GM slates Volt for late 2010 launch

The race to develop a mainstream plug-in hybrid car entered the final straight this week as GM and Toyota used the Los Angeles Motor Show to debut production versions of the Chevy Volt and 2010 Toyota Prius.

GM said that it remained on track to roll out the vehicle in California by the end of 2010, beating Tesla Motors' Model S electric sedan and Fisker Automotive's Karma plug in hybrid to market.

The car is expected to be able to travel 40 miles on one electric charge, before switching to a conventional hybrid engine. The company claims that as a result the Volt will enjoy a 300 mile range before it needs refuelling.

GM said the car will be launched alongside a $30m pilot scheme that will involve three unnamed utilities that will provide 500 public charging stations across California.

Delivering the keynote address at the show, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz predicted that the auto industry was on the cusp of a transition from internal combustion engine technologies to electric vehicles that would prove "as momentous as the shift from horses to horsepower".

He said that GM was already planning to build between 8,000 and 10,000 Volts in its first year of production, rising to between 50,000 and 60,000 in the near future.

However, he warned that electric car and plug-in hybrid vehicles would remain a relatively niche market unless the price of low carbon vehicles dropped.

The Volt is widely expected to be priced at around $40,000 ahead of a $7,500 government tax break, and Lutz accepted that the vehicle would struggle to break into the mainstream unless the cost comes down over time, adding that at current prices consumers would be reluctant to pay a premium unless gas prices rise significantly.

"We're not advocating that but if it doesn't happen it's going to be very difficult for these technologies," he said.

He also predicted that it would take several years for rechargeable vehicles to enjoy full mainstream acceptance, predicting that by 2015 the US market for such vehicles would likely stand at between 250,000 to 300,000 units a year, about three per cent of current annual sales.

Luntz was speaking following the surprise resignation of GM chief executive Fritz Henderson. The company insisted that the change of leadership would not affect its plans for the Volt.

Meanwhile, Toyota gave a US debut to its plug-in version of the Prius, which is expected to provide a 13 mile range in electric-only mode before switching to the conventional hybrid mode.

The company confirmed that it is to commence a global trial of the cars later this month, with 350 cars due to be distributed to customers in Japan and Europe and a further 150 cars to be rolled out in the US early next month.

Each of the trial vehicles will be equipped with data-capture technology to track motorists' use of the vehicles and driving habits.

"This program is a necessary first step in societal preparation, in that it allows us the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology," said Irv Miller, Toyota group vice president, environmental and public affairs.

"When these vehicles come to market, customers must understand what to expect and if this technology is the right fit for them. "