Chevy Volt MPV5
General Motor's pin-up electric vehicle range is growing, with a new five-seater multi-purpose people mover built by HoldenWhat does Holden have to do with an American people-mover unveiled in China? Quite a lot as it turns out: The Australian arm of GM built the concept.
Designed in North America as a global car, the blueprints for the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 were handed over to GM Holden's design team at Fisherman's Bend in Melbourne.
The result is a multi-purpose electric vehicle that seats five and can run on pure electricty.
Unveiled at the Beijing motor show, the MPV5 shares much of its powertrain architecture with the original Chevrolet Volt, which is expected to be on sale in Australia (wearing a Holden badge) by 2012. The Volt MPV5 features a 16kWh lithium ion battery pack that gives the vehicle a 50 kilometre range in normal driving conditions.
Should the driver run out of battery power, a small 1.4-litre engine acts as an generator and can repower the battery pack, extending cruising range to more than 450 kilometres.
Recharge time is expected to be similar to the Volt sedan, which takes about
Chevrolet's new Volt concept is wider and longer than the sedan, first revealed in late 2008, measuring 4585mm long and 1871mm wide, up by 181mm and 73mm. The idea behind the Volt MPV5 is to give drivers more space, and a large 863 litre boot provides just that. Fold the rear seats down and the cargo space increases to 1764 litres.
The MPV5's design follows in the footsteps of the Volt, particularly the front end treatment. However the roofline and flanks of the MPV5 are vastly different, giving the vehicle a somewhat blocky appearance.
Despite sitting on large 19-inch alloy wheels, Chevrolet claims the car's exterior design is still aerodynamically sound, while features such as a closed grille and flat underbody panels help to further reduce its drag co-efficient.
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