a new radiator grille in order to allow smooth air flow while on the road. The Volt will be offered with four exterior color options including Summit White, Switchblade Silver, Midnight Black and Sapphire Blue. Other features include 10 airbags, low-speed automatic emergency breaking system, lane deviation warning sensor and lane-keeping support system. The Volt will be sold at 38 million won (32,700 U.S. dollars) but the price drops to 31.57 million won (27,220 dollars) with a subsidy on green car and tax benefits.

In addition, GM Korea plans to release its pure electric vehicle “Bolt EV” in Korea in the first half of 2017. The Bolt EV was named North American Car of the Year in January.