What next for Chevrolet Volt?

General Motors is working on more versions of the Volt to make the most of its pioneering plug-in hybrid technology – which among other models is likely to spawn a small Cadillac luxury sedan.

The company showed the Cadillac Converj concept car (also pictured) at the 2009 Detroit motor show based on the same petrol-electric underpinnings as the Chevrolet Volt.

But Motoring.com.au understands that the Cadillac version has been expedited following the customer reaction to the Volt in its first six months on sale.

One in five customers in North America so far this year traded in a Lexus, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, showing there is a ready demand among prestige car buyers.

"It's not a one-model strategy.  It is currently one model that we're vigorously investigating which way to go," said Volt communications manager Rob Peterson, in Australia to help Holden launch the Volt next year.

"Is this a one trick pony?  No it's not. We're already looking at the second-generation of the technology for the Volt, as well as other body styles.

"When we were going through the development drives, when the leadership [team] was driving it, they were saying … 'Let's take a blank sheet of paper and think about it. What brand would it make sense to be in, what size would it make sense to be in?'

"That's the conversation that's happening right now inside the company: where to go?  It's not a matter of not having committed.  It's a matter of making the right investment.

"Right now we're still trying to gather the information from customers as to what is next."

However, Peterson said, there are limits to how far the technology can go.

"You may be able to take this sort of electric technology up to a mid-size [sedan] but you could never get it beyond that [to a full size pick-up]. That's when a parallel hybrid … makes a lot more sense," he said.

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