[Mr. Wyndham]

About 4-6 hours...it's designed to be an overnight thing.
Here's another Article:

Chevrolet Volt could be GM's next step

makeCompatibleBookmark(); Justin Pritchard
Pacenews Published Thursday July 12th, 2007


"Where do you plug it in?" is an all time favorite question posed to many a hybrid owner. After all, those who make the transition to hybrid electric vehicles often find themselves educating those who haven't.

Having an on-board generator attached to the cars engine will recharge the batteries just as well as the trusty orange extension cord, no sacrifices required. After all, the more change a new technology presents from the norm, the harder it is to sell.

That's unless you're referring to the Chevrolet Volt. It's not on sale yet, and its status as an upcoming production vehicle has yet to be confirmed- but the GM team is proudly taking the step up from gas-electric hybrids to electron-sucking plug-in vehicles which could serve the masses.

Looking for a second car to help save fuel while commuting to and from work? It could be just the ticket. If you drive under 64 kilometres per day, you might wish your favorite gas-station attendant adieu, as you may never visit them again.

Unlike a hybrid, the Volt concept drives entirely on electricity. You'd drive it to and from work and to do your errands, and then plug it in before bed- not a hard ritual to get used to if you already own a cell phone, laptop and digital camera.

In about 6 hours, the Volt will have stored a full charge on board, ready to greet you in the morning with up to 40 miles of zero-emissions, zero-gasoline driving.

Of course, you can drive it more than 40 miles- as the Volt carries on board a range-extending power generator which recharges the batteries as needed.

It can be made to run on gasoline, diesel or ethanol, and fires up to revive the cells when they run low on juice.

The combustion-driven generator isn't hooked directly up to the drivetrain- so it's not like a Prius or Escape hybrid.

The sole purpose of the gas engine aboard the Volt is to recharge the battery pack- that's it.
It doesn't help assist the electric motor to drive the car along more quickly when you punch the accelerator.

So if you needed to make an out-of-town trip, GM claims while running on fuel, the Volt would consume a measly 50mpg. With a 12 gallon fuel tank, that's good for a range of over 630 miles.

This range-extended electrical system is called E-Flex, an umbrella technology enabling a wide range of future electric vehicle applications, including hydrogen fuel cells which GM believes might be closer than we think.

Responsible for the development and implementation of E-Flex in North America is a busy man named Nick Zielinsky.

He's the chief engineer of advanced vehicles development for the E-Flex system and the Volt prototype.
His excitement for being involved with the Volt, and that of his team, permeated last weeks event which had selected Canadian media in attendance to learn about the new vehicle.
"We have a strategy to reduce the need for petroleum" Zielisky said, drawing attention to the carmakers various accomplishments in alternative fuels and gas-saving technologies. These include current and upcoming hybrid vehicles, work on E85 ethanol fuel, cylinder de-activation and extensive progress on hydrogen fuel cells.

The E-Flex system which enables the range-extended operation of the Volt is another step towards a lowered dependence on fossil fuels, while being potentially more fuel efficient and simpler than a hybrid.
Zieliski explains "a hybrid is complicated and expensive. The system requires switching between two totally different propulsion systems. E-Flex is non-mechanical, using only electricity to start and maintain the vehicles momentum. Key here is that the system can create and store energy on board."

With the Volt, there's no switching between systems to be done. Propulsion is all electric, all the time.
Sounds great- but many questions remain. What will the performance be like? Will the Volt be a vehicle that can confidently cruise the busy highways at over 70mph? Will it catch on, or be doomed the same fate as its grandfather, the EV1? Will GM actually build it?

It's anyone's guess at this stage. A prototype was available for viewing, and if it's any indication of what the production model will look like, there's no reason to think its look couldn't catch on. There's a hint of GM's roadsters present in the front, while a glass roof, dual-pane glass side windows and an overall sleek and sporty look are the name of the Volt's game.

It rides the carmakers European-derived small car platform, which has been modified to accept the unique new hardware. The platform is also used in the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac Pursuit. Just don't expect the 21 inch wheels or hand-made suede interior to show up in showrooms.

GM has gone so far as to submit a request for proposal with a pair of battery suppliers, hoping that competition between the two would yield a reasonable price for the components.
Volt is a striking concept, both in person and on paper.

GM has some challenging times ahead of them in creating it, though it has undeniable potential to change the alternative-propulsion game if they do.

I have to be honest. This was a Canadian article. So I edited it a little for unit measurments...i.e. Litres to gallons, kilometers to miles...kept it as close to a whole number as I could.