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Chevrolet Volt Named Motor Trend 2011 Car of the Year

2010-11-16

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DETROIT – Motor Trend magazine, one of the world's premier automotive authorities, today named the Chevrolet Volt the 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

"We expected a science experiment, but this is a moon shot," Motor Trend editors wrote for the January 2011 issue. "The Volt delivers on the promise of the vehicle concept as originally outlined by GM, combining the smooth, silent, efficient, low-emissions capability of an electric motor with the range and flexibility of an internal combustion engine. It is a fully functional, no-compromise compact automobile that offers consumers real benefits in terms of lower running costs."

Many of those benefits are due to the Volt's groundbreaking propulsion system. As the world's first electric vehicle with extended range capability, the Chevrolet Volt has a total driving range of about 560 km. For the first 40 to 80 km, the Volt drives gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range more than 500 km on a full tank.

The Motor Trend Car of the Year award was presented to Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman for Global Product Operations, at the General Motors wind tunnel in Warren, Mich.

Aero dynamics engineers there helped develop an equally revolutionary design: With a drag coefficient of .28, the Volt is also the most aerodynamic sedan in Chevrolet's history. Lowering the drag coefficient increases the vehicle's efficiency, as less energy is used to overcome air pressure. As an example, aerodynamics contributes up to 13 km of electric range, and about 60 km of extended range.

"Chevrolet is truly honored to receive one of the world's most coveted automotive awards," said Stephens. "The Volt team has worked under extraordinary circumstances to produce this breakthrough vehicle."

The full report from Motor Trend appears in the January issue of the magazine and online at www.motortrend.com.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet Europe delivers attractive, distinctive design, practical, economical cars and outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2009, Chevrolet held its market share in Europe at 2.3 percent, selling 426,000 cars. Chevrolet has a network of 2,900 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the all-new Spark city car, the small Aveo, compact Cruze sedan, Captiva SUV, mid-size Epica and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet will launch the Orlando, an all-new family van, the Camaro coupe and convertible, the new Aveo and the Cruze hatchback as well as re-launching the Captiva SUV with four new engines. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the U.K. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is preparing to celebrate its centenary with the launch of the ground-breaking Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. More information on Chevrolet can be found at http://www.chevroleteurope.com or http://media.chevroleteurope.com .