Meet the new Holden Volt EV

The Holden Volt is unlikely to be with us this side of Christmas. But that doesn’t mean the crew at General Motors' Australian operation aren’t hard at work putting the finishing touches on the first Extended Range Electric Vehicle to go on sale Down Under.

Note we didn’t say hybrid, because that label isn’t entirely accurate. A hybrid, by definition, is a petrol-powered vehicle assisted by an electric motor -- like the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight. The Volt is a whole other kettle of fish.

Joining the engineers from Holden at the company’s proving ground near Lang Lang in Victoria, carsales.com.au had an early opportunity to chat with the experts -- and a very brief drive of the Volt.

Arriving early one Saturday morning [after following some loose directions, possibly devised by the Stonecutters ilk] the mystery of the Lang Lang facility finally revealed itself to a recuperating Holden tragic. A camera-free tour of the facility recalled grainy black and white images of former favourites being put through their paces.

Reaching the curiously named ‘Chalet’ [I’m sure there’s an insider joke there somewhere], located at the hub of the high-speed bowl, we found Chevrolet Volt with Holden badges looking decidedly “run in”, but no-less clean, and beautifully put together.

The car was clearly a 'victim' of countless laps of the ride and handling course, and any other test you care to name. But this didn’t stop it performing perfectly.

Holden Engineer Dion Schultz spent the next hour intricately discussing just how the Volt is propelled, and what makes it different from pure electric vehicles, and, indeed, traditional hybrids.

It’s an interesting development to say the least, but one by its simplest definition not unlike that of a diesel-electric locomotive. It was also like Chinese water torture to a former Holden fan boy, champing at the bit to get behind the wheel.

Motivation for the single-spec Volt comes purely from a pair of electric motors. These motors are linked to a 16.5kWh lithium-ion battery which is charged by a household supply, or the (63kW) 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine onboard the Volt. Tthink of it as a generator rather than a car engines…

The engine is the same mill found in iTi-powered Cruze models, sans the turbocharger.

Total output via the system is rated at 111kW/370Nm. Holden restricts the actual torque to the wheels at lower speeds to limit wheelspin.

The sum of all this technology means Volt can travel up to 80km on electric power alone, or as many as 600km from the combination of electric power supplement by the petrol engine and its 36-litre fuel tank.

Most US drivers tackling the daily commute have found that the petrol engine is rarely used, and depending on the driving mode selected, it seems little input is required from the ICE (internal combustion engine) unit. This being the case, most drivers will need only top-up the battery each night. On grid recharging takes as little as four hours from a 240V/10A domestic outlet… Or two hours from a 240V/15A outlet, which any electrician can install from around $300.

What’s more, Volt can be programmed to charge itself during off-peak times via a smartphone application. We didn’t have a chance to play with this feature during our short visit but look forward to it down the track…

The petrol engine must run to operating temperature (approximately 10 minutes) every 42 days to ensure it’s kept in tip-top condition. Volt will ask its owner if the time is appropriate before doing so. So thoughtful! After a year it will run itself for longer to burn any stale fuel that might remain in its specially sealed tank.

We drove Volt briefly in both Sport and Normal mode (there’s four modes in total), and in either, acceleration is strong, linear and seamlessly smooth.

Using what’s essentially a single-speed transmission, Volt's progress isn’t punctuated by gearshifts in its sprint from standstill to triple figures. Holden says it can achieve the 0-100km/h in just under 9.5 seconds -- a claim we have no trouble believing.

An animated orb on the dash panel indicates how economically you are driving. Keeping the orb green and centred means you’re driving efficiently; when it rises and turns yellow, you’re not.

The graphic is a similar idea to those found in other eco-focussed models -- Honda Insight and its glowing red dash of anger or the Nissan LEAF’s series of, well, leaves.

Volt rides on the same platform as the Holden Cruze, and as such it feels similar, despite its added weight. The car is steady at speed and comfortably sprung. The steering is light (like most electrically-assisted units tend to be) and rather direct. Surprisingly, it is not completely devoid of feel as you turn from centre.

It did feel strange to be driving a left-hand drive vehicle on the right-hand side of the road, however.

Controls are light and simplistic, though we should point out that the braking lacks the natural, progressive modulation found in conventionally-powered cars. Still, the car stops with reasonable confidence, especially when used in conjunction with regenerative (electric motor) assistance.

If we had to fault Volt for anything it would be its lack of a middle seat up back (this space is consumed by the ‘T’ shaped battery, absence of rear seat ventilation outlets and the omission of a rear windshield wiper on what’s otherwise a high-spec’d vehicle.

Rear legroom too is a little on the tight side but you have to remember this is a small-category hatchback, and one compromised by the need for electricity storage.

Cargo space is plentiful. As Volt houses its battery in the centre section of the car there is a proper size boot with flip-down rear seats for those times you need to carry bulkier items. Under the cargo bay floor, a neat storage area houses charging cables, a can of tyre sealant and a small air compressor. There is no spare wheel per se.

The only question now, besides Holden’s timing, is just how expensive the Volt will be when it arrives in local showrooms.

In the USA, Volt retails from around $41,000. It's already been suggested Australians could pay as much as $60,000 by the time the Volt lands here.

We hope the car won’t be that expensive -- though sadly any new technology often demands a substantial premium.

Were it not for this fiduciary hiccup, we could certainly see the Volt adopted in the record numbers it achieved in its home market. For now though, it’s a matter of wait and see.