Q&A with...
Nick Zielinski, Vehicle Chief Engineer, Advanced Systems Integration, General Motors.

Nick Zielinski, Vehicle Chief Engineer, Advanced Systems Integration, General Motors.

Q. : What's under the hood of the Volt?
A. : The core of the powertrain is a 120-kilowatt electric motor (160 hp, 236 lb-ft), which was sourced from the development program of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell.

Q. : What is the Volt's top speed?
A. : 196 kph (120 mph), and 0-100 kph is 8.5 seconds.

Q. : Tell us about the generator inside the car...
A. : At 53 kilowatts, the generator is powerful enough to recharge the batteries even when the vehicle is in motion.

Q. : What happens when the batteries are empty?
A. : After 64 kilometers, the electric capacity is over and the thermal engine steps into play to recharge the batteries. A half-hour later, the charge level is back at 80 percent and the thermal engine can shut down. It goes on like this for about 1,045 kilometers. At that moment, you'll need to fill up the gas tank.

Q. : What's your ultimate dream with the Volt?
A. : It would be that the gasoline engine is replaced by fuel cells and the gas tank by a 4-kg hydrogen tank. The Volt would then produce zero toxic emissions.


_{Photo Credits: General Motors}