GM upgrades Volt, shows off electric car

Detroit, Michigan – While other automakers flexed their muscles with new supercars and pickups, General Motors showed its green side Monday at the North American International Auto Show.

The automaker showed off the next generation of its Volt plug-in hybrid, boosting the range and power of the car while adding key aesthetic touches such as a more aggressive grille. The car will launch toward the end of 2015 or the beginning of next year as a 2016 model.

But the company’s biggest electric news came from a concept car it showed off – the Bolt. GM CEO Mary Barra says if produced, the Bolt would have a 200-mile range, and the battery powered car would cost about $30,000.

That range at that cost would undercut Tesla’s Model 3, a vehicle set for release later this year. Tesla has gained attention in the auto industry for showing that there is a market for all-electric cars, but the vehicles it now sells cost close to $100,000. Tesla has not confirmed pricing for the Model 3, but news reports have predicted a $50,000 figure.

Barra did not address Tesla directly, but she says the Bolt could an electric car that most people could afford.

”For most people, this could be a daily driver,” Barra says.

GM global design chief Michael Simcoe says the automaker has no immediate plans to produce the Bolt, but he adds that car represents what GM is capable of today, not a look far into the future. Featuring a small crossover design, the car is similar in size to the Chevy Cruze and other vehicles on GM’s small-car platform. Simcoe declined to say whether or not the Bolt shares parts with existing GM cars.

Source: General Motors